THURSDAY JANUARY 29, 2015
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PROUDLY SERVING KIMBERLEY AND AREA SINCE 1932 | Vol. 83, Issue 20 | www.dailybulletin.ca
Cranbrook RCMP respond to home invasion
Police believe address targeted in error CPL. CHRIS NE WEL For the Bulletin
Cranbrook RCMP responded to a home invasion on January 23rd, 2015 at approximately 11:30 p.m., in the 1300 block of 10th Street South, Cranbrook. Two unidentified males wearing masks and brandishing blunt weapons forced their way into a residence demanding property from the occupants. The suspects fled the residence empty handed prior to the 9-1-1 call to police. Cranbrook general duty officers, municipal traffic and auxiliary constables along with Southeast District police dog service responded to the report but, were unable to locate the individuals responsible. Cranbrook RCMP believe the suspects targeted the address in error. In a separate incident, on January 26th, 2015 at approximately 4:00pm Cranbrook RCMP received a report of a suspicious male in the 1000 block of 11th Avenue South, Cranbrook. The male is described in his early 20s with a goatee and was driving an older blue Honda Civic with a “baby on board” sign in the rear window. The male is reported to have been acting suspiciously and making inappropriate comments to a pedestrian while driving by. Police would like to speak to this individual regarding his behaviour.
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North Star Skating Club is very excited to bring Show Case 2015 to Kimberley on February 27 at 6:30 pm at the Kimberley Civic Arena. For the third year in a row, Mark Creek Lions Club has sponsored the Ice Show with a generous donation of $500. Pictured are members of the Starskate and Canskate program with Lions Club member, Amber Bogaard. Mark your calendars for this years show! Entrance is by donation once again and this year promises to be the biggest and best show yet.
The straight goods on utility increases Confusion over parcel tax, cancellation, rate increases C AROLYN GR ANT Bulletin Editor
This past Monday evening at the regular meeting of Kimberley City Council, Mayor Don McCormick said that there had been a flood of calls to City Hall in recent days due to confusion over utility rate increases and the announced cancelling of the a new parcel tax for water and sewer.
Utility rates did still rise in 2015 and the cancellation of the parcel tax does not affect that increase, says McCormick. “The utility increase of $25 per quarter was approved in 2014. It is a small operating increase and then the cost of fleet replacement was moved in. And rightly so. That wasn’t new money. It used to come from the general fund. I don’t know that it was explained properly. The increase reflects the cost of the utility.” The increase, which came into effect on January 1, 2015 means quarterly utility rates are now $186.45.
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The new $107 parcel tax for water and sewer, which was also approved by previous Council, was over and above those increases. The intent was to begin to put away funds for infrastructure replacement. “The $107 parcel tax was deemed to be an increase necessary for us to stop the bleeding,” McCormick said. “At the time a parcel tax was chosen but after further deliberation, adding a $107 tax seemed to be too much burden and the parcel tax is not really the right vehicle. So we’re not going with a parcel tax.” However, Council still has to
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have a means to begin to save for infrastructure replacement. That will come through phased in utility rate increases. “The parcel tax will be replaced with an increase in utility rates of $84 over three years. The rate increases will begin in 2016,” McCormick said. “Our general thinking is that utility rates themselves need to fund it. They’ve been underfunded for years. If you look at comparisons with other communities our utility costs have always been low. We’ve been getting along but not setting aside any reserves for future reinvestment.”
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