Efforts to expand the Thompson-Nicola Regional District’s mosquito reduction service in the community of Blue River failed.
A public assent vote was held in the community for electors to vote on whether a mosquito reduction service area would move forward. Only 32 per cent (69 properties) of the needed 50 per cent of eligible properties returned a signed, in favour, petition. There are 217 eligible properties in Blue River.
The assent process was planned in response to a community meeting held last fall, according to a press release from the TNRD.
A majority of those in attendance at the fall meeting were in favour of the tax increase to bring in the service, but that support didn’t extend to a majority of property owners.
Had the petition succeeded, the estimated cost of the service was $125,000 per year which would’ve resulted in a property tax increase of about $130 per $100,000 of assessed property value per year for residential properties.
For the petition to be successful, more than 50 per cent of eligible properties would’ve had to return a signed petition. In addition, those returned petitions would have to represent more than half of the assessed value of the community. The combined assessed property value of the petitions was $13,970,000 representing only 27 per cent of the over $51 million total.
The TNRD operates a mosquito reduction service in Electoral Areas A, O, P, L, J, M and N, including the municipalities of Clearwater, Barriere, Chase, Sun Peaks, Kamloops and Logan Lake.
The official signed results of the petition can be viewed on the TNRD website. For more information visit the mosquito reduction page.
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