Second quarter regional district dispatch use
Penticton accountedfor 71 per cent of the regional district’s call volume in the second quarter of 2012.
Keremeos accounted for 2.3 per cent of the service, with Kaleden at 1.4 per cent, Okanagan Falls at 4.4 per cent, and Hedley at 1 per cent.
Conference call on deer
Several municipalities, regional district staff and Area “D” Director Tom Siddon took part in a conference call aimed developing a common approach to deer control as several regions grapple with the increasing problem.
Director Siddon spoke to the committee members of the Environment and Infrastructure Committee about the possibility of drafting a resolution to take to the Union of B.C. Municipalities conference (UBCM), however, the final date for submitting resolutions has already passed for this year.
“We wish to move forward methodically, on concert with other communities,” Siddon said of the conference call, adding that the Ministry of Environment needed to understand how serious an issue the deer problem has become in some municipalities.
Grand Forks, Cranbrook, Kimberley, Invermere, Penticton and the Regional District Okanagan Similkameen participated in the conference call.
Boat launch repairs
Repairs will be made to the boat launches in Kaleden and Okanagan Falls.
The upper sections of ramp and replacement of fill material underneath the structures is planned, said Area “D” Director Tom Siddon.
Community Services Manager Mark Woods told the Community Services Committee that work was underway on a boat launch maintenance program for both communities.
Slow drivers, fast drivers in big trucks with out of province plates
When Brad Haugli, Officer in Charge of the Penticton South Okangan Similkameen Detachment, presented his last quarterly report before the Protective Services Committee last March, RDOS Board Chair Dan Ashton asked if something could be done about motorist who insisted on driving at speeds considerably below the limit, which had a tendency to frustrate motorists who were backed up behind.
At the July 19 presentation of first quarter police report, Area “D” Director Tom Siddon asked if anything could be done about “big trucks in small communities that drive like idiots,” adding that these motorists often had out of province license plates.
“We have a unique situation here,” Haugli answered, “with a steady population in the region of roughly 80,000 that increases vastly in the summertime,” commenting that the huge increase in summer traffic tended to strain the valleys road networks.
Hospital Campaign
Regional District Hospital Board Chair Janice Perrino told the board that a campaign was underway to add as much citizen support to the hospital board’s campaign to the province for the Ambulatory Care Project.
Perrino said that a letter writing campaign urging citizens to express their support for provincial endorsement of the project will launch this week.