SUMMERLAND REVIEW THE VOICE OF OUR COMMUNITY SINCE 1908
VOLUME
66
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ISSUE
NO.
35
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S U M M E R L A N D,
WWW.SUMMERLANDREVIEW.COM
B.C.
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T H U R S D AY,
AUGUST
29,
2013
WHAT’S INSIDE:
A Summerland golfer took top honours at a recent competition.
Page 19
PA G E S
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$1.15
A campfire ban, in place since the beginning of August, has now been lifted, but regulations still apply.
Page 6
Fundraising
A recent fundraising initiative has provided money for the One Person Project.
Page 14
Triathlon effort
Seven Summerlanders competed in the Challenge Penticton triathlon on Sunday.
Page 18
School kits
School kits from Summerland will be sent to help students and teachers in developing countries this fall.
Page 23
Summer splash
Carla McLeod Special to the Summerland Review
Jayden Doyle slides into the water at Okanagan Lake during a warm, sunny day last week. For the coming week, rainy weather and cooler temperatures are in the forecast.
INCLUDING
GST
Election reform promised by John Arendt
Fire ban lifted
A bargain is something you don’t need at a price you can’t resist.
24
Changes affect advertising and donations at municipal level
Golfing win
YOUR SMILE
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The provincial government is promising changes to municipal elections, including a ban on anonymous contributions, for the next time voters go to the polls to elect councils. The changes, which will be detailed in a white paper next month, also require disclosure and registration of third-party advertisers in local government elections. Sponsorship information will be required on all election advertising and campaign finance disclosure statements must be filed within 90 days instead of 120 days. “We are committed to ensuring that election participants are fully aware of any changes well in advance of the Nov. 15, 2014, local elections,” said Coralee Oakes, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development. “These changes are about enhancing transparency and account-
ability.” Officials with the Union of B.C. Municipalities are pleased to see the changes coming. “UBCM is pleased to see that the province is moving forward on elections legislation,” said Mary Sjostrom, president, Union of BC Municipalities. “The phased approach they are adopting will help ensure the changes will work for the full range of communities in B.C. All candidates will look forward to learning what the rules will be for the 2014 campaign.” Mayor Janice Perrino, who was invited to the task force after the 2008 municipal election, said the changes are a good start in election reform. She said communities across the province have struggled with electoral issues, especially in the 2008 election. The changes governing anonymous advertisements were needed, she said. “It’s becoming a huge issue right across the province,” Perrino said. “When people make public comments, they need to sign their names.” See CHANGES Page 7
Bears returning to region by John Arendt
The bears are back in town — and they’re hungry. Zoe Kirk, WildSafeBC community coordinator for the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen, said bears are being attracted by fresh fruits as well as food wastes in the community. “Some of our habits place wildlife in jeopardy,” she said. “We humans have accidental-
ly provided a feast for bears at this time of year. Some residents place garbage out to the curb early the evening prior or a day or so before pick-up and many garbage cans and bags are filled with a bounty of pungent summertime leftovers. “ Earlier this year, Kirk asked Mayor Janice Perrino for help in drafting a garbage bylaw to curb this problem. When garbage and recyclables
are set out in advance, bears, with sensitive noses, will pick up on the smell and search for the food. For this reason, she said garbage should not be set outside until the day it is picked up. In Naramata, where a bylaw has been put in place, the number of problem bear encounters has dropped dramatically. Before the bylaw was put in place, six to seven bears were
destroyed each year. In the last three years, conservation officers have been called to destroy one unhealthy bear. So far this year, four problem bears have been destroyed in Summerland. Two others have been tagged so officials can track their movements. One of the two tagged bears later showed up in Peachland, Kirk said. See MEASURES Page 3