Lesson in the lining as RDCK places moratorium on Crown land acquisitions
By Timothy Schafer
The regional district has imposed a moratorium on the acquisition of Crown land as it tries to get its financial house — and the spending habits of its directors — in order.
Under the advisement of regional district staff and Area G director — and Federation of Canadian Municipalities president — Hans Cunningham, the Regional District of Central Kootenay board voted in favour of shutting the door on Crown land offers.
A point was being made on the appealing notion of “free” Crown land, much of which went to creating parks, said Cunningham.
Nearly all offers of Crown land come with a cost, said Cunningham, one which directors fail to see when they accept the land transfer offers in their respective areas.
As the former chair of the RDCK board, and a member of the federal FCM board for several years, Cunningham felt the lesson had to be taught to RDCK directors to get their financial requests in line before they came to the board with a Crown acquisition proposal, or else it would die before it ever hit the RDCK board floor.
“It basically means you don’t get land unless you’ve got a way to pay for it,” Cunningham said.
A caveat to the moratorium was approved in that funding — financial analysis — had to be in place before acquisition of Crown land appeared on the board agenda. Analysis is part of a park service in any decision the board approves and undertakes, said Cunningham.
The moratorium was part of a broader notice sent to directors to take care of their budgets appropriately and have appropriate reserve funds or funds available before they broach any project.
Before directors look at any projects or proposals that will cost tax dollars, said RDCK chair and Area B director John Kettle, they will have to come forward with a way to pay for them.
“You have to be able to write a cheque for what you are buying,” said Kettle. “We have to discipline ourselves (on the board). We have to live within our means because we are asking our taxpayers to do that.”
“We don’t have the right, in my mind, to keep raising taxes on people for programs they haven’t asked us for.”
This accountability means that, at budget time, said Kettle, every dime is accounted for and every unfunded project or proposal will not survive to drain general administration coffers.
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