Source: http://okanaganlakebc.ca/community/personal/westside_road/garbage_foi_act.htm
Timestamp: 2019-06-25 19:45:19
Document Index: 86987898

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 26', 'art 26', 'art 26', 'art 26', 'art 26', 'art 26', 'art 26']

Sugar Loaf Transfer Station Freedom of Information Act requests
(N.O.W.E.S.I.) Sugar Loaf Mountain Transfer Station
Solid Waste Management defines the Local Service Area Establishment Bylaw No. 577, 1993
3. The boundaries of the service area are the whole of ElectoralAreas 'G', 'H', 'I' and 'A'.
4. The annual costs for the service established in Section 1 shall be recovered by:
a) The requisition of money under Section 809.1 to be collected by a parcel tax to be imposed in the manner provided by Section 810.1 (2).
b) The imposition of fees and other charges that may be fixed by separate bylaw for the purpose of recovering these costs.
5. The maximum amount that may be requisitioned annually under Section 804(1) (b) for costs of the service shall be $660,000.
Cost sharing for Part 26 services
804.1 (1) The costs of services under Part 26 [Planning and Land Use Management] must be apportioned on the basis of the converted value of land and improvements in the service area as follows:
This is the Regional District of Central Okanagan garbage collection area in 2009 - 2010
Bylaw 1253, 2009 = $51.95 Property Tax Bill for Landfill and $40 Utility Bill in 2009
That describes the service area as Electoral Areas "G", "H", "I", "A".
Freedom of Information request asking for maps that show the former electoral areas of the Central Okanagan Regional District before Central Okanagan West came into being and before the West Kelowna District Municipality was no longer Regional District of Central Okanagan Electoral Area "H".
Electoral "A" we are not sure yet.
we didn't receive the right hand bottom corner of map above .. sorry.
Electoral Area "G" was the North Westside Road area
Electoral Area "H" was formerly Westbank before it became West Kelowna District Municipality.
Electoral "I" is Ellison/Joe Rich which is now called Central Okanagan East.
Electoral Area "J" was Central Okanagan West and West Kelowna before West Kelowna became its own municipality
FOI request asking how many properties paid a parcel tax in each year 2005 - 2010 for garbage service in Electoral Areas G, H, I, and A.
(b) subject to paragraphs (c) and (d), if one or more municipalities have opted out under subsection (3) and are no longer participants, among the electoral areas and any municipalities that have not opted out, with the service area deemed to be those areas;
(c) if one or more municipalities have entered into an agreement under subsection (2) to share only some of the costs, those costs are to be recovered in accordance with the agreements and the remaining costs are to be apportioned among the other participants;
(d) if a municipality is liable for costs under subsection (6) or (7), those costs are to be recovered from the municipality and the remaining costs are to be apportioned among the other participants.
(2) The board and a municipality may enter into an agreement that the municipality is to share in some but not all of the costs of services under Part 26, to the extent set out in the agreement and in accordance with the terms and conditions for the municipality's participation established by the agreement.
(3) Subject to subsection (4), a municipality may opt out of participation in services under Part 26 by giving notice to the board, before August 31 in any year, that until further notice it will no longer share the costs of services under Part 26.
(5) After notice is given under subsection (3), the municipality ceases to be a participant in the services, effective at the start of the following year.
(6) As an exception to subsection (5), if a municipality that is not a party to an agreement under subsection (2) gives notice under subsection (3) after a board has passed a resolution authorizing the preparation of an official community plan or bylaw under Part 26, the municipality continues as a participant and must share the costs in that preparation until the earlier of the following:
(7) Subsection (6) also applies to a municipality that is a party to an agreement under subsection (2) if the official community plan or bylaw is in relation to the Part 26 services for which the municipality shares costs under the agreement.
809 (1) Land and improvements owned or held by a regional district within the boundaries of the regional district are exempt from taxation when used for its own purposes, but otherwise are subject to taxation, as applicable,
(b) under section 18 (4) of the Taxation (Rural Area) Act as if the property belonged to the Crown.
810.1 (1)
9 (1) Subject to this Act, the Taxation (Rural Area) Act applies to the assessment, levy, collection and recovery of taxes imposed under this Act in a local area, and to the addition of interest to the taxes if delinquent, in the same manner as taxes imposed under the Taxation (Rural Area) Act.
Taxation (Rural) Act
The financials for the Sugar Loaf (NOWESI) transfer station garbage disposal are worse than we thought at first if we are right yet (we explained what we think is right here on this very webpage). We think we were wrong in our thoughts all the while trying to wrangle the information out of the Regional District since July 2, 2008 Freedom of Information Act request here as described below on this webpage, and in trying to understand it all, this is what we finally just came up with, but we could also still be wrong. We can only say we believe its looking pretty close now to what all the information gathered has been saying. We still don't for sure.
UNSTAFFED ... NO WAY!!!
We are not a lawyer so don't know for sure that the Regional District of Central Okanagan is doing anything wrong in the statement above in regards to matching benefits and costs of services to the people that benefit from the services in the North Westside Road area, but we want to show you what we know. We suspect that the statement above means the users of the Sugar Loaf transfer station are the only ones to pay for the Sugar Loaf transfer station but we can't say for sure. We believe the Regional District of Central Okanagan is doing something wrong in regards to publishing notice of a public hearing in rezoning the La Casa transfer station land though.
Residents are charged an annual $40 utility bill for the Sugar Loaf transfer station
This is the charge on residents rural property tax notice of $41.43 that residents paid in 2007
These are the amounts found on N.O.W.E.S.I. (Sugar Loaf) users Rural Property Tax Notice for Waste/Environmt Mgt. for the years 2004 - 2008
2002 - $??
2003 - $??
2004 - $39.67
2005 - $39.11
2006 - $38.56
2007 - $41.43
2008 - $51.95
2009 - $51.95
Email the figures that are missing if you have them.
Residents paid $81.43 each in 2007 to use the Sugar Loaf Transfer Station.
The Regional District of Central Okanagan said in an email that there were 763 users in 2008 which the number of users couldn't have changed too much in one year.
So say there are 763 users, times $81.43 in total charged by the Regional District = $62,131
how could the Regional District have collected $75,266 revenue in the year 2007?
These are the "garbage collection fees" (revenue collected from residents to pay for the transfer station) shown in the accounts at the links below for the N.O.W.E.S.I. transfer station
2002 $45,354
2003 $34,681
2004 $47,457
2006 $41,804
2007 $75,266
2008 $57,644
This is a difference of a whopping $13,135
If RDCO's email from 2006 is correct and there were
710 properties contributing to the Sugar Loaf transfer station in 2006
and the rural property tax bill was $38.56 for Waste/Environmt Mgt.
plus the utility bill charge of $40 = $78.56
710 users x $78.56 annual charges = $55,778
The financial records show revenue collected for Garbage collection fees in 2006 was $41,804
this would mean that in 2006 North Westside Road residents whom pay to use the Sugar Loaf transfer station paid an extra $13,974 that went somewhere other than in the Sugar Loaf transfer station budget.
We are in the process of asking through Freedom of Information for the number of users for the other years.
General Revenue Fund and General Capital Fund Details of Accounts for N.O.W.E.S.I. Transfer Station, Westside Sanitary Landfill, Solid Waste Management, Solid Waste Collection, Recycling Program
There seems to be a lot of money spent on Comm. Education?
All years combined into one
Ministry of Community & Rural Development - Local Government Department
http://www.cd.gov.bc.ca/lgd/pathfinder-rd.htm
Guess what was in the mailbox on May 25, 2009 that was dated May 14, 2009. It took Canada Post 2 days to deliver it, and the Regional District of Central Okanagan 9 days to pop it in the mailbox.
In the year 2007 property owners paid $40 utility bill plus $41.43 on their property tax = $81.43 total each property paid x 747 properties contributing to the NOWESI transfer station and the Westside Landfill, then that would mean that each North Westside Road property contributed $60,828
In the year 2007 there was $75,266 in garbage collection fee revenue at the NOWESI transfer station (Sugar Loaf transfer station). How can the transfer station collect more money than we could have possibly contributed to it? That is a question asked of the BC Ombudsman in November 2009. Stay tuned.
2009 $51.95 property tax + $40 utility bill = $91.95 x 784 properties = paid $72,089 (collected = $??????)
2008 $51.95 property tax + $40 utility bill = $91.95 x 771 properties = paid $70,893 (collected = $57,644)
2007 $41.43 property tax + $40 utility bill = $81.43 x 747 properties = paid $60,828 (collected = $75,266)
2006 $38.56 property tax + $40 utility bill = $78.56 x 713 properties = paid $56,013 (collected = $41,804)
2005 $39.11 property tax + $40 utility bill = $79.11 x 676 properties = paid $53,478 (collected = $45,000)
2004 $39.67 property tax + $40 utility bill = $79.67 x 651 properties = paid $51,865 (collected = $47,457)
This is what the mailbox looked like on May 25, 2009
This freedom of information request reply from the Regional District of Central Okanagan shows how many properties are in the North Westside Road Fire Protection area that we feel would pay the environmental management charge on their property tax.
The reply to the Freedom of Information request dated March 1, 2009 is not what was requested of the Regional District. "Parcel tax" was NOT mentioned in the request and the Regional District made that up themselves. If you look at the request, the request was "how many properties contributed" to the North Westside Fire Dept. We are now asking the Regional District if not one of their dept's can provide the missing information.
There may not have been parcel taxes for the fire truck referendum, but there were property taxes on the rural property tax bill in 2004. So why are no records available?
And isn't that weird that 30 more parcels contribute property tax just in the North Westside Road area in 2009 compared to 2006? Where are these numbers coming from?
N.O.W.E.S.I. transfer station ( Sugar Loaf ) Draft Budget, Revenue and Expense accounts This is all the draft budgets just for the N.O.W.E.S.I. (Sugar Loaf) transfer station from 2005 - until present (2009) all on one page, plus the Revenue and Expense amounts from 2002 - until part way through 2008.
For some reason there is a large jump in revenue in 2007, over $33,000 which the paying users of Sugar Loaf transfer station could not have possibly paid.
RDCO's email of Feb 16, 2006 states then that there were approx 710 paying users of Sugar Loaf and the latest email July 17, 2008 states there are approx 761 paying users in 2008.
$40 utility bull + $51.95 Waste/Environmt Mgt from 2008 rural property tax bull is = $91.95 per property x 761 properties contributing to Sugar Loaf = $69,974 which is suppose to go to pay for the Westside Landfill as well as N.O.W.E.S.I. (Sugar Loaf) and probably some other accounts too. 2007 garbage collection fee revenue at N.O.W.E.S.I. is reported as $75,266. So where did the extra $5,292 come from? $5,292 divided by $91.95 per property = 57.5 new properties contributing in 2007 compared to 2006???? Now have a look at the revenue for garbage collection fees at N.O.W.E.S.I. from 2002-2006 ... the revenue didn't change that much in those years compared to 2007.
Feb 16, 2006 email reply from RDCO communications co-ordinator in reply to an email okanaganlakebc.ca sent to RDCO Feb 10, 2006.
Q. how many homes in the North Westside pay the $40 annual utility fee for the Sugar Loaf transfer station?
A. There are currently 676 utility bills sent out for the use of that transfer station. However some properties may have a second suite or mobile home etc. on their property, as a result they are billed for the appropriate additional users ... so there are presently 710 units contributing the transfer station fee.
Request for access to records dated July 2, 2008 by okanaganlakebc.ca.
N.O.W.E.S.I. transfer station $61,999 proposed budget for 2009
click image above to read the whole preliminary budget on RDCO's website.
From this freedom of information request above, we received the following information below.
General Revenue Fund - 097 - N.O.W.E.S.I. Transfer Station
Revenues 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Up to July? 2008
Garbage Collection Fees -45,354 -34,682 -47,457 -45,000 -41,804 -75,266 0
Previous Years Surplus 16,540 3,348 2,195 0 -352 -1291 -17,837
Which this information above does not tell us the details of accounts but instead only shows the totals of the accounts. So we still cannot tell where the jump in revenue came from in 2007. So we asked RDCO by email for more detailed documents, and this below is the letter in reply that we received from RDCO.
Looks like they transferred $25,000 to La Casa transfer station?
LANDFILL - 2008 Budget notes - AWSR, transfer 25000 (did not get built in 2007 as we are waiting for approval for use of crown lands).
RDCO's reply letter letter dated September 8, 2008
in regards to request for access to records
re: N.O.W.E.S.I. (Sugar Loaf) transfer station
This is a letter dated Feb 6, 2009 from the Freedom of Information and Privacy Commissioner
regarding the above freedom of information request of July 2, 2008 for the N.O.W.E.S.I. (Sugar Loaf) transfer station. The OIPC opened this case November 12, 2008 the letter states.
click letter above to read larger print.
On February 21, 2009 we emailed this OIPC complaint document below to the Regional District of Central Okanagan Communications Co-ordinator.
Page 1 of 2 OIPC complaint regarding the Regional District of Central Okanagan
Page 2 of 2 OIPC complaint regarding the Regional District of Central Okanagan
click documents to read larger print
This letter was received from the Regional District of Central Okanagan dated Feb 24, 2009 regarding too many information requests by email, so RDCO has now asked that all correspondence be sent by way of snail mail and or by way of the Freedom of Information Act.
RDCO basically says in this letter that it cannot answer so many questions by email as RDCO does not have the resources. RDCO communications co-ordinator has said that RDCO can't post the information asked for to their website which prompted the resident to ask so many questions in the first place, which in turn prompted RDCO to send this letter above to the local resident. Now there is no time to ask questions about the proposed Fintry water system by snail mail and it will cost money for ink and envelopes and paper and stamps to send snail mail questions regarding the transfer station. That's one way for RDCO to stifle the information getting out to residents.
This other webpage is also in regards to this same Freedom of Information Request.
FYI: Did you know that RDCO is not posting the Fire Technical Advisory Committee minutes to RDCO's website ... whereas okanaganlakebc.ca is hosting the minutes here at the link above because they were not posted to RDCO's website and we were forced to ask for them? We can only guess its because RDCO has said it doesn't have the resources, but RDCO does have the resources to give out the information for free by email to whomever asks which may have been more than once??, as we were not charged through freedom of information act for the last years Fire Technical Advisory Committee minutes information RDCO sent us by email. Why is this information not archived on RDCO's website? Why should residents have to ask for this information? What does RDCO have a website for, so it can tell residents where to go when they ask for the information? This is not democracy, plus it is not RDCO's regular policy to withhold information and slow the progress of relaying information to residents. Here is their policy as stated.
Regional District of Central Okanagan Communications Plan February 20, 2001
from page 2 of the .pdf document
These are broad, general statements about what we are trying to achieve in all of our communications. Everything we do to communicate our messages about the Regional District’s programs, services, and activities should reflect these principles.
To effectively communicate to our communities in a timely, clear, and consistent manner in order to inform, educate, and involve
To be open, honest, and proactive in delivery of our messages and in encouraging participation from our various audiences
from page 7 of the .pdf document
Undertake surveys or utilize other research tools to determine what type of information our communities require and their preferred delivery options.
click to read the entire document on RDCO's website
From RDCO email back in Feb 2006 in regards to the questions asked February 13th, 2006:
12. Does N.O.W.E.S.I. Recycling Depot just apply to the recycling part of the dump or the whole thing?
The whole operation, garbage collection and recycling collection at the depot is under contract to the Regional District. As a result of your inquiries regarding utility billing charges, it appears there might be a discrepancy in utility bill rates charged for North Westside transfer station users...as it appears that users of that transfer station are getting both solid waste collection and recycling. However, they are only being charged the $40 annual fee for garbage collection, yet receiving recycling service as well at the North Westside transfer station. While ratepayers using the Traders Cove Transfer Station are also paying the utility bill fees of $40 annually for garbage collection and the additional $12 annual fee for recycling collection ($52 per year or $26 twice a year), this will now be reviewed by our staff regarding North Westside transfer station utility charges.
Please ignore previous email response to question 12 as under the contract with NWRA, the Regional District is paying the hauling fees of the recycling bins at the Sugar Loaf Transfer station through the parcel tax funding. The following response to question 12 is correct.
The whole operation, garbage collection and recycling collection at the depot is under contract to the Regional District. The $40 annual utility bill fee for the transfer station remains in place, unchanged, as the contract with the North Westside Ratepayers says the Regional District will pay the hauling costs of recycling from the parcel tax levy. So at the present time under the existing contract there is no additional fee for recycling, it is covered through the funds collected from the parcel tax Waste Management levy.
June 23, 2008 email reply from RDCO
Regarding the Waste Reduction Program budget (Page 35 of the 2008-2012 Financial Plan) under the Revenue section, the $41,983 listed for parcel taxes is the amount provided by the two electoral areas for this (Central Okanagan East and West). In talking with Finance staff, the amount from Central Okanagan West will be $28,494.
Regarding the Solid Waste Collection Program budget (Page 36 of the Financial Plan) under the Revenue section, the $138,507 listed for parcel taxes is the amount provided by the two electoral areas for this (Central Okanagan East and West). In talking with Finance staff, the amount from Central Okanagan West will be $94,005.
Regarding the Recycling Program budget (Page 37 of the Financial Plan) under the Revenue section, the $46,862 listed for parcel taxes is the amount provided by the two electoral areas for this (Central Okanagan East and West). In talking with Finance staff, the amount from Central Okanagan West will be $31,805.
There are 3,126 parcels in the Central Okanagan West Electoral Area. The total parcel tax revenue for these three programs from the Central Okanagan West Electoral Area is $154,299 or 67.87% of the $227,352 total for these three programs from the two electoral areas. Central Okanagan East has 1,480 parcels contributing $73,053 or 32.13% of the total cost of the three programs parcel tax revenues.
This is what RDCO emailed me (probably in 2006) about the Waste/Environment Management tax rate that is automatically charged to everyone's property tax bill at the end of each year.
"As for the tax bill question for waste management charges, Finance
tells me that the figure is based on two things:  the number of parcels
and the actual budget amount required for Waste/Environment Management.
The figure is determined by dividing the number of parcels into the
amount required for the function Waste/Environment Management."
"The Waste/Environment Management charge funds the Westside Landfill,
Solid Waste Management, Solid Waste Collection and Recycling Programs
provided by the Regional District.  You can find the specific budget
items for these programs in the 2005-2009 Financial Plan on pages 34-37.
2005 - 2009 Budget and Financial Plan
http://www.regionaldistrict.com/docs/finance/2005FinPlan.pdf
July 2, 2008 email response from RDCO communications co-ordinator in reply to our questions:
Q. Are there any North Westside Road properties with homes that do not pay the utility bill for the Sugar Loaf or Traders Cove transfer stations and if so how many, and for what reasons do they not pay?
A. None…all properties with homes are required by bylaw to contribute.
Q. How many properties are there with homes on them in the North Westside Road area from Westshore Estates to Fintry?
A. I am sorry, but there is no one place to easily go to get the answer to this question. However, in discussing this with our Finance Department, in January, there were 761 properties billed for the North Westside Transfer Station utility fee. In January, there were 230 billed for Traders Cove Transfer Station. In each case, the vast majority have homes on them, but there are some property owners that have asked to pay the fee, even though they don’t have a home on the property in order to utilize the services of the transfer station.
Q. What does the characters N.O.W.E.S.I. mean? Is N.O.W.E.S.I. 2008 financial budget document include both the Traders Cove and Sugar Loaf transfer stations?
A. It is the acronym for No rth We st si de or NOWESI….regarding the second question, the NOWESI 2008 financial budget only covers the Sugar Loaf (North Westside) transfer station.
Q. N.O.W.E.S.I. Transfer Station (page 38)
Revenue $57,643
http://www.regionaldistrict.com/docs/finance/2008finplan.pdf
Where all does this Revenue $57,643 come from and can you send me some website links or files that shows me what exactly the 2007 revenues and expenses were for? I wish to see the details.
A. Document 097 function attached.
Q. Your email said:
properties contribute to Sugar Loaf = 763
properties contribute to Traders Cove = 229
Total = 992 properties
992 properties x $40 year utility billing = $39,680
$57,643 revenue 2008 budget minus $39,680 revenue from utility bill = $17,963
A. These users as you know, are charged a combination of parcel taxes (which pay for all Solid Waste Management functions including Regional Waste Reduction Office and Westside Sanitary Landfill etc) and user fees through utility billing. The costs of the North Westside Transfer station are covered through a combination of revenue from the above, both parcel tax and utility billing.
Q. Approx. how many La Casa homes are now sold, do you know?
A. Our Inspections Section provided me with this information. There have been a total of 236 dwellings and additions given building permits so far…dating back to February 2005 up to and including today (July 2nd 2008).
Q. If La Casa joins in the North Westside transfer station billing with a new transfer station at La Casa, will each and every one of the 497 La Casa lots automatically have to start paying the garbage utility bill $40.00 per year with lot sold or not as soon as we amalgamate, or will La Casa properties have to start paying the utility bill only at the time the lot is sold, or when will La Casa properties have to start paying the transfer station billing?
A. Once a final building inspection or occupancy permit is issued, whichever occurs first, the property would be added to the utility billing list in our Finance Department. Property owners can also apply at the transfer stations. These are the only two ways that utility billing fees occur. As stated in previous emails, the La Casa strata currently is not involved with the utility billing as it has a private contractor providing services.
Freedom of Information Request dated Feb 27, 2009
which this request was faxed to the fax number on RDCO's FOI form below (found in the upper right corner of the form below) due to the fact that RDCO informed us by letter that they will not accept emails anymore and actually blocked our email address.
Another Freedom of Information Request dated Feb 27, 2009
asking RDCO for transaction details for accounts in other functions which would be related to the N.O.W.E.S.I. transfer station.
What is the difference if we ask RDCO for the information by mail, or fax, or email, does RDCO think they will get less freedom of information requests? These faxes are being popped in the mail after being faxed, just in case RDCO is refusing faxes as well. RDCO did not say anything about refusing faxes in their letter dated Feb 24, 2009 just that they would not accept emails.
Now the Regional District sent a letter saying RDCO is going to try blocking us from the Freedom of Information Act by applying to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner
Regional District of Central Okanagan Board Report Feb. 23, 2009
The Regional Board has given first reading to proposed amendments to Zoning Bylaw No. 871. The annual update includes text and mapping changes to reflect policy and development trends. Among the proposed amendments: a change to the F1 Forest Resource zone that would increase the minimum parcel size from four hectares to 30- hectares and a zoning change from P1 Park and Open Space to I-1 Light Industrial to allow installation of a new solid waste/recycling transfer station on a parcel adjacent to the La Casa Strata development off Westside Road.
The La Casa online application to purchase the land for the transfer station shows the following on May 15, 2009:
N.O.W.E.S.I. (Sugar Loaf) Transfer Station Preliminary Draft Budget for 2009 - 2013
click on document to read complete document on RDCO's website
Request for proposal for year round hazardous waste collection depot
to replace current one day "Round Ups".
This 2009 preliminary draft budget projects an increase in
garbage collection fees of $11,641
over and above the actual fees collected in 2008?
N.O.W.E.S.I. Transfer Station (Sugar Loaf)
click Budget Projection above to read all budget projections
(123 pages) on RDCO's website
N.O.W.E.S.I. (Sugar Loaf transfer station) garbage collections fees
jumped $23,536 in one year from 2008 budget to the 2009 budget
In case you are not familiar with the names above, the transfer station is located up the gravel road across Westside Road from the Evely forest campsite approx. which is about 1 km south of Westshore Estates and approx. 3 km's north of Killiney Beach. Drive slow over the washboard gravel road for about 1 km and the transfer station is on your left.
a. increases in hauling charges mainly
Have a look at garbage collection fees in this budget
and then look at the garbage collection fees in budget 2008-2012 and Budget 2009-2013
Can residents from other districts use the Armstrong dump on Power House Road or is this dump limited only to residents that live within the North Okanagan Regional District?
From RDNO:
The Regional District of North Okanagan has a policy to protect the capacity of our disposal facilities, therefore, unless there is compelling reason and the Regional Board approves the out of region use of our facilities, we do not allow material from outside our boundaries to enter our Recycling and Disposal Facilities (RDF), including the Armstrong/Spallumcheen RDF on Powerhouse Road. If you would like to review annual reports, refer to the RDNO Solid Waste Management Plan, or find other solid waste management information, please take a look at our web site: www.rdno.ca.
Is it true that the Power House Road dump is funded entirely by tipping fees and residents are not charged a fee on their property tax as well?
The Armstrong/Spallumcheen RDF, as with the entire solid waste management program, is funded entirely through tipping fees received at the scale house and through customer accounts. Although there is no tax requisition used by the RDNO to operate the facilities, the member municipalities that use them may collect a service fee or use their tax requisition to recover costs from their residents.
Findlater suspects citizens confuse dumping with littering
By Jason Luciw - Kelowna Capital News - Published: January 31, 2009
The results from a new citizens survey surprised Mayor Doug Findlater.
One subject in particular caught his attention—illegal dumping.
“I’m out in the bush every now and then, and on the back roads and side roads I don’t see a lot of illegal dumping in terms of garbage bags or couches and that kind of thing.”
The mayor said he wonders if people have lumped problems with highway litter in with illegal dumping because of a reference the survey made to a “cleaning program.”
“That wouldn’t surprise me,” said Findlater. “We see litter everywhere along our highways.”
Findlater has asked staff to “drill a little deeper” to determine if residents were actually referring to highway litter.
Another reason Findlater suspected highway litter was the real problem was a comment that judges from the national Communities in Bloom competition had made when they toured the municipality last summer.
He said litter was one of their issues.
Another oddity in the survey was a suggestion that the municipality spends too much money maintaining its soccer fields. The Constable Neil Bruce Soccer fields won a national award for turf management this year. The pitches are used for hundreds of games and practises from April to October.
Findlater speculated that the outcome may have had to do with the demographics of those returning the surveys.
“I think 50 per cent (of respondents) were over 45.”
As for the rest of the survey, the usual suspects turned up.
Residents said that the municipality needed to improve how it dealt with growth and development, sidewalk construction, protection of green space, bylaw enforcement, economic development and sewer extensions.
“They totally matched what (I heard), when I went door to door or stood in front of Save On Foods during the election campaign.”
In fact, Findlater called the lack of sidewalks a “glaring” problem. He said he heard from a man just this week who’s son was injured walking on the shoulder along Shannon Lake Road.
“People who want to bike or walk somewhere just really take their lives into their hands if they go onto an arterial road.”
The survey also said the municipality needed to spend less on its 18-month old arena. It’s no surprise given the facility’s much reported budget overruns.
“It’s fallout and there’ll probably be some more fallout as it goes along,” said Findlater. “The problem is (we’ve) made a huge investment in the arena and we have to invest a little bit more (on) the dry floor.”
** Note from okanaganlakebc.ca **
Maybe its Findlaters Municipality who are helping to dump along Westside Road?
Highlights of the Regional Board Meeting – October 27, 2008
Proposed Waste Transfer Site Supported
The Regional Board has given conditional support to a FrontCounter BC referral application on behalf of the Strata Corporation for La Casa Resort. The strata applied for a crown land grant for two parcels totalling approximately 3.28-hectares adjacent to the resort for development of a solid waste transfer station facility, landscaping and a future park. The Board support is subject to the applicant and Regional District completing an agreement for the construction, operation and maintenance of the transfer facility and that the site be redesigned in the future land use plan of the North Westside Official Community Plan and rezoned to permit the proposed use.
Operating staff should inspect every transfer station at least once per week. Stations receiving 1,000 tonnes/year or more of waste should provide an operator on site during operating hours. Facilities receiving 5,000 tonnes/year or more should employ staff at the scale house and on the tipping floor or in the bin area at all times during operating hours
RDCO - Total Waste Disposed (tonnes) page 29-30
(expected to close 2045) 96,654 102,377 108,611
(expected to close 2012) 20,907 30,498 28,243
Central Okanagan Regional District 76,376 84,992 82,542
90. Collection / Transfer System
(6) The fear of unauthorized dumping has usually proved unwarranted, particularly where the user-pay program has been preceded by an effective promotional campaign.
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/epd/epdpa/mpp/gprswmp2.html#s90
Another aspect that should be considered by local government includes establishing a partnership with the private sector. The extent of the partnership could vary from an equipment supply contract to a build/own/operate/transfer (BOOT) contract. Under a BOOT contract, a private contractor would be responsible for construction and operation of the transfer station for a fee.
July 1, 2008 email (re: La Casa) says:
Our Inspections Section provided me with this information. There have been a total of 236 dwellings and additions given building permits so far…dating back to February 2005 up to and including today (July 2nd).
All properties with homes are required by bylaw to contribute.
Once a final building inspection or occupancy permit is issued, whichever occurs first, the property would be added to the utility billing list in our Finance Department. Property owners can also apply at the transfer stations. These are the only two ways that utility billing fees occur.
As stated in previous emails, the La Casa strata currently is not involved with the utility billing as it has a private contractor providing services.
However, in discussing this with our Finance Department, in January, there were 761 properties billed for the North Westside Transfer Station utility fee. In January, there were 230 billed for Traders Cove Transfer Station. In each case, the vast majority have homes on them, but there are some property owners that have asked to pay the fee, even though they don’t have a home on the property in order to utilize the services of the transfer station.
What does N.O.W.E.S.I. mean? It is the acronym for North Westside or NOWESI.
The NOWESI 2008 financial budget only covers the Sugar Loaf (North Westside) transfer station.
July 7, 2008 email says:
North Westside transfer station purchased 100 tags from us to sell on April 10th, 2008. They purchased 100 tags on August 27th 2007 and 50 tags on April 4, 2006
Please remember that tags may be purchased at any of the Regional District electoral area retail outlets and are good in the Central Okanagan electoral areas (and the Westside District Municipality), so for example, while I presume most of the tags sold by the Sugar Loaf transfer station are used by customers there, someone from the North Westside area could purchase a tag at another regional district outlet and use the tag on additional bags disposed of at the Sugar Loaf station. They are not required to purchase at the Sugar Loaf transfer station and use the tag there.
No tags are available for purchase or sale at the Traders Cove Transfer station.
The revenue from all contractor tag sales goes into the general fund for Solid Waste Management. As such, our Finance Department does not have a record of tag sales revenue by location and calendar year. We only have the number of tags purchased in bulk by a retail contractor (Mac’s, Westside Landfill, Westside Chamber etc.). So the Sugar Loaf North Westside transfer station requested 100 tags on April 10th this year…we receive the funds after they are sold and those monies would go into the Solid Waste Management budget as revenue, just as we collect tipping fees at the Westside Landfill and that money is considered revenue for the Solid Waste Management program.
Tag sales revenue
2005 - $3,545.75
2004 - $3,676.50
2003 - $4,121.00
2002 - $3,133.00
2001 - $2,557.50
In 2005, what did it cost for the transfer station attendant? Have a look at this report under "Sanitary Landfill Contract Services". The attendants service cost $11,601.37 per year or thereabouts.
In 2005, what did it cost for hauling $27,156.02?
Schedule 10, 2006 (i) (Bylaw No. 1165)
Ticket Offences For Regional District of Central Okanagan Solid Waste Management Regulation Bylaw No. 1162, 2006
Prohibited deposit of Garbage or Recyclable Material 4.1.1, 4.1.2, 4.1.3 = $150.00 fine
Prohibited deposit of Mandatory Recyclable Material 4.1.4 $150.00 fine
Prohibited deposit of Garbage 4.1.5 $150.00 fine
Place Garbage for pickup with others 4.1.6 $150.00 fine
Use Landfill, Transfer Station or Recycling Depot after hours 4.1.8 $150.00 fine
Scavage materials 4.1.11 $150.00 fine
Deposit Garbage or Household Recyclable Materials after hours 4.1.20 $150.00 fine
Fail to cover load 3.1.9 $150.00 fine
SCHEDULE 1, 2006 (ii)
Bylaw No. 1165, 2006
- Bylaw Enforcement Officer
- Teller/Gate Operator
- Landfill Attendant
- Director of Inspection Services
July 4, 2008 email from RDCO:
Regarding your email of July 1st at 6:18pm requesting information for bag tag sales. I would suggest that you ask the staff at the Sugar Loaf North Westside transfer station how many tags they sold in each of the calendar years requested. As they are a contractor providing the tag sale service for the Regional District electoral areas (just like Mac’s, Ellison store, Westside Chamber, Westside District Municipality, Sugar Loaf stn) we only keep a record of the purchase of tags and the number of tags sold in bulk to each of our Regional District contractors when they require them. For example, the North Westside transfer station purchased 100 tags from us to sell on April 10th, 2008. They purchased 100 tags on August 27th 2007 and 50 tags on April 4, 2006. Please remember that tags may be purchased at any of the Regional District electoral area retail outlets and are good in the Central Okanagan electoral areas (and the Westside District Municipality), so for example, while I presume most of the tags sold by the Sugar Loaf transfer station are used by customers there, someone from the North Westside area could purchase a tag at another regional district outlet and use the tag on additional bags disposed of at the Sugar Loaf station. They are not required to purchase at the Sugar Loaf transfer station and use the tag there.
October 12, 2006 email from RDCO:
Are there any North Westside Road properties with homes that do not pay the utility bill for the Sugar Loaf or Traders Cove transfer stations and if so how many, and for what reasons do they not pay? None…all properties with homes are required by bylaw to contribute.
How many properties are there with homes on them in the North Westside Road area from Westshore Estates to Fintry? I am sorry, but there is no one place for me to easily go to get the answer to this question. However, in discussing this with our Finance Department, in January, there were 761 properties billed for the North Westside Transfer Station utility fee. In January, there were 230 billed for Traders Cove Transfer Station. In each case, the vast majority have homes on them, but there are some property owners that have asked to pay the fee, even though they don’t have a home on the property in order to utilize the services of the transfer station.
What does the characters N.O.W.E.S.I. mean? Is N.O.W.E.S.I. 2008 financial budget document include both the Traders Cove and Sugar Loaf transfer stations? It is the acronym for North Westside or NOWESI….regarding the second question, the NOWESI 2008 financial budget only covers the Sugar Loaf (North Westside) transfer station.
N.O.W.E.S.I. Transfer Station (page 38)
Where all does this Revenue $57,643 come from and can you send me some website links or files that shows me what exactly the 2007 revenues and expenses were for? I wish to see the details. Document 097 function attached.
Where does this extra Revenue come from?? These users as you know, are charged a combination of parcel taxes (which pay for all Solid Waste Management functions including Regional Waste Reduction Office and Westside Sanitary Landfill etc) and user fees through utility billing. The costs of the North Westside Transfer station are covered through a combination of revenue from the above, both parcel tax and utility billing.
Approx. how many La Casa homes are now sold, do you know?
Our Inspections Section provided me with this information. There have been a total of 236 dwellings and additions given building permits so far…dating back to February 2005 up to and including today (July 2nd, 2008).
If La Casa joins in the North Westside transfer station billing with a new transfer station at La Casa, will each and every one of the 497 La Casa lots automatically have to start paying the garbage utility bill $40.00 per year with lot sold or not as soon as we amalgamate, or will La Casa properties have to start paying the utility bill only at the time the lot is sold, or when will La Casa properties have to start paying the transfer station billing?
Once a final building inspection or occupancy permit is issued, whichever occurs first, the property would be added to the utility billing list in our Finance Department. Property owners can also apply at the transfer stations. These are the only two ways that utility billing fees occur. As stated in previous emails, the La Casa strata currently is not involved with the utility billing as it has a private contractor providing services.
Currently how does RDCO start billing North Westsiders for the Sugar Loaf Transfer station, does RDCO wait until someone phones RDCO and inquires about where to take their garbage or goes down to use the transfer station before RDCO starts billing them, or is it automatic billing to each property with a home on it in the North Westside? Answered in previous question.
RDCO email June 30, 2008 says:
There are 763 homes contributing to the North Westside transfer station. The existing properties at La Casa are not currently contributing to the existing transfer station as they have their own commercial pick up in place. However, when the new La Casa transfer station is in place, these properties will begin contributing to the cost of the North Westside transfer stations (existing one at Sugar Loaf and La Casa). At total build out there will be 450 plus properties at La Casa contributing to the North Westside transfer stations.
There are 229 homes contributing to the Trader’s Cove transfer station.
763 homes contributing to Sugar Loaf Transfer Station x $40 per year = $30,520
229 homes contributing to Traders Cove Transfer Station x $40 per year = $9,160
July 2, 2008 email from RDCO B.S.:
You should direct your inquiries regarding properties, rules and regulations etc. at La Casa to their strata or strata management company. I don’t have that information.
As I’ve said in previous emails regarding this, there are 400 plus (I don’t have the exact number and I’m sorry but I’m not able to spend more time tracking this down) properties that have been sold to private owners at La Casa
If and when the La Casa transfer facility is in place, these properties that are sold and any subsequent that are sold would begin to be billed for the utility fee.
NO THE LA CASA TRANSFER STATION WON'T COST WESTSIDERS ANYMORE, BUT WESTSIDER'S WILL GO INTO DEBT BY $15,515.00 INSTEAD?
N.O.W.E.S.I. Transfer Station (also known as Sugar Loaf Transfer Station) (page 38)
Financial Plan Budget 2008 Revenue $57,643
$57,643 divided by $40 utility bill = 1,441 properties minus 992 properties currently paying = 449 properties at La Casa we think is how they came to this figure.
$57,643 2008 Budget Revenue minus utility bill $39,680 = $17,963
$17,963 divided by $40 utility bill = 449 properties
Financial Plan Budget 2008 Expenses $73,158 (a)
a. Additional operating costs for new La Casa transfer station
N.O.W.E.S.I. Transfer Station (actual revenue and expense)
Garbage Collection Fees 47,457 45,000
Administration Overhead 1,571 2,237
Sub-total 45,886 42,763
Previous Yrs Surplus/Deficit -2,195 0.00
Total Revenue 43,691 42,763
*Note* "administration overhead" grew tremendously between 2004 and 2005.
Site Maintenance (*bin 10,190) *13,105 2,244
Contract Services (wages) 11,002 11,601
Insurance (liability) 1,851 2,740
Office Supplies 159 129
Hauling Charges 17,574 25,698
Total Expenses 43,691 42,411
Surplus/Deficit (2003 - 2,195) 0.00 352 1,291
$47,457 garbage collection fees, minus
$39,680 utility bill of 992 properties
= extra $7,777 revenue other than the $40.00 utility bill
$45,000 garbage collection fees, minus
= extra $5,320 revenue other than the $40.00 utility bill
2005 Expense Detail (File from RDCO)
2004 Site Maintenance (File from RDCO)
2004 and 2005 Revenue and Expense Totals (File from RDCO)
The North Westside Ratepayers previously had the contract for the Sugar Loaf Transfer Station. This contract was for the period Jan 1, 2002 and ending December 31, 2006
NWRA Agreement
The Association shall provide all labour and materials necessary for the operation and maintenance of the Station during the term of this agreement and shall provide staff for operating of the station for approximately 16 hours per week or as otherwise agreed in writing by the parties.
3. The Regional District agrees to pay the Association for the services provided pursuant to the agreement, the sum of $9,152.00 for each full year of the term of this agreement payable in monthly instalments of $762.00 per month commencing January 1, 2002 for the first 11 months with the twelfth month being $770.00. (Such funds to be paid from the funds collected by the Regional District by a utility bill applied to all dwellings in the North Westside Fire Protection Area. This amount may be adjusted from year to year subject to negotiation and agreement).
The Regional District shall bill all owners of dwellings in the North Westside Fire Protection Area by means of a utility bill and use these funds to pay the Association and other authorized accounts for the operation, maintenance and management of this site.
9. Hauling Fees
The Regional District agrees to pay the hauling fees of the recycling bins during the term of this agreement as funded by the Parcel Tax.
The Regional District shall handle the funds derived from the utility bill pursuant to Clause #3 and will charge an administration fee of $610.00 per year based on a percentage of 3.5% of the budgeted operational funds.
12. Tipping Fees
If you have comments good or bad, solutions, concerns or complaints regarding the local transfer station at Sugar Loaf Mountain, please fill out the form below and let your neighbours know.
View the email letter that was sent to the Regional District Of Central Okanagan regarding the transfer station petition.
If you have a complaint, tell OSCAR!