Editor:
This letter was sent to SCRD chair and Area B director Lori Pratt.
We are sure that you are very aware of the tremendous concern, worry, and anger that have arisen from the proposed wastewater treatment facility funding.
And, we hope that you are sensitive to how the proposal would have a very significant impact on homeowners’ finances, property valuations, and broader impacts on the economy of the regional district. As a formula for funding capital projects, there also are implications for other requirements such as water sourcing and distribution, the airport, and many other community facilities. It will affect all in the regional district.
For those serviced by Square Bay, it will be life changing and will cause some to have to move from their homes.
We have lived in this community for over 25 years and we have never seen an issue that has caused people such worry and concern about the leadership of our elected directors – not even close. This neighbourhood has an established communication network, and we have informed and received substantial input from a majority of homeowners here on this proposal.
In addition to the notion of a “pay forward” future funding basis, it is easy to identify problems with assumptions used to arrive at the user fee increases. We expect that you have heard them clearly:
1. A large and unsubstantiated inflation rate (over a 50- to 80-year period).
2. No consideration for transfer funding from senior government funded by our taxes (“to provide a permanent and stable source of capital”) to assist communities.
3. No consideration for a debt component such as we who are serviced by Square Bay are currently paying, and that has been the way communities have financed capital projects in North America in living memory.
4. The impact of bio-waste technology addressing what is a global concern and which is now attracting substantial investment and research. Do we have confidence that the treatment of waste 50 to 80 years from now will look anything like current methods?
However, in our opinion, this is not the time to debate assumptions or to act on a proposal that has such potential to upheave people’s lives.
We have been told that SCRD staff will present the proposal with the recommendation to suspend approval, which would allow time for more comprehensive plan development and communication, visibility and consultation with our communities over the coming year. Further, the recommendation will be that there will be no change in frontage fees for the following year.
We request that you support this delay, and that you review policies and direction that have created such a wholly negative community response, worry, and concern.
Lyle and Jean Wharton, Halfmoon Bay
