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Sunday, March 13, 2016
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EXPLORATION LISA VANDERVELDE/ MORNING STAR
Sarah Cardew looks through a marble as she learns about using the five senses to discover the world around her during a BX Elementary kindergarten trip to the Okanagan Science Centre.
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Nolan’s earns top honours Morning Star Staff
A downtown landmark was the big winner during the Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce’s 2016 Business Excellence Awards. Nolan’s Pharmasave, which has been in operation since 1927, walked off with business of the year and the customer service award at the event at the Vernon Atrium Hotel Friday. “Nolan’s won the customer service award partly because of its close working relationship with North Okanagan Hospice House providing specialized pharmacy support 24/7,” said Dan Rogers, chamber general manager. Olive Us Olive Oil and Vinegar Tasting Room also picked up two awards — small business of the year and tourism excellence. Barrita Durward of Cotton’s Chocolates was named businessperson of the year while the community leader award went to Deb White, of White House Mortgages. The inaugural People’s Choice Award was won by Rollin’ Spring Rolls. It was the only award to be determined through online voting. All other awards were selected by an independent panel of judges. The other winners include: Employer of the year — VantageOne Credit Union Green business of the year — Interior Freight and Bottle Depot Manufacturer of the year — Universal Packaging New business of the year — Nicholas Alexander Landscaping and Design Newsmaker of the year — Watkin Motors Non-profit of the year — Upper Room Mission Young entrepreneur of the year — Benita Poggemoeller, of B Frank Marketing “Each of our award winners represent dynamic organizations who have given back to the community in many ways,” said Tracy Cobb Reeves, chamber president. “We congratulate them and also acknowledge the many more who were nominated.”
Number of trustees could be chopped RICHARD ROLKE Morning Star Staff
Budget cuts could ultimately have two trustees packing their bags. The North Okanagan-Shuswap School District board voted Tuesday to review the number of trustees, with the possibility of decreasing from nine to seven. “We’ve talked about it many times in the past,” said Michel Saab, Michel Saab Salmon Arm trustee. “Let’s commit to the process and then figure out how.” Public input will be part of the process.
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“We will listen to the communities,” said Kelly Rowe, Armstrong trustee. However, Rowe admits to having some reservations about reducing elected officials. “It’s a large time commitment on one person,” she said. “If Armstrong-Spallumcheen was trimmed to one trustee from two, it will be an enormous undertaking.” By cutting two trustees the district would save about $25,000 a year “The cost between one and two trustees is like tossing a deck chair off of the Titanic. It’s minor in the entire budget.” The motion Tuesday was opposed by Larissa Lutjen, North Shuswap trustee. “My trustee position is an obvious one to cut because there are so few students in the North Shuswap, maybe 140 total, but geo-
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graphically it covers a huge area and I believe our school is farthest from the centre of any of the schools in the district,” she said. “Losing a trustee position is similar to losing a school. Once it is gone it won’t come back so it would be a loss to our community. Asking seven people to do what we are currently doing with nine people without a pay raise is not fair. My vote was somewhat of a protest on the short warning of the discussion and somewhat of a show of community loyalty but it doesn’t forecast how I will vote at the end of the process.” In 2014, the board presented two options for reducing trustees. One was to combine the Enderby and Sicamous regions (one less trustee), as well as the Carlin/Sorrento area with the North
Shuswap (one less trustee). Armstrong/ Spallumcheen would have been combined with Falkland/Deep Creek/Ranchero (one less trustee) and Salmon Arm would have got three trustees instead of two. The second option was to combine Carlin/ Sorrento with North Shuswap (one less trustee) and remove one trustee from the Armstrong/ Spallumcheen area (which now has two). At that time, trustees voted not to take action. Chris Coers, Enderby trustee, isn’t sure if options should be presented this time. “Perhaps we need to make the process a little more open-ended question,” she said. “We currently have nine trustees we need to get to seven. What do people think this might look like?”
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