After the rural Enderby mosquito referendum was categorically denounced by members of the public, directors of the Regional District of the North Okanagan (RDNO) are speaking out.
Amanda Shatzko, who is the electoral director for Area C (BX/SilverStar), began the monthly RDNO board meeting on Wednesday, March 20 calling out the failure.
香蕉视频直播淭his was the biggest failed referendum in our history,香蕉视频直播� Shatzko said. 香蕉视频直播�92 per cent. If this was university, 92 per cent would be considered an A plus. So we had an A-plus failure.香蕉视频直播�
The program would have applied biological controls to mosquito larval habitats within areas of the Shuswap River floodplain in a granular form. Residents香蕉视频直播� reluctance to approve the program was mainly because of the significant impact to the ecosystem, affecting plants, birds, fish, insects, bats and other animals.
Voter turnout at the referendum on March 4 was 35 per cent, with a resounding 1,232 of 1,346 votes for 香蕉视频直播榥o香蕉视频直播� on the mosquito control service.
Property owners overwhelmingly shut down the program in an alternate approval process previously, yet the RDNO voted in favour of taking the bylaw to referendum. Former directors Jackie Pearase, Herman Halvorson, Earl Shipmaker, and Denis Delisle spoke against the plan in late 2023.
香蕉视频直播淚t is a fact that the mosquito control bylaw would increase taxes paid to the regional district by Electoral Area F by slightly more than 20 per cent of last year香蕉视频直播檚 tax requisition,香蕉视频直播� said Shipmaker. 香蕉视频直播淚t is a fact that only the Shuswap River floodplain is proposed to be treated. It is a fact that the majority of electoral area F residents live outside the proposed 香蕉视频直播榤osquito control area香蕉视频直播� but will have to pay taxes toward it.香蕉视频直播�
Shatzko, at the Wednesday meeting, also confirmed to the board that taxpayers (through RDNO) would have to pay $30,000, the cost of the referendum.
Delisle, who was against the plan from the beginning, lamented back in December the expected financial impact of a referendum.
香蕉视频直播淎 referendum will be a costly failure and the taxpayers will be eating the $30,000 loss,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淭here is a majority of the taxpayers who are paying for a small population of benefactors. Area residents have spoken clearly with an overwhelming response, likely one of the largest responses in Area F to any RDNO bylaw, and there are a multitude of residents who do not want to pay for a service they do not want or need.香蕉视频直播�
Director Rick Fairburn of Area A (Rural Lumby) chimed in after Shatzko香蕉视频直播檚 comments, expressing his disdain for referendums.
香蕉视频直播淭his is an example of why we do not conduct business with referendums,香蕉视频直播� he said.
READ MORE:
READ MORE:
