In the District of Sechelt's most recent budget discussions on Jan. 10, a revised capital project list was presented.
Erin Johnson, accountant for the district, presented the most recent changes to the capital and reserve list, changes of note included:
The park playground improvements were initially listed as a $275,000 project to be entirely funded by the capital reserve list with the potential for funding from the Housing Accelerator Fund. The revised proposal asks for $100,000 from the capital reserve and would acquire the remaining $175,000 from the Housing Accelerator Fund.
The Friendship Park washroom renewal project was initially budgeted from the Growing Communities Fund but has been changed to be funded by the capital reserve instead.
The Kinnikinnick well project and the non-potable fill station at Dusty Road were both budgeted to draw from the Growing Communities Fund and have been deferred to 2025 or a later date.
Information technology upgrades, such as a server room upgrade and security enhancements, were initially budgeted to draw from the COVID BC Safe Restart Grant but will now be funded through the capital reserve.
The Chapman Creek flood mitigation phase one project of $400,000 has been deferred to 2025 or later.
The Mermaid Street rehabilitation project originally budgeted for $500,000 from the Growing Communities Fund with potential for funding through the Housing Accelerator Fund will no longer proceed unless the Housing Accelerator Fund, or funding from a similar grant, are secured.
The Jasper Road sidewalk from Mills Road to Northwest Bay Road project was also budgeted to draw from the Growing Communities Fund with assistance from the housing accelerator, and now will not be pursued until the housing accelerator or similar type funding is secured.
Johnson summarized that the total cost for capital projects had been reduced by $1.6 million to $8,342,500 from $9,942,500.
This number is dependent on factoring out projects such as Mermaid Street and Jasper Road, which were dependent on grant funding.
Coun. Dianne McLauchlan asked where the COVID BC Safe Restart Grant would be used instead. David Douglas, director of financial services, explained that reports came to council shortly before Christmas utilizing the funds, so an adjustment was made.
Douglas added that staff were asked to avoid spending a lot of the Growing Communities Fund when possible, and that many of the projects that were funded by it have been changed to use capital reserves. “So at this point, you'd be looking at only utilizing $850,000 from the Growing Communities Fund which would still leave just over $2 million in that fund at the end of the year,” Douglas said.
Coun. Alton Toth spoke to the Chapman Creek flood mitigation project, saying he appreciated seeing it pushed back to 2025, and asking if staff would be looking to other sources of funding instead of the Growing Communities Fund, which staff confirmed.
McLauchlan asked when the new drainage master plan would be completed, raising the point that the current plan was created in 2009. Kirn Dhillon, director of engineering and operations for Sechelt responded that the new plan is about 90 per cent complete and that the consultant creating the plan is slightly behind
Council voted that the provisional budget updated capital list as presented be given pre-approval to proceed for 2024 projects with Henderson and McLauchlan opposed.
Douglas clarified that this signifies pre-approval to staff, and will allow them to start planning and moving forward with projects that are ready to begin.
The motions passed in this meeting – including operational budget and sewage and septage rate considerations – will allow Douglas to proceed with preparing a five-year financial plan for Sechelt.
Jordan Copp is the Coast Reporter’s civic and Indigenous affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
