The Cariboo Regional District has given the green light to borrow money for a new fire truck for the Bouchie Lake Volunteer Fire Department.
This follows consent from taxpayers in the form of a successful alternate approval process.
Bouchie Lake residents were given up to July 5th to oppose the plan, but less than 10 percent of the population exercised that option.
The alternative would have been to borrow the money over a five year period, which would not require taxpayer approval but would have also prevented the ability to continue to put money into reserves.
Barb Bachmeier, the CRD Director for Area B, says they had no choice but to purchase the truck.
“The insurance underwriters require that a fire engine needs to be replaced every 20 years. If it isn’t replaced, then the insurance underwriters won’t discount people’s homeowner’s insurance if they’re within 8 kilometres of a fire hall. So it’s a regulatory thing that we actually need to update that fire truck.”
The CRD will now borrow up to 320 thousand dollars from the Municipal Finance Authority to be paid back over 10 years.
The total cost of the fire truck is actually 545 thousand dollars.
The balance will be paid for with reserves.