The city of Vernon will pay its share for a regional bird control program that benefits farmers in the North Okanagan. Mayor Rob Sawatzky says problems with starlings are not just a rural issue. "Starlings are actually an urban bird. They live in urban areas like ours and then they go out and raid rural crops, so there's probably a pretty strong argument that we should do something to assist," Sawatzky said to Kiss FM. The BC Grape Growers Association is seeking $25,000 from the region to deal with the birds. Vernon is prepared to pay just over $13,000, which will come from unexpended funds in 2012. Councillor Mary-Jo O'Keefe led a motion to support the program. "I'm saying give them the money. The starling program is important, and I don't want to go a year and miss starling control because I think it's devastating," O'Keefe told council. RDNO no longer has a function for the program so it referred a request to jurisdictions to provide the same amount paid in 2012. The totals are: Armstrong $1,093, Enderby 601, Vernon 13,257, Spallumcheen 1,482, Lumby 432, Coldstream 3,034, Electoral Area "B" 1,409, Electoral Area "C" 1,547, Electoral Area "D" 631, Electoral Area "E" 182, Electoral Area "F" 1,332. Councillor Catherine Lord led a motion for RDNO to reconsider how the funding formula is tabulated. "We have very little farm land compared to other areas like Spallumcheen and Coldstream, and yet we're paying on assessment, when really we should be paying on farm assessment."---------
Don Quixote Note: In 2012 the RDNO budget for starling control was $25,390. Vernon's share of that amount was $13,482. (Coldstream $3,073) For some odd reason Starling Control unlike the Sterile Insect Release program (S.I.R.) is taxed on BOTH Land and improvements while the S.I.R. is taxed on Land only (plus an orchard parcel tax).
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