The most important vote to impact City of Powell River that came from qathet Regional District on Saturday, October 20, was not who was elected to the new board, but whether a referendum asked of residents in Electoral Areas A, B, and C would be passed.
By an overwhelming margin, residents approved that the three mainland electoral areas, the most populous of the five areas, agree to a maximum annual taxation totalling $178,500 to share the cost of operating Powell River Recreation Complex with the city. The amount is approximately 4.46 per cent of the annual $4 million it costs the city to operate the facility.
All three areas voted in favour, with 899 people saying yes, while 490 were opposed.
Area A had 184 votes for and 92 against. In Area B, 297 residents voted in favour and 167 against. In Area C, 315 voters said yes to the referendum question and 175 opposed it.
In advance polls and mail-in ballots, 103 voted for sharing the cost and 56 were against it.
Meanwhile, only Patrick Brabazon (Area A) and Sandy McCormick, who won by acclamation on Texada Island (Area D) will be returning to the regional district board as directors.
New board members include Mark Gisborne in Area B, who defeated Janet May by 33 votes (203 to 170); Clay Brander, who won Area C by a large margin; and Andrew Fall, who defeated longtime Lasqueti Island (Area E) director Merrick Anderson.
