Poor communication on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District's (TNRD) implementation of the Solid Waste Management Plan appears to be the source of the negative reaction Eagan Lake area residents expressed after hearing about the potential closure of their garbage transfer station.
Residents became aware of the planned closure when a small note was posted at the transfer station in mid-winter.
It also appears inquiries made to the TNRD resulted in further communication problems when residents' queries were confused with the Birch Lake site, which is slated for complete closure. Eagan Lake residents were advised their alternative site would be located at Little Fort.
The community meeting on March 12, which was attended by TNRD staff and directors and about three dozen permanent and seasonal residents, may have cleared up some misinformation.
TNRD Area E Director Sally Watson admitted she had overlooked distributing mail-outs through the Bridge Lake post office, which is where residents retrieve their mail.
TNRD environmental services representative Peter Hughes noted property owners who reside full time outside of the area do not receive any of the information disseminated through the flyer process.
TNRD financial services representative Sukh Gill suggested "it is the taxpayer's responsibility to look at the (TNRD) website" for up-to-date information.
Watson, who indicated this expectation was unreasonable, quieted the negative reaction his comment received from the audience.
TNRD Director of Area A (Clearwater) Tim Pennel is the vice-chair on the Solid Waste Management Committee.
Noting he was not in full agreement with the plan and its effect on rural services, Pennel explained the closures are driven in part by legislative changes and pressure by the provincial government.
It's for us "to clean up our act," increased liabilities for site contamination and that "we are changing to a 'user-pay' society" where tipping fees for garbage are a normal progression, he added.
TNRD Director of Area L (Pritchard) John Taylor noted Lac la Juene residents elected for a property tax increase of $22 per $100,000 of property improvements to pay for transfer station upgrades.
While there was opposition to the overall Solid Waste Management Plan and the process of reducing overall costs by "upgrading" or changing 24-hour accessible rural transfer stations to restricted access with user-pay fees, it appears the pending change to the Eagan Lake site may have its upside.
Many of the residents seemed pleased to hear the site would offer new limited recycling opportunities and employ a local person. Furthermore, residents will be surveyed for accessibility time preferences.
Complete closure is a possibility in the long run, but the TNRD panel members assured those in attendance they will be meeting with the Cariboo Regional District to discuss options that may serve the residents of Eagan Lake and promised they would improve their communication of future service changes.
Sharron Woloshyn is a correspondent for the simplymastery.
