FACT SHEET Proposed Pinantan/East Paul Lake Fire Protection Service Area Establishment & Loan Authorization

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1 FACT SHEET Proposed Pinantan/East Paul Lake Fire Protection Service Area Establishment & Loan Authorization The following information will provide you with a brief summary of the proposed financial contribution and loan authorization for the Pinantan/East Paul Lake Fire Protection Service. 1. The Pinantan/East Paul Lake Fire Department Association will provide fire protection services within the boundary as defined in the map on the reverse. 2. If approved, property owners within the service area will provide annual funding through taxation as a contribution toward the cost of providing the fire protection service in Pinantan/East Paul Lake and to repay debt for a $470,000 loan for the construction of a fire hall and equipment. Debt retirement (principal and interest) will be repaid over a 20 year term. 3. The annual financial contribution will be a maximum of $95,000 or $1.04/$1,000 of the net taxable value of land and improvements (whichever is greater). 4. The Pinantan/East Paul Lake Fire Department Association currently responds to emergency fire incidents involving structures and vehicles. 5. The proposed financial contribution service area is the same as the Pinantan/East Paul Lake fire department response area. 6. Local governments cannot provide assurance to residents with respect to a reduction in fire insurance premium costs. Property owners are encouraged to contact their local insurance brokers for insurance coverage information. 7. The annual financial contribution will be used by the Pinantan/East Paul Lake Fire Department Association for fire hall erection, annual operating and equipment costs. 8. The number of properties within the proposed financial contribution service area is 436. Proposed Service Implementation: Approval is required to establish the financial contribution service and to authorize borrowing for the construction of a fire hall and purchase of equipment through an annual tax requisition. Electoral approval is being carried out through either a petition process or referendum. If public assent is carried out by petition, they will be distributed at the public information meeting TBD and by mail to those property owners who do not pick up petitions at the meeting. The closing date for submission of petitions will also be determined at that time. A petition process is successful if the TNRD receives completed petitions from at least half (50%) of the property owners and the combined assessed value for those properties is at least half (50%) of the total assessment within the proposed service area. If public assent is carried out by referendum, the date will be set by the Board following approval from the Province of BC. A public information meeting will be held after the referendum date has been set. The result of a referendum is determined by the majority of votes.

2 Page 2 Proposed Pinantan Fire Protection Service Area Establishment & Loan Authorization Cost of Proposed New Service: Maximum tax requisition per year for this new financial contribution service (whichever is greater): Annual tax impact (residential) on $100,000 of assessed value Maximum $95,000 or $1.04 per $1000 of assessment (average of all classes) $ Annual tax impact (residential) on average assessed value of $208,693 $ Please call or if you have further questions: Victoria Street V2C 2A9 admin@ Toll Free in BC twitter.com/tnrd www.

3 PUBLIC MEETING APRIL 13th, 2015 IN PINANTAN, BC for the PROPOSED FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION SERVICE & LOAN AUTHORIZATION PINANTAN/EAST PAUL LAKE FIRE PROTECTION

4 PUBLIC MEETING April 13th PINANTAN, BC Pinantan/East Paul Lake Proposed Financial Contribution & Loan Authorization for Fire Protection Service Introductions Director Rothenburger Electoral Area E (Bonaparte Plateau) History Ron Storie Service Area Scope of Service / Risk Service Structure Tax Impacts Doug Rae Approval Process/Timing Carolyn Black Straw Poll TNRD staff Next Steps Open Questions Director Rothenburger

5 History This Fire Service was proposed by the Pinantan/East Paul Lake Fire Department Association in 2012 Since 1978, two attempts to create the service have occurred TNRD Staff have worked with the Association to develop a clear scope of operations and capital

6 The association is working toward constructing the hall. The TNRD would work with the Association on this. Borrowing would be temporary over a 20 year period Construction

7 The TNRD is Director Rothenburger has discussed his willingness to see this service move forward in the community should the residents choose it

8 Opportunity With this proposal the fire department will have annual, stable funding Stable funding creates more volunteer opportunities and potential more volunteers

9 Service Area Encompasses properties within a portion of Area P

10 Service Structure The Service Provider for the fire protection area will be Pinantan / East Paul Lake Fire Department Association Taxation would be administered through TNRD finance for a grant specific to fire response costs and capital hall construction costs

11 Scope of Service The Pinantan / East Paul Lake Fire Department Association will respond to incidents in Pinantan which will include: structural and vehicle fires only

12 Risk Local government cannot provide assurance to residents with respect to a reduction in fire insurance premium costs Phone your insurance broker to determine if it will reduce fire insurance premiums

13 Annual Cost Loan Authorization* $470,000 Annual Repayment * $45,000 Annual Operating $50,000 Total Annual Budget $95,000 * Repayment over 20 years at 6% interest

14 Service Cost The Association has full autonomy on the society s governance, training, record keeping, budgeting and finances A portion of the operational money to be used as a reserve for future equipment/apparatus

15 TAX IMPACTS PORTION OF SERVICE AREA Per $1, of Taxes Based on annual costs of the greater of : $95,000/yr or $ (average of Assessment Classes 1 9)

16 TAX IMPACTS ELECTORAL AREA P $95,000 OPERATIONS RESIDENTIAL TAX RATE based on $95,000 Maximum Requisition Per $1,000 Per $100,000 $ $ RESIDENTIAL TAXES based on Rate per $1,000 and $208,693 Average Assessment (2015) $216.35

17 Home Owners Grant Information Applicable to principal residence If under 65, you pay minimum $350 on first $1,120 of property tax (i.e. grant of up to $770) 65 and older, pay minimum tax of $100 on first $1,145 of property tax (i.e. grant of up to $1,045)

18 Home Owners Grant TAX Under 65 Senior Average assessed value $208,693 $208, per $1000 1,144 1,144 PINANTAN FD $95, Total average taxes 1,360 1,360 Less: Home Owner Grant, up to (770) (1,045) Net, all taxes $590 $315 HOMEOWNER GRANT UNUSED $NIL $NIL Average assessment would have been around HOG limit in 2014

19 Home Owners Grant Information Based on tax requisition of $95,000 added to the 2014 tax rate (all other taxes), residential taxpayers will likely NOT see any additional taxes payable unless their property has an assessed value of more than $171,000

20 APPROVAL PROCESS OPTIONS Referendum Petition Alternative Approval

21 REFERENDUM - One question on the ballot - Majority of votes cast must be in favour of the bylaw establishing the service - Cost approx $5,000 charged back to service if established - Eligible Electors Vote

22 REFERENDUM DETAILS 1. Referendum must be held on a Saturday (Pinantan Elementary School) 2. Advance voting must be held 10 days before Referendum day 3. Advance voting will be held at TNRD. 4. Mail In voting will be permitted 5. No electronic ( or website) Voting

23 VOTER ELIGIBILITY Resident Elector 18 years old on voting day Canadian citizen Lived in BC for 6 months Lived service area for 30 days Not disqualified for any reason Every PERSON who meets these criteria may vote whether they own property or not

24 VOTER ELIGIBILITY Non-Resident Property Elector Must be ineligible to vote as a Resident Elector 18 years old on voting day Canadian citizen Lived in BC for 6 months Owned Property in service area for 30 days Property Registered in Person s Name Not disqualified for any reason One Vote Per Property

25 PETITION Property (land) owners decide Less costly no charge back to service, administrative costs only Sufficiency is obtained only if petitions signed by: 1. a majority (50% or more) of the property owners in the proposed service area and 2. the owners who sign must represent 50% or more of the net taxable assessed land and improvement values in the proposed service area

26 PETITION Two (2) owners of the property? Both parties must sign the petition. More than 2 owners of the property? A majority of the registered property owners must sign the petition. If the owner is a corporation, the petition must be signed by the duly authorized signatories.

27 PETITION Requirements for Sufficiency: Number of Properties % Requirement 218 Total Area Assessment $91,247,135 50% Requirement $45,623,568 Both conditions must be met for the proposal to be successful.

28 APPROVAL PROCESS COMPARISON Who Participates? How are results determined? When are they held? Referendum Eligible Electors (voters ALL residents & BC non-resident property electors) Majority of Votes Timing dependent on approval from Province Petition Property Owners only 50% of Properties with 50% of Assessment Timing set once approved by Board How Much? $5,000 (estimate) $1,000 (estimate)

29 April 13 th TIMING Community support shown by secret ballot Date Referendum Petition April 23 rd Board reviews bylaws 3 readings Board authorizes Petition process April 27 th June Bylaws forwarded to Province for approval Board sets referendum date* Petitions distributed Closing for petitions June 15 th June/July Referendum Board reviews bylaws 3 readings Bylaws sent to Province for approval

30 NEXT STEPS: If electors approve (referendum or petition): - TNRD Board of Directors adopts bylaw in Requisitioning of taxes begins in 2016 If electors do not approve: - Service does not proceed

31 STRAW POLL/SECRET BALLOT Gauges community support for carrying out a formal public assent process Ballots will be distributed by TNRD staff Mark either YES or NO and deposit in the ballot box TNRD staff will count the ballots and report results If result is YES, a 2 nd ballot will be distributed to determine method of assent.

32 ESTIMATED NUMBER OF VOTERS Total Eligible Parcels 436 Pinantan Addresses 294 x 2 = 588 BC Addresses (not in Pinantan) 127 x 1 = 127 Outside BC Addresses 15 x 0 = 0 Estimated Number of Eligible Electors 715