Residents will be on the hook for a 2.5 per cent tax hike in Spall this year.
“We’ve been very prudent and cut costs where we can,” said Mayor Janice Brown.
“But in order to run the municipality, that’s what we need.”
While property taxes form the largest portion of planned revenue, Spallumcheen is looking at other ways to get some cash invested in the community.
The township is driving ahead with a development cost charge program for roads projects, with developments under $50,000 being exempt.
“Right now we have nothing,” said Brown. “Because we don’t have water and sewer we have no avenue to collect any money from.”
The new DCCs will ensure developers pay into the road infrastructure.
“We have some large industrial farms moving into the community,” said Brown, who hopes the new DCCs won’t impact the small farmers.
The bylaw still has to go to the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development for approval and there will be a notification period once implemented.
Brush back
The community wants Spallumcheen to trim back its landscape maintenance.
“We’ve had major complaints over brushing,” said Mayor Brown.
An industrial brusher is the main culprit, which sometimes takes whole branches of trees and rips the bark off them.
“It’s how people want the rural community to look,” said Brown.
Therefore, Spallumcheen is looking at its current level of service and possibly cutting back. A suggestion of hand-trimming is also being looked at, but that is more costly.
“Maybe there’s certain areas where we could hand brush,” said Brown, adding that some residents say they are willing to pay the added cost for labour for hand-trimming. “It’s good that the public brought it to our attention.”