Dear editor,

I read Edwin Grieve鈥檚 letter in the Record this morning. I agree with Edwin that people need to get out to vote when they have the opportunity. However, it isn鈥檛 surprising that voters become apathetic when the results of a referendum don鈥檛 satisfy the local government鈥檚 expectations and state that their plan 鈥渇ails.鈥�

For example, residents of Royston and Union Bay voted down the proposed Sewer Extension South Project (SESP) in 2016 because of the high cost for each property owner to pay. The feedback the Comox Valley Regional District received clearly shows this. It also shows that most people in the affected area support having a sewer system. You can read it, online, in their own propaganda.

Now, the CVRD has found a new way to proceed with SESP without residents being able to vote on it. And the price per homeowner is just as pricey as it was before and will likely be higher.

Yes, there was a small window of opportunity to provide feedback but that window closed June 30 and without cost-sharing details being made available. (i.e. How much are each of the 鈥減artners鈥� chipping in?)

It鈥檚 no surprise that people will just throw up their hands and say, 鈥淚f my vote means nothing why bother?鈥� My answer to that is: You need to bother because local governments can count on that apathy to push their agendas through.

Michael Goodhelpsen

Royston