Property owners in Upper Clearwater have indicated by a narrow majority that they would like the question of a grant-in-aid being collected to support the Upper Clearwater Hall to be taken to a public assent process.
According to a media release from Thompson-Nicola Regional District, the results from a survey distributed in Upper Clearwater earlier this year show that a majority of property owners would like the TNRD to conduct a public assent process that could see the elimination of the grant-in-aid service that provides $5,000 per year to the Upper Clearwater Farmers Institute for the operation of the Upper Clearwater Community Hall.
A total of 77 surveys were sent out and 57 were returned before the April 15 deadline, making a response rate of 74 per cent.
The survey contained only one question: Would you like the Upper Clearwater Community Hall grant-in-aid service to be eliminated?
In response, 30 answered YES while 27 answered NO.
Based on the survey results, Electoral Area “A” director Carol Schaffer will make a request to the TNRD board at its April 28 regular meeting, asking that the board authorize staff to carry out a public assent process through formal petition.
If authorized by the board, every property in the Upper Clearwater Community Hall grant-in-aid service area would then receive a petition in the mail for return to the TNRD by the deadline.
In order for the tax for the grant-in-aid to end, a majority of property holders would need to submit a petition, as well as a majority of property holders by assessed value within the service area – a so-called “double majority.”