Amalgamating the Town of Oliver with Area C may never happen, but what if?
That’s the question some people are asking as the Town explores the possibility.
Mayor Ron Hovanes said the idea has been bantered around for a few years now.
“It’s time to sit down with the minister to discuss what this would look like . . . it’s very exploratory.”
Hovanes plans to meet with staff from the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development at the Union of BC Municipalities convention this week in Vancouver.
Hovanes noted there are many district municipalities in BC. He reported that Okanagan Falls is looking at incorporation, and Osoyoos has been talking about forming a district with its rural residents in Area A.
“We’ve always been a growing community, with about two per cent growth a year,” Hovanes said, noting the Town brought in the Tuc-el-Nuit and Rockcliffe neighbourhoods.
The mayor indicated the Town already shares several existing partnerships with Area C, such as joint fire protection, parks and recreation, landfill and water services.
Would it make more sense to have a local district government?
Hovanes believes it would be beneficial and give rural residents more voice at the district table as opposed to one voice at the regional table.
“It can make more sense if we look after ourselves.”
But Area C director Allan Patton said residents have a “pretty good” voice right now.
“Any time I require more voice, I ask the public.”
Patton said previous research on a district municipality resulted in a decision not to pursue it.
“A lot of rural people got up in arms (over it) . . . I have no appetite to pursue a district or rural municipality.”
Patton said he can only see higher taxes for residents if they go down that road. He pointed to additional policing and road maintenance costs, and a more expensive governing structure.
Patton said the existing regional structure is effective and efficient. But Hovanes pointed out that some aspects of the regional district board in Penticton make him uncomfortable.
For example, voting on a budgetary issue that only impacts Princeton. It makes him feel like an outside player voting on a decision that should be made by those directly affected.
Patton, however, thinks this system gives everyone a bird’s eye view of the big picture and keeps all board members “connected.”
Patton said he should not have the sole right to decide what goes on in rural Oliver.
Hovanes said the biggest concern with a district municipality is how it will impact taxation. The other issue is extra policing costs and who will pay for it.
In addition, once a district municipality is formed, the municipality has to maintain area roads, which are currently the responsibility of the province, Hovanes said.
Town Councillor Jack Bennest said new information has prompted him to believe the Town must take a role in seeking answers. For example, the increase in population (and newcomers from the correctional centre) will push the Town into city status, resulting in a significant jump in policing costs.
Bennest agreed that taxation and roads are concerns that also need to be addressed.
“If the idea of getting into a Greater Oliver is to be attractive – the maintenance of rural roads is a big issue and a costly one.”
Bennest said the provincial government could continue to maintain roads with the cost being carried by all those within the new circle. He noted the agreement could leave Black Sage, Tucelnuit Drive and Sawmill Road as transport corridors maintained by the province.
The councillor said if a district municipality is to be made attractive, taxes have to be assessed on the same basis they are now. The cost of sewer service, water service, garbage/recycling, parks, and fire service should be consistent with all homeowners, he pointed out.
If joining two jurisdictions is desirable, two official community plans must first be respected and then joined, Bennest said.
But the village area must be designed to go up in density and the rural agricultural area planned for the retention of farmland, he noted.
“All land in the Agricultural Land Reserve would remain in the ‘green belt and not be thought as more fodder for the land speculators.”
Bennest said the areas to be joined should be carefully selected, encompassing a variation of the domestic water distribution system and the fire district.
“It should not try to encompass Willowbrook, upper Fairview or areas east of the Osoyoos Indian Band, and it might not be designed to handle anything north of McAlpine Bridge.”
The primary benefit that Bennest sees is decisions discussed and decided upon in the new district, not at the regional board table.
Hovanes said it will only take about 175 new residents to push Oliver over the 5,000 threshold, at which time it must start paying 70 per cent of policing costs. This means an increase of $700,000 in taxes required to cover this expense.
“On census day we’ll put everyone on a bus and send them to Osoyoos,” Hovanes joked.
Mark Pendergraft, chair of the RDOS and director for rural Osoyoos (Area A), said there is little to no incentive for the rural area to consider a district municipality. He noted there could be an advantage to the towns by reducing the tax burden they would have to pay for added policing costs.
If a district municipality were to be formed, the new municipality would still be part of the regional district, similar to Summerland, Pendergraft said.
In his view, the idea of a district municipality in Osoyoos is not being explored right now.
Osoyoos Mayor Stu Wells did not respond by press time Tuesday.
The ministry responsible for this issue did not return the Chronicle’s phone call.
Lyonel Doherty
Oliver Chronicle
