Vanderhoof Byelection and Pool Vote Goes Today
Saturday, February 16, 2013 @ 4:49 AM
Vanderhoof, B.C. – Voters in Vanderhoof and area will be going to the polls today to elect a new councilor and decide the future of a proposed swimming pool.
A seat on Vanderhoof council has been vacant since last October when second term coluncillor Louise Levy resigned her position to move out of town. There are three candidates running for that seat: Marje Makow, John Murphy and Peet Vahi.
There are also two referendum questions of the ballot. The first is for the municipality proper, and asks approval for council to borrow up to $4 million for construction and maintenance of a $12 million swimming pool facility. The rest of the money would come from federal and provincial government grants and corporate and individual donations. The second question is for voters in Area “F’ of the Bulkley-Nechako Regional District, which is Vanderhoof rural. It looks to establish a pool service contribution to the annual operating cost of the pool.
Polls are open from 8am to 8pm today. Both municipal and Area “F” voters can cast their ballots at the Friendship Centre in Vanderhoof. There is also a polling station for Area “F” voters at the Cluculz Lake Hall.
A strong turnout is expected today. District Chief Election Officer Tom Clement says the last municipal election in 2011 saw a turnout of 630 voters. He says the advance poll for this by-election and referenda had a turnout of 229 people.
Comments
What a bad idea.
I think its a good idea. I’m sure it would make living there during the winter months much better. Kids need pools too. Although it looks a little expensive for a town that size.
A referendum? What an awesome idea! At least they didn’t borrow a page from PG’s book and shove it down the taxpayer’sthroat via the AAP process.
As for the pool? I’d vote for that; exercise does wonders for a community.
We voted it down before , you must think if you keep asking again and again it may get passed. $200 a Year plus for a single Item is a large Tax Increase . A Pool for a Town that size ,what will be next. Remember all the Figures to build and maintain are only Estimates and they are usually low! The Pool
People have drawn a very large Circle around
Vanderhoof to collect Taxes. I would rather see Fire Protection for my Money !
A pool is not dependent to make money so what ever extra the pool needs the more increase in taxes you will get.
Somehow I cant see this referendum passing.
They will be staring some long term debt in the face. Certainly they need a pool, however the initial cost, and on going maintenance is horrendous.
Outlying areas would also benefit, like Ft Fraser, Fraser Lake, Ft St James, Clucuz Lake, Endako, however they would also have to pay for the on going operating costs. Kind of a hard sell in Clucuz Lake.
Either way at least they get to vote on the matter, which is something that is seriously missing in Prince George.
The problem with this vote and referendum is that only the Residents of Vanderhoof & Electoral Area F get to vote.
Yes the pool would be good for these outlying regions to the West but they are not asking the residents of Ft. Fraser, Fraser Lake or Ft. St. John to contribute to this tax base – I believe this may have already been tried but voted down previously.
Now they are asking seasonal residents of Cluculz Lake and Bobtail Lake to contribute to the pool! Why in the world recreational owners around the lake want to pay for a pool in Vanderhoof! This is absolutely ridiculous.
The whole vote for a pool is ridiclous and another crazy idea by the RDBN to extract tax dollars from wherever they can try to grab it!
The Electoral Area F including the two lakes should not have even been asked to contribute in the first place…they should have stuck with Vanderhoof proper & those outlying towns out West – they are going to use the pool! The lake property Owners will use the lake not a pool in an area they do not reside.
Vanderhoof and the RDBN get your head out of the sand and be fiscally responsible to your constituents! Jerry Pettersen (voted representative for Electoral Area ‘F’) you should be ashamed of yourself to allow this to even be an issue!
There’s being optimistic then there’s being stupid. The pool as planned and budgeted definitely leans towards the stupid.
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