Pedestrians In Danger At Bus Stop

 Written by Peter McIntyre 107.5 KISSFM Tuesday, 31 July 2012 15:04 
 

RCMP are cracking down on drivers in the area of the new transit bus depot. Police have received several complaints the past few days about near accidents with pedestrians in the bus zone between 30th and 31st streets by Cenotaph Park. That section is for buses only, and is clearly marked. RCMP spokesman Gord Molendyk says an officer wrote eight violations over 90 minutes this morning in that area for disobeying a traffic control device, each costing $121. "The officer said he could have written double that, as many cars drove past while he was writing up tickets to drivers he stopped. Traffic enforcement will continue in the area to bring awareness to the problem before we have an injury to pedestrian."

Two males, one female suspects in custody

Kelowna Capital News : Updated: July 31, 2012 2:40 PM
Note: This information is via radio scanner and not confirmed by police.  Initial reports are that no RCMP were injured in the near-one hour-long pursuit of suspects. Pursuit started around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday when shots were fired hitting two unmarked police vehicles in West Kelowna. Chase of green or grey Dodge Caravan mini-van continued along Boucherie Road in West Kelowna, across Hwy 97 to Westside Road. Its back window had been shot out when suspects fired at police. Two vehicles were stolen along the way: a red pickup and then a black pickup. One police vehicle heading south on Westside Road turned around and waited for suspect vehicle to come up behind him. Suspects shot "high-powered rifle" at that RCMP vehicle, hitting it and then attempted to run the police vehicle off the road several times. Suspect vehicle ran over two separates spike belts but continued on flat tires. As members' lives were in jeopardy. RCMP gave permission to "take whatever action necessary" to stop the suspects. Suspects passed roadblock at north end of Westside Road, headed east along Old Kamloops Road and turned south onto Hwy 97. They abandoned the truck at Swan Lake and took to foot. Three suspects were quickly apprehended. Police continue to process the crime scene from Boucherie Road in West Kelowna to Swan Lake north of Vernon. Suspect vehicles are being photographed where they were abandoned and will be towed for processing. Firearms have been seized.

BC: Taxpayers Pay Millions in Carbon Corporate Welfare—Again

By: Jordan Bateman Taxpayer.com Posted: July 31, 2012
 The B.C. government’s Pacific Carbon Trust has become frighteningly adept at taking taxpayers’ money—$14 million last year—and transferring it to big businesses. It’s time for the provincial government to scrap the Trust, and end corporate welfare disguised as environmentalism. The numbers prove that transferring tax dollars to companies through the illusion of carbon neutrality is a massive failure. The Trust’s new annual report, released in late July, shows that government agencies purchased 775,825 of the 777,992 carbon offsets sold by the Trust last year. That means 99.7 per cent of the Trust’s work was funded by taxpayers. Only 12 private companies or individuals bought carbon credits last year for a measly $54,050. The rest of the Trust’s $14 million budget was funded exclusively by taxpayers, taking money out of our pockets, classrooms, hospitals and social services. For example, the Vancouver School District was forced to buy $454,824 in carbon credits. The Vancouver Island Health Authority spent $887,926. The Northern Health Authority paid $650,466. Under provincial law, if it was a provincial government agency, it had to become carbon neutral by purchasing offsets from the Trust. Even worse, that taxpayer money flowed exclusively into the pockets of corporations, including some of the largest companies in the province. Lafarge, a $20 billion company, was paid by the Trust for 22,998 carbon credits. Encana, an $8.8 billion company, was paid for 84,276 credits. Canfor, a $2.5 billion company, was paid for 41,573 credits. Other sellers included TimberWest and Interfor. These companies reduced their carbon footprints through various projects such as switching fuel sources and sold the resulting pollution savings, known as carbon credits, to the Trust. The Trust acts as a middleman, buying carbon credits form private companies with tax dollars. The Trust does not publish the cost of purchasing carbon credits from these private companies, only saying it’s less than the $25 price tag they put on each carbon credit when they’re selling them to various government agencies. At a conservative estimate of $20 per credit, that’s almost $1.7 million to Encana, $831,000 to Canfor and almost half a million dollars to Lafarge. (more)
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 Feb 2012 List: (Local ones excerpted)
School District 22, Vernon $65,431
UBC Okanagan $71,268
Okanagan College $47,540
Interior Health Authority $965,891

Vernon RCMP arrest suspect in connection with robberies

By Roger Knox - Vernon Morning Star Published: July 31, 2012 10:00 AM

Vernon RCMP now have a suspect in custody in connection with a string of robberies at Vernon financial institutions. Officers from the Vernon Serious Crimes Unit took a 30-year-old man into custody Monday afternoon after he turned himself in. “The suspect in the case was identified through the photos that were posted through the media outlets,” said Vernon RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk. “Police then acted on a tip from the public and police inquiries for the suspect led him to attend the police office where he was arrested without incident.” Police appealed for the public’s help in identifying the suspect last week, and released photos of a suspect from the three robberies at the VantageOne Credit Union Dec. 20, Bank of Montreal on June 9 and at HSBC July 24. Police said they believed one person was responsible for all three robberies. The suspect is a Vernon resident and was slated to make an appearance in Vernon Provincial Court Tuesday. Police are recommending that he remain in custody.

Special Meeting of Council

Start Time: 8:29am - July 31, 2012
Location: Council Chambers

• Agenda Index 
• Agenda Package 
• Notice 

No charges for purchasing dope

by Wayne Moore - Castanet Jul 31, 2012 / 5:00 am

Reporter Kelly Hayes will keep his clean record. Hayes, who purchased a baggie of marijuana as part of an undercover news report which aired on Castanet last week, will not be charged with purchasing, or possessing the illegal drug. "After consultation with Crown Counsel, it has been determined that no charges will be recommended against the local media reporter who purchased marihuana as part of an investigative report," says Clark. "He now fully understands that he had no legal authority to possess a controlled substance, regardless of his intentions, and that future actions may result in criminal charges." Hayes went undercover to expose a drug operation in a Kelowna home which, ironically, was owned by the city. After Castanet ran the expose, the RCMP raided the home. Two people face charges of trafficking after police confiscated 340 grams of marijuana was seized.
A third person faces possession charges.

A penny saved: Canadian coin to stick around until 2013

The Canadian Press July 30, 2012 2:10 PM

OTTAWA — The penny's days are still numbered, but the controversial Canadian coin is getting a last-minute reprieve before it's finally killed off as a circulated currency.   The penny, its death sentence originally pronounced in the last federal budget, will no longer be circulated in Canada as of Feb. 4, 2013, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said Monday.  It has the holiday season — and the winter buying season's importance to Canadian retailers — to thank for the temporary stay of execution. The Royal Canadian Mint, which stopped producing the coins in May, was originally expected to start taking the penny out of circulation by this fall. But retailers and other small businesses complained that the transition to a penny-free marketplace would be too much of a burden right before the busy holiday season. "Setting a clear transition date will allow consumers, businesses, charities and financial institutions to plan accordingly in the lead-up to February," Flaherty said in a press release. "We want to thank all Canadians for sharing their views with us, especially as it relates to this  transition." After Feb. 4, cash transactions will have to be rounded to the nearest five cent increment, but electronic transactions will still be calculated down to the individual cent.

RFP for Core Services Review Online

File No

Type                                              Project Description

Closing Date

ADM-12-76

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

2012 Core Services Review

Aug-24-2012

CRITICAL CONDITION: Top dogs chew up patient care dollars

Kelowna Daily Courier Monday, 30 July 2012 02:00 Don Plant
 A Kamloops specialist went on the radio this month to complain about something that affects all of us - less money flowing into patient care.  Dr. Dennis Karpiak said our medical system is unsustainable because it's filled with a rising number of bureaucrats who are making it harder for doctors to do their jobs.   "You can walk through any hospital and find more administration offices than patient rooms. There's one administrator for every two patients," he told CKNW.  Nurses are so understaffed and overworked, they simply give out pills, Karpiak said. At the same time, hospitals have reduced their in-patient beds.   Thirty years ago, Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops had more than 300 beds. The city's population has grown by a third since then, and yet the beds have decreased to 260.  At Kelowna General, 318 beds are open to acute-care patients - a number that has barely budged, even after a major expansion to a hospital that serves twice as many city residents as it did in the 1980s. Eight vice-presidents now work for Interior Health. Nineteen administrators earn more than $150,000 a year.   More than 400 employees gross more than $100,000, and 2,400 draw more than $75,000.  It's an "overwhelming increase in bureaucracy" at the expense of patient care, Karpiak says.  "This is not Tommy Douglas's 1965 vision. Medicare was established to protect families from the consequences of ill health and to cover their doctors and hospital bills. It was not intended to be a playground for bureaucrats to spend taxpayer's money."  Many IH administrators also work as physicians, so they collect a salary on top of their fees for service. More than 17,000 of the health authority's 18,000 employees are unionized workers who earn at most $103,000 before overtime, says John Johnston, vice president of people and clinical services.(more)
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http://www.interiorhealth.ca/AboutUs/Accountability/Pages/FinancialReporting.aspx
2011 Schedule of Remuneration and Expenses 2011
2011 Executive Compensation 2011
2011 Board Remuneration 2011

A Small Business Tax Break

Vernon is Sponsoring this resolution at the UBCM in Sept 2012.  This is the 4th time this has gone to UBCM. History of the last 3 resolutions is shown below. We are 2 of 3 at getting it approved by UBCM but 0 for 2 on Province accepting it. The Ironic thing is that the Province rejected it because the present economic outlook is extremely promising for the Province as a whole

• WHEREAS the statutory property exemption for business Class 6 assessments is $10,000, regardless of the property value; AND WHEREAS the business Class 6 exemption has remained unchanged since implementation in 1984 despite increasing assessments: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the provincial government review the business class exemption for Class 6 assessment and consider an increase to $50,000 for the statutory property exemption, in order to provide small businesses, in the Province of British Columbia, a fair exemption for their increased assessed property value.

 HISTORY

July 11/2005 Don Quixote presented this idea for a small business property tax break at the last council meeting July 11/2005 They were asked to check the numbers and the feasibility of this proposal and to endorse its implementation to the Provincial Government through our local MLA. I maintain that the local small businesses (drug store, local pub, local radio station or locksmith) should be taxed at a different rate than the big businesses (banks, Walmart, Staples etc.). I was told that this was not allowed by provincial regulation. On closer examination I discovered that the big businesses were already paying at a higher effective rate than the smaller ones and had been doing so since 1984. In 1983 there were no exemptions to property assessments. In 1984 the first $10,000 of property assessment has been exempted and this continues to this present day. Now if the total amount to be taxed to the entire business class is a hypothetical $1,000,000 than the tax charged to the individual businesses changed from 1983 to 1984. It is obvious that a $10,000 exemption is worth more to a small owner whose property is assessed at $100,000 (10%) than the big owner whose property is assessed at $1,000,000 (1%)

Since then this has gone to the UBCM 3 times, (2007, 2008, 2009):

• 2007

  B121

  business tax exemption

  Endorsed

  Vernon

  View

   Provincial Response: The property tax exemptions for Class 4, Industrial, 5, Light Industrial and 6, Business, improvements were prescribed by regulation in 1984 in response to a severe downturn in the general economy of the Province of British Columbia (Province). The exemptions were intended to provide assistance to small business enterprises throughout the Province. Although not all areas of the Province share in the current economic wellbeing, the present economic outlook is extremely promising for the Province as a whole. There is no need to provide such assistance province wide at this time.

• 2008

  B26

  Business Class Exemption

  Endorsed

  Vernon

  View

Provincial Response: Amendments enacted to Section 226 of the Community Charter (CC) provide municipalities with the opportunity to provide for revitalization tax exemptions for any revitalization objectives, including economic revitalization. These provisions will allow a municipality to target the kinds of economic activities and investment which will be in the best interests of the community.

2009

B95

Business Class Exemption-

Not Considered - Automatic Referral to Executive

Vernon

View

Executive Decision Not Endorsed

 

Effect Of A $40,000 Exemption increase on Local Business: (2007 & 2010 )- 2012 will be posted shortly when I get Folio Count Received  Sept 20.)

2010 effect of $40,000 Exemption Increase

2007 effect of $40,000 Exemption Increase

Clock ticking for restoration project

By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: July 29, 2012 1:00 AM

Garry Garbutt (left) and Ron Candy

  Community support is required for a historical treasure to keep ticking. Restoration of the 1912 post office clock is underway but the Greater Vernon Museum needs $30,000 for the project. “We have a ways to go,” said Ron Candy, curator, of the $8,000 raised to date. “We’d like to move along quickly with it because we’d like to celebrate the anniversary of the  clock.” The clock was installed in Vernon’s post office a century ago, but it was removed when the building was demolished in 1959. Part of the mechanisms were placed inside a clock tower on 32nd Avenue in 1967 while others were sent to O’Keefe Ranch for storage. Earlier this year, the city upgraded the clock tower and the original parts were donated to the museum, as were the pieces at the ranch. The goal is to construct a tower inside the museum for the restored clock. “There were quite a few pieces missing and it was sitting derelict for 53 years,” said Garry Garbutt, a volunteer putting the clock back together. Some period pieces, like the pendulum, have been located and some gears have been manufactured. The 14-foot-tall tower will be made from structural steel so it can hold 1,000 pounds of dials. “It will take up a lot of real estate but it’s worth it because the clock is a significant Vernon artifact,” said Candy. “There aren’t too many operating clocks inside where you can see the interior works.” The tower will also feature exhibit space. “We want to tell the story of the clock, the post office and postal history,” said Candy. Donations for the project can be made at the museum at 3009 32nd Ave. There is also a fundraising raffle underway with first prize being a 12-foot rowboat, followed by an Allan Brooks print for second prize and a three-year family membership to  the museum as third prize. Tickets are $5 each or three for $10 and the draw date is Aug. 27. Besides financial support, the museum is seeking other assistance. “If anyone knows what happened to the clock’s original bell, it would be  nice to know where it is,” said Candy. “We are also looking for any photographs of inside the original tower with the bell and mechanisms.” The museum can be reached at 250-542-3142.

Storm leaves Armstrong reeling

Kelowna Daily Courier Sunday, 29 July 2012 02:00 Don Plant 
 People in Armstrong were cleaning up Saturday after what some call the storm of the century thrashed the town with heavy rain and hail.  The Friday night storm sent rainwater cascading down streets, flooded dozens of basements and knocked out power in some areas for six hours. A landslide across Highway 97A south of town blocked all four lanes, forcing traffic to detour through Armstrong.  "Cars were pulled over; there was no movement," said fire Chief Ian Cummings. "The volume hitting cars, the noise was incredible. There was so much water on the highway, you would have hydroplaned off."  The thunderstorm started before 7 p.m. with normal rainfall but soon turned into a 45-minute monsoon, said Mayor Chris Pieper. Winds blew from all directions, blowing down large trees across several roads.  Storm sewers failed to absorb the deluge. The rainwater flowed down sloped streets and jumped the curbs in places. Townhouses and a factory were partially submerged.  "I know there are lots of houses flooded in town," said Pieper. "Farms are damaged. Grain and gardens are just hammered."  Firefighters and staff at Pioneer Square care home had to move elderly residents and their beds upstairs after the main floor flooded. The water poured everywhere it could find, said Cummings.  "It was spectacular. I've never seen anything like it. The hail, wind and flooding it caused was crazy."  The exhibition fairgrounds were flooded. Torrential hail the size of peas blanketed lawns and piled high under the eaves of houses. Pieper still had hail in his front yard 21 hours later.  "It was unreal," he said. "People have never seen a storm this long with so much rain. This was a big storm."  Harry Morgan used a chainsaw to buck a fallen tree on Kathy Wankel's property. The hail damaged her flower beds and smashed through a glass-topped table in her yard.  "The rain poured down my driveway, through my carport and out the other side," Wankel said. The landslide carried fine dirt and sand from a quarry across the highway. Officials worried the hill was unstable and closed the highway in case of more slides. They reopened it after three hours. Firefighters attacked a tree ignited by lightning. Cummings helped clear four large trees that had fallen across a road or power lines. He's surprised the hail didn't damage his vehicle.  "I was sure I'd have a bunch of dents. Lots of people's gardens were destroyed," he said. "I attended Pioneer Square. One of the men who lives there is in his 90s. He said it was the storm of century."  No one was reported injured during the storm. Restoration trucks were visible throughout the city. Damage is believed to be over $1 million.

Justice Park in spotlight

By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: July 29, 2012 1:00 AM
A small corner of downtown Vernon may not be keeping up with the times.  While the east end of 30th Avenue has redeveloped with the new library and office towers, Justice Park remains unchanged and largely unused. “The park isn’t as user-friendly as it could be when families and seniors are at the library and office workers are looking to eat their lunch,” said Annette Sharkey, with the Partners in Action group. The other issue is a perception that the park has previously had issues with criminal activities and may not be safe. Through Partners in Action, a number of agencies have come together and are trying to determine how to make the park more usable.The lead agency has been the Downtown Vernon Association while other participants include the Social Planning Council, Independent Living Vernon, the City of Vernon, Tolko Industries, Nixon Wenger and Okanagan Regional Library. The provincial government also needs to be involved because it owns the property. Eric Foster, Vernon-Monashee MLA, and his staff have pledged their support. “We’re trying to determine if there is any money that could be coming forward,” said Sharkey of Victoria. “We’re looking to see if there’s a chance to make physical changes to the space.” Substantial upgrades may not be necessary. “There needs to be more seating and more inviting so people spend more time there,” said Sharkey.

Sports complex on sidelines

 By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: July 29, 2012 1:00 AM
There’s concern that plans for a Greater Vernon sports complex have stalled.  The Regional District of North Okanagan board agreed in May to move towards a referendum for a track and field facility next to Okanagan College. But no details about the process has surfaced since then. “We will be asking our administrator where things are at during our next meeting,” said director Mike Macnabb. “We have  to be proactive because of timelines.” If a referendum to borrow up to $8.5 million is held this November, legislative procedures for the  vote would have to begin soon. Also, when the Agricultural Land Commission approved use of the site in November 2011, it stated the facility must be developed within three years. Director Jim Garlick admits he wonders where regional district staff are with planning. “There’s been nothing acted upon,” he said, adding he also wants some answers at Thursday’s Greater Vernon Advisory Committee meeting. One possible reason for the delay in progress is the ongoing restructuring of the parks and recreation function. While he agrees restructuring is taking time, Garlick says, “It’s not a reason to not move ahead on other initiatives.” If there is a referendum this fall, considerable effort will be directed towards informing taxpayers about the project. “I’m not sure the economy will support it at this time, but referendum is the direction we wanted to go and the question will have to be asked,” said Macnabb. Garlick also isn’t sure how the public will respond to borrowing funds. “I want to see what the support will be. It will be up to the community in the end,” he said. Preliminary designs include an Olympic-size rubberized track, a lighted artificial playing field, a field house and bleachers.

Update: Armstrong floods force evac

by Amy Jackson-Shelling - Castanet Jul 28, 2012 / 7:27 am
Some people had to be evacuated in Armstrong after a massive storm hit the area causing hail and severe flooding.  Several stores were affected and people were finding it hard to get around. There was a thunder storm alert in the area, people say it hit in the early evening. Witnesses say the deluge of water was only interrupted by a massive hail storm. Water made roadways into waterways and caused widespread damage.There are reports a seniors' home had to be evacuated. We have a reporter there and we will have a full report on the damage as it becomes available.

The Spallumcheen valley was hit by a severe thunderstorm that began Friday evening just before 7:00 p.m.  Mass flooding cordoned off various streets in Armstrong, making road travel difficult, while RCMP closed Highway 97 and diverted traffic northbound to the Pleasant Valley Road turnoff due to a landslide. “The concern is a nearby gas line,” said Ian Cummings, Chief of the Armstrong Fire Department. Crews worked to clear the slide from the road, and had the route reopened by 11:00 p.m. It is unclear whether anyone was caught in the slide, but initial reports are that no one was injured. “You couldn’t see three feet in front of you,” says Ian Cummings. “The hail was incredible. I honestly believe my car was damaged.” “I talked to a resident here [Pioneer Square] who had lived here all his life and he said it was the storm of the century.” The Fire Department responded to more than half a dozen calls, including fallen trees and downed power lines. Some places unaffected by the power outages were soon left in the dark as crews worked to restore power safely to everyone in Armstrong. Flooding also forced an evacuation at the Pioneer Square Residential Care facility on Willowdale Drive. Nine residents, housed on the bottom floor of the building, were moved to higher ground. Fortunately Emergency Services, staff at the facility and the Armstrong Fire department made temporary arrangements to bring seven residents’ beds to the top floor of the building for the night. The two other residents were housed with family. “We’re happy to come out and help,” says Helen Sinclair from Emergency Services. “Businesses need to have a business contingency plan for  situations like this. Kudos to the Armstrong Fire Department. We like outcomes like this.”Flooding affected several locations in Armstrong. “My basement has flooded. All the townhouses on Pleasant Valley Road are flooded,” said Armstrong resident Shira Summers. “Strata was called but it can take a while.” The Kohler factory also experienced flood damage. “There’s a river running through it. They have a sump pump working to clear out the water. Restoration crews are there right now,” said Kohler employee Jason Joslin. “I don’t know if there’ll be work tomorrow.”

Province To Provide Flood Relief

Written by Peter McIntyre  107.5 KISSFM  Friday, 27 July 2012 13:49 
 The province is coming to the aid of flood-impacted residents in the North Okanagan.  Gord Molendyk from the North Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre says the property owners will be able to apply for compensation for non-insurable items damaged by the high levels of the Shuswap River or other creeks in June and July. "What then will happen is there will be an accessor or evaluator that will go to the property to review the damage.As we said earlier, if you are gong to start to do repairs, photographs and documentation (of the work) would be very helpful." Molendyk says residents, businesses, farms,  and charitable organizations will be eligible to apply for up to 350-thousand dollars in relief from BC's Disaster Financial Assistance program. Most of the flooding was in the Enderby, Lumby and Ashton Creek areas. The province approved an application from the North Okanagan Regional District for the relief funding. People may submit an application in more than one category (ie. Home and business) Please review the DFA Guidelines at http://www.pep.bc.ca/dfa_claims/dfa.html and complete the application. You may contact the DFA office at PEP.Funding@gov.bc.ca or by phoning toll free at 1.888.257.4777.

Home needed for new mural

By Staff Writer - Vernon Morning Star Published: July 27, 2012 1:00 AM
A new downtown Vernon mural is closer to reality but cash and a building are still needed.  The Downtown Vernon Association board is contributing $6,000 to a mural being developed by artist Michelle Loughery. “The mural will have a human rights theme set in the years around the First World War when Ukrainians and other Eastern Europeans designated as enemy aliens were sent to internment camps in Vernon and 23 other Canadian communities,” said Earl Hansen, with the DVA. “While in the camps, these 8,000 or more internees were forced to work on infrastructure projects that contributed to the Canadian economy in both the short and long-term. The camps were closed after the war ended and those who were incarcerated in them were patrolled out to various hard-labour jobs.” Unlike the previous 27 downtown murals, this project would be painted on aluminum panels which would be affixed to the outside of the building housing the mural. Additional funding is still required before the project can proceed. “Those interested in making a donation to the project should contact the DVA,” said Hansen. “One of the early sponsors of the mural project is the Silver Star Rotary Club which is contributing $2,000.” The DVA is also looking for a commercial property owner downtown who would be interested in making a wall available for the mural. For more information, call 250-542-5851.
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http://www.vernonmurals.ca/

District wants action on water

By Jennifer Smith - Vernon Morning Star Published: July 27, 2012 1:00 AM

Coldstream is eager to light a fire under those responsible for getting Greater Vernon’s water plans on tap.  The district is requesting that Coun. Gyula Kiss, a local water expert, be allowed to sit in and answer questions, if asked, during master water plan meetings. “We have been presenting data to the consultants and it’s been over four months and we haven’t heard anything yet,” said Kiss, who has been studying, criticizing and advocating for a better plan for years. “This is an important issue for which we hold the bag.” The plan should have been further along by now, therefore there is an impression that nothing is happening, said Coun. Pat Cochrane. “I’m just wondering whose responsibility it is to light a fire under the consultants?” Coldstream’s chief administrative officer, Michael Stamhuis, is a member of the staff committee and says the sentiments are echoed. “We’ve been as frustrated with a lack of progress on the consultant’s end as councillor Kiss,” said Stamhuis. Kiss’ council colleagues all agreed that he should be a part of the ongoing  discussions about the water plan. “I think he would be constructive,” said Coun. Maria Besso.

Kelowna defends salary structure

by Wayne Moore - Castanet Jul 26, 2012 / 2:18 pm

Comments made by BC Finance Minister, Kevin Falcon, are not sitting well with Kelowna City Hall.
Falcon told reporters he's 'frustrated' at what he calls 'spiraling municipal wages and benefits.' He claims over the past five years municipal wage levels have risen more than 20%. Falcon says those types of increases, at a time when the rest of the world is tightening its fiscal belt, are not sustainable. Since 2008, wages paid out by the City of Kelowna have risen by about 17.5% from 49.2M in 2008 to $57.8M in 2011. Acting City Manager, Doug Gilchrest, says he believes the wage and benefits package provided by the city is indeed sustainable. Gilchrest says he feels the city is quite responsible when it comes to wages. "I think you have to consider wages as part of your whole financial package and whether or not you are creating a sustainable financial package for your citizens. We have managed here, I think, to keep taxes relatively low," says Gilchrest. "Council has responded well to the economy in the previous years with a low tax increase and I think they are probably committed to try and continue to achieve that at least until the economy improves." In terms of wages, Gilchrest says the city is well positioned to attract top talent in comparison with other private sector areas. "We do go through cycles no different than with private industry where, at times, it is very hard to attract people from private industry of from government agencies and we do have to be competitive," adds Gilchrest. "At times when the economy is slow people do look to government jobs for a certain level of security. With that said we do pride ourselves in trying to keep an efficient workforce in place."

Transit Ridership Close To Milestone

Written by Peter McIntyre  107.5 KISSFM Thursday, 26 July 2012 17:34
  Greater Vernon's transit system is closing in on a milestone of half-a-million riders a year. The latest figures are just shy of that, for an average of 38,348 people taking the bus each month, up nine percent from a year ago, and one of the biggest increases in BC. The system had 440,438 rides in 2011-12 as compared to 405,271 in 2010-11. BC Transit spokesperson Meribeth Burton says there's several reasons. She says, "It has a lot to do with working with the City of Vernon, and the next exchange is in place (by Cenotpah Park on 31st Ave), and people seem to really be responding to our longer service hours." Riders can now catch a bus later into the night, and on some stat holidays in changes that took effect in May. Vernon councillor Juliette Cunningham would like to see a new bus stop added near the new library, saying the closest stop now is a few blocks away, difficult for people with mobility-issues. The west Kootenay city of Castlegar led all BC communities with a 61 percent increase in transit use.

Drug buy in the city

Castanet goes undercover to buy drugs, guess who owns the house . . . Kelly Hayes reports.
by Kelly Hayes - Castanet Jul 26, 2012 / 5:00 am 



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Update: City drug house raided by Wayne Moore - Castanet  Jul 27, 2012 / 5:00 am
Kelowna RCMP, working with video evidence from Castanet News, raided a drug house near Pandosy Wednesday night. The raid came hours after Castanet aired a video showing videographer Kelly Hayes purchasing marijuana from the residents.

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 Reporter investigated over drug investigation

Kelowna Daily Courier: Friday, 27 July 2012 02:00 Don Plant

Revite Comprision-Property owner cost

The owners that have frontage along the Downtown Revite areas in the past and in the future have been required to pay the costs of certain sidewalk amenities. In Revites 1, 2, & 3 which were the 30th ave Revites done in the early 2003-2004 period they paid for everything from curb to storefront. (Including Decorative Brick, Street Furniture, Decorative street lights and Trees and Landscaping. Total costs per meter were $948.73, $713.80 & $1412.04 respectively. (before interest)

The owners in the proposed revite on 30th ave. (2013 Budget??) (The last 2 blocks) will pay for the Decorative Brick, Street Furniture,Twinkle lights etc. & Bollards and will pay $450.00 per frontage meter. (before interest). This project is in the design phase as approved by council and will be brought forward as a budget item for 2013 spring completion.

The proposed Revite on 31 Ave. (5 blocks from Railway station to Safeway.) had 2 options for additional amenities -$190.16 per meter for Decorative Brickwork Only or $418.85  per meter for the Brickwork & Street Furniture. Both options were rejected by the owners along this proposed revite. The Bus Terminus was completed along this street and the 1 other block completed (on the east side of 30th st) got ordinary sidewalk and no street furniture. The Decorative Street Lighting and Trees and Landscaping were included. No budgets or Council approval have been given for the remaining 3 blocks.

The chances are good that YOU are listed in provincial police database

By SAM COOPER AND ELIZABETH CONNERS, The ProvinceJuly 25, 2012 6:01 PM
For more than 10 years police officers in British Columbia have been quietly amassing potentially damaging personal information in a little-known database called PRIME-BC.  You don’t have to be a criminal to have a file. If you’ve phoned 9-1-1, witnessed a crime, been a suspect, or been pulled over by an officer in B.C., then your name and personal information are likely logged in the system. More than 85 per cent of B.C.’s adult population is in PRIME-BC, officially known as Police Records Information Management Environment. Even more surprisingly, a growing number of employers are accessing the records and potentially ruling out job-seekers based on contacts that are “adverse” according to police. After releasing a report Wednesday that points to the B.C. government’s flawed use of employee criminal record checks, Information and Privacy Commissioner Elizabeth Denham said the government is not accessing PRIME information — but “more and more” private companies are. “I believe that is problematic under B.C.’s privacy laws, because that is information that has not been confirmed by judicial oversight,” Denham said Wednesday. “Adverse police contact is recorded in PRIME, and that could create a flag on a file that at the end of the day could prejudice someone from obtaining employment. I think that is a problem for the citizens of B.C., and I don’t believe PRIME should be used in an employment setting.” The first details about PRIME-BC were released in 2010 through an annual general report issued by PRIMECorp. Officially, the database went into operation on a pilot basis in Vancouver, Port Moody and Richmond in 2001. Yet, The Province has learned that PRIME-BC started recording individuals’ personal information for the first time in Richmond, in 1998. It’s difficult to know what constitutes a negative contact in PRIME, because few police agencies were willing to discuss guidelines for officer reporting. Rules on what represents “adverse police contact” on a record check vary between policing agencies, and even with various personnel completing the check. The Abbotsford Police Department, an independent force separate from the RCMP, was most forthcoming of all departments contacted. Abbotsford will not report information on witnesses or 9-1-1 callers, but will report negative contact if an interaction was considered “chargeable.” According to the RCMP’s operations manual, they will relay any “founded, substantiated adverse information.” But civil liberty advocates worry that “adverse contact” boils down to individual officers giving their subjective opinions. (more)

Suspect may be linked to multiple robberies in Vernon

A suspect in three Vernon bank robberies is being sought by RCMP. From left - Bank of Montreal June 9, HSBC July 24 and VantageOne Credit Union Dec. 20. RCMP photos

  By Staff Writer - Vernon Morning Star Published: July 25, 2012 9:00 AM

A robbery at Vernon's HSBC Tuesday may have connections to two other incidents. Investigators from the Vernon RCMP have obtained photos from the past three robberies at financial institutions in the city over the past seven months. "There are several indications that one person is responsible for the three robberies," said Gord Molendyk, detachment spokesperson. The three photos show the individual with different looks as he approached the tellers at VantageOne Dec. 20, the Bank of Montreal June 9 and HSBC July 24. The suspect has been described as a Caucasian male in his late teens or early 20's, about six feet tall, clean shaven and 150 to 160 pounds. Anyone with information about this individual is asked to call the Vernon RCMP at 250-545-7171 or Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222 8477.

Pitt residents still signing tax petition

By Monisha Martins - Maple Ridge News Published: July 25, 2012 6:00 AM

A Pitt Meadows man who started a petition calling for no residential tax increase next year is still fielding calls from residents who want to sign it.  Tom Murray presented the petition with 930 signatures to council at a regular meeting last week, but said he’s now decided to continue collecting signatures until fall. “I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Murray, whose been getting phone calls and emails from others who share his concerns. Murray and his wife Norma decided to start the petition after hearing council passed a resolution for staff to prepare a budget based on a four per cent tax increase each of the next five years. The Murrays want a “zero” tax increase for 2013. “We are going to be taking a very close look at next year’s budget,” said Murray. He remains disappointed that a technical problem resulted in no sound being broadcast while he spoke during last Tuesday’s council meeting. “A lot of people are quite angry there was no sound,” he said. The City of Pitt Meadows will be sending a letter to each of the 930 people who signed the petition, that will explain how tax increases are determined and invite them to participate in business planning meetings that begin in fall.Pitt Meadows mayor Deb Walters responds to tax protest petitionDon Quixote Note:  Pitt Meadows Tax position in relationship to Vernon and other cities from Vernon's Annual report can be found at :http://vernonblog.blogspot.ca/2012/05/analysis-of-municipal-comparision-from.html

Going back in time - 100 years ago in Vernon

Published: July 25, 2012 1:00 AM LINDA JENKINS Special to the Morning Star

The Vernon Court House was constructed between 1912 and 1914. Greater Vernon Museum Photo

A year to remember is 1912. That’s when the greatest steamship in the world, the Titanic, went down after a collision with an iceberg.  What was Vernon like in 1912?  The period from 1890 to 1913 was a time of growth and development for the prosperous community of Vernon. It was evolving from a village to a thriving town. In 1911, the population was 2,671 and the city speed limit was 15 miles per hour.  Within this period, the post office opened and the Hudson`s Bay Company opened its third store on Barnard Avenue (30th Avenue). The militia camp opened on Mission Hill and a second CPR station was constructed. From 1912 to 1914, the present-day court house on 27th Street, was built.  The building was designed by Thomas Hooper, a famous Vancouver architect, who designed well known landmarks in Vancouver, such as the Vancouver Carnegie Library. The architectural style of the court house is classical revival.  It creates the feeling of a Greek temple with its ionic columns supporting a central block with flanking wings on each side.  The building was constructed of white granite from a quarry on the south side of Ellison Park on Okanagan Lake.
Back to 1912, when the All Saints Anglican hall was built as a scaled-down version of the 1907 church which burned down. The hall was moved to its present location on 27th Street. The Bank of Montreal was built in the high Victorian Queen Ann revival style in 1893.  It was moved in 1909 to its present location at 2908 32nd St. This building is valued as one of the earliest important brick commercial buildings in the Interior. The Bank of Commerce, which is currently Phoenix Steak House, was built in 1913/14 and is noted for its beaux arts design. This well loved building is located at 3117 30th Avenue.
Another fine 1912/13 architectural example is the Urquhart House still standing at 2501 23rd Ave.  This warm and classical home was designed by architect O. Beaston Hatchard, in what was then known as the Pine Grove subdivision. The twin-gabled bungalow, with matching carriage house, is also of merit due to its fine detailing of half timbering, triangular dormers and stately cupolas.
An historical footnote from 1912:
In April 1912, the Vernon News reported the arrival of Baron and Baroness Herry and stated the baron’s family and retinue will form a welcome addition to the population of the district. The baron secured 76 acres to plant orchards and another 18 acres to build a home.  In her later years, the baroness employed her artistic talents for sketching and painting landscapes of the Okanagan.  In 2002, the Vernon Public Art Gallery mounted a retrospective of her artwork.
This is the inaugural article of a new series of historical vignettes on buildings and landmarks that we all know by sight, but may not know the people who created them or the dreams they had.
Linda Jenkins wrote the article for the Heritage Advisory Committee of Vernon, with editing help by  Bill Hamilton and Shelagh McGinn. Special thanks to the Greater Vernon Museum for historical references and pictures.

Employment Opportunity - City of Vernon

Court Liaison Job Posting - PDF