The results from Saturday’s referendum are in.
Residents of rural Enderby, B.C. have overwhelmingly voted down a proposal from the Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO) to establish a mosquito-control bylaw in Electoral Area F. A total of 1,345 valid votes were cast, with the ‘no’ side garnering 1,231 votes. Votes in favour of the proposal totalled 114.
According to the regional district, the proposed bylaw, if approved, would have created an average tax impact of $100 per year, based on either an annual requisition of $289,000 or a levy of 17 cents for every $1,000 of net taxable value of land and improvements. Residents were not thrilled about the prospect.
“I don’t want to pay to have something I don’t want,” Electoral Area F resident, Leah Barkley said. “It’s bad enough, the taxes up where we are.”
The RDNO said the focus of the control program would be on mosquito breeding sites along the Shuswap River near Kingfisher, Ashton Creek, Grindrod and Mara. Some voters expressed a deep concern about how that could impact the local environment, but others said they were simply upset that a referendum was called in the first place.
Late last year, the RDNO held an alternative approval process that required 10 per cent of eligible voters to submit forms stating they were against a mosquito-control service. Over 30 per cent of eligible voters voiced their displeasure with the idea, but the RDNO board of directors voted to proceed with a referendum.
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“We’ve already said no,” Electoral Area F resident, Louise Bruns said. “There was a really strong statement that we didn’t want this, and I think it was really arrogant and irresponsible of our director to push this vote through.”
The total price tag of referendum has not been released, but up to $30,000 was set aside for the vote.