PARKS TAX HIKE | Lumby, Cherryville residents facing proposed 9.8 per cent increase [A6]
Morning gStar
The
Wednesday, January 14, 2015 P R O U D L Y
S E R V I N G
O U R
N O R T H
O K A N A G A N
Homeowner’s Chainsaw
27995
$
MS170 • 16” bar
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C O M M U N I T I E S
F O R
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Y E A R S
3202 29TH St, Vernon • 250-545-0627 • savoyequipment.com
Arrest ends standoff
READY AND WAITING
Morning Star Staff
LISA VANDERVELDE/MORNING STAR
The Vernon Blues initiation team watch the Vernon Vipers play Prince George as they wait for their turn to take to the ice in between periods Friday night at Kal Tire Place.
City extends parking grace period Vernon motorists will get a few extra minutes when plugging the meter but not everyone’s convinced there is a problem downtown. On Monday, city council agreed to extend the grace period for expired parking meters from two to five minutes as a way of reducing the number of parking tickets issued. While he voted for the motion, Mayor Akbal Akbal Mund Mund says conflicts are arising because many residents are gone longer than the time they paid for or they didn’t put money in the meter to start with.
“Staff are not being over-zealous,” said Mund, who has joined bylaw compliance staff on their patrols twice. “It’s not an issue for bylaw. They are doing their job.” Coun. Catherine Lord also has little sympathy for anyone who gets a ticket. “Everyone in town knows there are parking meters downtown. You know you have to pay,” she said. However, Coun. Brian Quiring pushed for the grace period. “People want the ability to run into a store to get change to plug the meter,” said Quiring, who has been concerned that the potential of parking tickets deters people from going downtown. The grace period, once in effect, will include the time it takes for a bylaw compliance officer £
to write a ticket. If the vehicle owner returns before the officer is finished writing the ticket, the officer has the ability to cancel the ticket. It will cost $3,200 to reprogram all parking meters to reflect the new grace period. Parking violations currently provide more than $225,000 per year in revenue to the city. What difference the extended grace period will make to revenue is unknown, Clint Kanester, bylaw compliance manager, estimates a possible five per cent reduction on ticket production, equaling about $11,250 based on 2014 statistics. And the issue of parking isn’t over as Coun. Scott Anderson will bring forward a motion to scrap the $25 fee to appeal a ticket (it is only charged if the ticket is upheld). “The ticket is no more than $25 so that’s 100 per cent (increase). It’s a double-down,” he said.
BANNISTER HONDA “A Family Business, with Family Values ”
6425 Hwy 97 N, Vernon BC • bannisterhonda.com 250-545-0531 • 888-545-0531
DL# 8718
RICHARD ROLKE Morning Star Staff
A nearly five-hour standoff between a man and Vernon RCMP ended peacefully Tuesday morning. Officers responded to a report of a man destroying the basement of a home in the 3900 block of 21st Avenue just after 10 p.m. Monday. One officer spoke to a woman outside the residence who said that the only way out of the basement was through a back door. Two other people leaving the basement area told police the suspect was destroying the downstairs basement. “Our officer went to the stairs leading to the basement and he noticed a small hallway piled with broken furniture,” said Vernon RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk. “The barricaded suspect would not allow police access to the basement rooms. He uttered threats about lighting the house on fire, as well as threatened the police officers with a knife. He threw several objects at the members from behind his barricade as well.” During the standoff, police said the suspect could be seen breaking chairs and furniture, and punching several holes through walls. Negotiations were set up in attempts to defuse the situation as the suspect was in possession of two different knives. During the course of negotiations, the suspect finally threw two knives out through a hole he had punched in a wall. The 33-year-old suspect was taken into police custody at approximately 3:05 a.m. without incident. “Luckily, nobody was hurt during this five-hour ordeal,” said Molendyk. The suspect was taken to Vernon Jubilee Hospital for treatment, and police are requesting a mental health assessment. Police are recommending charges of uttering threats, two counts of possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and mischief over $5,000.
†Based on IHS Automotive: Polk Canadian New Retail Vehicle Registrations as of CYTD November 2014 for the Compact SUV/Compact Car/Subcompact Car segments as defined by Honda Canada Inc. *Limited time weekly lease offer and all other offers are from Honda Canada Finance Inc., on approved credit. #The weekly lease offer applies to a new 2015 CR-V LX 2WD model RM3H3FES for a 60-month period, for a total of 260 payments of $69.89 leased at 1.99% APR based on applying $400.00 “lease dollars” (which are deducted from the negotiated selling price before taxes). ‡In order to achieve $0 down payment, dealer will cover the cost of tire/battery tax, air conditioning tax (where applicable), environmental fees and levies on the 2015 CR-V LX 2WD only on customer’s behalf. Down payment of $0.00, first weekly payment and $0 security deposit due at lease inception. Total lease obligation is $18,171.40. Taxes, license, insurance and registration are extra. 120,000 kilometre allowance; charge of $0.12/km for excess kilometres. **MSRP is $27,685 including freight and PDI of $1,695 based on new 2015 Specified Models described above. License, insurance, registration and taxes are extra and may be required at the time of purchase. £For more information about the 2015 Motor Trend Sport/Utility of the Year® award, visit http://www.motortrend.com/oftheyear/suv/2015_honda_cr_v_is_the_motor_trend_suv_of_the_year/ */#/**Prices and/or payments shown do not include a PPSA lien registration fee of $30.31 and lien registering agent’s fee of $5.25, which are both due at time of delivery and covered by the dealer on behalf of the customer on Specified Models only. Offers valid from January 3rd through February 2nd 2015 at participating Honda retailers. Dealer may sell/lease for less. Dealer trade may be necessary on certain vehicles. Offers valid only for British Columbia residents at BC Honda Dealers locations. Offers subject to change or cancellation without notice. Terms and conditions apply. Visit www.bchonda.com or see your Honda retailer for full details.