Armstrong residents opposed to having water meters installed have a chance to have their say.

The city wants to borrow $437,109 of the estimated $750,000 universal water metering capital works project. The amount borrowed must be repaid within 20 years.

“We now advertise the plan for two consecutive weeks, and the electorate has a month to reply,” said Armstrong Mayor Chris Pieper. “We would need 10 per cent of the electorate, which is 309 signatures, to register a complaint or comments, opposed to us borrowing the money.”

The city’s goal is to install water meters in all remaining properties.

Responses have to be in no later than 30 days after the last advertisement in The Morning Star, which is slated for June 23. Thus, the deadline day is no later than 4 p.m. July 24.

To be eligible to sign against the motion, a person has to be an eligible voter in the City of Armstrong, and they must include their full name, residential address and signature. If signing as a property elector, a person must include full residential address of the Armstrong property, along with the person’s current residential address.

Alternate approval forms are available at Armstrong city hall, or at www.cityofarmstrong.bc.ca.

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A Second World War veteran is protesting what he sees as a lack of democracy at the North Okanagan Regional District.

Michael Fairbrass, a Spallumcheen resident, told directors Wednesday that the alternate approval process being used to garner public support for borrowing $11 million for a new library is wrong.

“I’m beginning to wonder whether the constitutional rights of a Canadian citizen are compromised,” he said.

Under the alternate approval process, North Okanagan residents have until July 5 to sign a petition in opposition to borrowing the funds. If 10 per cent of the voters — or 6,355 names — sign the petition, the regional district cannot proceed with its plans.

Fairbrass is concerned that not enough has been done to make residents aware of the process.

“Tax notices were sent out in late May to each and every property owner, could these bylaw notices have been enclosed to those property owners?” he said.

He points out that anniversary of the D-Day invasion was recently celebrated.

“Thousands of men and women gave their lives to defend and protect our freedoms, democratic freedoms, so enjoyed today, as well as the future generations,” he said.

“I feel our political systems are seriously eroding our democratic rights with such ways that are within this AAP.”

Fairbrass asked that NORD either hold a full referendum on borrowing funds, or extend the petition response date to Aug. 31 so more residents can get involved.

NORD officials have indicated that the process must continue as established under legislation, and they defend the use of the petition.

“The ORL board has the ability to do this project. It’s in their budget,” said director Patrick Nicol.

“The regional district is trying to save money on the borrowing costs. This is a funding mechanism.”

NORD has agreed to borrow the $11 million for the new Vernon library through the Municipal Finance Authority because of competitive interest rates (ORL cannot apply to MFA directly).

ORL will repay the principal and pay the interest, fees and financing, and cost-sharing will be done by the entire library district, which goes from Golden to Osoyoos and Princeton.

“This is support for the funding part,” said Will Hansma, director.

The petition is available at the NORD office, all municipal offices and at www.rdno.ca.

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