Regionally Significant Gas Tax Program (Unweighted Corporate Vote – Simple Majority) It was MOVED and SECONDED

THAT the Board amend the Regionally Significant Gas Tax Working Group list of projects to show the rural funding portion be split equally between Okanagan Falls Discharge and Gallagher Lake Sewer, and it be submitted to the UBCM-Province Management Committee for application to the Regionally Significant Gas Tax Program.

CARRIED

Opposed: Directors Jakubeit, Vassilaki, Kozakevich, Ashton, Litke, Hope, and Wood.

Last week we told you Oliver would get gas tax funds for a new well at Buchanan Rd and one other water project. But we also told you that rural funds would be spent on a trails project. Not so – as Thursday the board changed its mind yet again and decided to fund a sewer project at Gallagher Lake. Director Allan Patton was very pleased.

By looking at the vote it appears Penticton was against this idea but lost. Gave me second thought.

Previously on RDOS reports: Based on recommendations to be discussed at next week’s RDOS board meeting, directors could decide to grant the Town of Oliver a half million dollars to enhance the water utility serving rural and town customers.

The RDOS has 4.27 million dollars to distribute. The highest amount 1.2 million dollars goes to Penticton for street lighting (low energy). Osoyoos will get $550 thousand for lighting (low energy) for a new fire hall and Oliver will receive a half million for a new well north of Tuc-el-nuit Lake at Buchanan Rd.

The rural areas in the RDOS will see their funding go to Trail Projects and a special work plan at OK Falls where tertiary treated effluent will be allow to discharge into wetlands rather than Okanagan River – creating more habitat and adding another layer of cleansing waste water.