Your daily news source at www.rosslandnews.com
jodie@mountaintownproperties.ca
Thursday, May 9• 2013
Vol. 8 • Issue 20
Online clothing company brings ethics, art to the fore
IN LOT D E HUG SSLAN RO
See Page 2
3 bdrm / 1 bath
$209,000
Candidates for Kootenay West field questions on campaign See Page 8,9
‘Flattened’ budget dealt to homeowners
NIT PECKING
Jodie O.
368-7166 Realtor & Property Manager
TIMOTHY SCHAFER Rossland News
2020 Washington St. Rossland
Natalie’s
Fresh Bread MON WED FRI! Becky’s
Cupcakes
ThuRsDAYs! JohN’s
Pizza
FRIDAYs!
As well as our usual excellent coffee and food every day of the week!
At the flashing light intersection, Rossland
Timothy Schafer photo
The pileated woodpecker ranks among the largest woodpeckers in the world— at roughly 19 inches in length and 30 inches in wingspan—and the largest in Canada. This fellow decided Rossland power poles were the perfect sunny afternoon buffet stop.
LUXURY CONDOS FOR RENT Lodging@RedResort.com or call 250-362-5553 Concierge Service Only Official RED Provider
‘X’ marks the spot Polls open as 40th B.C. General Election gets its game on
TIMOTHY SCHAFER Rossland News
Your
You know what
Youryou Horoscope Week haveFortothedo. with Michael O’Connor inside It involves markthe ing West Kootenay an ‘X’Advertiser in a box
Horoscope For the Week next to a name. Some RosslandNews_2013_Jan13-27.pdf 12/17/2012 2:41:55 PM with Michael O’Connor call it democracy in inside the West Kootenay Advertiser
bank shop local local nelsoncu.com/banklocal
progress, others call it exercising their Charter rights as citizens, while a few cynics call it a waste of time and ink. Consider it a mainstay of your duty as a good citizen of B.C.,
so when the polls open in Rossland on Tuesday, May 14, for the B.C. General Election head to the Rossland Legion on Washington Street and cast your vote.
• See ELECTION, Page 5
There’s nothing like a flat stomach. And the City of Rossland flattened its stomach as it tightened its belt a notch and delivered a “net zero” effect to city property taxes for the coming year. Council passed Financial Plan Bylaw 2013-2017 Wednesday morning in council chambers, reducing its fiscal household costs despite battling rises across the board on the price of doing municipal business. The City will stay flat for taxation revenue in the new tax year, said City chief operating officer Cecile Arnott, but whether each Rosslander’s property taxes go up or down will be reflected in any value change made by BC Assessment. To ensure that property tax revenue was consistent with 2012 before non market changes—new buildings, renovations and improvements—Arnott said since the assessed property values overall declined by 3.8 per cent, the municipal tax rates will actually increase by 3.7 per cent. “Although (taxation revenue) does stay flat compared to last year, the non market changes will be levied and transferred to reserve,” she said. The non market change will give the City a taxation revenue increase of $30,000. Council crafted a 2.7 per cent decrease overall to its $6.4 million operating budget and gave the bylaw three readings and adoption this week. City staff had originally recommended a two per cent tax increase, but council wanted taxation “flat-
By banking locally with our credit union, and shopping locallly with our local businesses, you ensure a vibrant community and a dynamic local economy, since decisions are kept close to home. We all share a common bond with a commitment to keeping interest local.
City slashes sustainable service TIMOTHY SCHAFER Rossland News You can’t fight City Hall. Nor can you dissuade them from reversing what had been an intent for two weeks in cutting the Sustainability Commission’s $28,000 funding from the budget, thus drastically changing one of the city’s progressive institutions. A stream of 10 people stood to speak before City council Monday night during the public comment period at the head of a special council budget meeting and made testament to the vital cog that was the commission, and asked council not to cut the money. Sustainability Commission chair Terry Miller said the move to cut the commission’s funding was short sighted, and the amount of work and the cohesiveness of the City’s Strategic Sustainability Plan—drafted by the community—would be eroded, as would the connection between council and the community. “Financial support is important, but the dollars pale in comparison to the need for council’s buy in to this process and the structure and people who are willing to stick their necks out for the good of this community,” he said. The original amount requested by the commission was $35,000, and then was further reduced to $28,000, a sum $12,000 less than what the commission received in 2012.
• See SUSTAINABLE, Page 3
tened,” to help ease the blow of the increases the city’s residents have been hit with in recent years—some at the City’s behest—and an expected 3.5 per cent tax requisition rise coming from the West KootenayBoundary Regional Hospital District Regional and the District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) to Rosslanders.
• See BUDGET, Page 4