RDCO Chair speaks for Electoral Areas at the expense of Resident Stakeholder Rights
Below is the “official” RDCO Release on the two water system upgrades about to begin in Killiney Beach (2.9 million) & Westshore Estates (1.3 million). As usual no advanced notice to myself nor inclusion in the Official Release … maybe Chair Given is thinking about running for the Electoral Area Directors spot in 2018! This negligent action (I live in Killiney Beach and am a ratepayer for that water system) is only possible because the RDCO Board Chair and CAO have arbitrarily and deliberately negated the Stake Holders Voting Rights of the Electoral Area Directors and the people they are trying to represent. The Chair, the CAO and Mr. Smith are not residents, users or contributors nor were they ELECTED to speak on behalf of these water systems or any other local electoral area services, they are NOT Stakeholders.
Given states ” while the improvements will help to reduce interruptions during power outages.” I don’t know how replacing pipes and controls will help us in a power outage only emergency generators similar to those on the Valley of the Sun/ Upper Fintry water system will reduce interruptions due to BC Hydro service interruptions due to wires down, wildfires or the service outage scheduled for December 7 2016 from 6am – 6pm.
Chair Given sits on the Audit Committee, Economic Development Committee, Airport Advisory Committee, Municipal Finance Committee, Sustainable Transportation Partnership Central Okanagan (S.T.P.C.O.) (all RDCO Board Committees that she appoints) and claims to be the Representative for the Electoral Areas even though in the two years I’ve been sitting at the Board the Chair has NEVER approached the two EA Directors to discuss matters of relevance to the EA’s from these Committee Meetings. This leaves me believing that either there are no EA relevant issues (impossible) being discussed at these meetings or the Chair has decided she does not need to involve the EA Directors (Stakeholders) in our Districts in which case why are EA taxpayers paying for meetings we have no relevant role in?
Just a reminder … although all references in Releases are to RDCO Water System in fact RDCO does not own these systems they just operate and manage them supposedly for us the residents and ratepayers. That is why recovering our Stakeholder Voting Privilege is so critical to monitor and regulate service level changes and associated costs. A business that just allows the employees to make all the policy and financial decisions without oversight would go broke quickly … the RDCO can’t go broke they “know what’s in your wallet” and how to get it.
The water systems as with all our local services are owned by the residents within that Local Service Area each created by a specific bylaw. The residents of Westshores, Killiney Beach & Valley of the Sun/Upper Fintry own their respective water systems and are responsible for all the costs associated with that service. The “regional” fire departments are owned by the residents within their respective Local Service (bylaw created) Area in the North Westside that is Westshores south to La Casa and a property in Caesar’s Landing.
Responsibility for all Local Service Area costs are due and payable exclusively by the residents living within that local service area, funds can not be transferred or spent except within the service area and function they were collected and intended for.
November 25, 2016
Multi-Million Dollar Water System Upgrade Underway
Crews are about to break ground on a multi-million dollar upgrade to the Killiney Beach water system.
As weather allows through next spring, approximately three kilometers of aging water main will be replaced with new pipe along five roads in the upper area of the system which serves more than 280 connections throughout the subdivision along the north area of Westside Road.
Residents along Winchester Road will be the first affected as construction takes place weekdays between 7:00 am and 5:00 pm starting November 28th. They’ve been notified by the contractor, who’ll also provide advance notice when the project moves to other streets.
RDCO Chair Gail Given says, “This and two additional projects are going ahead thanks to significant financial support from the Federal and Provincial Governments. The new water main along with construction of a replacement reservoir and new control building received $1.9-million from the New Build Canada Fund – Small Communities Fund. It would be a huge burden for customers of the system to fund such expensive infrastructure work, without the support of the senior governments.”
Construction on the Hope Creek reservoir replacement and Winchester control building along with improvements to the Westshore Estates Water System Mountain and Upper Reservoirs is scheduled to start next spring running through the fall of 2017. The Westshore project is estimated at $1.3-million with an $870,000 contribution from the Community Works Fund Gas Tax program.
When complete, customers on the two water systems will benefit from improved water quality and storage and fire protection while the improvements will help to reduce interruptions during power outages.
Given adds, “As these are two of our oldest water systems, the significant funds provided for this critical infrastructure is greatly appreciated. The upgrades will ensure the continued effective and efficient operation of these RDCO water systems.”
Communications Officer Bruce Smith says, “With construction projects of this magnitude, residents and motorists in affected areas may experience some minor inconveniences. Please obey flag people and signage that you encounter along roads in the area during construction.” Updated information about the projects and construction schedules can be found at regionaldistrict.com/waterprojects.
The Regional District currently operates and maintains six water systems servicing more than 950 properties in the Sunset Ranch, Killiney Beach, Westshore Estates, Upper Fintry-Shalal Road-Valley of the Sun, Falcon Ridge and Trepanier areas.
