Garden Bay Waterworks District (GBWD) customers have voted 58 per cent in favour of merging systems with the Sunshine Coast Regional District's (SCRD) Hotel Lake system.
Of the 331 ballots the GBWD board mailed out, 61 per cent were returned by the Feb. 10 postmark deadline, with 117 "yes" and 85 "no" votes. The board received four more "yes" and one more "no" vote after the deadline.
On Monday (Feb. 20), after receiving the results from its auditor, the GBWD board unanimously decided to proceed with the merger, which will effectively dissolve the improvement district that was incorporated in 1960. "We were very pleased with the outcome," said GBWD chair Gerry Krantz. "We have said for some time that the status quo is no longer working for us and we need to move on. I think what people in the community really want is to have safe, clean drinking water provided at a reasonable cost. And to me the merger is the best way to ensure that this will happen now and in the future."
The board mailed one ballot per water billing, along with a 63-page consultant's report on the proposed merger and a covering letter outlining some reasons for the board's support of the merger. The "no" campaign, which had a strong 42 per cent showing in the poll, also mailed out a one-page flyer. "It is a sad day for [42 per cent] of the Garden Bay residents when they were presented with the results of a poll that indicated the trustees of their water district were going to carry on with the transfer of control of their water system to the SCRD," said former GBWD chair Tom Barker. "But it is a done deal and we can now sit back and watch what happens. We have temporarily lost our autonomy and we in the no camp can either say we told you so and pursue rectification of the system through incorporation, or if it does work, simply pat the present trustees on the back and say nothing." Barker thought it strange that the consultant's report found many benefits and few detriments to the merger. He also raised concern over the covering letter with the ballots being biased in favour of the merger. Barker noted if the systems did not merge, water rate increases should not be required because GBWD has money in the bank, especially the funds coming in from developers.
Krantz responded, "They're saying we're being biased because we want the merger to go ahead. I haven't heard one good reason why we shouldn't."
Krantz said the SCRD's access to provincial government grants would reduce the ratepayers' costs of improvements to the water system, including a multi-barrier treatment system which the province will require.
"There is money in the bank but there is not enough to cover the big ticket items like multi-barrier," Krantz said.Discussions over the merger between GBWD and the SCRD began a year ago. This week's GBWD resolution will next go to the SCRD board - which approved the merger in principle last fall - for final approval. The SCRD resolution would then go to the provincial Ministry of Community Services to apply for transfer of ownership. The SCRD would also need to pass a bylaw to establish the new service area, which would be called the North Pender Harbour Water Service Area. Once responsibility is transferred, an advisory committee, made up of the Area A director John Rees and at least one representative from each of the Hotel Lake and Garden Bay Lake areas, would be formed. The Ministry would provide a grant to the SCRD to help with administrative costs of the transfer.
SCRD infrastructure services manager Steve Lee was happy with the poll results.
"From the SCRD's perspective, we're not looking to take over anybody's operation unless there is a real benefit to the customers," Lee said. "We see that as a win-win for the Garden Bay board as well as its customers."He was also happy the results showed a clear majority.
"I think it's a good process, everybody has a chance to express their opinion," Lee said.
Rees noted the growth that is now happening in Pender Harbour and the provincial regulations over water quality."I think it's the best thing for the water district," Rees said.
He was concerned about what would happen to the GBWD board if the merger had not gone ahead because some of the directors were ready to retire and it would be difficult for new directors to pick up a complicated system.
In response to Barker's comment on incorporating Pender Harbour into a municipality, Rees said he has not heard from people in the community that they want incorporation, other than from a few people.
"I don't think Pender Harbour is ready for incorporation at this time," Rees said. "I'm not going to turn the community upside down based on the input I'm getting."
