On March 8 at 9 a.m., Squamish residents were looking at a prospective 2.3 per cent decrease in property taxes.
That was before a school liaison officer, a public art policy, a parks and recreation master plan, and other council and staff priorities were discussed.
"This budget has no wiggle room, no money put aside and it's the core service level for us operating at an efficient level in the District of Squamish," said chief administrative officer Kevin Ramsay.
He said council priorities were divided into four categories - high priority, council priority, medium priority and low priority - and if council has approved all high, medium and council priorities, property taxes would go up by roughly the same as 2010: 4.6 per cent.
Ramsay explained that every $170,000 added to the budget resulted in a one per cent increase in property taxes.
Council priorities were items council had previously approved such as a harbour management strategy and high priorities were necessary items such as election costs and bridge maintenance.
On March 8, council members discussed the high-, medium- and council-priority items.
Most of the high-priority items were approved unanimously - street lighting, dikes, bicycle lane maintenance, firefighter volunteer training, leadership development, bridge maintenance, election costs and more.
One item that raised substantial debate was an item that, in essence, cost nothing more - an additional RCMP officer. Historically the district has funded 23 RCMP officers and after maternity/paternity leave, injuries and calls to work elsewhere, the actual officer count ends up being 21 and the district receives a rebate - $120,000 per officer.
With that in mind, staff recommended keeping the rebate and asking the RCMP to hire 24 officers, theoretically ensuring there would be 22 RCMP officers.
Coun. Paul Lalli was adamant that if there was extra money it should be reinvested in the budget and not put toward more officers, but the other council members argued that a greater police presence was a positive step.
Council members decided to combine a medium priority - a school liaison officer - with the motion and approved the "24" RCMP officers on the condition that one be assigned to the role of high school liaison officer.
Three other items were discussed - the library's multicultural program, council remuneration and Brennan Park concession stand repairs.
Coun. Corinne Lonsdale was critical of the multicultural program, saying she felt it was more of a community enhancement grant than a budget item, but the motion to approve $8,000 for it was carried with Lonsdale, Coun. Rob Kirkham and Coun. Patricia Heintzman opposed.
Council members decided to increase the mayor's salary to $48,000 over the next two years but reduced councillors' compensation to 43 per cent of the mayor's salary instead of the previous 48 per cent - a move that will still see councillors earn more money.
Staff told council the Brennan Park concession stand needed $30,000 in repairs; without the fixes, it would need to be closed for safety concerns.
Lonsdale said considering the number of organizations who use it, council should provide $15,000 and ask user groups to come up with the rest of the cost.
Lalli said "if anything, I would rather approach the user groups about doing some improvements as well instead of just catch-up work."
Kirkham and Gardner said they wanted to make sure the facility remains open and not depend on the user groups for that.
"I don't want to see this close," he said. "I would like to have enough money here to at least make it usable."
Kirkham made a motion to include $30,000 for repairs and it was carried unanimously.
Next, council took a second look at five motions they had previously recommended and approved a strategic management plan, a marine management strategy, a social planning review and a subdivision bylaw. Kirkham made a motion to delete the amenities policy. It was carried unanimously.
At the end of the meeting, Squamish residents were looking at a 0.9 per cent tax increase.
Deliberations resumed on Tuesday (March 15) when the Squamish-Whistler commuter service received $128,000 toward continued operation, while eight medium-priority items were approved. Mayor Greg Gardner was not present.
The items included $12,000 for firefighter life insurance premiums, $50,000 for core service reviews, $30,000 for a development cost charges bylaw review, $10,000 for a public art policy, $10,000 for a neighbourhood energy utility service area bylaw, $25,000 for a parks and recreation master plan, $15,750 for a building department clerk's increased hours, $15,000 for a building bylaw review and $5,000 to stream, record and broadcast Committee of the Whole meetings.
The most contentious medium priority was staff's recommendation to allocate $30,000 to trails maintenance, which was defeated in a 3-3 vote with Lalli, Kirkham and Lonsdale opposed.
Coun. Bryan Raiser, a long-time trails advocate, was frustrated with the decision and called it "ridiculous."
"Staff were only asking for $30,000. With that money we can work with groups and youth and get at lest $70,000 worth of work done," he said.
"We're talking pennies to throw at an integral piece of our community's economic and recreation infrastructure. Trails are the backbone of several industries in town and to have elected representatives of the District of Squamish be against maintaining what is widely held to be one of our greatest assets is... well, it's just plain sad."
Raiser said he hopes that when Gardner returns it will swing the vote in favour of the item.
"However, it's not over," he said. "The mayor was not at the Committee of the Whole so I plan to bring it up again. I know the anti-trail councillors will never be swayed but I look forward to seeing Mayor Gardner's tie-breaking vote."
All the budget decisions so far result in a 2.3 per cent tax increase but are only recommendations until ratified. Council is set to decide whether to ratify these motions on April 5.
