WEDNESDAY MAY 13, 2015
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THE BULLETIN PROUDLY SERVING KIMBERLEY AND AREA SINCE 1932 | Vol. 83, Issue 92 | www.dailybulletin.ca
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No tax increase in 2016? C AROLYN GR ANT Bulletin Editor
PHOTO COURTESY KIS
The Grade One class from the Kimberley Independent School was in Creston last week to participate in the last Sturgeon Release program in Creston BC. Studies have shown that the Sturgeon population is doing well.
Chamber provides update on activities Lots on the agenda for Kimberley Chamber C AROLYN GR ANT Bulletin Editor
Kimberley Chamber of Commerce Manager Mike Guarnery paid a visit to the City Council on Monday evening to provide an update on what the Chamber has been up to and what is coming up on the horizon. With the chamber fee for service contract with the City now signed, the Chamber’s new emphasis on business advocacy is continuing. The Chamber has been working with local restaurateurs on the Kimberley Restaurant Coalition. “We have identified the best methods to move forward with the coalition,” Guarnery said. “A group is meeting under the structure of the Chamber. It’s
generally restaurant owners with the Chamber infrastructure.” One of the most pressing needs, according Guarnery, was another food safe course being offered in Kimberley, both for current staff and future hires. Guarnery says the Downtown Business Association was pleased to see the Platzl walkway being taken down. The DBA has also met with the First Saturdays group to discuss this summer’s program, which begins in July. “With a shorter season, the First Saturday group, which is the Arts Council, want to get business on board,” he said. “First Saturday is looking for business donations and involvement in their fundraising silent auction in July.”
Last week, JCI sponsored a live broadcast of Leadercast at the Kimberley Conference Centre. Guarnery said that about 300 people attended. “Generally I feel like you can only talk so much about leadership, but it was really insightful,” he said. “We had people from all over the region. It really highlighted the conference centre.” This coming September, the Kimberley Conference Centre will be hosting BC Community Futures conference. Guarnery says the Chamber is focusing on making sure that attendees have an opportunity to experience all that Kimberley has to offer, from golfing to train rides to shopping, dining and more. “We are making sure people will have time to do something in Kimberley, to have an opportunity to experience Kimberley.” Guarnery also said that the
Chamber is pursuing regional economic development, meeting with the regional committee. The BC Chamber meeting in Prince George is also upcoming and Guarnery says the Kimberley Chamber team will be attending to lobby for their positions. Chambers don’t always agree with what the provincial Chamber may be planning, and one particular position is troubling to Kimberley. Guarnery says that the provincial chamber is advocating to have the BC and Alberta Family Days lined up to be on the same weekend. “We are not in agreement on that,” he said. In fact, the BC ski industry in general was instrumental in having the holidays on separate weekends.
Read his lips. Mayor Don McCormick made a bold statement at Kimberley City Council Monday evening, saying that the goal for next year has to be no increase in property taxes. Taxes were under discussion as Council adopted the slate of bylaws that put the 2015 financial plan into action. Council adopted the Financial Plan Bylaw, the Tax Rates Bylaw, the Flat Tax Bylaw, the Parcel Tax Bylaw and the Reserve Expenditures Bylaw. The Flat Tax Bylaw drew some comment as
two councillors, Bev Middlebrook and Darryl Oakley, indicated that they were very interested in its elimination. Coun. Kent Goodwin has also stated in the past that he’d like to see it go. Kimberley is one of the few communities in B.C. that still has a flat tax, Oakley said, and some that do, such as Powell River, are phasing it out. “I look forward to a discussion around the flat tax next year,” he said. “We need to find a way to eliminate it and reduce impact on smaller homes.” See TAX, page 3
SAR rescue injured hiker on Fisher Peak TRE VOR CR AWLEY
A pair of hikers were rescued off of Fisher Peak this past weekend by Cranbrook Search and Rescue after required an airlift due to a leg injury. The pair were hiking up Maus Creek on Saturday and decided to head up the Fisher Peak trail until the snow got too heavy. After one of the hikers stepped into the snow, it gave way and his leg was cut open by a rock underneath. Search and Rescue See CHAMBER, page 4 deployed at roughly 6:20
p.m. to a call for an injured hiker and were able to locate the pair, but didn’t have enough time to get them off the mountain by nightfall. “The hiker had a fall and injured his leg and we put a team together and hiked in,” said Greg Bedwell, with Cranbrook SAR. “We located him, got him all settled, it was getting too dark, quite steep terrain and we didn’t want to get caught on the side of the mountain in the dark. See SAR, page 3