The "Strongly Opposed" newsletter sent by Montrose, Fruitvale and Area A is exactly how we feel. And yet here we go again.
Trail city council cherry picking the best of the property taxes and not giving a damn about the neighbours.
The people who want this amalgamation should ask the residents of Waneta junction about the Trail city council promise of no property tax increase if they expand the boundaries to take in these homes. This was a complete untruth. If boundary expansion is so important why stop at Waneta? Why not take in the rest of Area A up the PendOreille?
Will boundary expansion give better services to the effected residents? Not without a cost, more plows, garbage trucks, and staff without an increase in taxes?
Does Trail city council think we were born last night? Will the people of Station Road want bylaw enforcement people telling them what time to cut their lawn? How many cars they can have and where they can put temporary carports on their property?
Remember no chickens, no cows and maybe some parking meters can be put up to help pay for the new water facility. The Pine Avenue people will now have complete control over what can and can't be done in this area.
Remember the referendum for the aquatic centre was rejected by a majority of the voters so the bullies in the Trail council had another poll this time excluding the rest of the region and now we are paying for this swimming pool that was voted down?!
This amalgamation to grab Waneta property tax money is not new but Teck said not unless the Beaver Valley had some benefits the last time it was brought up in 2004. What has changed?
Teck and Trail council are now in bed together and they are going ahead without compensating the Beaver Valley. If there is a way to cause regional dissention, the crowd in the Ivory tower on Pine Avenue has found it.
Provincial law eliminates anyone outside the effected area a voice in this decision. But it does effect me if I can't use the recreation facilities in my area so where are the opinions of the majority of Beaver Valley residents?
What next? Rossland, Gennelle, Casino, Ross Spur Road? When will this shameless greed and bullying by Trail council end?
We are strongly opposed to and division of Area A and any amalgamation.
Mark Schmutz,Fruitvale