Considering the almost daily gang shootings that have occurred in the lower mainland over the last 2 weeks we might want someone like this guy taking on our BC court system too
A San Francisco Police Captain tells the media the TRUTH!!!
Let's run this guy for The California Senate. I can see why he isn't Chief of Police of San Francisco , though. He's too straightforward, too politically incorrect, too plain-spoken. You've got to love him! This guy's probably putting his career on the line but more cops oughta do the same....
Click this link:
http://mfile.akamai.com/12948/wmv/vod.ibsys.com/2006/0728/9591734.300k.asx
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Don Quixote Note: Thanks to a blogreader who contributed this link.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Okanagan Landing trailer fire
Vernon Fire officials are spending some time Saturday on the scene of a mobile home fire Friday morning. Deputy Chief Lawrie Skolrood says a neighbour in Okanagan Landing called in the blaze around 11:30am. Everyone managed to escape the trailer unscathed - but the mobile home is completely gutted. Skolrood says at this point, the fire is not looking suspicious. But officials will find out more after Saturday's investigation.
IHA ‘bungling’ alarms eye care society
Roger Knox - Vernon Morning Star Published: February 27, 2009 4:00 PM
The Interior Eye Care Society believes Interior Health Authority’s (IHA) financial eyes are closed when it comes to funding the Lions Vision Centre in Armstrong. Thus, executive members are recommending the society’s imminent dissolution, citing what society president John Trainor calls “bureaucratic bungling” as the main reason. “We always seem to be having to kick open the door in order to throw money into the centre,” said Trainor. In a two-page release issued to North Okanagan media, and to IHA, which pays for the nursing staff at the vision centre, Trainor said the final straw came in late 2007. A request was put forward by Vernon eye physician Dr. Mathias Fellenz, who Trainor said has performed numerous surgeries at the Lions Vision Centre, for a $150,000 state-of-the-art machine used in the diagnosis and treatment of retinal disease, and diagnosing glaucoma.The Eye Care Society states it committed $90,000 to the purchase price, and felt it could raise another significant amount before payment was required.A financial plan was submitted to Interior Health, showing that the machine would provide revenue and pay for itself within five years, a plan the society said was supported by Peter DuToit, then North Okanagan administrator for IHA, and Assunta Shepherd, health services director.
According to the society, the head of the IHA’s finance department, based in Kelowna, questioned whether the Okanagan needed this machine, and the society’s request was turned down. “There’s probably a feeling at Interior Health that Kelowna is the centre of the universe, and if something’s not in Kelowna, they can’t control and keep an eye on it, then they don’t want it,” said Trainor.
Shepherd, now acting community administrator for North Okanagan after DuToit transferred to other IHA duties, said there’s a process everyone in Interior Health is required to follow when it comes to capital purchases. “When we were requested to look at capital projects, the dollars for that year had already been assigned, and the wish list already decided upon,” said Shepherd. “Their number one choice on the list was their laser machine, which did get purchased. The laser was the number one choice as it was the only piece of equipment that had outlived its life expectancy.” Dr. Fellenz, according to Trainor, purchased the $150,000 machine for his practice in Vernon after IHA turned down the request to have the machine bought for the vision centre.
The society states it has a “very real fear” that IHA is doing a behind-the-doors closure of the Lions Vision Centre. “As the numbers drop, and fewer and fewer procedures are done, they’ll probably find some reason to close it down,” said Trainor. “That’s our real concern here.” Shepherd emphatically denied the society’s claim. “That’s never been discussed,” said Shepherd about a possible closure. IHA would like to sit down and talk with the society before they put a dissolution motion forward to its members. “Hopefully we can get them convinced, but I’d rather them not dissolve,” said Shepherd. “They’ve been a great support since we put the Lions Vision Centre in Armstrong. They have made major contributions to the equipment out there.” Founded in May 2002 to enhance eye care in the North Okanagan-Shuswap, the society’s specific purpose was to provide financial help to the Lions Vision Centre, located in the Pleasant Valley Health Centre in Armstrong.
“Our idea was to have a centre of excellence for eye care in the Interior of B.C.,” said Trainor. “We have patients coming from Salmon Arm and Kamloops, some from Vernon and Kelowna, lots from Revelstoke and the Kootenays. I don’t have the exact numbers but thousands of procedures have been performed there.” The society, which has 38 members, has contribute more than $194,000 to the Lions Vision Centre, including the completion of the eye examination room, purchase of a new surgical chair, creation of a $20,000 endowment fund with the Community Foundation of the North Okanagan, and a commitment of $95,000 toward purchase of a new laser. Trainor said the society’s members will be presented with the dissolution recommendation at the group’s annual general meeting in April.
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Morning Star Editorial: IHA process lacks vision
If anyone knows the volunteer members of the Interior Eye Care Society, they are a dedicated bunch, not prone to exaggerating or making wild accusations. That’s why their concerns about the Interior Health Authority and its purchasing policy at the Lions Vision Centre in Armstrong should not only be considered legitimate, but also serious. If the society is taken at its word, some IHA officials fully supported the purchase of a $150,000 piece of equipment, with $90,000 coming from the society itself. But when it came down to the budgeting process, another part of IHA said no, reinforcing the view that one hand of the agency doesn’t know what the other is doing. The situation is so frustrating that the society’s executive is recommending to its members that the organization be dissolved. And that would be unfortunate as the society has raised more than $194,000 directly for equipment and other services at the vision centre, which serves patients from throughout the Interior.
If the society ceases to exist, where will IHA get the funding that it was just handed by volunteers and the community? Don’t expect the Ministry of Health just to increase the budget, so what will this mean for the viability of the centre and its patients? Ultimately, IHA had a good thing going in Armstrong — a tireless group of volunteers committed to improving health care and raising money the government doesn’t provide. But, unfortunately, the bureaucrats at IHA clearly haven’t been able to see that.
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Blaming bureaucrats
Web posted on Friday, 27 February 2009 CHBC VIDEO
The Okanagan society helps the health system but no longer because of Interior Health.
Districts asked to team up against ’flying rats‘
Kelowna Daily Courier:
Starling damage to crops is so severe that some growers h
ave dubbed the aggressive birds “flying rats.” The three regional districts in the Okanagan are each being asked to contribute $25,000 to the Starling Control Program in 2009, its sixth year of operation. Program manager Connie Bielert told Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen directors that almost 223,000 starlings have been culled from the Okanagan since 2003, including more than 41,000 last year. Hot spots include the Oliver area, where more than 11,700 starlings were trapped, and the Marshall Feedlot in Kelowna, where more than 21,000 birds were trapped from September to December. A further 2,700 starlings were culled during a two-month period at the Campbell Mountain landfill in Penticton. “Trappers continue to find their greatest success at feedlots and other cattle operations, and at landfill sites,” she said. The RDOS has included $25,000 for starling control in its proposed 2009 budget, but some directors suggested the growers should put forward a greater share of the overall funding.
Commodity groups will contribute $27,000 towards the program‘s $156,500 budget this year, with the B.C. Wine Grape Council to put forward $5,000. Bielert said the program is also participating in a research study through Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops to determine the population structure of starlings in southern B.C. Observations from initial data from the Okanagan-Similkameen suggest that while the breeding population may be declining, the winter population continues to increase – likely due to migration from other areas. Funding for the research study is separate from the trapping program. Oliver cherry grower Greg Norton, co-chairman of the starling control program, said TRU‘s study will provide valuable information.
“We are going to be armed with much more than anecdotal information as to the movements of these populations, and that‘s the key,” he said. Norton said this will help the program create better strategies to manage the starlings “We‘re seeing significant decreases in most areas during the actual time when they do the damage,” he said. However, Norton said from after harvest until the end of December,
there has been some infilling of the population from elsewhere. This is where the research will prove its worth. “That‘s the key to the program. We‘ve got to figure out where they‘re coming from,” he said. The birds could be coming from elsewhere in B.C. or from Washington state, which has its own starling control program. Norton remains optimistic the RDOS will fund the program this year, but noted it is imperative to get support from all three regional districts in the Okanagan. Many growers implement their own starling control measures, he said, and agriculture contributes substantially to the overall economy. He added a reduced starling population allows growers to cut back on noise-makers and other control methods which often generate complaints from nearby residential property owners. The European starling is not native to North America. Several dozen birds were released in New York City‘s Central Park in the late 1800s by an industrialist who wanted all the birds mentioned in Shakespeare‘s works to be brought to the U.S. They have since spread across the continent.
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Don Quixote Note: The new 2009 NORD Budget sets the total bill for starling Control at $26,500 (new Service #805) (this is 6% more than $25,000 requested- looks like NORD is setting up a $1500 reserve.)
Distribution of $26,500 Starling Tax:
Distribution method unclear. If by latest population on NORD website site then Vernon is overcharged by $1,424. (Perhaps due to Population includes people residing on Indian Reserve in areas "F" and "B" ??)
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http://www.rdosmaps.bc.ca/min_bylaws/contract_reports/CorpBd/2009/03Feb26/3_1_1StarlingContol.pdf 2008 results of starling control.
Starling damage to crops is so severe that some growers h
ave dubbed the aggressive birds “flying rats.” The three regional districts in the Okanagan are each being asked to contribute $25,000 to the Starling Control Program in 2009, its sixth year of operation. Program manager Connie Bielert told Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen directors that almost 223,000 starlings have been culled from the Okanagan since 2003, including more than 41,000 last year. Hot spots include the Oliver area, where more than 11,700 starlings were trapped, and the Marshall Feedlot in Kelowna, where more than 21,000 birds were trapped from September to December. A further 2,700 starlings were culled during a two-month period at the Campbell Mountain landfill in Penticton. “Trappers continue to find their greatest success at feedlots and other cattle operations, and at landfill sites,” she said. The RDOS has included $25,000 for starling control in its proposed 2009 budget, but some directors suggested the growers should put forward a greater share of the overall funding.Commodity groups will contribute $27,000 towards the program‘s $156,500 budget this year, with the B.C. Wine Grape Council to put forward $5,000. Bielert said the program is also participating in a research study through Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops to determine the population structure of starlings in southern B.C. Observations from initial data from the Okanagan-Similkameen suggest that while the breeding population may be declining, the winter population continues to increase – likely due to migration from other areas. Funding for the research study is separate from the trapping program. Oliver cherry grower Greg Norton, co-chairman of the starling control program, said TRU‘s study will provide valuable information.
“We are going to be armed with much more than anecdotal information as to the movements of these populations, and that‘s the key,” he said. Norton said this will help the program create better strategies to manage the starlings “We‘re seeing significant decreases in most areas during the actual time when they do the damage,” he said. However, Norton said from after harvest until the end of December,
there has been some infilling of the population from elsewhere. This is where the research will prove its worth. “That‘s the key to the program. We‘ve got to figure out where they‘re coming from,” he said. The birds could be coming from elsewhere in B.C. or from Washington state, which has its own starling control program. Norton remains optimistic the RDOS will fund the program this year, but noted it is imperative to get support from all three regional districts in the Okanagan. Many growers implement their own starling control measures, he said, and agriculture contributes substantially to the overall economy. He added a reduced starling population allows growers to cut back on noise-makers and other control methods which often generate complaints from nearby residential property owners. The European starling is not native to North America. Several dozen birds were released in New York City‘s Central Park in the late 1800s by an industrialist who wanted all the birds mentioned in Shakespeare‘s works to be brought to the U.S. They have since spread across the continent.----------------------------
Don Quixote Note: The new 2009 NORD Budget sets the total bill for starling Control at $26,500 (new Service #805) (this is 6% more than $25,000 requested- looks like NORD is setting up a $1500 reserve.)
Distribution of $26,500 Starling Tax:
- Armstrong $1102 (4.16%) 5.5% by population Nord effective Dec 1, 2007
- Enderby $ 663
- Vernon $13,647 (51.50%) 46.5% by population Nord effective Dec 1, 2007
- Coldstream $3527 (13.31%) 12.25% by population Nord effective Dec 1, 2007
- Spallumcheen $1650 (6.23%) 6.42% by population Nord effective Dec 1, 2007
- Lumby $464
- Area "B" $1457 (5.5%) 7.8% by population Nord effective Dec 1, 2007
- Area "C" $1638 (6.2%) 5.1% by population Nord effective Dec 1, 2007
- Area "D" $661
- Area "E" $182
- Area "F" $1509 (5.69%) 5.75% by population Nord effective Dec 1, 2007
Distribution method unclear. If by latest population on NORD website site then Vernon is overcharged by $1,424. (Perhaps due to Population includes people residing on Indian Reserve in areas "F" and "B" ??)
----------------------
http://www.rdosmaps.bc.ca/min_bylaws/contract_reports/CorpBd/2009/03Feb26/3_1_1StarlingContol.pdf 2008 results of starling control.
Provincial Tories target Valley
Kelowna Daily Courier:
The B.C. Conservative Party aims to field a full slate of candidates in the Okanagan during the May provincial election. “We‘ll probably have a couple dozen candidates around the province, but we should have one in each Valley riding,” party president Wilf Hanni said Friday. He expects most of the candidates will be chosen by acclamation rather than through contested nominations. “It‘s getting late in the game, and we don‘t have enough constituency associations to have nomination processes in each riding,” Hanni said. On Friday, Kelowna resident Mark Thompson, who last month declared his intention to run for the Liberal nomination in Kelowna-Mission, said he was switching to the B.C. Conservatives. Among his reasons for changing parties, Thompson cited unhappiness with the Liberals‘ carbon tax and his sense the local Liberal MLAs had done little for the Kelowna area. “The Conservatives offer a real alternative to the Liberals,” Thompson said. “I stand for smaller government, lower taxes, strong families and the importance of the private sector.” The only other B.C. Conservative candidate so far in the Okanagan is Beryl Ludwig, for the Shuswap riding based around Salmon Arm. In the 2005 provincial election, the B.C. Conservatives got one-half of one per cent of all votes cast in the province, electing no members. Overall, the B.C. Conservatives placed behind the B.C. Marijuana Party and just ahead of the Work Less Party.
The B.C. Conservative Party aims to field a full slate of candidates in the Okanagan during the May provincial election. “We‘ll probably have a couple dozen candidates around the province, but we should have one in each Valley riding,” party president Wilf Hanni said Friday. He expects most of the candidates will be chosen by acclamation rather than through contested nominations. “It‘s getting late in the game, and we don‘t have enough constituency associations to have nomination processes in each riding,” Hanni said. On Friday, Kelowna resident Mark Thompson, who last month declared his intention to run for the Liberal nomination in Kelowna-Mission, said he was switching to the B.C. Conservatives. Among his reasons for changing parties, Thompson cited unhappiness with the Liberals‘ carbon tax and his sense the local Liberal MLAs had done little for the Kelowna area. “The Conservatives offer a real alternative to the Liberals,” Thompson said. “I stand for smaller government, lower taxes, strong families and the importance of the private sector.” The only other B.C. Conservative candidate so far in the Okanagan is Beryl Ludwig, for the Shuswap riding based around Salmon Arm. In the 2005 provincial election, the B.C. Conservatives got one-half of one per cent of all votes cast in the province, electing no members. Overall, the B.C. Conservatives placed behind the B.C. Marijuana Party and just ahead of the Work Less Party.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Nine B.C. projects and where they stand
Has the global credit crunch wounded B.C. projects?
The province increasingly relies on private-public deals to build new infrastructure, but financiers have been hit hard by the economic meltdown.
1. Project: Golden Ears Bridge
What: 6-lane bridge and 14-kilometre road connecting Pitt Meadows/Maple Ridge and Langley/Surrey.
Cost: $808 million (budget increase)
Construction: To be complete this summer.
Key players and head office of consortium:
Bilfinger Berger of Germany
Depfa Bank of Ireland
Dexia of Belgium/France
Financial Fallout: Depfa Bank suffered serious financial distress in the credit crisis, and its parent company needed a bailout of $80 billion of credit and $50 billion of state guarantees. A second bailout is being negotiated. Dexia also ran into difficulty last year, and needed a bailout to help ride out the crisis.
2. Project: Royal Jubilee Hospital Patient Care Centre Project
What: 500 bed Patient Care Centre in Victoria
Cost: $282.5 million
Construction: Began 2008, to be done 2010.
Key players and head office:
Health Care Projects Canada Ltd. of the UK
Acciona S.A. of Spain
Lark Group of Surrey
Innisfree Ltd. of London, England
Depfa Bank of Ireland
Dexia of Belgium/France
Financial Fallout: Depfa Bank suffered serious financial distress in the credit crisis. Dexia also ran into difficulty last year, and needed a bailout to help ride out the crisis.
3. Project: Port Mann/Highway 1
What: Twin the existing bridge and upgrade Highway 1 for 37 km between Vancouver and Langley
Cost: Still under negotiation. Transportation Minister Kevin
Falcon has only said the project will be more expensive then
the $2 billion Canada Line.
Status: Financing is behind schedule and the deadline has been extended.
Construction: Has been delayed, but is to be done by 2013. Government has authorized limited preliminary construction to begin before funding is secured to avoid more delays.
Key players and head office:
Macquarie Group of Australia
Transtoll Inc of Australia
Peter Kiewit Sons Co of Nebraska
Flatiron Constructors Canada Ltd. of Colorado
Lead financers (according to Project Finance magazine):
BNP Paribas of France
Caja Madrid of Spain
Royal Bank of Scotland
Société Générale of France
Financial Fallout: Macquarie has been hit hard by the credit crunch, as have the lead financers to a lesser extent.
Financing falls through for $2.4 billion Port Mann
4. Project: South Fraser Perimeter Road
What: 40 km long, four-lane, route along the south side of the Fraser River, from Deltaport Way in Delta to 176th Street in Surrey.
Cost: $1 billion (budget increase)
Construction: Was to start in 2009 but now is not expected to begin until 2010.
Status: Three consortiums shortlisted to compete for the project
Key players and head office of each consortium:
1. Fraser Transportation Group
Iridium Concesiones de Infraestructuras, S.A. of Spain
Zachry American Infrastructure of Texas
Dragados S.A. of Spain
Financial Fallout: Zachry is a defendent in a $125 million lawsuit alleging fraud after cracks were found in a Texas high rise.
2. South River Connector
Babcock & Brown of Australia
Bilfinger Berger Project Investments of Germany
Peter Kiewit Sons Co of Nebraska
PCL Consultants Westcoast Inc of London, England
Financial Fallout: Babcock and Brown has lost 98 per cent of its market value and has temporarily halted the trading of its stock.
3. The Riverway Partnership
Cintra Concesiones de Infraestructuras de Transporte, S.A. of Spain
SNC-Lavalin Inc. of Montreal
Ferrovial Agroman, S.A. of Spain
Financial Fallout: Cintra has refinanced $292 million in debt linked to a road project.
5. Project: Sea to Sky Highway
What: Widening Highway 99 between West Vancouver and Whistler.
Cost: $600 million
Construction: To be complete in 2009.
Key players and head office:
Macquarie Group of Australia
Peter Kiewit Sons Co. of Nebraska
FINANCING:
Macquarie Essential Assets Partnership
Macquarie North America Ltd.
BC Investment Management
Royal Bank of Scotland
Societe Generale of France
Financial Fallout: Similar consortium to the Port Mann project, including troubled Macquarie Group and financers Royal Bank of Scotland and Societe Generale, who received government bailouts.
6. Project: Surrey Outpatient Hospital
What: 150,000 square foot outpatient facility located near Surrey Memorial Hospital
Cost: $239 million (estimate)
Construction: Began last year, to be done in 2011.
Key players and head office:
Bouygues Batiment International of France
HSBC Infrastructure Fund Management Ltd of London, England
DEPFA Bank of Ireland
Financial Fallout: Depfa Bank suffered serious financial distress in the credit crisis.
7. Project: Fort St. John Hospital
What: 55-bed acute care hospital and 123-bed residential seniors care facility
Cost: $268 million (estimate)
Construction: To begin 2009, finish 2011
Status: Two short-listed consortiums competing for the project:
Key players and head office of each:
1. Peace River Healthcare Solutions
Bilfinger Berger of Germany
(Replaces troubled Babcock and Brown of Australia, which may still be playing a role.)
CJP Architects of New Westminster
Honeywell Ltd. (Canada) of New Jersey
Financial Fallout: Babcock and Brown has lost 98 per cent of its market value and has temporarily halted the trading of its stock.
2. ISL Health
Innisfree Infrastructure Investment Group of London, England
Acciona S.A. of Spain
Health Care Projects (Canada) Ltd. of the United Kingdom
Investec of South Africa
Stuart Olson Constructors of Richmond
Financial fallout: Investec is embroiled in a multi-million-dollar lawsuit that alleges wrongdoing.
8. Project: Kelowna and Vernon Hospital Projects
What: New "patient care towers" at both hospitals, plus a new parkade and university training area in Kelowna.
Cost: $432.9 million
Construction: Began November 2008. Kelowna to be done by August 2012, Vernon by May 2011.
Key players and head office:
Bilfinger Berger Project Investments Inc. of Germany
John Laing Investments of the U.K.
Royal Bank of Canada
Dexia Crédit Local of France
Financial Fallout: Dexia received a bailout, plummeted on the French CAC index.
9. Project: Canada Line
What: Light rail line between downtown and the airport.
Cost: $2 billion
Construction: To be complete by this fall.
Key players and head office:
Lavalin Inc of Montreal
Serco Inc of the United Kingdom
Société Générale of France
Bank of Ireland
Nord LB of Germany
Financial Fallout: Both Societe Generale and Bank of Ireland have received bailouts.
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B.C. P3 lender burning through government loan guarantees NOWPUBLIC Feb 8
The Belgian-French bank that's supplying the financing to several public-private partnership (P3) projects in British Columbia has exhausted half of the government guarantees it received in a September bailout. Dexia is a financial partner in the Royal Jubilee, Kelowna and Vernon Jubilee hospital expansions as well as the Golden Ears Bridge.
World Credit crunch makes local P3 projects risky propositions NOWPUBLIC Jan25
PORT MANN PROJECT PROCEEDS USING DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACT
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PORT MANN PROJECT TIMELINES
March 2008: The Transportation Investment Corporation was established to deliver the Port Mann/Highway 1 Project. The Transportation Investment Corporation is a self-sustaining Crown corporation that will enter into an agreement with the joint venture of Peter Kiewit Sons Co. and Flatiron Constructors Canada Limited to design and build the new Port Mann Bridge and Highway 1 widening project.
The Port Mann/Highway 1 project will reduce congestion and travel time, improve safety and accessibility, and allow buses to travel over the Port Mann Bridge for the first time in over two decades. It will also expand networks for HOV, cyclists and pedestrians, and the bridge will be built to accommodate potential future light rapid transit.
City council plans Asian twinning trip
Benjamin Alldritt, North Shore News
City of North Vancouver council decided on Monday night to go ahead with a visit to Asia despite an acrimonious debate over the trip's cost. Mayor Darrell Mussatto, councillors and city manager Ken Tollstam are invited to Chiba, Japan, later this year to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the two cities' twinning. The provincial government has also given the city a $50,000 grant to pursue a new twinning project with a Chinese city, Huizhou.According to Mussatto, the total cost of eight people visiting both cities this October will be $54,000. The provincial grant will cover the bulk of this cost, with the remaining $4,000 being drawn from the North Vancouver's sister city budget, which currently holds $28,500.
Coun. Rod Clark tabled a motion Monday to decline the Japanese invitation and put the Chinese twinning on hold until economic conditions improve. "I ask anyone who supports this trip to point out to me and to the public any economic benefit that has occurred in that 40-year period," he said. "It is completely, completely a high-level political junket and a waste of taxpayers' money." Clark told council he had visited Chiba once as a twin city representative and was disappointed in the lack of substance in the meeting. "It was a completely ceremonial affair. We went into a back room with lots of dignitaries there. There were lots of pictures, I had my picture taken shaking hands with the mayor and the economic development officer and then I was ushered out."
Distribution debate on tap
Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: February 27, 2009 4:00 PM
Attempts continue to keep a contentious governance issue in Greater Vernon from boiling over. Politicians from Vernon, Coldstream, BX-Swan Lake and BX-Silver Star met Thursday to discuss issues surrounding the city possibly leaving the regional water distribution function. “There is definitely co-operation among the four partners,” said Wayne Lippert, Vernon mayor and Greater Vernon Advisory Committee chairman. Last spring, the city indicated it would withdraw from water distribution for a number of reasons including a lack of co-ordination on capital projects among jurisdictions and the belief that customers are confused over the governance structure. Thursday’s meeting came as a result of a session in late January in which politicians committed to try and work out the matter on their own instead of pursuing costly arbitration. While Lippert is optimistic about the current discussions, he says the city isn’t ready yet to abandon arbitration or the concept of leaving the function. “Council doesn’t want to stop the process because it’s been happening for some time,” he said. “But we’d be happy to have talks with the other participants to see if we can work out a solution that benefits everyone.” The next step is for Coldstream and Vernon councils to individually discuss the matter further. “I’m optimistic. There’s a sense that positions aren’t as hard as they were with the last councils,” said Mike Macnabb, BX-Silver Star director. “It’s in everybody’s interest to review it and come up with a global win for everyone.”
Financing falls through for $2.4 billion Port Mann
The B.C. government has been forced to take over the entire $2.4-billion cost of the Port Mann Bridge project after plans for a partnership with a private consortium fell through. Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon says the province was unable to work out a financing deal with the Connect B.C. Development Group, which included the Australian-based Macquarie Group. Falcon blames a `challenging capital market' for the failure and says the government will use a fixed-price contract to build the 10-lane span to replace the current five-lane bridge over the Fraser River. He says the project remains on schedule for completion in 2013 and the contractors, Peter Kiewit Sons and Flatiron Constructors, will be responsible for any cost overruns.Falcon says the cost of the bridge will be recovered by electronic tolls of about $3 a car. At an announcement earlier this month, Falcon said the cost of the toll could go up each year, depending on inflation and it was estimated that the tolls could be in place for up to 40 years.
But now that the project is no longer a public-private partnership, there is speculation this might change. The Port Mann bridge project includes widening the Trans-Canada Highway from Vancouver to Langley and upgrading interchanges along the route. Highway 1 will also be expanded in the project, with an extra lane in both directions leading to the bridge.
$8.1 million keeps B.C. history alive
By Tom Fletcher - BC Local News Published: February 27, 2009
B.C.'s heritage sites are getting an $8.1 million share of the B.C. government's year-end cash injection to the slowing provincial economy. Tourism Minister Bill Bennett announced the funds Thursday at St. Ann's Academy, the Roman Catholic school in Victoria that has been a heritage site since 1973. He said the sites will have a three-year budget to work with, instead of applying for annual grants to keep the historic tourist attractions open. Provincial heritage sites include Barkerville, the gold rush town east of Quesnel, Fort Steele, the Kootenay gold rush community near Cranbrook, Hat Creek Ranch west of Kamloops, the Grist Mill at Keremeos, Kilby Store and Farm near Agassiz, Historic Yale in the Fraser Canyon, Xa:ytem Longhouse near Mission, and in the Victoria area, Emily Carr House, Craigflower Manor and Point Ellis House. Jan Ross, manager of Emily Carr House, said the investment is welcomed, and allows heritage sites across the province to work together to keep B.C. history alive and accessible. Bennett said the added funds reverse cuts to heritage support that were made after the B.C. Liberal government was elected and undertook its "core review" of all ministries in 2003.
"Each year since then, we basically have tried to find money to keep the sites open, and give them money for capital as much as we possibly could, but they've never really known from year to year what they were going to get in terms of operational funding or capital funding," Bennett said. The new money gives them three years of stable operating funding and some for maintaining the site, "considerably more" than they have received in recent years.
The funds come from the B.C. government's "supplementary estimates" bill now before the legislature. Finance Minister Colin Hansen said the economic downturn prompted the government to spend $800 million, almost all its surplus funds, before the fiscal year ends on March 31.
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Starlee Speers - Vernon 105.7 SUNFM: Vernon Misses Out on $$
The Provincial Government announced an opportunity for Heritage properties to access eight million dollars in funding Thursday, but the North Okanagan's O'Keefe Ranch will miss out. Mayor Wayne Lippert says it's because the ranch is owned by the city and not the province. Lippert says there's been no success in convincing the province to take on the Ranch as one of it's own heritage properties. There are 12 provincial heritage properties that will receive funding including the Hat Creek Ranch near Cache Creek. Vernon council has committed over two hundred and fifty thousand dollars to the Ranch for 2009.
NDP leader makes a visit (Public welcomed)
Vernon Morning Star: February 26, 2009 6:00 PM
The North Okanagan’s struggling economy will be front and centre when a senior B.C. politician makes a stop today. Carole James, NDP leader, will host a roundtable discussion on the economy at the Village Green Hotel at 4 p.m. “She’s trying to get the pulse of the community in terms of job losses,” said Mark Olsen, the party’s candidate for Vernon Monashee. “She wants to hear from the workers impacted and the public is invited to attend.” Since last fall, the Owens-Illinois glass plant and Bigfoot Industries have closed their doors, and employees at Tolko’s Lavington mill are currently laid off indefinitely. New home construction has also tumbled in Vernon. “People are losing their homes because they don’t have work. We need job creation. That’s our focus,” said Olsen. Part of the roundtable discussion will allow workers to provide information on the challenges they have faced since being laid off. “How is this affecting their lives? Is Employment Insurance there for them? That’s a federal issue but something needs to be done,” said Olsen. Olsen is also urging people to bring ideas of how the economy went off track and what can be done to create employment. “We have to see what people want done for the economy.”
Got an extra 45 bucks? Taxes are taxes, no matter their names
Jeremy Deutsch - Kamloops This Week Published: February 26, 2009
After several weeks of budget deliberations by city council, property owners can expect to see a 1.94 per cent tax increase this year. While that number works out to $28 for the average property (assessed at $290,000) it doesn’t include the garbage utility-rate increase of 10 per cent or $9.90, or a full year of curbside-recycling fees, which is an extra $7. “The whole impact for the resident, it’s about $44.90 for municipal services, all in,” said Sally Edwards, the city’s director of finance. City council reached a 1.94 per cent hike in a number of ways. Rather than taxing residents for the full complement of 115 RCMP officers, which is unlikely to be realized due to officers on leave for various reasons, the city will instead tax to 95 per cent of the level, saving another $730,000.If, by chance, the city needs to cover the extra five per cent, it can access its reserved fund.
The city also has about $3 million of unexpended money remaining from last year’s budget, and that money will be put toward one-time capital charges this year. The tax increase is on par with years past, as 2008 called for a 2.27 per cent increase, 2007 was two per cent and 2006 was 1.5 per cent. Keeping a tax increase at two per cent was a goal Mayor Peter Milobar was hoping to achieve from the outset of the budget process. “The fact that we’re able to maintain our service levels and try to address some of our shortfalls . . . and still keep under two per cent is a very good news story,” he said.
Some of the highlights that made it into the budget include increased snow removal for bus stops, the construction of a fire-department maintenance shed and an incremental increase to hire more firefighters to staff the Aberdeen fire hall, which will be built in 2011. Another $200,000 will be spent on tree removal to battle the tussock moth. The city has yet to set the industrial tax rate, which had been capped at one per cent for the last three years. Edwards said a decision on that rate will be made after the property-tax rate is set. A public forum on the five-year financial plan, including the budget, is planned for March 10 at the Henry Grube Education Centre. Final adoption of the budget is expected in April.
Meanwhile, residents in apartment buildings and multi-family units will have to wait for curbside recycling to arrive as council scrapped a planned pilot project for this year. The $100,000 project was postponed, with council citing the fact commodity markets are at the lowest they’ve been for some time. In other words, the city isn’t getting as much for material collected as it once did.Instead, Kamloops is using the money to cover the increased costs to run its four recycling depots. The annual operating costs for the city depots was $164,000, but in 2009 will jump to $266,000. The city’s plan is to re-examine the pilot project next year in hopes the recycling market rebounds. Milobar said adding $100,000 each to operate the depots and the pilot project would be a bit of a stretch this year. Other projects dropped include tile upgrades in the family change room at the Tournament Capital Centre’s Canada Games Pool and landscape restoration on boulevards.
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Editorial Kamloops This Week: Taxes are taxes, no matter their names
When this newspaper posed a question about taxes on its website recently, the response was predictable and surprising. Yes, the query did indeed elicit what we expected, yet we were still a bit taken aback. The question of the week asked whether Kamloops property owners would be accepting of a tax increase this year of about two per cent. The response? The clear majority‚ 68 per cent, replied they were opposed to such a small hike. Granted, any tax increase is unwelcome news in a country where taxes are exorbitant. However, such opposition was a bit surprising given the relatively tame property-tax hike facing residential homeowners — it will be 1.94 per cent, which is chump change compared to massive increases facing other municipalities in recent times, including a 16 per cent wallop that ate into the wallets of Abbotsford homeowners last year. Then again, perhaps Kamloops taxpayers viewing our website question were fully aware the 1.94 per cent property-tax hike is not the last of the extra cash they will be paying to city hall this year. There is also a significant increase in the taxes homeowners will pay to have their garbage taken from their curbs by city workers. So, while city council has done a good job in whittling down the property-tax increase to 1.94 per cent (which means another $30 or so if your home is valued at about $300,000), we must remember that another $10 (equivalent to a 10 per cent hike) will be taken from your pocket in the form of garbage taxes. Add in another $7 for the annual recycling tax and the total additional bill for the owner of that $300,000 home is about $45 — which, in reality, is more than a 1.94 per cent tax increase. Taxes are taxes, even those presented as “utility fees” or “curbside services.”
RDOS balks at proposed tax hike
JOHN MOORHOUSE Friday, February 27, 2009 Penticton Herald:
A proposed 13.4 per cent tax hike has Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen directors heading back to the drawing board. The draft financial plan, put before the RDOS board Thursday, calls for an overall tax requisition of $12,525,000 -- up from $11,050,000 in 2008. Debra Potter, the regional district‘s manager of finance, said this includes $355,000 for “new” budget items such as $150,000 for an agricultural wood waste chipper program, $45,000 for plastic recycling and more than $37,000 for the regional growth strategy. Potter noted the B.C. Assessment Authority‘s freeze on property assessments at 2007 levels, resulted in an overall assessment increase of just 1.8 per cent while the RDOS surplus revenues have dropped by 23 per cent.
However, regional directors balked at giving initial support to the financial plan. Instead, they opted to hold another special budget workshop next Wednesday, the day before their March 5 regular board day. Summerland Coun. Gordon Clark said he wanted more time to review the budget in detail, noting he had only received his copy of the thick budget document Thursday morning. “An issue with this size of a budget increase is a serious one,” he said. “People don‘t realize how dire the economy is.” Clark pointed to the City of Vernon which has adopted a budget with a zero per cent tax increase for 2009. Penticton Coun. John Vassilaki agreed that more time is needed for a full budget review. “Those figures are just not palatable to me,” Vassilaki said. “The City of Penticton is also trying for a zero increase.”
Penticton‘s share of the regional district‘s total proposed tax requisition is $1,638,000, while Summerland faces a $673,000 levy. Other directors voiced concerns about individual budget items. Naramata director Tom Chapman described the $150,000 for a wood chipper as a huge hit on the budget. He suggested the regional district look at less expensive alternatives, such as a “curtain burner” utilized by the City of Kelowna. In addition to chipping removed fruit trees and other agricultural waste, Chapman said the RDOS could soon face a massive amount of wood waste from beetle-infested pine trees. Michael Brydon, director for West Bench-Okanagan Lake West, wondered if the RDOS should eliminate its financial support for the Okanagan Film Commission, noting the industry is now well established in the Valley. The RDOS has budgeted $34,500 (identical to 2008) towards the commission which had requested a $50,000 grant this year. After considerable debate, the RDOS opted to hold another budget session next week. The budget must be adopted by the end of March.
A proposed 13.4 per cent tax hike has Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen directors heading back to the drawing board. The draft financial plan, put before the RDOS board Thursday, calls for an overall tax requisition of $12,525,000 -- up from $11,050,000 in 2008. Debra Potter, the regional district‘s manager of finance, said this includes $355,000 for “new” budget items such as $150,000 for an agricultural wood waste chipper program, $45,000 for plastic recycling and more than $37,000 for the regional growth strategy. Potter noted the B.C. Assessment Authority‘s freeze on property assessments at 2007 levels, resulted in an overall assessment increase of just 1.8 per cent while the RDOS surplus revenues have dropped by 23 per cent.
However, regional directors balked at giving initial support to the financial plan. Instead, they opted to hold another special budget workshop next Wednesday, the day before their March 5 regular board day. Summerland Coun. Gordon Clark said he wanted more time to review the budget in detail, noting he had only received his copy of the thick budget document Thursday morning. “An issue with this size of a budget increase is a serious one,” he said. “People don‘t realize how dire the economy is.” Clark pointed to the City of Vernon which has adopted a budget with a zero per cent tax increase for 2009. Penticton Coun. John Vassilaki agreed that more time is needed for a full budget review. “Those figures are just not palatable to me,” Vassilaki said. “The City of Penticton is also trying for a zero increase.”
Penticton‘s share of the regional district‘s total proposed tax requisition is $1,638,000, while Summerland faces a $673,000 levy. Other directors voiced concerns about individual budget items. Naramata director Tom Chapman described the $150,000 for a wood chipper as a huge hit on the budget. He suggested the regional district look at less expensive alternatives, such as a “curtain burner” utilized by the City of Kelowna. In addition to chipping removed fruit trees and other agricultural waste, Chapman said the RDOS could soon face a massive amount of wood waste from beetle-infested pine trees. Michael Brydon, director for West Bench-Okanagan Lake West, wondered if the RDOS should eliminate its financial support for the Okanagan Film Commission, noting the industry is now well established in the Valley. The RDOS has budgeted $34,500 (identical to 2008) towards the commission which had requested a $50,000 grant this year. After considerable debate, the RDOS opted to hold another budget session next week. The budget must be adopted by the end of March.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Hotel tax moves ahead
Published: February 26, 2009 6:00 PM Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star
A new tax that’s aimed at enhancing Vernon’s role as a tourism destination is moving ahead. On Monday, council gave three readings to a bylaw that would create a hotel and motel room tax. “It’s something the industry’s been looking at for quite some time,” said Mayor Wayne Lippert. The primary thrust of the two per cent tax will be to increase marketing. “It will mean a larger budget to promote the area and bring people here,” said Lippert. It was originally forecast that the room tax could generate about $420,000 a year, although that figure could be lower because of the recession and fewer people travelling. The budget for the previous tourism function under the North Okanagan Regional District was $120,000. Along with marketing, some of the tax revenue could go towards constructing a convention centre or a sports complex. “It allows us to provide better services,” said Michelle Jefferson, the city’s tourism manager. While some accommodation owners were initially concerned that a local hotel tax could chase customers away, Jefferson isn’t concerned that will be the case. “Most other communities in the Okanagan have this tax,” she said. Because the bylaw will need official approval from the provincial government, the new tax may not be official until Sept. 1. Once the tax is in place, it will only apply to accommodations within the City of Vernon. But there have been some discussions to expand the levy to Silver Star Mountain. “They understand what promoting the area means,” said Lippert of Silver Star.
Answers sought over Kin track
Published: February 26, 2009 6:00 PM Roger Knox - Vernon Morning Star
Coldstream council has some questions for North Okanagan Regional District officials over the future of Kin Race Track. NORD recently told the Okanagan Equestrian Society – formerly known as the Vernon Agricultural Society – that it can no longer use the 116-year-old facility as of Oct. 31, 2010, and all equipment must be gone. Council was responding to a letter written to all municipal governments in the North Okanagan, including NORD, by Robyn Dalziel, a Coldstream resident and former president of the Vernon Agriculture Society. Dalziel believes NORD and the City of Vernon are in breach of several valid contracts which she says have been maintained consecutively for 116 years. Dalziel is requesting a review of NORD’s plan. “I think there is a lot of information out there and lots of questions to be answered,” said Coun. Doug Dirk. “We should request NORD come to us to bring us up to speed on that side of things so we can begin to sort it out in our minds.” Coun. Pat Cochrane said such a meeting should be held in-camera as there are plenty of legal issues and lawyers involved. But Dirk said there are some issues that should be made public. “I’m wrestling with how some of these issues relate to the use of that track and how it becomes part of the debate,” said Dirk. Council heard from Dalziel, as well as 84-year-old Paul Dumont, who came to Vernon in 1964 and helped build the grandstand, which bears his name. Dumont said NORD’s plan is simply wrong. “As far as I’m concerned, the younger generation in Vernon is decreasing, the older generation is increasing, and I don’t see why the older people don’t have a chance to have some recreation,” said Dumont. “I think the track is an asset to the community...” Council voted unanimously to request a meeting with NORD officials.
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Morning Star Editorial Published Feb. 26 : Council's actions off course
One has to wonder if the District of Coldstream is truly interested in the future of Kin Race Track or just pandering to a handful of people who were sitting in council chambers Monday? As a member of the North Okanagan Regional District, the municipality is within its rights to get information about the Vernon Agricultural Society's use of the race track being terminated. But as participants in NORD, council must understand that there is a need to address the shortage of proper sports facilities in Greater Vernon and because of its proximity to hotels, restaurants and shops, Kin Race Track is a logical location. And there is also more prospect of the site being fully utilized by local sports teams and sports-tourism than horse racing, which is long past its heyday. It should also be pointed out that most current members of council fought against plans for a sports complex in Coldstream, so there is some responsibility to be part of the solution now. The Okanagan Equestrian Society — which no longer owns any of the race track — says NORD is in contravention of legal agreements dictating use. But it should be pointed out that very few contracts are written in stone, and there are generally opt out clauses for those involved. If NORD, as the property owner, wants to take a different direction with the race track, that is likely permissible. It's also been indicated that the track is needed so seniors have access to recreation, but if one looks at the crowds attending the declining number of Vernon Racing Days, it's obvious our seniors are finding other things to do. Ultimately, Coldstream can seek more information on the track, but one has to wonder why council is going against a clear direction taken by an organization it belongs to?
Gallery pursues city funds
Published: February 26, 2009 6:00 PM Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star
A Vernon art gallery is turning to taxpayers for financial support again. The North Okanagan Artists Alternative is seeking $15,000 in operating funds for Gallery Vertigo from the City of Vernon. It received a $10,000 grant last year. “Gallery Vertigo has done an incredible job in building up artistic infrastructure,” said John Lent, a society director. Over the years, some politicians have questioned why Gallery Vertigo should get public support when the city, through the North Okanagan Regional District, assists the Vernon Public Art Gallery. But Lent insists there is room for both. “Gallery Vertigo is an artist-run gallery and independent from the Vernon Art Gallery. There is no competition between them,” he said. Gallery Vertigo conducts shows for individual artists and groups, as well as professional development programs for artists, studio space and a reading and music series. “There’s no duplication of services here,” said Lent, adding that financial support from the city would allow the society to apply to the B.C. Arts Council for funding. Lent is also convinced that having a number of art galleries adds to the livability of the community and bolsters cultural tourism. “People come here because they want to see art galleries,” he said.
The request for $15,000 will now go to council’s finance committee for consideration, and Mayor Wayne Lippert is open to possibly maintaining the relationship started last year. Cultural events are starting to become more prominent,” he said. However, Lippert believes there is a need for Gallery Vertigo to provide the city with more information. “I’d like to see more on how it contributes to the economy,” he said. Last year’s $10,000 is some of the only money the society has ever received from local jurisdictions. “Gallery Vertigo has been to the regional district four times for support,” said Maurie Deaton, with the gallery. “It’s been kicked around, up and down, but it’s never happened.” Besides the Vernon Public Art Gallery, NORD also contributes to the Vernon Arts Centre, the Vernon Performing Arts Centre and the Greater Vernon Museum.
Edmonton mayor shocked by $10-million exchange-rate mistake
CBC NEWS City staff didn't factor in drop in Canadian currency when buying U.S. equipment
An error by city administration staff who didn't factor in a drop in value of the Canadian dollar when buying waste-processing equipment in the U.S. has cost the City of Edmonton $10 million, said Mayor Stephen Mandel on Wednesday. "When I go to purchase something I know I'm going to purchase in a country not being Canada, I hedge my bets," said Mandel. "Many people have invested in the United States [in the] last little while, and they've hedged the American dollar, and I'm just shocked that our administration wouldn't do that. … It's a $10 million hit that was really unnecessary." The city decided to buy equipment worth $40 million US in 2007 for the garbage processing and transfer facility being built at the Edmonton Waste Management Centre in Clover Bar.At the time, the Canadian dollar was worth more than the U.S. dollar, but since then, the loonie has sunk to about 80 cents US, driving up the price of the equipment by about 25 per cent.Mandel said staff should have locked in U.S. currency at the time so they would know how much they were actually going to pay.City manager Al Maurer couldn't explain why that wasn't done."We have done it in the past; we did it on the LRT project," he said.
The issue came up when city council was asked to borrow $88.7 million to set up the transfer facility, which will turn some trash into pellets for use in the new gasification plant and prepare other garbage to be shipped to the Village of Ryley landfill just east of Edmonton once the Clover Bar landfill closes later this year.The centre's budget has soared from the original $27.5 million because of the currency loss, multiple increases in the size and the rising costs of construction and materials.
Vernon on Rollback
Starlee Speers - Vernon 105.7 SUN FM:
The city of Vernon is backing up the RCMP in their call to reverse the Federal Government's wage rollback. Councillor Bob Spiers calls the treasury board's decision to cut a promised wage to mounties "dead wrong". You can find the petition at callforbackup.ca. Opponents of the wage rollback say it will put new recruitment and public safety at risk.
The city of Vernon is backing up the RCMP in their call to reverse the Federal Government's wage rollback. Councillor Bob Spiers calls the treasury board's decision to cut a promised wage to mounties "dead wrong". You can find the petition at callforbackup.ca. Opponents of the wage rollback say it will put new recruitment and public safety at risk.
Wayne on Vertigo
Starlee Speers - Vernon 105.7 SUN FM:
The Gallery Vertigo in Vernon is hoping the city will provide ongoing funding for basic operating costs. After hearing from a delegation from the Gallery, Mayor Wayne Lippert said the artist-run centre is a significant part of the community, but says he'd like more information as to how much the gallery contributes to the local economy. The North Okanagan Artists Alternative told council Monday they can't achieve their full potential without securing funding from the local level.The Gallery is requesting fifteen thousand dollars for 2009.
City faces regional tax hike
Mike Simmons - Salmon Arm Observer Published: February 24, 2009
Arm taxpayers may face 2.5 per cent increase on top of city's 1.79 per cent rise. Salmon Arm council will be asking for an explanation of the proposed Columbia Shuswap Regional District budget effects on the city, after being quoted an increase of more than $280,000 for general government services. Coun. Kevin Flynn said the CSRD budget process seems far different than that of the city. He said the general impression he received was “here’s your budget, now go back and tell your municipality what your budget is.” Flynn pointed out Salmon Arm’s CSRD taxes are the lowest in the region because the city uses the fewest services. He said half of the city’s transportation parcel tax would be going to the CSRD. Flynn said he expressed extreme frustration during the CSRD budget process, and added that municipal governments are carrying the cost. “Even after sitting in a whole day, I don’t think we got a proper explanation.” Flynn and Mayor Marty Bootsma represent Salmon Arm on the CSRD board of directors.
Bootsma said the CSRD process is confusing, and he can’t figure out why their general government cost has gone up. “There has never been this huge discrepancy from the previous year’s increase.” Coun. Chad Eliason said if the rise in cost is just to maintain the status quo, it shouldn’t increase on the backs of taxpayers. Coun. Alan Harrison said from his first look at the proposed CSRD budget, it appeared the increase would result in a 2.5 per cent tax increase for Salmon Arm. “We worked hard here to limit the tax increase. To have a regional tax increase of 2.5 per cent in the times we’re in is not reasonable.” Harrison said he didn’t want to interfere with council members representing Salmon Arm at the CSRD, but he would like to help. Harrison made a motion for city council to write to the CSRD, expressing council’s concern about the inordinate increase to the taxpayers of Salmon Arm and asking for clarification.
Policing agreement for West Kelowna
CASTANET Feb 26:
The District of West Kelowna has agreed to sign a Municipal Police Unit Agreement that includes West Kelowna’s negotiated terms as soon as April 1, 2009. The agreement with the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General is expected to result in a policing cost of $3,454,615 for 2009 to December 2012. This represents a slight decrease in policing taxes to West Kelowna taxpayers with the average taxpayer expected to pay $85.69 for policing costs each year beginning in 2009. The District also negotiated for two more RCMP officers assigned to Kelowna Rural Detachment bringing the total to 21.
Council agreed to sign the agreement now rather than wait to the end of the transition period (2013) given the significant benefits the District of West Kelowna could see with the move. “Signing the agreement now rather than waiting until the end of transitional funding is beneficial to the District because Council has the ability to set service levels, adjust policing levels and possibly realize cost savings,” says Mayor Doug Findlater. Without a municipal policing contract, all policing decisions are made at the provincial level and the District does not benefit from any cost savings. Major crimes policing will be paid out of provincial funding. Five full-time support staff will become municipal employees under the agreement. The District negotiated a grant of $2,353,290/year for 2009 to 2012 from the Province for policing costs during the transition – the 2009 grant will be $1.5 million as it is a partial year. The District will also receive a $1.17 million one-time restructure assistance grant.
The Municipal Police Unit Agreement (MPUA) the District will sign is the standard BC policing agreement with several additional terms added that were negotiated by the District of West Kelowna. The additional terms are:
The District will receive $1.17 million in additional restructure assistance for the period April 1, 2009 to December 31, 2012 from the Ministry of Community Development.
The Province will provide the District with an annual grant for the period April 1, 2009 to December 31, 2012.
The Province will ensure the District receives the annual Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing (TFRS) grant beginning in 2009 – there will be no two year lag in receiving this grant. West Kelowna’s 2009 TFRS grant is estimated to be $108,000.
The RCMP (E Division) will allocate two additional Provincial Force positions to the Kelowna Regional Provincial RCMP unit, bringing the total number of Kelowna Rural Detachment RCMP officers to 21.
The RCMP Provincial Force will provide assistance as necessary to deal with any major incident that occurs within the District of West Kelowna during the period April 1, 2009 to December 31, 2012.
The RCMP (E Division) will conduct annual reviews of service levels and workload within the Kelowna Regional Detachment to determine or update the minimum core service levels required in each area.
The District of West Kelowna will work with other municipalities within the Kelowna Regional Detachment, as well as the RCMP and the Province, to reach agreement on how to share the costs for the shared police administration and other police related functions.
The District of West Kelowna will sign an MPUA for a minimum of 21 members.
The Detachment will require . These RCMP municipal support positions will report to the Human Resources Division, which will amend the District’s Org Chart.
An Order in Council from the Provincial Government is required for the agreement to be signed. The OIC is being processed by the Province to add the District of West Kelowna to Schedule “B” of the Municipal Police Agreement between the Province of BC and Canada. It is anticipated that the agreement will come into effect April 1.
Council agreed to sign the agreement now rather than wait to the end of the transition period (2013) given the significant benefits the District of West Kelowna could see with the move. “Signing the agreement now rather than waiting until the end of transitional funding is beneficial to the District because Council has the ability to set service levels, adjust policing levels and possibly realize cost savings,” says Mayor Doug Findlater. Without a municipal policing contract, all policing decisions are made at the provincial level and the District does not benefit from any cost savings. Major crimes policing will be paid out of provincial funding. Five full-time support staff will become municipal employees under the agreement. The District negotiated a grant of $2,353,290/year for 2009 to 2012 from the Province for policing costs during the transition – the 2009 grant will be $1.5 million as it is a partial year. The District will also receive a $1.17 million one-time restructure assistance grant.
The Municipal Police Unit Agreement (MPUA) the District will sign is the standard BC policing agreement with several additional terms added that were negotiated by the District of West Kelowna. The additional terms are:
An Order in Council from the Provincial Government is required for the agreement to be signed. The OIC is being processed by the Province to add the District of West Kelowna to Schedule “B” of the Municipal Police Agreement between the Province of BC and Canada. It is anticipated that the agreement will come into effect April 1.
Million-dollar deficit predicted for city facilities
JOHN MOORHOUSE Thursday, February 26, 2009
The total operating budget for the three city facilities operated by Global Spectrum could top $1.1 million this year. However, the chairman of the city‘s newly-established advisory board for the South Okanagan Events Centre says improved fiscal performance - bolstered by a possible deep playoff run by the Penticton Vees - could reduce that shortfall substantially. Global Spectrum is under contract to manage the SOEC, Penticton Trade and Convention Centre and Memorial Arena. Only McLaren Park Arena continues to run entirely by the city. The draft 2009 city budget earmarks $412,000 for operating the SOEC including Global‘s management fees, with $513,000 for the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre, and $145,000 for Memorial Arena.
Final budget figures for the three facilities are now being prepared by the city and Global Spectrum and should be soon ready for presentation to city council. From 2002-2006, the city spent an average of $400,000 a year to operate the convention centre and $250,000 for Memorial Arena, plus administrative costs. Coun. Mike Pearce said Wednesday he hopes to have the budget figures available for review by the SOEC advisory board at its next scheduled meeting on Tuesday. Pearce, who chairs the advisory board, said the estimated shortfall could be higher or lower depending on the operating performance. “I would hope we would be less than $1.1 million and my obvious goal would be to try to get it as close to breaking even as possible,” he said. Council‘s recent decision to reduce ticket prices for Vees‘ games next season will add about $80,000 onto the budget shortfall. However, that figure could be offset by increased attendance and concession revenues. Pearce said a deep playoff run by the Vees this season could also have an impact, especially if they attract 4,000 fans a night rather than 1,800. Playoff revenues are split between the Vees, Global and the city. Concession stand prices could be one of the items under review by the board, although Pearce stopped short of suggesting lower prices may be immediately forthcoming.
The advisory board, he added, is there to recommend policy to council- not to manage the facility. The board includes representatives from Global Spectrum. A public suggestion box has also been installed at the Events Centre for further input. A series of well-attended concerts could also boost revenues immensely, although Pearce acknowledged the reverse could be true for concerts which fail to attract a sizeable crowd. The city has not released fiscal details from concerts and other entertainment events since the SOEC opened in the fall. The figures are deemed as “proprietory information” and will likely remain confidential. “We haven‘t had enough experience with concerts yet to know which ones we should choose,” he said. “And whether the building is rented (to out-of-town promoters) or we‘re the promoter.” The advisory board chairman added he‘d personally like to see about 20 per cent of the Events Centre schedule allocated to “social” or community events that shouldn‘t be expected to generate a profit.
Meanwhile, Pearce wondered at a council budget session this week, whether the city could refinance the Events Centre debt over 25 years rather than the five and 10-year terms currently on the books. He said that would allow more money for road upgrades. However, Jack Kler, the city‘s director of corporate services, said the debt repayment schedule is linked to the availability of DAC (development assistance compensation) casino money which is being used to make annual payments. He said the city could face a substantial penalty if it chose to restructure its debt payments. Kler added 2009 is the final of three consecutive years that the city has directed $2 million from its electrical utility revenues to the Events Centre debt. This money will be available for other purposes in 2010.
The total operating budget for the three city facilities operated by Global Spectrum could top $1.1 million this year. However, the chairman of the city‘s newly-established advisory board for the South Okanagan Events Centre says improved fiscal performance - bolstered by a possible deep playoff run by the Penticton Vees - could reduce that shortfall substantially. Global Spectrum is under contract to manage the SOEC, Penticton Trade and Convention Centre and Memorial Arena. Only McLaren Park Arena continues to run entirely by the city. The draft 2009 city budget earmarks $412,000 for operating the SOEC including Global‘s management fees, with $513,000 for the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre, and $145,000 for Memorial Arena.
Final budget figures for the three facilities are now being prepared by the city and Global Spectrum and should be soon ready for presentation to city council. From 2002-2006, the city spent an average of $400,000 a year to operate the convention centre and $250,000 for Memorial Arena, plus administrative costs. Coun. Mike Pearce said Wednesday he hopes to have the budget figures available for review by the SOEC advisory board at its next scheduled meeting on Tuesday. Pearce, who chairs the advisory board, said the estimated shortfall could be higher or lower depending on the operating performance. “I would hope we would be less than $1.1 million and my obvious goal would be to try to get it as close to breaking even as possible,” he said. Council‘s recent decision to reduce ticket prices for Vees‘ games next season will add about $80,000 onto the budget shortfall. However, that figure could be offset by increased attendance and concession revenues. Pearce said a deep playoff run by the Vees this season could also have an impact, especially if they attract 4,000 fans a night rather than 1,800. Playoff revenues are split between the Vees, Global and the city. Concession stand prices could be one of the items under review by the board, although Pearce stopped short of suggesting lower prices may be immediately forthcoming.
The advisory board, he added, is there to recommend policy to council- not to manage the facility. The board includes representatives from Global Spectrum. A public suggestion box has also been installed at the Events Centre for further input. A series of well-attended concerts could also boost revenues immensely, although Pearce acknowledged the reverse could be true for concerts which fail to attract a sizeable crowd. The city has not released fiscal details from concerts and other entertainment events since the SOEC opened in the fall. The figures are deemed as “proprietory information” and will likely remain confidential. “We haven‘t had enough experience with concerts yet to know which ones we should choose,” he said. “And whether the building is rented (to out-of-town promoters) or we‘re the promoter.” The advisory board chairman added he‘d personally like to see about 20 per cent of the Events Centre schedule allocated to “social” or community events that shouldn‘t be expected to generate a profit.
Meanwhile, Pearce wondered at a council budget session this week, whether the city could refinance the Events Centre debt over 25 years rather than the five and 10-year terms currently on the books. He said that would allow more money for road upgrades. However, Jack Kler, the city‘s director of corporate services, said the debt repayment schedule is linked to the availability of DAC (development assistance compensation) casino money which is being used to make annual payments. He said the city could face a substantial penalty if it chose to restructure its debt payments. Kler added 2009 is the final of three consecutive years that the city has directed $2 million from its electrical utility revenues to the Events Centre debt. This money will be available for other purposes in 2010.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
PROVINCE AWARDS $6.2 MILLION TO ARTS AND CULTURE
A total of 267 grants to 90 different communities were distributed in the latest round of arts and
culture funding through the BC Arts Council.
SOME LOCAL GRANTS:
Vernon Arts Council of the North Okanagan $16,673 Operating Assistance-Community Arts Councils
Vernon Greater Vernon Museum and Archives $28,000 Operating Assistance-Museums
Vernon O'keefe Ranch and Interior Heritage Society $60,000 Operating Assistance-Museums
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Kelowna Arts Council of the Central Okanagan $23,278 Operating Assistance-Community
Arts Councils
Kelowna Kelowna Art Gallery Association $60,000 Operating Assistance-Visual Arts
Kelowna Kelowna Museum Association $75,000 Operating Assistance-Museums
Kelowna Okanagan Artists' Alternative Association/Alternator Gallery $20,000 Operating Assistance-Visual Arts
Kelowna Okanagan Film Festival Society $4,500 Project Assistance-Festivals
culture funding through the BC Arts Council.
SOME LOCAL GRANTS:
Vernon Arts Council of the North Okanagan $16,673 Operating Assistance-Community Arts Councils
Vernon Greater Vernon Museum and Archives $28,000 Operating Assistance-Museums
Vernon O'keefe Ranch and Interior Heritage Society $60,000 Operating Assistance-Museums
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Kelowna Arts Council of the Central Okanagan $23,278 Operating Assistance-Community
Arts Councils
Kelowna Kelowna Art Gallery Association $60,000 Operating Assistance-Visual Arts
Kelowna Kelowna Museum Association $75,000 Operating Assistance-Museums
Kelowna Okanagan Artists' Alternative Association/Alternator Gallery $20,000 Operating Assistance-Visual Arts
Kelowna Okanagan Film Festival Society $4,500 Project Assistance-Festivals
Weir has designs on Predator Ridge
When Wesbild purchased Predator Ridge in Vernon nearly two years ago, deputy chairman Randy Zien called it "the best golf resort community in Canada". It's about to take a couple of big steps forward. Mike Weir's first venture into course design -- in concert with architectural partner Ian Andrew of Brantford, Ont. -- will almost certainly be a public course at Predator Ridge, which will give the 1,200-acre site 54 holes of golf and a Mike Weir winery when complete.
If there's a recession, you wouldn't know it from the aggressive activity that Wesbild has undertaken since buying the place from the Paterson family on July 18, 2007. Predator Ridge was launched with a Les Furber 18 in the summer of 1991. "It's speculation at this point," said Predator Ridge general manager Rod Cochrane on Tuesday, acknowledging that he was flying to southern California to have dinner with Weir and International Management Group Canadian head Brad Pelletier. "We're going to see if we can make it happen." In helping to select Weir's design partner, 22 Canadian architects were asked to submit drawings for a new course at Predator. Four of them were interviewed by Weir, his brother Jim and Pelletier. Ten months later, Andrew was chosen. "I think all parties are equally excited," said Pelletier in Los Angeles Tuesday. "There are three partners, Wesbild, Ben Thorlakson, who owns the adjacent property, and Weir Design. We just don't want to get ahead of ourselves because the City of Vernon has to do all the approvals. But we're inching our way closer."
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Don Quixote Note: See orginal posting from Nov. 19/2008 at http://vernonblog.blogspot.com/2008/11/mike-weirs-growing-career.html
Moral Burden Ranch
Starlee Speers - Vernon 105.7 SUN FM:
Keeping the historic O'Keefe Ranch afloat is somewhat of a moral burden according to Vernon's mayor. Wayne Lippert says the issue is deciding what value we put on preserving history and how much we should spend. The proposed budget allocation for the ranch for 2009 is over two hundred thousand dollars. Council approved additional budget funding for the O'Keefe ranch of nearly 46 thousand dollars on Monday to cover the severance of the manager.
B.C. ambulance paramedics set to strike
Ambulance paramedics in B.C. have voted 96 per cent in favour of a strike to back their bid for a new collective agreement. Job action won't occur immediately because the current contract for the 3,500 CUPE local 873 members is in effect until April. 1. Paramedics are also governed by essential service legislation restricting a full-scale walkout. Ambulance Paramedics of B.C. president John Strohmaier says more than 70 per cent of union members took part in the province-wide, mail-in strike vote. He says the union has requested a mediator as paramedics seek a wage increase and improvements to working conditions that have slowed emergency response times. According to Strohmaier, statistics suggest the B.C. Ambulance Service meets its goal of arriving in less than nine minutes just 52 per cent of the time, compared to 85 per cent in 1985.
Responding to increasing demand for ambulance services, B.C. Health Services provided a $2-million investment for 20 new full-time paramedic positions in September. But citing a "critical" shortage of qualified positions, paramedics called for double that number. The B.C. Ambulance Service (BCAS) responded to 304,269 calls in 2007/08, up from 250,857 in 2003/04. That number includes 911 calls and inter-facility transfers.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
City hammers out 1.9 per cent increase
Published: February 24, 2009 7:00 PM Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star
The tax bill for most Vernonites has become a lot clearer. Council voted Monday to move ahead with a 1.99 per cent residential property tax hike as part of the 2009 budget. That translates into $19.75 for the average assessed home. “It’s a fair tax increase given the economic situation,” said Coun. Buffy Baumbrough. Staff had informed council that the tax increase needed to cover city services was 4.82 per cent if fire protection is included. But that figure dropped to 1.99 per cent because of savings the city incurred by the North Okanagan Regional District no longer providing some functions. “It covers everything. I’m pretty happy with it,” said Coun. Jack Gilroy of the 1.99 per cent. A final decision on the 2009 tax increase comes after weeks of discussions among staff and council, and input from the public. “We’ve given it a lot of deliberation and thought,” said Baumbrough.
Opposition to the tax hike came from Councillors Bob Spiers and Patrick Nicol. “I wanted another budget meeting so we could cut it further,” said Spiers. “There are revenue areas we’ve underestimated and costs we’ve put in the budget we should reexamine.” Nicol insisted that actual salary costs be compared to those detailed in the budget, convinced savings could be found. “We should look at the entire budget,” he said.
While the tax increase for the average home is 1.99 per cent, the true impact will depend on the assessed value of each property. In the case of Okanagan Landing, residents are anticipated to pay about $80 more for integration of fire taxation. Under provincial legislation, the city’s budget must be approved in May, so Monday’s actions allow for that process to continue over the remaining five council meetings. The budget bylaw will be presented to council for first readings March 9, and then there will be a public input session March 23. It’s anticipated the budget will be adopted by council April 14 and the tax rates bylaw will be adopted April 27.
Two more items were added to the budget Monday, including an extra $45,800 for O’Keefe Ranch and $15,000 towards hiring a geographic information system worker on contract. However, these items will be covered by reserve funds.
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EDITORIAL Tax increase hard to swallow Published: February 24, 2009 7:00 PM
Everyone knows the economy is in a slump. And if you haven't yet been laid off, had your position cut back or your resources trimmed at work, consider yourself lucky. But whether you're working or not, the tough times are hitting families and individuals equally. Between rising gas costs that are forcing increased food prices, to landlords hiking the rent to cover high utility bills, the community as a whole is feeling the pinch. Even those who were a little more prepared with some retirement investments are finding their savings, and themselves, suffering a major loss. Particularly if the ripe retiring age of 65 is creeping up on you. Those who have a little more time might be able to regain what has been lost in investments. Therefore when municipalities throw a tax hike into the mix, it only adds insult to injury.
Sure the tax hike is only 1.99 per cent or $20 more (for the average homeowner), but when you consider that Vernon residents have been faced year after year with increases, it adds up. If you live in the Okanagan Landing, that price jumps another $80 more for the integration of fire taxation. On the other hand, it's understandable that the city still has to provide services. There are still roads to repave and sewer pipes to repair. However, although some councillors are patting themselves on the back for the relatively small increase, they should keep in mind the bigger economic picture. We think, like the two councillors who voted against the budget hike, that a more appropriate outcome would've been no increase in taxes this year. Maybe it's worth another look before first reading.
Severance generates shortfall for ranch
Published: February 24, 2009 7:00 PM By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star:
Shifting administrative directions has come with a hefty price for cash-strapped O’Keefe Ranch. Tom Danyk’s duties as manager ceased in mid-December and he will receive a severance of $42,187. “There was a contract of employment and this was a situation of the board and the manager choosing not to renew the contract,” said Rod Drennan, president of the O’Keefe Ranch and Interior Heritage Society, which runs the site. “There was a clause for severance if the contract was not renewed.” All of the severance is being picked up by the City of Vernon, which owns the ranch, and the money is coming out of reserves. Danyk, who had been manager since 2004, could not be reached for comment. Specifics about Danyk’s departure have never been revealed, but Mayor Wayne Lippert did state in December that the society board decided to pursue a new direction.
Largely because of Danyk’s severance, the ranch was looking at a $46,178 shortfall for 2009. On Monday, city council agreed to provide an extra $45,800 to the ranch this year, bringing its total financial support to $260,178. “Most of the shortfall is that payout which we said we would cover,” said Coun. Mary-Jo O’Keefe. Beyond the severance, it’s hoped that the increased financial support will allow the ranch to proceed with some outstanding issues. “They need to redefine the ranch so it’s sustainable. It needs a strong base which it doesn’t have right now,” said O’Keefe. O’Keefe expects that the city will be required to subsidize the heritage site for some time. “There is a lot of capital work that needs to be done,” she said.
The additional dollars for O’Keefe Ranch were unanimous among council. “With the ranch, we have to keep funding it so we can see where it is going,” said Coun. Bob Spiers. Drennan believes council is being proactive by not only providing the $45,800 but the total of $260,178. “It’s awfully good news,” he said, adding some of the money will go towards the heating system in the main building. Members of the society will hold a strategic planning session to look at its goals, including hiring a new manager. “We will be looking at what it is that we need to move forward. What skills do we need to move forward?” said Drennan. It’s hoped that a new manager may be in place this spring, although not likely in time for the April opening. “We have to move quickly because we really need a manager,” said Drennan.
Increased slots focus of new bylaw
Published: February 24, 2009 7:00 PM By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star
Restrictions on how many slot machines can exist in Vernon are a step closer to being eased. Council voted unanimously Monday to draft a bylaw that would increase the number of slot machines in the community from 300 to 400. “Once the 400 slot machine maximum is reached, the city will not sanction any further machines,” said Coun. Jack Gilroy, who pushed for the change. The proposed bylaw would also only permit 10 gaming tables in Vernon. Last fall, the previous council decided to set a limit of 300 slot machines in the community, although the B.C. Lottery Corporation and Lake City Casinos wanted 400 for the new casino being constructed on Anderson Way.City officials have previously stated that even with the bylaw limiting slot machines to 300, Lake City Casinos can still have 400 because the devices were shown in designs submitted to the city.However, that would make the operation legally non-conforming under bylaw, something BCLC is not used to being in for the slot machines it owns.
“They built the building for 400 machines,” said Gilroy. “They are a business and we should let them (proceed). We should support business.” Currently, provincial legislation dictates that the city receives 10 per cent of net casino revenue, and Gilroy is convinced that could climb if slot machines go from 300 to 400.There have been some concerns that more slot machines could worsen the problem of gambling addiction, but Gilroy disagrees.“If they have 200 machines and you’re a problem gambler, you’ll go,” he said. For Coun. Shawn Lee, he supported the increase to 400 slot machines because that figure was always discussed when BCLC sought approval from the city for a casino. “It was the original agreement and the city needs to live up to its agreements,” he said.
Coun. Bob Spiers voted for the bylaw change, but admits he would like the number of slot machines to remain at 300 so the city can leverage BCLC and Lake City Casino for increased funding. Instead of 10 per cent of net casino revenue, Spiers says the city should receive 10 per cent of the gross. “We’re into it now so we might as well try to maximize our return.” Before 400 slot machines can be installed, staff must bring a bylaw to council for consideration and then the matter will be the focus of a public hearing. BCLC says a new bylaw will ensure it conforms to local regulations. “It’s the preferred way to go. It’s good news,” said Greg Walker, manager of public affairs.
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Don Quixote Note: Spiers voted for the amended motion to go forward (tables restricted to 10) and will await for the drafting of the bylaw and the public input to decide whether it merits future support.
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