Yorkton Council has rejected a bylaw which would have seen the levy assessed businesses in the Yorkton Business Improvement District changed.
The YBID had appeared before Council April 26, requesting a change. At that meeting Terry Pollock with YBID said the organization would also like Council to consider altering its funding formula.
As it stood businesses are assessed a levy which raises $100,000, which the City then matches.
In April Pollock said as a new business is started, or one is expanded, the levy is altered to still raise the $100,000. He said YBID would like the levy to be set, so businesses pay the same each year, meaning that a new business would add to the amount. The City's contribution would remain $100,000. "We're just asking that it be allowed to float," he said.
A bylaw presented Monday would have adjusted the formula to allow YBID to collect up to $150,000 from businesses.
The proposed change did not sit well with Councillor Chris Wyatt. His first question was "is there a need for it (the additional dollars)?"
Wyatt said he believes the programming of YBID has gone off target. He said the mandate was to beautify the downtown, and attract people to the area.
"I am not in favour of hosting hospitality nights, or taking nurses out for breakfast (YBID took new nurses out as way to welcome them to the city)," he said. " I'd like to see YBID get back to its mandate."
Wyatt said in preparing for the bylaw's introduction he spoke to a number of business owners, and found not only a lack of support for the proposed change, but a lack of knowledge the change might be coming.
Coun. Richard Okrainec picked up on that theme.
"Have all the businesses been notified of the changes?" he asked.
Lonnie Kaal, Director of Finance with the City said she did not know if YBID had informed its members.
Coun. Ross Fisher said, "I too talked to a few businesses about this," adding he found "mixed feelings," regarding the desire to collect additional funds.
Fisher said he also found a lack of knowledge the change might be forthcoming.
"What I did find is nobody knew a change was coming to the bylaw," he said.
Other Councillors were more supportive of the change, and what YBID is doing.
"I like what YBID has been doing in the downtown," said Coun. Bob Maloney.
Maloney added Council shouldn't be "trying to dictate what YBID is doing. It is a separate organization."
A motion to make changes to the bylaw was defeated with Councillors, Wyatt, Fisher, Okrainec, and Mayor James Wilson opposed.
