Kelowna taxpayers are being asked to fork over another $70,000 per year to pay for a new RCMP records management system. In a letter to municipalities across the province, RCMP Corporate Management Branch Executive Director, Robert Jorssen, confirmed a user fee increase of $500 per officer per year to offset the cost of the Police Records Information Management Environment of B.C. (PRIME-BC). The RCMP began using PRIME earlier this year.
In his letter, Jorssen says municipalities and policing agencies were all informed that the PRIME user fee would be based on a full cost recovery. He says the annual cost of operating PRIME-BC in 2009-2010 is $12M. "The RCMP will provide $3M to $4M of support for the upcoming 2010-11 term, thereby reducing the remaining operating cost for 2010-11 to $9M," says Jorssen in his letter. "In consideration of the RCMPs contribution and full operating costs, the new user fee rate has been adjusted to $1,000 per officer." The current user fee is $500 per officer.
Based on the current funding level of 141 officers at the Kelowna Detachment, Kelowna taxpayers would be on the hook for an additional $70,500, something Mayor Sharon Shepherd is not pleased with. 'It's been a lot more effort on behalf of the officers and we're hearing it's taking a lot more time than anyone anticipated to use this tool," says Shepherd.because of the extra cost, the cities are now being asked to bare that without any consultation. I think that's always the part that's very upsetting to us a community." Shepherd says she has already received a letter from the mayor of Merritt expressing his concern and asking for support from other communities. She says she wanted the support of council to send a letter to Solicitor General, Kash Heed, expressing concern over the latest fee adjustment. The user fee increase would take effect January 1, 2010. "It comes just in time, obviously, for us to budget for it but with no debate and no discussion. Certainly it will have an impact. If the RCMP are wanting any more members, here's a way that budget could potentially be taken away."
In his letter, Jorssen says municipalities and policing agencies were all informed that the PRIME user fee would be based on a full cost recovery. He says the annual cost of operating PRIME-BC in 2009-2010 is $12M. "The RCMP will provide $3M to $4M of support for the upcoming 2010-11 term, thereby reducing the remaining operating cost for 2010-11 to $9M," says Jorssen in his letter. "In consideration of the RCMPs contribution and full operating costs, the new user fee rate has been adjusted to $1,000 per officer." The current user fee is $500 per officer.
Based on the current funding level of 141 officers at the Kelowna Detachment, Kelowna taxpayers would be on the hook for an additional $70,500, something Mayor Sharon Shepherd is not pleased with. 'It's been a lot more effort on behalf of the officers and we're hearing it's taking a lot more time than anyone anticipated to use this tool," says Shepherd.because of the extra cost, the cities are now being asked to bare that without any consultation. I think that's always the part that's very upsetting to us a community." Shepherd says she has already received a letter from the mayor of Merritt expressing his concern and asking for support from other communities. She says she wanted the support of council to send a letter to Solicitor General, Kash Heed, expressing concern over the latest fee adjustment. The user fee increase would take effect January 1, 2010. "It comes just in time, obviously, for us to budget for it but with no debate and no discussion. Certainly it will have an impact. If the RCMP are wanting any more members, here's a way that budget could potentially be taken away."
No comments:
Post a Comment