SUMMERLAND REVIEW THE VOICE OF OUR COMMUNITY SINCE 1908
VOLUME
66
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ISSUE
NO.
11
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S U M M E R L A N D,
B.C.
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WWW.SUMMERLANDREVIEW.COM
T H U R S D AY,
MARCH
14,
2013
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20
PA G E S
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$1.15
INCLUDING
HST
WHAT’S INSIDE:
Outstanding orchard
A Summerland orchard has been recognized as one of the best in the province.
Page 3
Grant given
Summerland has received provincial funding in its efforts to combat bullying.
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Lights out
Summerlanders will participate in Earth Hour later this month.
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Bear aware
As hungry bears awaken from hibernation, residents are being urged to manage food attractants.
Page 8
Science awards
Several Summerland students will take their science projects to the regional science fair.
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Golf program
A Summerland golfer has signed with a university golf program in the U.S.
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YOUR SMILE Definition of an intellectual: Someone who can listen to the William Tell Overture without thinking of the Lone Ranger. .
Upgrade work
John Arendt Summerland Review
Workers upgrade a water line at the intersection of Prairie Valley Road and Victoria Road South during a road improvement project. Once the work is completed, the four-way stop at the intersection will be replaced with a roundabout. Other improvements are also being done at the same time.
Tax increase planned Most of increase to go to higher policing costs by John Arendt Property taxes in Summerland are expected to increase by two per cent this year in order to meet rising costs, but the biggest cost increase is for policing. Presenting the pre-
liminary budget figures at the municipal council meeting on Monday evening, municipal treasurer Ken Ostraat said the increase in policing costs alone accounts for around $90,000, or a 1.5 per cent property tax increase. The cost increase does not come with an increase in service or police presence in Sum-
merland. Ostraat said the number of officers is based on the case load for police officers, not on the population of the community. “Summerland has one of the lowest crime rates in the province,” he said. Coun. Peter Waterman said the changes in the costs of RCMP services are the result of a new provincial contract.
“ T h e s e were essentially costs we had no choice to deal with,” he said. “It’s a substantial hit in terms of our tax situaPeter tion.” Waterman Coun. Martin Van Alphen said the higher cost is for policing work, not for the police
station which was officially opened in late July last year. “It’s got nothing to do with our new RCMP building,” he said. Ostraat added that other costs, such as increased pension costs and the costs of new equipment are also factors in the rising policing costs. See INCREASE Page 11
Parents protest selection method Concern raised over process used for Late French Immersion
by Barbara Manning Grimm A delegation of about 20 parents, most from Summerland, attended the meeting of the board of trustees of Okanagan Skaha District 67 Monday evening to press their concerns about the selection process for the Late French Immersion program.
They told the trustees the selection process is unfair for Summerland because a smaller percentage of applicants from Summerland will be selected compared to applicants from the district as a whole. With the decision to have three classes of 30 each at KVR Middle School in Penticton and one class of 30 at Summerland Middle School, Summerland students have fewer spots available to them.
As well, a policy which favours students who already have a sibling in the program is perceived as unfair to some students. School board chair Ginny Manning urged the parents of children who were not selected to keep their names on the wait list and see the selection process through in hopes all children can be accommodated in the program. The wait list numbers can
change before the April 15 deadline for acceptance into the Late French Immersion program, and enrolment numbers are also likely to change before school starts in the fall. Summerland trustee Linda Van Alphen said the board did not want to give the parents false hope about a change in the selection process for this year. Such policies take 18 months to change. See LOTTERY Page 11