What might seem like a small oversight means Thompson-Nicola Regional District must host a second public meeting in Clearwater to discuss its proposed co-terminus fire protection service.
“It's a legal requirement,” said Ron Storie, manager of community services at the regional district.
Reason for the meeting is TNRD staff neglected to mention that they plan to borrow up to $140,000 to pay for four underground water tanks or “dry fire hydrants” as part of the service.
The money also would be used to pay for the cost of legal agreements with the owners of the land the tanks would be situated on.
The regional district held meetings about the service on Tuesday evening at the Legion in Clearwater, and another on Wednesday in Little Fort.
All the other information presented at the Clearwater meeting, including the cost to taxpayers, was correct, said Storie. The only shortcoming was they neglected to mention that they would have to borrow to buy and install the tanks.
The omission was realized in time for the Little Fort session the following day and so no second meeting will be needed there.
People who took away petition forms from the Clearwater session have been contacted and asked to destroy them, as the forms included no mention of the borrowing.
Corrected forms are being sent out and otherwise made available to residents of the affected areas.
Those affected areas include along Highway 5 between Little Fort and Blackpool, and between Clearwater and Vavenby. Also included are properties along Birch Island/Lost Creek Road, Roundtop Road and McCracken Road.
The second public meeting for Clearwater will be held Thursday, June 20 at the Clearwater Legion, 7 p.m.