The date has now been set for a contentious referendum within the Regional District of North Okanagan.
Residents and property owners in Electoral Area F Rural Enderby will go to the poll on whether to adopt a mosquito control services bylaw on Saturday, March 2. The voting station will be the Enderby and Seniors Complex, and voting will run from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
There will be two advance polls: Wednesday, Feb. 21, at the RDNO office in Coldstream; and Wednesday, Feb. 28, at the Splatsin Community Centre south of Enderby. Both advance polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
There is no mail-in option for the referendum, unlike the Alternate Approval Process held in November and December of 2023. A total of 10 per cent of eligible voters, or 388 voters, was required to vote against the service control bylaw in order to defeat it. The number was overwhelmingly achieved as 31 per cent voted no.
RDNO directors voted immediately after the results were announced to go to referendum.
The bylaw would be created to set up a service to control mosquito larval habitats within specific areas of the Shuswap River floodplain to prevent the spread of the pesky insects. The focus would be on breeding sites along the Shuswap River near the communities of Kingfisher, Ashton Creek, Grindrod and Mara.
RDNO is requesting $289,000 or $0.17 per 1,000 of net taxable land and improvements in the service area. Based on an average residential assessment of approximately $591,000 in 2023, the average residential tax impact would be $99.95 per year, starting in 2024.
Two public meetings on the proposed plan were held this week in Ashton Creek and Grindrod.
“The public had the opportunity to ask questions of staff, politicians and the pest management expert who is helping development the pest management plan,” said RDNO chief administrative officer David Sewell.
“There was a wide range of questions, the sessions both lasted over two hours and both sessions were very well attended. The RDNO appreciates the community involvement in the process and encourage people to participant in the referendum process and hope to see strong voter participation.”
Current Area F director Allysa Hopkins thanked everyone who came out to the two meetings that she described as “animated.”
“People were passionate in their responses but generally very respectful,” said Hopkins. “We heard questions and concerns related to potential costs of the program, possible environmental impacts of mosquito control, as well as the referendum process. Some attendees have also contacted me privately to indicate that they appreciated the information and support the program, but not everyone feels comfortable speaking in a public forum.”
Among those in attendance both nights was former RDNO Area F director Denis DeLisle, who has been against the service since it was proposed.
DeLisle felt opposition to the plan was “overwhelming” at both public meetings.
“I’m against because I don’t want to pay for something that won’t do me any good,” he said. “I was really surprised how many people are concerned about the ecosystem. And a lot of organic farmers were at the meetings. They’re worried about losing their organic status.
“People would rather have mosquitoes and a healthy environment than chasing mosquitoes away. That feeling was quite prevalent.”
Hopkins hopes eligible voters will get out and cast a ballot, no matter what their opinion is.
“The referendum is the opportunity for the community as a whole to be heard,” she said.
The RDNO web page on the plan can be found at rdno.ca/our-communities/mosquito-control
READ MORE: UPDATE: Rural Enderby will head to polls on mosquito control bylaw