The regional district has prepared an elector reverse approval form asking for approval to borrow $1.6 million for fire dispatch upgrades. These upgrades are not needed in Penticton, Osoyoos and Summerland. There is some balance as the board has agreed to credit Summerland for any recent upgrades. However, Summerlanders will still be subsidizing rural upgrades they do not need and their service will now be split with other regions.
Pentictonites: Please consider your options carefully on whether or not you should be supporting spending hundreds of thousands of Penticton tax dollars (38 per cent) on fire dispatch upgrades designed to improve rural areas.
You can download a copy of the reverse approval form protesting this borrowing at: http://rdos.bc.ca.
Under popular links, click on 911 Emergency Service Loan Authorization. Sign the form and send it in or alternatively go to the regional district office, 101 Martin St. in Penticton, from 8:30 to 4:30 p.m. and make your voice heard. Deadline is July 2.
You are entitled to sign this form if: You are 18 years or older; a Canadian citizen; B.C. resident for at least six months and/or reside within the regional district for 30 days and/or are the registered owner of real property in the regional district for at least 30 days and if you are not disqualified by law from voting in local elections.
The alternative approval process applies to qualified electors within the entire Regional District: Penticton, the Summerland, Keremeos, Princeton, Oliver, Osoyoos and Electoral Areas A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H.
Unless 6,864 qualified electors submit signed elector response forms to prevent the regional district from adopting the bylaw, Penticton taxpayers will spend thousands of dollars upgrading rural and outlying area fire dispatch. Upgrades we do not need in Penticton.
I am asking Pentictonites to please make your voice heard. Vote no. Pick up or download some extra forms and give them to your neighbours. Ask them to vote no too.
Elvena Slump
Penticton