mayor
Vernon mayor handed fine for improper tax filings
VERNON - Vernon mayor Akbal Mund has been ordered to pay a fine after some trouble with his taxes. The mayor pleaded guilty to one count of failing to comply with the Income Tax Act in Vernon Provincial Court Thursday, Dec. 17. A second count was stayed, and Mund was handed a $1,000 fine. “The...
UPDATE: Vernon mayor responds to income tax charges
'EVERYTHING WILL BE CLEARED UP" VERNON - Vernon’s mayor is in trouble with the tax man. Mayor Akbal Singh Mund is charged with two counts of failure to comply with the Income Tax Act but he doesn't expect the action to go anywhere. “They’re looking for further paperwork. It’s not like I haven’t paid my...
Vernon council decides town hall meetings aren’t needed
VERNON - Elected representatives believe Vernon residents have all the opportunities they need to raise issues with the city. That’s why council has opted against hosting periodic town hall meetings in which citizens can bring up any topic they wish to discuss. Councillors voted 5-2 at a meeting Monday, Aug. 10, to keep things status...
Six-year-old Shuswap student’s letter about friendship will melt your heart
SHUSWAP - Here is your dose of adorable for the day. Hillcrest Elementary School student Brody S. wants to create Friendship Day, and he’s looking for support from Salmon Arm City Hall, specifically the mayor herself. In what must have been the best letter the mayor received that day, six-year-old Brody S. outlines his vision...
Okanagan Indian Band embraces Lake Country mayor’s support for land claim
VERNON - Lake Country Mayor James Baker appears to have thrown his support behind the Okanagan Indian Band’s land claim to the Commonage Reserve including the portion which includes the CP Rail line intended for the Okanagan Rail Trail, and the band intends to hold him to his words. Chief Byron Louis says he welcomes...
Former mayoral candidate facing assault charges
KAMLOOPS - A mayoral candidate from last year's municipal election is facing an assault charge in Kamloops Provincial Court. Piero Luigi Filisetti, born 1959, is facing one count of assault with a weapon after he allegedly assaulted Brandon Burke with bear spray on Jan. 17. Filisetti, who is more commonly known as Pierre, had his...
Mr. Open Pitbelly plans to make Ajax Mine proposal a Kamloops election issue
KAMLOOPS - The proposed Ajax Mine will definitely be an issue in the upcoming Kamloops municipal election campaign because Mr. Open Pitbelly has thrown her hat into the ring. Artist and master gardner Elaine Sedgmen will officially announce her intention to run for the mayor's chair on Monday. Sedgman will be running as the costumed character...
Pitbelly drops out of mayoral race
KAMLOOPS - Mr. Open Pitbelly has stepped out of the ring and is no longer running for mayor. Elaine Sedgman, who dressed up as Pitbelly as satirical performance art, did not want her name to be on the ballot in place of Open Pitbelly. “After a walk in the park, his manager Elaine Sedgman, has...
ELECTIONS 2014: Your Kamloops candidates
KAMLOOPS - Nominations are officially closed and we appear to have a decent sized race for councillor and school trustee seats, and four candidates are vying for the mayoral seat. At the end of the nomination period Friday, incumbent councillors Donovan Cavers, Ken Christian, Nelly Dever, Tina Lange, Arjun Singh, Marg Spina and Pat Wallace...
B.C. Hydro to conduct study on secondary power line to West Kelowna
WEST KELOWNA – District of West Kelowna Mayor Doug Findlater says last night’s line failure that cut power to thousands of homes for nine hours would have been very serious if it happened just one month from now. The failure was caused by a fire that started atop one of hundreds of poles supporting West...
New Vernon mayor and council sworn into office
VERNON - Vernon’s new council members officially took their seats for the next four years Monday evening. Mayor Akbal Mund, incumbents Bob Spiers, Juliette Cunningham, Catherine Lord, and Brian Quiring, along with new councillors Scott Anderson and Dalvir Nahal were sworn into office by Justice Mayland McKimm to a packed room at City Hall. “Collectively,...
Basran, new council sworn in for Kelowna
KELOWNA – The youngest mayor in Kelowna’s history was sworn into office Monday night along with his new council of eight. In his first speech as mayor, Basran, 37, thanked his family and supporters and outlined the areas he feels are key to a successful term. Areas like transportation, support for small business, social programs,...
Vernon voters welcome cultural diversity to city hall
"THIS IS AN ACCOMPLISHMENT AND A FEAT" VERNON - Vernon’s rich cultural diversity is being reflected and celebrated on the community’s new city council. In the 2014 civic election, voters elected Akbal Mund for mayor and Dalvir Nahal for city councillor, making them the first individuals of South Asian heritage to sit on Vernon city council....
Outgoing council has tearful goodbye at last council meeting
PENTICTON - There were tears around the council table during the meeting Monday night as goodbye speeches were made by three outgoing members, all of whom have served Penticton for nearly a decade. Coun. John Vassilaki, who has been a councillor for twelve consecutive years, went first, listing council’s accomplishments over the years and giving...
What would happen if the Vernon vote was left up to high school students
VERNON - Vernon’s newly elected council would look a bit different if left up to a group of high school students. According to Student Vote—a province-wide program giving youth under the voting age a chance to learn about democracy and voting—Vernon Secondary School students had some different ideas about who should sit on council. The...