Trail and Warfield residents will soon be given a snapshot of what it would looks like financially for the two communities to join.
The consultant hired on to complete the $34,000-amalgamation study is nearly done Phase 1 of investigating whether the merger would be financially favourable to residents.
Urban Systems is analyzing data from both communities and will submit a report by next week, which will be made public and will be further explored in an upcoming public meeting.
“The committee will want to get a pretty good read on the community with respect to what their concerns may be and sort of gauge the overall response,” said city administrator David Perehudoff. “What they will say is if a Warfield resident pays ‘X’ dollars now for property taxes and user charges like sewer and water, here’s what it would look like under the amalgamated community.”
The open house in the Cominco Gym at the Trail Memorial Centre will run from 4:30-6:30 p.m. July 21, with a formal presentation starting at 6:30 p.m.
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Following the meeting, the amalgamation committee will decide whether the consultant should continue with Phase 2 of the study.
“If people are adverse to the suggestions or have some major concerns, then I think the committee would have to consider that and whether or not to move into the next phase or just say that it’s not going to work at this point,” said Perehudoff.
The second phase of the project would look more critically at the potential new organization, as far as the number of employees, the types of services available through city hall and whether Warfield Hall would be kept open as a satellite hall or closed completely.
Should the amalgamation study move ahead, a referendum could be held next spring and if residents favour the marriage of the two communities, preliminary discussion with the province indicate the amalgamation could be completed a year later.
“Basically both councils would be folded and the new organization would be created and that would then create the need to elect a new council for the greater community,” explained Perehudoff.
The open house will be only one way for residents to share their thoughts, as the city plans to make the consultant’s report available on its website and will soon announce other avenues for residents to add their input.