Public information meetings are coming up soon where the Cariboo Regional District (CRD) will provide more details and field questions on the South Cariboo Search and Rescue (SAR) referendum scheduled this fall.
The referendum will ask voters if they approve of a bylaw for the CRD to provide annual funding of up to $30,000 to the local SAR society for its services in the community.
SAR search manager Val Severin says the funding is much needed as its current donations, fundraising and Community Gaming Grants are not regular.
This can leave them short on funds, but also provides little advance notice for planning.
"The funding will allow us to plan our equipment and training to provide stability to ensure we can meet the training and equipment needs to fulfill our role in the community."
Examples of difficulties from the lack of a stable funding source include when a half dozen members all have training certificates expiring the following year, or the majority of rescue ropes will reach their allowable life span, but there are no assurances the money will be there for the training and replacements, she explains.
Without that stability, SAR can't effectively plan for its members to be re-certified, which Severin notes is required to enable them to respond to specific types of emergencies.
The local group of volunteers can be called into action by the RCMP, BC Ambulance or the Coroner’s Service to perform or assist in searches for lost or missing persons, as well as swift water, lake, ice, avalanche and rope rescues in the South Cariboo. It also supports other rescue groups, emergency response activities, recoveries and public safety awareness.
If approved by referendum, Severin says the CRD funding will take "a huge load off" the SAR group in knowing it can plan for training and equipment to ensure the valuable service these hard-working volunteers provide is available whenever it is needed in the community.
The currently planned 2014 tax requisition for this service is $25,000 total, or $1.03 per $100,000 of assessed property values overall, but a residential taxpayer would pay $0.84 per $100,000 of assessed value.
However, these tax requisition calculations are estimated (based on 2013), as assessed values for 2014 are not yet available.
At the maximum tax rate, the CRD indicates a residential taxpayer would expect to pay about $1.08 per $100,000 of assessed value for residential land and improvements.
In 100 Mile House, the meeting is on Aug. 14 at the District Council Chambers. In Area L, it will be held on Aug. 15 at the Interlakes (Roe Lake) Community Hall. The meeting for Area H residents is slated for Aug. 20 at the Forest Grove Community Hall, and for Area G, it is Aug. 21 at the 108 Mile Community Hall.
All of the public meetings will run from 5:30 -7 p.m.
Scrutineers are also being sought for this referendum.
For more information on the meetings or scrutineer applications, visit the CRD website at www.cariboord.bc.ca.