Taxpayers living in the West Kootenay-Boundary Regional Hospital District, which includes the Trail area, will find out later this month how this year’s budget will affect their pocketbook.
At this point, Interior Health’s (IH) total budget for the district nears $5.6 million; 40 per cent, or $2.2 million of which the taxpayer base must cover. (Note: the district’s funding request sits at $2 million as $217,000 was previously approved.)
While this is the health authority’s ask, Frank Marino, Warfield mayor and the board’s vice-chair, says the actual amount for the 2024 tax requisition has yet to be determined.
“This will be established at our next meeting in March,” he told the Trail Times.
Topping the list of proposed costliest jobs is $1.38 million for a new fire alarm system at the Castlegar and District Community Health Centre, formerly the Castlegar hospital. The system was installed 40 years ago and is at end-of-life. The district’s share sits at $550,100.
“IH staff have a process to prioritize the capital projects for the fiscal year, based on need and available funding,” Marino notes. “This system has obviously made the list because of its priority, I would say the age of the current system and safety are two factors.”
The next two proposed costliest projects are at Kootenay Lake Hospital in Nelson, collectively budgeted upwards of $1 million. First is $562,200 for upgrades between the utility and electrical service entrance and second, a waste and cardboard compactor budgeted at $522,000. The district’s share, 40 per cent, nears $217,000 as an allotted $217,000 was previously approved.
Any capital project over $100,000 is subject to government approval.
Those include: $130,000 for a steam sterilizer at Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital (KBRH); and $135,000 for a mammography breast imaging specimen system at KBRH.
Construction projects under $100,000 include: $96,000 for washroom renovations and $99,000 for an air handling unit at the Grand Forks hospital; $75,000 for kitchen upgrades at the Victorian Community Health Centre in Kaslo; $85,000 to replace the air handler at Arrow Lakes Hospital in Nakusp; and $99,900 for boiler feedwater pumps at KBRH.
The main purpose of the regional hospital district board is to oversee funding for hospital equipment and capital projects. A list of projects and priorities is developed annually in consultation between the hospital district board and Interior Health.
The hospital district typically pays 40 per cent of approved project costs, while the remaining 60 per cent is funded by the province or through donations provided by local hospital foundations.
The West Kootenay-Boundary Regional Hospital District is a separate entity from the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK), though agendas and minutes are only posted on the RDCK website. The hospital district board is comprised of 17 RDCK directors and 13 directors representing the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary.
The 2024 executive committee representing the four regions are: Terry Martin, Greater Trail; Walter Popoff, Arrow Lakes/Slocan/Castlegar/Nakusp; Keith Page, Kaslo/Nelson/Salmo; and Grace McGregor, Boundary.
The next board meeting is slated for March 22.
Read more: West Kootenay-Boundary hospital board tasked with $7.35M tax requisition (2023)
Read more: Board green-lights $15 million for KBRH