Sechelt council lowered this year's residential tax increase to 1.5 per cent from the two per cent previously endorsed and earmarked $100,000 to the Davis Bay Wharf restoration project on April 10.
Councillors made the changes while discussing the draft budget at their committee of the whole meeting Wednesday.
The meeting began with a delegation from Davis Bay resident Bruce Milne on behalf of the Davis Bay Wharf restoration project. The delegation request was made after Milne's group found out council planned to commit just $35,000 to the project this year. He challenged council to shift their thinking and consider other ways to help fund the wharf project, estimated to cost $550,000, which Sechelt made a top priority on paper in 2012.
He suggested some of the $350,000 earmarked for economic development through the newly formed Sechelt Innovations Ltd. might be appropriate.
The wharf restoration project aims to increase the size of the wharf, replace aging components, install a float and erect a gazebo for the public to enjoy.
Milne said the economic spinoff of repairing and expanding the Davis Bay Wharf was worth $1.5 million to residents alone, making it a worthy economic development project.
Sechelt council committed $100,000 to the wharf restoration project last year; however, only $35,000 was used. The remaining $65,000 went back to the District and was spent elsewhere.
In this year's draft budget, council had previously committed $35,000 at Coun. Alice Lutes' urging; however, a 0.5 per cent tax increase was needed to raise those funds.
During the last round of debate on the budget, council also urged staff to find more ways to cut back on the capital side. On April 10, they saw that a change to some sewer line works resulted in $150,000 of savings.
Further savings were identified by council April 10 when they chose to cut back on a road paving project between Mason Road and Wakefield Road. That cut resulted in another $100,000 of savings.
Coun. Mike Shanks asked for higher funding for the wharf project, in light of the savings found.
"I honestly feel if we don't contribute something more substantial than $35,000, which is basically a half a per cent tax increase, when all these other things are out there where we can potentially cut them back, then I'm sorry, I feel council's credibility is on the line because that is our number one priority short term, and yet we're pushing it further and further back all the time," Shanks said.
"So somehow we've got to resolve it to get more than $50,000 or $60,000 for this. We have to put some big dollars down so that it can come to fruition."
Coun. Tom Lamb suggested earmarking $100,000 again for the project in 2013 and Coun. Darnelda Siegers made it a motion with a stipulation the money stay with the project whether it's spent this year or not.
When the vote was called, the decision was unanimous to give $100,000 to the wharf restoration project from the 2013 capital budget.
Councillors then turned their attention to the residential tax increase with Shanks moving to lower the tax increase by 0.5 per cent, making for a 1.5 per cent increase this year.
Some wanted to see the tax increase stay at two per cent, noting the extra money could be put into reserves, but in the end a four to three vote set the tax rate at 1.5 per cent for 2013.
The finalized budget will come to council next week for adoption.
