Angie Mindus
Staff Writer
The results are in from last weekend’s West Chilcotin referendum, and it turns out one vote tipped the scale to authorize a small taxation to support the West Chilcotin Search and Rescue Group.
According to the Cariboo Regional District, 34 residents voted in favour of supporting the tax while 33 voted against it last Saturday.
The taxation will amount to residents paying about $3.09 per $100,000 assessed property value per owner, based on 2013 assessment values.
The West Chilcotin Search and Rescue group provides various services to the area including searches for lost or missing persons, rescuing trapped and/or injured persons, doing evidence searches and assisting at any community emergency that may arise when requested to do so by the RCMP, BC Ambulance, BC Coroner or other Emergency Management BC affiliated authority.
All volunteers are trained emergency responders, knowledgeable of land navigation, radio communications, survival and basic emergency care.
To date WCSAR has trained, equipped and responded by raising funds through private and corporate sponsors and volunteer fundraising activities.
The referendum will see a maximum amount of $6,000 contributed to the unit annually.
A similar referendum was held recently in the South Cariboo, however the results there overwhelmingly supported the taxation.