Oops! Forgot Kathleen Cameron's letter to editor

Here is Kathleen Cameron's letter to the Morning Star editor:

"...in the Morning Star I read with interest that GVAC is considering yet another 2% increase to our already exorbitant water rates next year.

No doubt this will be applied to the base rate so that we have no choice but to pay it. The excuse this time is “inflation”. I wonder what the excuse will be for 2017?

Then a couple of days later, it was reported that RDNO was considering an $8 per quarter charge for “changing meters” for each residence. that is another $32 per year per household. Add those 2 increases together, and that is a 6% increase next year. When is it going to stop?

The citizens of Greater Vernon are being held hostage in a “catch-22” scheme with our water rates. The base and water rates go up each year, so people use less water in a misguided attempt to keep their bills reasonable. July and August come, and RDNO says- “conserve water!” and as good citizens we use even less, even though it is totally unnecessary, because we have lots of water here.

RDNO then counts it’s revenue after the 3rd quarter and says “Wait! We didn’t make enough money to service the debt the Duteau Creek Water Treatment Plant has given us. We need to raise the rate again! “

Citizens of Vernon and Coldstream- do you not see the ongoing problem here?

This nonsense and mismanagement will continue until the citizens speak up and let GVAC and RDNO know we aren’t going to take it anymore.

Our elected officials- mayors, councillors and members of the GVAC have got to start paying attention to the members of the public who voted them into office, and working for our good.

Please- write letters to the Morning Star, Mayor Mund, Mayor Garlick, the councillors of Coldstream and Vernon and the chair and co-chair of GVAC, Juliette Cunningham and Jim Garlick, (and anyone else you can think of!) and let them know you are not pleased with these totally unnecessary increases.

We do have options for cheaper water sources than Duteau Creek, and should be developing them instead of pouring more money down the drain. Until the people speak up and complain nothing is going to change."

"Options...yes, SAC has nine," says Kia.

Actually, 10.