Today was a weird day in the on-going fight between the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District over rural fringe fire protection
It started with today's Cariboo Advisor where CRD Chair (and Area 'G' Director) Al Richmond expressing his disappointment with the City of Williams Lake's recent move to withdraw its' 1st offer to provide fire protection to CRD residents' living in portions of Areas D, E, F of the Regional District. An offer that was voted on and heavily endorsed by these same residents'
Read the article below:
CRD Chair express with City of WL over Rural Fringe Fire Protection 1st offer
Later in the day - the City announced (but not with a press release) that Council agreed, at its Tuesday In-Camera meeting, to receive the CRD Board letter asking the City of Williams Lake honour its' original offer of $129 per $100,000 of residential assessment with no further action to be taken. According to the Williams Lake Tribune - the City of Williams Lake will not be discussing this issue further in public and will keep the rural fringe fire protection discussions "behind closed doors"
This evening at 6:30pm - WL Council convened a 'In-Camera' meeting likely under the following provisions of the Community Charter:
90(1g) - Litigation/Potential Litigation
90(1k) - Proposed Municipal Service
It is very likely Council will direct Staff to send a response to the Cariboo RD's most recent letter and we all await that response by the City of Williams Lake
For myself - I am troubled at why the City is refusing to release a press statement explaining its' side while the Cariboo Regional District didn't hesitate to do so last Friday and made available two Directors on Monday/Tuesday - Al Richmond and Joan Sorley - to expressidly explain its' side of the rural fringe fire protection debate and kudos to the Regional District for being forthright with CRD Area D, E,F residents' on this file :)
I expect that by the end of this week - the Cariboo Regional District will have to announce what further steps, if any, it will take to ensure interim fire services remain in place past Dec 31st at midnight
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