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Updated: Richmond council asks for more time to consider budget

Council members peppered staff with questions on Monday afternoon about the 2019 capital budget and, in the end, they asked for a few more weeks to get all their questions answered before voting on approving it.
Richmond city hall

Council members peppered staff with questions on Monday afternoon about the 2019 capital budget and, in the end, they asked for a few more weeks to get all their questions answered before voting on approving it.

The only part of the operating budget that passed at the finance committee was funding to bring in 36 more fire fighters and 51 more RCMP officers, phased in over the next three years. Based on population, Richmond has fewer police officers than its peer group with a police-to-population ratio of 1:970.

Overall taxes for Richmond ratepayers are proposed to increase by 5.33 per cent in 2019 with 55 per cent attributable to increased police and fire costs. But Mayor Malcom Brodie said this proposed increase by staff is not final.

"We're far from coming to a final number - it'll depend on a lot of different factors," he told the News. For example, the one per cent that is going into reserves might be changed. 

Coun. Kelly Greene asked a series of questions about the capital budget, for example, on the multi-use pathway on Steveston Highway, parkland acquisition, renovations to Watermania, vehicle and equipment purchases, a proposed sidewalk on No. 6 Road, IT contracts, among others.

Other councillors brought up questions on the budget, and Coun. Michael Wolfe said the budget seemed to support the last council’s goals.

Coun. Bill McNulty questioned why more needs assessments were being proposed, and Coun. Linda McPhail asked why a request for library book vending technology, for $41,000, wasn’t recommended by staff.

The capital budget for 2019 is proposed at $116.5 million and includes items such as a $2 million for a multi-use pathway on Steveston between Shell and Mortfield Gate, $5.1 million for flood protection and dike improvements, $4 million for parkland acquisition, and $10 million for strategic land acquisition.

Other capital items include maintenance and renewal of existing infrastructure. The annual asphalt re-paving program is budgeted at $3.1 million, the Gateway Theatre phase 2 replacement will cost $3.7 million and improvements at Watermania are pegged at $1.3 million. The Hugh Boyd artificial turf field replacement will cost $1.8 million and fire truck replacements are budgeted at $2.5 million.

Both the capital and operating budgets will come back to the finance committee and then be approved at a later council meeting.

Tax rates for residential, business, industrial and other properties will be set later in the year.

On the mayor’s urging, staff promised to bring back information to council on their questions within two weeks, and he was assured the information would come a week before the next meeting on the budget was held.

 

Proposed capital budget items:

Steveston multi-use pathway:   $2 million

Flood protection/dike improvements: $5.1 million

Steveston/No. 3 Road pump station upgrade: $2 million

Watermain replacement: $5.4 million

Minoru Park Lakes renewal: $1.8 million

Parkland acquisition: $4 million

Strategic land acquisition: $10 million

Proposed replacement capital budget item:

Asphalt repaving: $3.1 million

Gateway Theatre Phase 2: $3.1 million

Minoru Arena system renewal: $3.3 million

Minoru Place Activity Centre program implementation: $2.5 million

Watermania, mechanical, building envelope phase 2: $1.3 million

Works yard mechanical replacement: $1.7 million

Hugh Boyd artificial turf: $1.8 million

Vehicle and equipment purchases: $3.7 million

Fire vehicle purchases: $2.5 million

 

Other capital items:

External grant matching funds: $10 million

Internal transfers and debt repayment:

7080 River Rd. repayment: $2.3 million

9540 Alexandra Rd. and 9560 Odlin Rd: $2.1 million

River Road/North Loop replacement: $1.7 million

City Centre Community Police Office: $5.1 million