107th Year - Week 16 PM 40007014
Money raised to date:
$369,545
GOAL
$400,000 NEW ARENA DONATIONS
$10,000:
Bulkley Valley Home Centre and LB Paving
$5,000:
Canadian Tire and Goodacre Stores
$3,000:
Dan’s Source for Sports
$2,500:
Glacier Toyota
$2,000:
GE Greene Law Corp., Canyon Creek Farm, Dr. Sheila Smith
$1,500:
Four Dimensions Computers
$1,000:
Bachrach family, Rowsell family, Toni and Judi L’Orsa, Dr. Jeannie Ray, Dr. Julie Cleworth, SunLife and Associates, Capri Motor Inn, Ron Toews, Will Hofsink, Thomas MacAloney, Telus and Katherine Davidson
Under $1,000:
Fitness Northwest, Heartstrings and Jim Davidson
INSIDE LETTERS COMMUNITY OUR TOWN SPORTS THREE RIVERS CLASSIFIEDS
A7 A11 A20 B1 C1 C3
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
www.interior-news.com
Single Copy • $1.30 ($1.24 + 6¢ GST)
Smithers presents budget By Ryan Jensen Smithers/Interior News
The average Town of Smithers homeowner will see a $43 increase on municipal property taxes in 2014. Additionally, the average business owner whose building has a Class 6 assessment will pay $142 more this year in municipal taxes. Town of Smithers councillors unveiled highlights of the 2014 budget last week in a public open house prior to the regular meeting. At the open house, councillors presented different aspects of the document and opened up the floor to questions. The 1.85 per cent increase in general municipal taxes proposed in the 2014 budget would be the lowest increase in more than 10 years. Mayor Taylor Bachrach discussed the town’s strategic priorities—the new arena, curbside recycling, airport marketing and lands development and the Fall Fair grounds. “We’re shooting to have the new arena ready to go by late September and things are going really well,” Bachrach said. “We’re tweaking the design here and there as it goes and so far it’s looking really good. It’s not a Cadillac but it will
serve our purpose just fine.” Curbside recycling begins in May and the biggest upfront cost to the town for the implementation was the $130,000 purchase price of the blue carts, Bachrach said. Included in the budget is $430,000 for repaving and major patching of town streets, $320,000 for a Fulton Ave. walkway extension to 16th Ave., $224,000 for sidewalk maintenance and $100,000 for a washroom building at the Fall Fair grounds. Also included in this year’s budget is the first phase of the Smithers Regional Airport expansion project. The $4 million first phase is mainly dependent on significant grant funding, councillor Frank Wray said. “It’s a very expensive project but much needed,” Wray said. “But we’ll be looking at grant funding for a lot of it and there are programs available.” The Town of Smithers’ total operating revenue budget for 2014 is $11.2 million. Property taxes account for almost 45 per cent of that amount and user fees make up more than 36 per cent of the total. The 2014 budget will be approved at the regular council meeting May 13.
April 9-22! see page A-24
Chatter’s Fresh or Frozen Pizzas Assorted Varieties
SHRED THE NORTH Elsa Nisbet barrels down the megacross track during the Shred the North competition last weekend at Hudson Bay Mountain. The ski and snowboard season wraps up this weekend with the annual Schnai Dai. For more on Shred the North, see page B1. Nolan Kelly photo
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