The RDEK has received requests from property owners in portions of Electoral Areas C and E to establish rural fire protection to include properties in the Wycliffe and St. Mary Lake Road areas.

The establishment of a Kimberley Rural Fire Protection Service has been a Board strategic priority for many years and with renewed interest from the community, staff were directed to begin looking into what a potential service could look like for portions of Wycliffe and St. Mary Lake Road.

After review of the proposed service area and in consultation with the City of Kimberley, it was determined that both parties are keen to move forward on this project and work toward establishing the Kimberley Rural Fire Protection Service, conditional to the approval of the electors.

Before being able to bring it forward to the electors, there were many considerations that required more detailed analysis so that we could provide as much information as possible to ensure electors are able to make an informed decision this fall.

Some of these considerations are highlighted below (click on the arrow to open more details on each). Note: A more detailed Information Package has been prepared and is available under the Key Documents tab. It has also been direct mailed to all property owners within the proposed service area.

This is the question that will be on the ballot:

“Are you in favour of the Regional District of East Kootenay adopting Bylaw No. 3331 and Bylaw No. 3332 to:

• establish the “Kimberley Rural Fire Protection Service” to provide fire protection to the rural Kimberley area within a portion of Electoral Areas C and E;
• borrow up to $935,000 amortized over a maximum of 15 years to purchase a water tender and underground water tank for providing fire protection service, serving the Kimberley Rural Fire Protection Service; and
• annually requisition a maximum of $1.75 per $1,000 of the net taxable value of land and improvements to pay for the service?”.

The proposed service would be provided by the City of Kimberley Fire Department and would include:

• Fire protection and fire suppression only (rescue or first responder services would not be included).
• The RDEK will provide the City of Kimberley with a water tender and will install an underground water tank at a location still to be determined.

Costs for fire protection services would be recovered by a property tax on all land and improvements within the Service Area. The maximum that can be charged under the proposed bylaw is $1.75 per $1,000 of taxable assessed value; however, we are anticipating the actual cost to be lower for the first few years.

The 2024 assessed value of land and improvements for the proposed service area is $165,993,350. Based on the estimated budget above, the mill rate and cost per average residential property valued at $504,539 would be:

*including the 5.25% Province of BC collection fee

• INFO MEETING: A public information session will be held on October 1, 2024 at 7:00pm at Centennial Hall in Kimberley to provide information and answer questions in advance of the vote. The meeting is open to all.
  
  
• INFO PACKAGE: An information package has been direct mailed to all property owners within the proposed service area and posted on this project page. You can view it on this page under Key Documents.
  
  
• EMAILS & OTHER NOTIFICATIONS: There will be emails sent via the RDEK's Area C/Wycliffe and St. Mary Email Group, social media reminders, radio spots and newspaper ads in the Kimberley Bulletin and Kootenay Advertiser.

The RDEK Board decided to seek elector approval through an assent vote.

Assent voting day will be October 26, 2024 and there will be an advance voting day on October 16, 2024. Both voting days will be held from 8:00am to 8:00pm at the RDEK Board Room in Cranbrook (19-24 Avenue South).

IF THE ASSENT VOTE IS IN FAVOUR OF THE NEW SERVICE:

If the assent vote results are in favour of the proposed service establishment and loan authorization, the bylaws will be brought forward to the November 8, 2024 Board meeting for adoption.

The RDEK would then enter into an agreement with Kimberley to provide fire protection service and work to implement the fire protection service in 2025, subject to availability of a suitable water tender.

IF THE ASSENT VOTE IS NOT IN FAVOUR OF THE NEW SERVICE:

The service would not proceed.

Volunteering to be a scrutineer is a way to be involved in the assent vote process. Scrutineers play a role to help protect the integrity of the assent vote for their community. Scrutineers observe voting procedures and scrutinize the ballot-counting process. In general local elections or by-election, candidates appoint their scrutineers. In the case of assent voting, people apply to the Chief Election Officer to be appointed as scrutineers.

Scrutineers for and against the question must be appointed if applications are received from persons who wish to volunteer for the positions. Only persons entitled to vote as electors in this assent voting opportunity are entitled to act as scrutineers. If sufficient applications are received, one scrutineer for and one scrutineer against the question will be appointed for each voting place. One scrutineer for the question and one scrutineer against the question will also be appointed to be present at the determination of the official results and, if necessary, at a judicial recount.

Application Details

The period to apply to act as a scrutineer is September 25, @ 9:00am - October 4, @ 4:00pm.

Application forms can be dropped off at the RDEK office or emailed to elections@rdek.bc.ca.

Application Form

• CLICK HERE to open application form

Links to Sections of the Local Government Act related to Apply as a Scrutineer:

Resident and Non-Resident Electors

• Section 65 & 66 Local Government Act
• Section 175(1) Local Government Act

Scrutineers for Assent Vote

• Section 181 Local Government Act

Voting by mail is open to any elector who wishes to vote by mail. Eligible voters can request a mail ballot package between September 26 and October 24, 2024.

FORM:

• CLICK HERE to download Mail Ballot Form

Please complete the application form and return via:

Email: elections@rdek.bc.ca

Mail / Drop-off: RDEK Office, 19-24^th Ave S. Cranbrook, V1A 3H8

After business hours: drop off at mail slot box located at the front entrance of the RDEK office.