Cariboo Regional District (CRD) Area L Director Bruce Rattray noted some interesting comments arose during the recent town-hall meeting held for his area's residents.
It was one of a series of town-hall meetings held around the region to discuss CRD services, and gain input toward its 2013/14 budget and five-year financial plan, which was presented by chief administrative officer Janis Bell.
Rattray said he was "a bit disappointed" to see about 25-30 residents turn out, when typically 40-50 attend from the larger Area L. He added, however, it was Thanksgiving weekend and the seasonal property owners he was hoping to attract didn't pan out.
He noted one resident questioned why CRD/province levy a charge for 9-1-1 services on property taxes, when TELUS also charges fees for that service.
"My understanding is the TELUS charges go to pay for the [technical] communications side of the business to make sure the system can handle the 9-1-1 calls and getting them to the call centre. Then, from the call centre to the [emergency] responders is really the tax-based side of the business."
Some community hall representatives wanted to know why a portion of their operating budgets is no longer fully covered by the CRD, Rattray said.
In Area L, community halls are located in the Lone Butte, Interlakes and Watch Lake.
"It's essentially a fixed tax rate that we charge, it is $10 a property for parcel tax, which brings in a little over $50,000 a year to contribute to the three halls."
Increasing energy costs were perhaps not noticed by the hall groups, Rattray explained, but they do receive the utility and insurance bills directly and then send them on to the CRD to pay on their behalf.
"I think it came as a bit of a surprise that they were running out of money."
While the bills have gone up, he said the funding hasn't and that is leading to complaints. However, Rattray noted the CRD has contributed to hall renovations to improve things, such as heating costs, but increases in utility rates, public use, and in some cases, enlarged hall buildings all have cost impacts.
"They own the buildings; they manage them; and they run them. We do not manage the budgets."
Some people at the meeting were likely not satisfied with that answer, Rattray noted.
"They still are not sure why the CRD didn't give them an earlier warning that they were going to run out of money ... [because] they've never had to pay as close attention as they do now."
Another interesting question that arose, Rattray noted, was why the CRD taxes property owners for a capital purchase when there is funding in its capital reserves.
"This is something we are still struggling with – to come up with a policy basis for this. We are trying to find out what the right mix is between borrowing money for projects and having money available in capital reserves."
More board debate is needed to develop that balance, he said, because it gets a "bit philosophical" when you consider taxpayers who pay for something like a facility and then move away before it is built.
Rattray added he is looking forward to reviewing the survey results from the meeting and any more that come in through the website at www.cariboord.bc.ca (click the piggy bank logo twice).
He said road maintenance is not a CRD function, but it was "nice" that Interior Roads quality manager Phil Doddridge also attended to provide residents with an update and to field questions.
"It was a small crowd, but with lots of interest; folks asked lots of questions and I think most came away better informed.
"We got some feedback, too, that hopefully we can use in the [budget] process."