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The Regional District of the North Okanagan has taken the first steps towards approaching funding for a new search and rescue building.
"Staff will prepare the bylaws to create the service for funding it and also the lone authorization bylaw to go with it," says board chairperson Bob Fleming.
The staff report will be presented to the board of directors in May. Staff will also be preparing a break down of what each municipality and area in the regional district would be expected to pay.
Vernon Search and Rescue made its pitch for a new building and land to the RDNO in March. It is asking for $3.5 million. It also asked that the request for funding go through an alternate approval process with the public.
"That's a form of voter ascent," explains Fleming.
There are two forms of voter ascent the RDNO could potentially apply.
One form is the alternative approval process, which means if more than 10 per cent of voters vote against the motion it fails.
"The alternative would be a full referendum, which is more time consuming and quite a bit more expensive," says Fleming.
In a full referendum, everybody in the area gets to vote for, or against, the proposal.
Electoral areas in the regional district must go through a voter ascent process to provide funding. However, the councils of the municipalities can give ascent on behalf of their voters for the expense without going through the voter ascent process.
"We know for sure that if the electoral areas are participating then there must be some form of voter accent, either a referendum or alternative approval process."
Vernon Search and Rescue have felt it has outgrown its building on Aberdeen Road for some time. The group put together a comprehensive proposal for the RDNO, which identified potential properties the group feels would be suitable for not only the immediate time being but into the future as well.
"They have rough numbers on what they are associating for the land cost and the building," says Fleming. That is roughly $3.5 million.
Vernon Search and Rescue also has funds available, roughly $180,000.
"They have done significant fundraising, and they do have money to put towards this project."
