Residents of Tarrys and the lower Slocan Valley will vote late this year on borrowing money for new fire engines for two local fire departments.
The Regional District of Central Kootenay says the referendums will be held Dec. 2 to approve the trucks for the Tarrys and Winlaw fire departments.
In the past the RDCK has used a combination of short-term financing and capital reserves to buy fire engines, which doesn’t require holding referendums.
However, due to inflation, the new engines are expected to cost up to $750,000 each, so the RDCK is proposing financing them over 20 years to reduce the burden on taxpayers.
In the Tarrys-area referendum, a home assessed at $450,000 would end up paying an extra $31.50 in taxes. In the Slocan Valley referendum, it works out to another $21.29 for a home with the same assessment.
The replacement of fire trucks is largely governed by standards set by the National Fire Protection Agency and Fire Underwriters Survey, which sets their lifespans at 25 years.
If residents vote against long-term financing, the engines will still be purchased using short-term financing.
You can find a map of the Tarrys and Pass Creek fire protection area here.
A map of the Slocan Valley fire service area is here.