qathet regional directors hear outline of 2020-2024 financial plan

Draft one of the qathet Regional District financial plan has been released.

At the inaugural regional district finance committee meeting on January  22, manager of financial services Linda Greenan outlined the 2020 to 2024 financial plan for regional directors.

Greenan said some highlights of the 2020 capital plan show $4.7 million for planned regional projects and $1.4 million for electoral area projects.

For the regional projects, the main one is for waste management, with nearly $4.5 million budgeted for site closure of the city waste transfer site and resource-recovery centre. Greenan said that amount was largely grant funded.

Another project is the Haywire Bay sani-dump, for $36,750. There is also a 20-foot emergency evacuation container planned, at a cost of $25,000.

For electoral areas, there is the northside Lund satellite fire hall replacement, at $866,565, and Lund sewer outfall renewal, costed at $115,750, the bulk of which is funded by the community works fund.

For Savary Island fire department, there is the rebuilding of a stairway/ramp for $37,000 and replacement of a first responder pickup truck at $62,000.

In terms of tax requisition changes by area for 2020, the City of Powell River change is 7.4 per cent, Electoral Area A is 4.1 per cent, Savary Island is six per cent, Electoral Area B is 7.4 per cent, Electoral Area C is 1.8 per cent, Electoral Area D is 10.7 per cent and Electoral Area E is 3.9 per cent.

“That’s because all of the areas have different services,” said Greenan. “The tax changes per area go from $2 per $100,000 in the City of Powell River boundaries and range to a decrease of $14.21 in Electoral Area A.”

In terms of tax rate per $100,000 in 2020, City of Powell River is $69.59, in Electoral Area A it is $323.01, on Savary Island it is $186.69, in Electoral Area B it is $220.41, Electoral Area C is $229.96, Electoral Area D is $234.29 and Electoral Area E is $216.24.

If a proposed $183.000 parkland acquisition levy is included, it adds about $3.25 per $100,000 of taxable value.

During question period, Electoral Area D director Sandy McCormick asked about the longhouse project for Shelter Point Park, which in the capital plan is showing project expenditure in the 2021 budget year.

“My question is why we have moved from 2020 because we’ve just received grant funding for that project,” said McCormick. “It was my understanding that it would go to bid for construction early this year, so my question is why does that show up for 2021 and not 2020?”

Regional district manager of asset management and strategic initiatives Mike Wall said when the regional district had the opportunity to look at available staff time versus which projects rated higher, it got bumped to 2021. Wall said construction drawings have not been received from Tla’amin Nation, which are needed for the process. He said another aspect is in-kind donations, such as lumber, so the regional district is looking at being able to source that.

“We thought in 2020, staff can look at the in-kind donations and the Tla’amin Nation to provide the construction drawings and arrange getting a tender out at the later part of the year,” said Wall. “The construction could occur in early 2021.”

McCormick asked if there was any danger of losing the grant from Powell River Community Forest for the project if it is not spent in 2020. City director CaroleAnn Leishman said the answer was no.

Finance committee chair George Doubt said in looking at the waste management budgetary items for 2021, he noted there are three items that will be funded by borrowing for $5 million. He said his question was whether that borrowing had already been approved or whether it is coming forward at a future time.

Greenan said that borrowing is approved. She said approval for it is through the waste management plan but it has not been approved through the borrowing bylaw yet.

Greenan said the regional district is also actively seeking grant funding for the project. Part of the borrowing is for the waste transfer station, so the regional district keeps looking for grant funding that might support that project.

“If it all works out well, we won’t have to borrow as much,” said Greenan.

The second draft of the financial plan will be presented to the finance committee on February 19; the third draft will be presented March 18 and the budget will be up for adoption on March 30.