The Thompson-Nicola Regional District board of directors has approved tax increases for residents of the Little Fort area for fire protection and operation of the community hall.
During their Dec. 15 meeting, the directors gave final approval for an amendment to the Little Fort fire protection bylaw that will increase the annual financial contribution for fire protection services by up to $9,500.
Little Fort Volunteer Fire Department had earlier asked that the TNRD increase the financial contribution by “at least $10,000.”
The maximum annual requisition under the current bylaw was $25,822.00 However, the 2016 tax requisition was just under $20,000.
That means the actual total increase will be just over $5,000, or 9 cents per $1000 of assessed value.
The Little Fort Fire Protection service was established in 1998.
The Little Fort Community Hall operating grant service bylaw was amended to increase the maximum annual requisition for the Little Fort Community Hall by 25 per cent or $5,137.
This will boost the amount of the grant for the hall to $25,685. The increase will allow for the funding of maintenance of the hall’s water system as well as other minor costs for the facility.
The Little Fort Community Hall is owned by the TNRD. The Little Fort Community Association receives an annual financial contribution for its maintenance and operation as a public meeting hall.
This maintenance agreement does not include maintenance of the small water system that serves the hall, which the TNRD itself is responsible for.
The Little Fort Community Hall service was established in 1986. The last time the rate was formally amended was in 2004.
Under the bylaw, the maximum annual requisition is $20,548.00 and the 2016 tax requisition was just under that value. Of this, $16,000.00 is forwarded each year to the Little Fort Community Association, $2,850.00 is budgeted for property insurance and the service is levied a three per cent administrative charge.
There is little surplus accumulated in the service, leaving little to no funds for other costs – including maintenance of the water system.
The increase will amount to $5,137 in total or nine cents per $1000 of assessed value.
There are 157 residences in the fire protection and community hall service areas.
