Narrow win for 'No' side

by David Wylie - CASTANET Sep 17, 2016 / 9:58 pm

UPDATE: 10 p.m.
"Really there are no winners at this point."That's the tempered reaction Saturday night from Ian Graham, spokesman for the group opposing borrowing millions for a new city hall in West Kelowna. The 'No' side won a very narrow victory Saturday night. He said the whole process has shone a spotlight on disunity in West Kelowna. "A house divided against itself cannot stand," he told Castanet. "This is a town that needs to bring itself back to reality." He said the city needs to "squeeze" five to 10 years out of the old city hall and focus on other shortfalls. However, Graham wouldn't be specific about what the municipality should prioritize. West Kelowna Mayor Doug Findlater said he was disappointed by the results – though he stressed they are still only preliminary. "I put my heart and soul into this – as did many others," he said in an interview. In the meantime, the municipality will likely have to look at adding more portables "like a school that's growing in enrolment," he said. "We'll have to roll up our sleeves and come up with a solution," said Findlater. He praised the high voter turnout of 8,400 people, saying it shows there was strong support for a new city hall."But not enough," he said.

UPDATE: 9:35 p.m.
The unofficial results are in, and the 'No' side looks to have won a very narrow victory. A tiny majority of West Kelowna eligible voters voted against borrowing up to $7.7 million for the construction of a new city hall and related project work. It was a large turnout. A total of 8,397 votes were cast, including mail ballot and advance poll votes, with 4,185 in favour of the borrowing and 4,212 against. Declaration of official results will occur on Wednesday.
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Also see http://www.kelownacapnews.com/news/393861371.html

'Yes' gets campaign rolling

By Wayne Moore - CASTANET Aug 11, 2016 / 5:00 am

Two political heavyweights have joined forces in an effort to promote construction of a new city hall and civic centre in West Kelowna. Retired realtor Peter Wannop and former West Kelowna councillor God Milsom are co-chairing the 'Yes to the Civic Centre Committee.' The group recently registered with Elections BC and tomorrow, will officially open a storefront office. The office, in the Westridge Mall, will be staffed from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Monday to Saturday, beginning tomorrow. "The Alternative Approval Process showed there were quite a few people out there that were opposed to it for a variety of reasons," said Wannop of his decision to get involved. We started digging into it, and there, in our opinion, was a lot of misinformation being handed out about the city hall and civic centre. We thought we needed to get the facts out that, staying with the status quo and having the city hall where it is in a jammed, rat infested headquarters...was not good enough." He said staff deserve better and the city needs the civic centre, and needs it in the downtown core. "There have been numerous Westbank Centre revitalization plans done, which all point to having this located in the downtown core. We really believe it's the right time." Wannop also said the city also deserves to get the Mount Boucherie Community Centre back. The city has altered its original borrowing proposal, from the one defeated during the Alternative Approval Process. Now, when voters go to the polls for the Sept. 17 referendum, they will be asked to approve borrowing up to $7.7 million for the new facility on Elliott Road. The original bylaw asked for approval to borrow up to $10.5 million. The No side has been out in force since the city announced it would try to get voter assent through the AAP. While that campaign helped in getting about 15 per cent of the eligible electorate to vote no on the original proposal, Wannop believes not all of those people are against the new city hall. Wannop believes some of those people just wanted to ensure their voice was heard during a full referendum. Along with a storefront office, Wannop said the Yes side will also have a strong social media presence. They have established a website, Facebook page and Twitter feed.

New contract tips pay scale

by Wayne Moore -CASTANET Jun 30, 2016 / 5:00 am
The City of West Kelowna saw staff and management wages increase 12 per cent in 2015, compared with the previous year. While on the surface that seems exorbitant, much of that increase was eaten up by more than two years of retroactive pay to firefighters in the city. West Kelowna firefighters, members of the International Association of Firefighters, inked a new six-year contract in February of 2015. That deal called for a 2.5 per cent wage increase for the years 2013 through 2018. Because of the retroactive pay and overtime accrued throughout 2015, some firefighters saw their paycheque increase dramatically, in one instance, by as much as 70 per cent. In fact, 31 members of the West Kelowna Fire Department earned a gross salary above the $111,000 taken home by Fire Chief Jason Brolund. Brolund was on the job less than 11 months after taking over for outgoing chief Wayne Schnitzler in February of 2015. In all, 78 West Kelowna employees earned more than the $75,000 reporting threshold, 12 more than in 2014. Those 12 were for new positions, including one additional position in management, two firefighters, and nine union positions. According to the city, the union positions include some position reclassifications as well as some significant overtime requirements to maintain service levels. West Kelowna CAO Jim Zaffino remains the highest paid employee, pulling in just shy of $200,000 annually, an increase of less than four per cent over 2014. In all, West Kelowna paid out $14.965 million in wages, bonuses, taxable benefits and expenses.
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http://bc-westkelowna.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/2823?fileID=10520

End run around referendum

By Wayne Moore -CASTANET Jun 14, 2016 / 5:00 am
The City of West Kelowna may not have to go to referendum to get the funds needed to construct a new city hall after all. They may be able to use direct taxation to accomplish the task. The city used the provincially mandated Alternative Approval Process to obtain voter assent to borrow up to $10.5 million to construct a new city hall, part of a larger $30-million complex on Elliott Road. The bylaw was defeated when nearly 4,000 eligible voters said no to the proposal. After the province refused to give the city an extension to hold a fall referendum, council decided to scrap the borrowing bylaw altogether and wait for further information from staff, rather than attempt a city-wide referendum in the summer. A staff report with five options will be debated by council today. Two of those options would allow the city to use accumulated reserves to pay for the project and repay itself through a special parcel tax and other taxation. Council could approve the expenditure without voter assent – an end run around the referendum. A parcel is any designated area of land that does not include a highway; for example, a house and yard represent one parcel. Local governments can charge taxes against each parcel as one method of recovering its costs. A parcel tax can be imposed for a specific service for a property that may utilize that service. It must also specify the number of years the tax will be imposed. Should council approve the measure, between $7.2 and $8.2 million would be transferred from reserves. Those funds would need to be repaid within five years using a parcel tax and general taxation. It is being recommended between $57 and $72 be charged per parcel, per year. Interest of 1.7 per cent would be included in the repayment. A similar alternate recommendation would allow the city to transfer between $5.7 and $6.7 million from reserves, plus borrow $1.5 million which, again, would not require a referendum. Other recommendations to be considered by council would require a referendum, including development of a new borrowing bylaw. Council could also scrap the city hall project altogether.
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Report on options at http://www.districtofwestkelowna.ca/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/2770?fileID=10405

City hall on shaky ground

by Wayne Moore - CASTANET May 3, 2016 / 2:16 pm
City staff in West Kelowna are in the process of vetting more than 3,000 'no' forms which could, for the time being, scuttle the city's plans to build a new city hall. Registered voters in the city have until 4 p.m. today to drop off Alternative Approval process forms, effectively registering their opposition to the city's plan to borrow up to $10.5 million for construction of a new city hall on Elliott Road. In order to defeat the borrowing bylaw, 10 per cent of eligible voters, 2,603, must register their disapproval. A group which organized a vigorous no campaign, turned in about 3,000 forms Tuesday morning. Prior to that, the city had already received 694 forms.

Staff are in the process of verifying the validity of each form to ensure those who signed them live in the city, have signed only once and are confirmed registered voters. To be eligible, people must be 18 or over, a Canadian citizen, resident of B.C. for at least six months and a West Kelowna resident for at least 30 days.It will likely be Wednesday before an official tally is complete.

If the 10 per cent threshold is met, the city will have two choices: scrap the idea altogether or go to a full referendum. Opposition spokesman Ian Graham said they are not against a new city hall. "It was the fact that the city council wanted to use a back door, and from our point of view, an undemocratic, Alternate Approval Process to borrow the money rather than do what most of the citizens wanted, which is a proper and full citizen’s referendum vote at election time.” Graham said. “The citizens of West Kelowna have watched their sister city, Kelowna, borrow approximately $150 million through the Alternate Approval Process and do not want that happening to their own young city. The taxpayers are the ones that ultimately have to pay for all the borrowing and it can add up very quickly.” Graham said the city should look for an alternative space for city employees, until sufficient funding can be saved.

Referendum on city hall?

By Wayne Moore - CASTANET Feb 6, 2016 / 5:30 am

West Kelowna council will decide Tuesday how to engage the public on construction of a new city hall. Council will determine whether to go with a full referendum or use the alternative approval process. Taxpayers will be asked whether the city can borrow up to $10.5 million for the project. A maximum of $14.8 million will also be set for capital expenditures and non-construction costs. According to West Kelowna CAO Jim Zaffino, the amount being recommended is within the current 2016-2025 financial plan, with no additional tax increase required. The 32,000-square-foot civic centre on Elliot Road would be constructed, if approved, by Strategic BC Investments. It would house city hall and an office building owned by the developer. Interior Health has committed to moving some of its services into the office building. Two residential buildings are also proposed to be built on the site. These will be contingent on the economy and pre-sales. Under the provisions of an alternative approval process, 10 per cent of eligible voters would have to vote no to defeat the request for borrowing. The AAP would cost the city about $10,000, while a full referendum would cost approximately $48,000.

Rusty Ensign sanctioned by West Kelowna city council

February 01, 2016 - 3:19 PM by Adam Proskiw INFO-NEWS.CA
WEST KELOWNA – A special city council meeting was called in West Kelowna to consider sanctioning a city councilor for voting on a development his company had previously bid on. First term councilor Rusty Ensign initially denied he was in any conflict of interest when he opted to hear and vote on matters related to West Bay Beach Resort. It was later discovered that one of his companies was doing business or attempted to do business with the resort. Today, Feb. 1, West Kelowna council agreed to censure Ensign and request he repay half of the legal fees incurred by the municipality. Councillors also voted to require him to publically admit to a conflict of interest and apologize in a letter to the city council. In November, Ensign said he had no prior conflict of interest and the original letter that precipitated the investigation was based on inaccurate information. “To say I had a contract was over-stating the situation and having said that I am prepared in this case, out of respect for my colleagues and for the process, to recuse myself from any further deliberations and any more discussions on this matter," he said.

Councillor in conflict?

By Wayne Moore - CASTANET Nov 23, 2015 / 5:00 am
A West Kelowna councillor has found himself in a possible conflict of interest. First-term councillor Rusty Ensign allegedly voted on a development project while having a contractual relationship, said Mayor Doug Findlater. Because of that relationship with developers, council is being asked to rescind second and third readings of OCP and zoning amendments for a low-density, multiple-residential development and tourist accommodation on West Bay Road. Council gave second reading to the amendments in early September and, following a public hearing Sept. 29, gave it third reading. "This recommendation (to rescind) is made to ensure the process for adoption of the bylaws, if council proceeds to do so, is transparent and fair, and ultimately to protect the integrity of the process," stated a report council will review Tuesday. "We are correcting the process," said Findlater. The mayor said people sitting through a public hearing must know those hearing the information do not have a conflict. The report before council further stated, "On Oct. 27, 2015 the city received an action plan from West Bay Beach Resort which states Ensign has a demolition contract with West Bay Beach Resort. "The city sought legal advice regarding a potential conflict of interest for Coun. Ensign, in regards to bylaw No. 0100.04 and bylaw No. 154.26, and council directed that, to ensure their validity, the bylaws be brought back to first reading and for.consideration of.second reading." Ensign owns a company which, among other services, provides demolition work. This means a public hearing will also have to be scheduled again. Findlater said council would decide at a later date whether it would entertain discussion of possible sanctions against Ensign. This is the second time in recent weeks a Central Okanagan elected official has found themselves at odds with those around the table. Central Okanagan East Director Patty Hanson has been accused of relaying information from a confidential meeting of the regional board.A hearing on possible censure or sanctions was postponed indefinitely last week to allow Hanson to have her attorney present at the proceedings.

Water Rates Study West Kelowna

http://www.civicinfo.bc.ca/bids?bidid=4605

Readers want a bypass

by Nicholas Johansen CASTANET - Sep 24, 2015 / 4:00 pm
Castanet readers have strong opinions about the need for a second Okanagan Lake bridge or a bypass. Our reader Question of the Day on Wednesday prompted a giant response from readers – almost 5,000 took the time to vote in the survey. The poll asked: “What's more important – a second Okanagan Lake bridge or a bypass?” The clear choice from readers was a new bypass, at 50.6 per cent. The second-largest block (28.7 per cent) thought the Central Okanagan needs both. Only 16.9 per cent of readers felt a new bridge was the best choice. “We need both. The second bridge should lead to a bypass of both Kelowna and West Kelowna,” reader ‘bgrigg’ commented. A mere 3.8 per cent responded that neither are needed. Some commenters thought a bypass would hurt business in the area. “If you have a bypass, then all the malls will move to the edge of town and suck the life out of the business district,” wrote ‘Givrdad.’ “If you have another route through town, then people will stop and support the local businesses on their way through.” Cory wrote the city would never go with the bypass option for that reason. “Too much lost revenue if traffic is diverted around the city,” he wrote. Another commenter felt public perception of such projects all comes down to labelling. “Tip to Kelowna council. Don't call it a bypass, call it a truck route. Much better public support that way,” wrote Gordon Storey.

Mayor seeks bypass route

by Wayne Moore CASTANET - Sep 18, 2015 / 2:57 pm
The City of West Kelowna hopes to get some answers on a wide range of topics at next week's Union of BC Municipalities convention in Vancouver. Mayor Doug Findlater said the city has scheduled meetings with ministers of energy, transportation and health, as well as local MLA, Premier Christy Clark. The biggest issue for Findlater is transportation – specifically, a corridor to a proposed second lake crossing. "We want to ensure a second corridor is studied and presented as an option," said Findlater in advance of the convention, which kicks off Monday. "It may not be viable, but we want to ensure it's not just another bridge that pours traffic on existing 97 and build a bunch of interchanges." While Findlater doesn't have a specific route in mind, he did say he sees a route going around the community with connections to the city. The Westbank couplet will also be part of the discussion. (more)

West Kelowna Sofi 2014 online

http://www.districtofwestkelowna.ca/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/2178?fileID=5877

Crystal Mountain won't open

by Bill Everitt CASTANET - Sep 13, 2014 / 2:58 pm

Crystal Mountain Ski Resort in West Kelowna just announced they will not be opening for the 2014/15 season. The announcement came on the resort's Facebook page at about 8 a.m. Saturday morning. "Thank you all for patiently waiting for an update from us. I'm sad to announce that the mountain will not be in operation for the upcoming 2014-2015 winter season," reads the post. Crystal Mountain's 2014 season was cut short when a chair lift collapsed, injuring several people. "But this is not a goodbye, we plan to be open for the 2015-2016 season. Season pass holders will receive their refund as promised. For questions, please message our Facebook page," the page says. More details to come.

West Kelowna ratepayers can expect higher utility bill next month

Posted: Thursday, June 26, 2014 4:22 pm kelowna Daily Courier
West Kelowna residents will see a substantial increase on their July utility bill, a result of increased costs associated with the Regional Westside Wastewater Treatment Plant. West Kelowna said in a news release Wednesday it was advised by the Regional District of Central Okanagan that it would be charged an additional $494,265 for sewer service based on adjustment to the sewer flow calculation for the community. A further $210,000 increase would be billed to the municipality to pay for increased biosolid hauling costs. West Kelowna residents will see a rate increase of 22.92 per cent ($49.24 annually per household) on RDCO sewer rates, beginning on the next utility bill to be distributed in July. Partially offsetting the sewer rate increase is a reduction in recycling fees. Incentive funds provided from Multi-Material British Columbia (MMBC) for communities that participate in recycling programs will be used to reduce the cost of recycling to residents. Altogether, these changes will result in a net annual increase of $30.80 on the utility bill for an average single-family home, beginning next month.

West Kelowna residents face 2.95% tax hike

by Wade Paterson - Kelowna Capital News posted Jan 22, 2014 at 5:00 PM
If West Kelowna council stays on its current path, residents will face a 2.95 per cent tax increase for the second year in a row. Councillors gave first reading to the district's 2014 Financial Plan Tuesday. The proposed tax hike is tied for the third highest in the district's six-year history. The tax increase will generate an additional $714,969 of revenue, while growth of 1.25 per cent will add $302,953. West Kelowna RCMP's budget is up 3.07 per cent this year due to estimated contractual increases; West Kelowna Fire Rescue's budget increased by 3.39 per cent due to contractual wage increases and an increase in the administration overhead. Council also agreed to spend an extra $22,205 to train the district's firefighters in several "non-core" services, such as: Confined space rescue, ice rescue, road rescue, swift water rescue, high angle rescue and low angle rescue. The expenditure will likely result in improved response because those rescue services were previously provided regionally. Other notable operating budget increases include: A 6.34 per cent increase for bylaw enforcement, a 3.68 per cent increase for parks summer staff and a 6.84 per cent increase for the museum budget. West Kelowna's share of the 2014 transit cost for the district is more than $2.75 million; by 2023 it's projected to be nearly $3.3 million. Coun. Duane Ophus suggested council may need to rethink its transportation spending priorities in the future. "The cold hard reality, according to BC Transit numbers…transit accounts for one per cent of all trips made by residents of West Kelowna," said Ophus, who referenced information from BC Transit's presentation to council Nov. 12, 2013. "Transit sucks up—out of the total transportation budget, if you look at the cost of roads and the cost of transit—23 per cent of our dollars. The other 77 per cent goes into roads," said Ophus. "I realize how important transit is to a whole lot of people in West Kelowna…we just have to be really careful about where we go with this service." Ophus added the district's projected library costs over the next 10 years are too high. This year the district will pay about $1.3 million as part of its library grant. In ten years that cost could be nearly $1.6 million. "Library costs are expected to increase by 31 per cent over the next 10 years—they can not. "We are under continuous pressure from our constituents to provide more services. In order to provide more services, the existing ones that you provide, as they're spread over a bigger tax base, have to cost less, not more." Council opted to drop a $68,000 capital request for beach access improvements. A total of $4,917 in unallocated funds will be transferred to Reserves for Future Expenditures. A public open house for the draft budget will take place at Westbank Library Wednesday, Feb. 12, from 4 to 8 p.m. Refreshments will be provided and residents will have an opportunity to ask questions and voice their concerns with the proposed financial plan.

DISTRICT OF WEST KELOWNA NAMES INTERIM CAO

Interim CAO Appointed Posted Date: 1/17/2014 3:00 PM For Immediate Release January 17, 2014
West Kelowna Council has appointed Jim Zaffino, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, as the municipality’s Interim Chief Administrative Officer effective February 7, 2014. Mr. Zaffino will take over for departing Jason Johnson, the municipality’s first Chief Administrative Officer, who gave notice in December that he had accepted a position with the City of Victoria. Mr. Zaffino has been with the District of West Kelowna as its Chief Financial Officer since February 2008 and has acted as Chief Administrative Officer over the years. "He is very familiar with the duties of the office and Council is confident that he will manage this role well while we go through the recruitment process for our new CAO," says Mayor Doug Findlater. "Jim was the District's second employee hired and has accomplished great things for us. I know he will keep us well on track operationally." Mr. Zaffino has 39 years of municipal government experience. In 2011, Mr. Zaffino received a professional Service Award for Leadership from the Local Government Association. Through Jim’s financial expertise, direction and guidance, the District has achieved remarkable financial success in its short existence, most notable of which is helping the municipality build over $36 million in Reserves (as of December 31, 2013) in just five years. He successfully transitioned the full range of financial municipal services from the Regional District of Central Okanagan in the first three years and seamlessly accommodated the assimilation of both the Lakeview and Westbank Irrigation Districts at the end of 2010.
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http://districtofwestkelowna.ca/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=11102
(SOFI Records for West Kelowna 2012 )

City loses administrative officer

by Wayne Moore - CASTANET Dec 10, 2013 / 7:07 pm
The District of West Kelowna is looking for a new Chief Administrative Officer. Jason Johnson informed council today (Tuesday) he has accepted the City Manager's job with the City of Victoria. He will be leaving his current position with the municipality effective mid-February next year. “We accepted this news with heavy hearts, but I know all of council is very pleased for Mr. Johnson and the exciting new opportunity he has accepted,” says Mayor Doug Findlater. “Council has enjoyed an excellent relationship with our CAO during the past six years, he has helped us achieve more than we thought possible and his advice and counsel will be greatly missed.” Johnson was the first Chief Administrative Officer hired by the newly-incorporated municipality in January 2008. West Kelowna Council will begin work immediately to find a suitable replacement. “We will work quickly to begin the recruitment process for a new Chief Administrative Officer, keeping in mind the best interests of the community and District staff as we seek to fill this key municipal position,” says Mayor Findlater. “I have enjoyed my years at the District, helping to build the new municipality from the ground up with leadership from Mayor and Council and the tremendous help of the municipality’s strong, dedicated staff team,” says Jason Johnson.
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West Kelowna SOFI 2012  (Salaries < $75,000)
http://districtofwestkelowna.ca/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=11102

Sneak peak at new WFN health facility

By Marshall Jones Info-Tel News November 05, 2013 - 4:00 PM
WESTBANK FIRST NATION - Participants at a Westbank First Nation development conference got first looks at designs for the new Westbank First Nation health facility today.The private health care building is proposed for WFN land overlooking Okanagan Lake and the south slopes. It's envisioned as a 200,000 square-foot full-scale private hospital providing surgeries and health care for First Nations and anyone who can afford it. The $120-million medical centre is tentatively scheduled to open in 2016. It's a partnership with a private equity firm and would involve research partnerships with The Mayo Clinic, Chief Robert Louie has said. It's expected to provide 100 beds and 400 new jobs to the area. As a self-governing band, the WFN has no restraints about private two-tier medicine. Numerous calls to the band have not been returned.

Dangerous new drug was Okanagan bound

FRIDAY, 25 OCTOBER 2013 02:00 DON PLANT Kelowna Daily Courier

Two West Kelowna women face importation charges after border agents intercepted three large packages containing the main ingredient in bath salts, a potentially lethal drug that's relatively scarce in Canada. Senior representatives of the RCMP and the Canadian Border Services Agency flew to Kelowna on Thursday to reveal the 16 kilograms of methylone arrived by mail from China in August. The seizure is the largest of its kind in B.C. and the biggest in Canada in two years. "This large quantity of this very dangerous drug did not make it on the streets of this country," said Sgt. Peter Thiessen, federal spokesman for the RCMP in B.C. "This is a new amphetamine - a new type of drug that appears to be making its way into Canada. There's been some examples of it to the east. Now we're starting to see it in B.C. That becomes a big concern." One parcel arrived at the CBSA's international mail centre in Vancouver Aug. 23 and two more on Aug. 26. Each weighed more than five kg and declared the contents as table salt. All three were sent from China and addressed to a business in West Kelowna. Border officers X-rayed the contents and noticed large amounts of powder. Suspicious, they opened them and found a light-brown crystal substance wrapped in plastic and sealed in foil pouches. "It didn't look like or smell like sodium chloride. So they persisted with the field test and subsequently the lab tests which confirmed their instincts," said Heather Ardiel, chief of the mail centre. A lab test confirmed the powder as an amphetamine called methylone, an illegal drug that looks like salt and can be extremely dangerous, said Thiessen. Bath salts are common in the U.K. and the U.S. Police have recovered small amounts in the Atlantic provinces and Ontario, but seldom in Western Canada. The two women were arrested Sept. 19. RCMP are withholding their ages and names until they're formally charged. Thiessen wouldn't say how investigators singled them out. Police often repackage contraband once border agents discover it and allow its delivery so officers can make an arrest. Thiessen would only say officers have "many different strategies" in this type of investigation. If undetected, the bath salts could have been sold in the Central Okanagan, across B.C. and Canada. Like other synthetic drugs, they can comprise a lethal combination of stimulants and other drugs or toxins. They're highly addictive and users can easily overdose, Thiessen said. Young people ages 15 to 20 are the most vulnerable because they tend to experiment with new drugs. They can snort, smoke or inject bath salts. A user's heart rate may spike. Chest pains and high blood pressure are typical. They can become paranoid or psychotic to the point they hallucinate or get violent, said Thiessen. Most amphetamines intercepted in Canada originate in China, said Ardiel. The CBSA seized 149 shipments of amphetamines in 2012, 52 of them in Vancouver, Ardiel said. To learn more about synthetic drugs, visit drugawareness.bc.rcmp.ca.

Master Water Plan Presentation : West Kelowna

http://www.districtofwestkelowna.ca/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=11624