qathet Regional District board of directors will consider amending the lease agreement with Texada Seniors Council, Texada Library and Sandpipers Playcentre to reduce the annual rents to $1 per year with no annual increase.
At the April 15 meeting of the regional district’s committee of the whole, directors considered reducing the annual rent in the former Gillies Bay School on Texada Island.
Committee chair and Electoral Area D director Sandy McCormick said the seniors council has lost its income, which comes from Friday afternoon lunches, that are very popular and well attended.
City director George Doubt said the proposal would involve turning the lease agreement into taxation.
“The money, which is not going to be coming in from revenue from the lease from these three organizations, would then be coming in from the taxpayers, which I think would be 99 cents per $100,000 per year (of net taxable value of house and property),” said Doubt.
According to a staff report, On February 19, Texada Seniors Council board president Dale Rinehart wrote to McCormick outlining the hardship the council was having. Reducing the annual rent will allow it to continue to run the organization.
The seniors council has ceased operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic and has no income opportunities, according to the staff report.
The staff report stated this community organization provides a valued service to Texada Island, facilitating a weekly lunch that allows for the community to get together and socialize.
Facility rent for Texada Seniors Council is currently $1,137 per year and staff recommended the regional board reduce it to $1 per year. Texada Library and Sandpipers Playcentre also reside in the old school building and the committee’s motion would mean a reduction in annual revenue to the Texada Recreation Commission service.
Cost of the reduction, based on 2020 revised roll values, would mean an increase in the residential tax rate of 33 cents per $100,000 of net taxable value per year for each agreement, for Electoral Area D. This figure would be multiplied by three if Sandpipers Playcentre and Texada Library are included with Texada Seniors Council.
