The Cariboo Regional District plans to borrow $600,000 to purchase a new fire-tender for the Forest Grove Volunteer Fire Department (FGVFD), pending the voters' approval of their borrowing plan.
This summer the CRD is giving residents living within the FGVFD's fire protection service area a chance to weigh in on how long the funding will be borrowed to purchase the new tender. The CRD wants to extend the borrowing period over 10 years and is seeking public approval via a referendum.
"We have to buy a new tender for Hall 2. The question on the referendum will be whether they want to finance it over 10 years or five years. If the general public says no to 10 years then we will go to five years which will be a higher increase in fire department taxes for the area," Margo Wagner, CRD chair and director for Canim Lake - Forest Grove, said.
If voters approve the 10 year borrowing plan, the CRD said residents can expect their property taxes to increase by up to $32.38 per $100,000 of the net taxable value of improvements to the fire protection area, a 27.5 per cent increase. The current 2024 residential tax rate for the Forest Grove Fire Protection Area is $117.66 per $100,000.
Should the majority of residents be against the 10-year borrowing plan, the CRD would then switch to a five-year borrowing period, which does not require approval from the voters. This means that residential property taxes would then increase by $57 per $100,000 of assessed value, or a 48.4 per cent increase in annual taxation for fire services.
"I live in the area but I get one vote. I don't have a preference either way, it's whatever the general public feels they can handle," Wagner remarked. "It's tough because, in the South Cariboo, we've had a lot of new people move in, which is great, but we also have a lot of older residents who are struggling to stay at home because the cost of everything has gone up. A lot of people retired to the Cariboo 20 to 30 years ago who are on a fixed outcome."
She predicts the referendum will see a split between newer residents able to pay the higher taxes for five years and older residents who will prefer to spread it out over 10.
Wagner will be holding a public information meeting on July 12 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Forest Grove Community Hall. This meeting is designed to allow residents to learn more about the referendum and the CRD's services. FGVFD fire chief Michelle Meeker and Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson will also be in attendance and a fundraising barbecue will also be held for the Forest Grove VFD Ladies’ Auxiliary at the same time.
Wagner said the new fire tender is expected to arrive by the spring of 2025, depending on how many vehicles are on order from the supplier. She noted their current tender was bought used from Texas and has a serious problem with leaks, so a new tender is needed.
Residents and non-resident property electors will be able to cast their vote via mail or at one of three polling opportunities throughout the summer. The first will take place on July 21 at the South Cariboo Rec Centre from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. while the other two opportunities will place on Aug. 6 and Aug. 10 at the Forest Grove Community Hall from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Mail-in ballots can be requested from the CRD chief election officer starting on July 8 until Aug. 8 at 4 p.m. Ballots must be mailed to the CRD office in Williams Lake or 100 Mile House by Aug. 9 at 4 p.m. and be packaged according to instructions on the ballot package to remain valid.
