Abbotsford city council was slated to vote on a proposal on Monday that would see it mend fences with the Fraser Valley Regional District.

Staff is recommending that the City of Abbotsford abandon a proposal made last year to withdraw from the regional government as a move to save money.

The majority of the previous council had asked the province to allow Abbotsford to set up a single-tier regional structure, believing going solo would save the city $760,000 annually.

As the largest member of the FVRD, Abbotsford contributes close to half the total funding but is subject to a weighted system that provides it with 25 per cent of the voting power.

However, last spring Ida Chong, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, made it perfectly clear the city cannot opt out of the regional district system.

Abbotsford was then left with the option of forming a new regional district, perhaps involving the communities of Langley or Mission.

A mayors forum during the summer that included Langley, Mission, Chilliwack, Abbotsford and the FVRD resulted in a decision that it was premature to consider forming a regional district in the central Fraser Valley.

A staff report notes that without the support of the province, a single-tier option was not available to Abbotsford.

Due to cost restructuring by the FVRD, Abbotsford also got a 28 per cent tax cut from the regional district in 2011, expected to produce a tax savings of $715,736.

Rather than abandoning the regional district, Abbotsford is now exploring the idea of regional transit and solid waste programs within the FVRD to see if there are any benefits or economies of scale to be had in those areas, stated a staff report.

? Council's decision was not available before the Times press deadline. Check www.abbotsfordtimes. com for updates.

RBaker@abbotsfordtimes.com