Some residents who objected to a proposed water service connection have learned a tie vote means yes in the Township of 91原创 鈥� and every other B.C. municipality.
Even though the Township sent out letters saying more than 50 per cent of property owners would have to vote for a costly hookup to a new municipal water line to approve it, it turns out the provincial laws say something else.
It was the second poll of the residents of 52 Avenue between 237 and 240 Streets about connecting to the under-construction East 91原创 Water Supply line.
The first vote was more than 50 per cent in favour, but it was thrown out after residents Shelley Murphy and Ray Murphy pointed out five of the responses were filed on or after the deadline date.
The written Township notice said the voting forms must be filed 鈥渂efore June 12, 2013,鈥� not 鈥渙n or before,鈥� the usual wording used in Township documents.
The Murphys said the proposal should be considered defeated.
Township staff did not agree.
On their recommendation, council ordered another vote.
Before the second vote in August, the Township sent out a July 17 notice that 鈥渕ore than鈥� 50 per cent of property owners would have to vote yes for the hookup to be approved.
The vote was a tie, with 20 owners voting for and 20 voting against.
A Sept. 13 Township letter said that was actually a win for the hookup because the Community Charter, the provincial regulation that governs such votes, says 鈥渁t least鈥� 50 per cent must vote yes for approval.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 not fair,鈥� Shelley Murphy told council. 鈥淚t should have been a failed vote the first time and it should be a failed vote this time.鈥�
She said her family doesn鈥檛 need the hookup because it has a well.
Murphy said the decision will saddle them with a taxes-included bill of about $30,000 that will have to be repaid over 20 years.
Another resident, Mike Parker, supported the Murphys, calling the cost of the water connection 鈥渦nbelievable.鈥�
A third speaker, Ken Kostiuk, expressed support for the hookup, saying the cost will be balanced out by savings on electricity and maintenance for his well pump.
Resident Bob Sangha said having grown up in a village with no water, he supports the improvement.
鈥淲e can鈥檛 stop progress,鈥� Sangha said.
Mayor Jack Froese said while it was 鈥渦nfortunate鈥� that letters had been sent out suggesting it would take more than 50 per cent, the regulations are clear.
鈥淭he charter is the law of the land,鈥� Froese said.
The hookup was approved by council by a 7-2 margin, with Councillors Kim Richter and Michelle Sparrow opposed.
Shelley Murphy was indignant.
鈥淵ou ought to be ashamed of yourselves鈥� she said as she walked out of council chambers.
The $33.5 million East 91原创 Water Supply project to bring Metro Vancouver water to Aldergrove and Gloucester is the biggest project ever undertaken by the Township of 91原创鈥檚 engineering department, with 14 kilometres of water main and a booster pump station.
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