2 weeks Ago By Gary Barnes
Funding for new RCMP officers and firefighters was the primary focus of discussion at a West Kelowna Council Committee of the Whole meeting on Wednesday (Nov. 13), as the city began early talks on its 2025 financial plan. Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Warren Everton informed council that the city is currently short by three RCMP officers, based on the staffing levels outlined in the Policing Resources Strategic Plan (PRSP).
The city had allocated funding for one new officer in the 2023 operating budget. “It (PRSP) shows the need for 19 members over five years (2024-2028),” he said. “Finance is proposing to stretch these additions out over a longer period of time (to 2030).
“And in this way maybe we can avoid any large tax increases that may be implied by this.” The cost to the city of a new RCMP member, at 90 per cent, is $219,450 per officer, based on invoicing from “E” Division Headquarters. Council favoured stretching funding for the 19 RCMP positions between five and seven years.
Everton also addressed concerns about the fire services budget, particularly firefighter overtime, which has exceeded budgeted amounts in recent years, though he noted that the trend is improving. The city has been utilizing flex firefighter positions to cover overtime, as well as to fill leave and short-term vacancies. Two new flex positions are proposed for 2025.
“It would help get that overtime down to budgeted levels, but mainly reduce the overages, he said. “Those had been between $500,000 and $700,000 per year.” However, council had previously rejected a request for the new flex positions in September, citing concerns over the $240,000 cost and impact on taxation.
The proposed funding for three new RCMP officers and two additional firefighter flex positions is expected to result in an estimated 2.12 percent tax increase. Everton added that funding for service level increases in other city departments could contribute another 1.
9 percent. It’s important to note that these figures are preliminary and will require further analysis by staff, along with budget deliberations by council in December, before any final decisions are made. Everton said the 14.
5 proposed full time positions proposed in the financial plan have been pared down to 8.5 through senior management review. The additional positions have been deferred to 2026.
“These resources are the highest need for departments and are crucial to the corresponding service,” he added. Everton noted that over the past six years the West Kelowna team is “relatively lean” when considering per capita growth. “The overall change from 2019 to 2024 is just under 0.
7 of an FTE when you look at per capita,” he said..
