The City of Trail proposal to expand their boundaries to take in Waneta Dam and the industrial area has met with opposition from the Village of Midway.
Area “A” Director Ali Grieve had sent an email to other RDKB board members asking for a letter of support opposing the boundary change.
Councillor Marguerite Rotvold brought the request to the Midway Council table and recommended that they send a letter to the minister opposing the expansion because property tax revenue sources for some existing recreation services shared by Area “A”, Fruitvale and Montrose would be compromised.
She told council that when Castlegar expanded their boundaries to include the Brilliant Dam it caused major friction and tension between the rural communities and the city within the Central Kootenay Regional District. “Because they did it for tax purposes, not for any other reason,” said Rotvold. “It is not fair to the rural communities.”
“What business is it of ours,” Councillor Richard Dunsdon asked?
Rotvold told him because it is occurring in our regional district.
Councillor Gary Schierbeck said that he saw Winfield suffer because of municipal boundary expansion.
Rotvold told council that Trail hasn’t consulted the property owners they are proposing to absorb.
Mayor Randy Kappes said that though it is far away from us, it does affect the overall workings of the regional district. He said he would like to see Trail required to argue the merits of their case.
Dunsdon said the other side of the coin is reflected locally when you look at the costs born by the Village of Midway for such things as the arena and medical clinic that are of benefit to those in the surrounding rural areas and the city of Greenwood.
Council voted to send a letter to Community Sport and Cultural Development Minister Coralee Oakes expressing their opposition to the boundary expansion with copies to Grieve, the RDKB board, and the City of Trail.