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KAMLOOPS THIS WEEK TUESDAY
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FEBRUARY 28, 2017 | Volume 30 No. 25
WEATHER Sun and clouds High 2 C Low -3 C
SUN PEAKS SNOW REPORT Mid-mountain: 145 cm Alpine: 182 cm Snow phone: 250-578-7232
CITY HOOPS SQUADS OFF TO PROVINCIALS
SOUND OFF ON TAXES KTW readers offer plenty of views on property tax hike
B.C. championships take place this week and next week
A17
A10
Next fire chief won’t have to live in city ANDREA KLASSEN
STAFF REPORTER
andrea@kamloopsthisweek.com
ALLEN DOUGLAS/KTW
WARMING UP FOR COLDEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR
The South West Striders were among those taking part in Saturday’s Coldest Night of the Year event that started in Riverside Park. The annual event is a fundraiser for the New Life Community Kamloops agency, with proceeds going to help fund agency programs for the homeless. This year’s walk had a fundraising goal of $50,000, which was
Kamloops’ next top firefighter won’t be required to live in the city where they provide protection. When it was first posted, the job description for Kamloops’ new fire chief — replacing Dale McLean, who retired at the end of 2016 — included a requirement that the successful applicant would need to live in the city. But soon after posting, the description was changed to read “must reside within 30 minutes response time to the City of Kamloops boundaries.” Corporate services and community safety director David Duckworth said the initial posting was a mistake and the residency requirement should never have been included. While a similar requirement was set out the last time the city went looking for a chief in 2013, Duckworth notes it wasn’t enforced. McLean lived in Sun Rivers. Duckworth said the city does not have a policy requiring its employees to live in Kamloops, noting he is not aware of residency rules in
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other communities. “It just makes no sense. Anywhere down on the Lower Mainland, there’s no specific requirement you have to live anywhere within the city. It’s just that simple,” he said. Mayor Peter Milobar said having managers living within the city is ideal, but added the city needs to be realistic about employees’ varied housing needs and wants, which may be better served in the surrounding region. “The vast majority of staff and management live within the city, but there is the odd person that lives in Cherry Creek or Sun Rivers or Sun Peaks. You can’t be entirely restrictive,” he said. “If you look at the Lower Mainland, few City of Vancouver employees actually live in Vancouver.” Milobar said the 30-minute timeline might not be much different than what a chief living in one of the city’s far reaches could be facing. “If you live in the far reaches of Barnhartvale, it might take you halfan-hour to get to the fire hall,” he said. See NEW CHIEF, A2
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