The Cariboo Regional District’s (CRD) Area G town-hall meeting last week brought out about two dozen concerned residents to the Lac la Hache Community Hall.
Area G Director and CRD board chair Al Richmond said the numbers were down a bit this year, but he was generally pleased with the turnout on Feb. 3.
“People liked the new format around a talk for half an hour before, so all in all, it was a good meeting.”
Richmond and chief administrative officer Janis Bell gave a presentation during which folks heard what they could expect with upcoming water rates for 108 Mile Ranch and Lac la Hache, sewer rates for the latter, and fire department and solid-waste costs throughout the area.
Richmond and staff fielded questions about the handling of projects, and he noted some people were pleasantly surprised by the way the CRD has managed most of them without incurring debt.
He said residents were pleased to hear the CRD is using funding reserves and grants for improvements, such as those made to the 108 and Lac la Hache water systems and fire halls, with no additional costs to the taxpayer.
The CRD board plans ahead when they see issues develop and then sets aside funds for upcoming projects, he explained.
Infrastructure money from the
province is drying up, so the CRD’s budget is decreased in the coming years, Richmond said, adding this necessitates even more advance planning as the regional district doesn’t have the money to do large-scale projects without senior level government funding.
There are no major projects in the South Cariboo at the moment, he noted, and the board is in a wait-and-see mode, hoping the economy will improve and for the return of provincial grants.
“We are in the process again of building those reserves up, so when that opportunity presents itself, we’ll be able to apply for upgrades on other systems.”
Residents were very supportive of the idea of a South Cariboo Foundation that would pool funds toward the goal of using interest gain for CRD grants for assistance down the road, Richmond said.
Solid waste management was discussed briefly, but he noted several of those in attendance recently participated in a survey on the issue and intend to be part of the future public consultation meetings.
Nevertheless, he said there was a general disappointment expressed, which the director and staff heard “loud and clear,” about those residents who are not respecting designated areas for segregating the waste at the Lac la Hache transfer station, resulting in increased costs to taxpayers.
“At the share shed, for example, there are items that clearly can’t fit and they are causing damage by doing that, so there were people upset about [that disrespect].”
Despite the transfer station being used by much of Area G, it has no wood dumping area and segregation is restricted to metal trash and general waste bins, so he said the site doesn’t have the same degree of problems as seen at some South Cariboo landfills.
