THE
Review
www.keremeosreview.com PM Agreement #40012521
75th Annual Keremeos Elks Rodeo this weekend
See pages 16 & 17 Vol.15 Number 20
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Serving the communities of Keremeos, Cawston, Okanagan Falls and Kaleden
$1.15 including HST
COVER IN TIME FOR RODEO
Keremeos firemen donate time and skills to community kitchen overhang See page 3
RETAIL SPORTS OUTLET OPENS THIS WEEKEND
Photo by Steve Arstad
Electoral Area “G” Director Angelique Wood listens as Regional District Okanagan Similkameen FInance Manager Sandy Croteau explains an upcoming increase in water rates to Olalla water users. The regional district held an open air meeting in the Similkameen community last week.
Olalla meeting deals with finances, floods and forestry By Steve Arstad news@keremeosreview. com
Sasquatch Sports opens this weekend just west of the village See page 9
GRIST MILL OPENS THIS WEEKEND
Admission is free on Victoria Day See page 5
Regional district staff and political representatives took advantage of the hot weather last week, conducting the second open air meeting in Olalla in the past year. The concept is unique to Olalla, which has no public building large enough in which to hold a community meeting. Fortunately for the Regional District Okanagan Similkameen, both tent meetings took place under sunny,
warm conditions. The meeting was chaired by Electoral Area “G” Director Angelique Wood, who told between 25 - 30 residents assembled that the meeting would focus on “Fortis, financing, funding and forestry.” The Fortis conservation rate continues to cause consternation amongst B.C. residents. Wood reported that numerous letters had been sent to the British Columbia Utilities Commission, from herself, Keremeos Village Council, and the Southern Interior
Local Government Association. “It was a hot topic at SILGA (convention) ,” she said, “people are mad, consider themselves overcharged, and are having a hard time paying bills.” She encouraged those present to make their feelings known to the BCUC. RDOS Financial Manager Sandy Croteau gave Olalla residents advance warning of an impending water tax increase. Olalla residents can expect to pay an average of $52 more this year for their water
bill. Croteau cited increasing operating costs for the increase. “User fees have remained unchanged since 2006,” she told the assembly, adding that prior year’s savings had been used to offset increases in the past few years, but that money was now used up. RDOS Public Works Manager Doug French said that grant funding was available to Olalla for flood mitigation, but one third of any project would have to be funded by the community. French said
that two applications had been sent in prior to a May 22 deadline. “The provincial study we had done two years ago had no ready solutions,” French said. “It will be up to you if you want to come up with the one third funding (to take advantage of the application).” Emergency Services Supervisor Dale Kronebusch addressed potential imminent flooding issues in the community. Noting that mosquito spraying would be taking place on May 10 on continued on page 3