THURSDAY NOVEMBER 6, 2014
NEW HOME
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
A FINE YEAR FOR FROGS
See LOCAL NEWS page 4
Endangered species egg counts are up
Buying Selling Buying or Selling Call First Call Marilyn Marilyn First
See NEWS page B12
250-427-8700 250-427-8700
THE BULLETIN
Like Us TownsmanBulletin Follow Us
@kbulletin
1
$ 10 INCLUDES G.S.T.
PROUDLY SERVING KIMBERLEY AND AREA SINCE 1932 | Vol. 82, Issue 212 | www.dailybulletin.ca
Kimberley Mayoral candidates have their say Part I of II C AROLYN GR ANT Bulletin Editor
McKim Theatre was almost full on Tuesday evening as Kimberley’s Mayoral candidates took the stage to answer questions from voters. In his opening remarks, Mayor Ron McRae focused on the accomplishments of the past three years, saying the City was well into the commercial development strategy and will be aggressively pursuing improving broadband connectivity, the redevelopment of buildings in commercial areas, building a stronger working relationship with Resorts of the Canadian Rockies and assisting emerging developments like Taylor’s Mill. Candidate Doug Johnson said that Kimberley had been through hard times in the past but he had never seen it as low as it was currently. “That’s what this elec-
Brent Bush
JOHN ALLEN PHOTOS
From left to right, candidate Don McCormick, candidate Doug Johnson and Mayor Ron McRae.
tion is about,” he said. Candidate Don McCormick said he was speaking from a business perspective. There is an urgent need to take control of city finances,
Darren Close
he said. “The 13 year transition from mining to tourism has hit a bump. Tourism doesn’t generate revenue for the city. Taxes are substantially
Kent Goodwin
higher every year. It’s not sustainable.” Candidates were asked what their vision was for 2015, three, five and ten years out. “My number one pri-
Albert Hoglund
ority is to keep this town alive,” Johnson said. “We need to stop the hysterical raising of taxes so I can keep my house.” McCormick said his
Nigel Kitto
first priority was a full public service review. “We need a baseline on where we are spending money,” he said “We need to live within our means and minimize
Bev Middlebrook
Darryl Oakley
tax increases.” For the future, McCormick’s focus would be economic development, which doesn’t happen overnight, he said.
See MAYOR , Page 5
Sandra Roberts
All Candidates Forum, Council, part II Part II of II
C AROLYN GR ANT Bulletin Editor
Continuing with questions from the All Candidates Forum on Mon-
day evening, the next question for Council hopefuls dealt with the importance of arts and culture to the community. There was general agreement that the arts and culture scene was vital to Kimberley, and that the core of it was driven by volunteers,
although the city support was essential. The next question asked candidates to explain the reserve fund. “What reserve fund?” asked Darryl Oakley. “It was set up by Jim Ogilvie to allow the community to move forward from mining to tour-
ism. Every time I voted for using the reserve funds,Jim Ogilvie would call and lecture me.” Kent Goodwin said he didn’t have all the history but Kimberley had a number of reserve funds. “The Kimberley Reserve Fund was built from the sale of proper-
ties and a few other things like gas tax rebates,” he said. “We should use it for things we need and decide on a case by case basis.” “In my line of work, a reserve fund is used for having money down the road,” said Darren Chase.
See FORUM, page 3