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municipal politics
Half of 2014 development on South Shore
KAMLOOPS - The number of lots created over the past several years has continued to decrease, leaving 2014 well behind the 10-year average of 392 new lots. With about 200 new lots created in 2014, last year had the second lowest number of lots created in the past 10 years and was well behind the...
Petition against tethering in Kamloops gaining traction
KAMLOOPS - Earlier this month city council dismissed the idea of pursuing an anti-tethering bylaw for the city because they had not heard many complaints. Now a local dog rescue is hoping a petition with 1,500 signatures will be enough for city council to sit up and take notice. In a letter to council at...
STAHN: Just stop with this effort to recognize First Nations culture
It’s no secret that First Nations bands around the province are struggling to preserve their culture and language. In an effort to recognize our Secwépemc community, Kamloops city council members agreed to have staff look into the possibility of adding the traditional language of our local First Nations to our stop signs.
Merits of adding Secwépemc to stop signs debated
'THERE'S NO ABILITY TO SAY YES TO THIS' KAMLOOPS - Provincial legislation says we can’t add another language to stop signs but that did not stop council from spending nearly 20 minutes debating the merits of adding Secwépemc to the signs Tuesday afternoon. According to the Motor Vehicle Act, the only word permitted on the...
Tax rate increase currently sitting near 2.6%
KAMLOOPS - With many budget requests from staff and the public yet to be decided on, the average homeowner can already expect to pay an additional $35 in property taxes this year. That $35 is based on the 1.91 per cent mill rate increase set out in the core services budget, but Assistant Finance Director...
Stop signs featuring Secwépemc would not meet standards
KAMLOOPS - The Secwépemc language is featured around the Thompson Rivers University campus but drivers will not likely see the word on city stop signs in the near future. In July, city council enquired about adding ‘estil,’ the Secwépemc word for stop, to appropriate signs within Kamloops. After reviewing the regulations and standards for both...
Clean up after snow storm costs city $400,000
KAMLOOPS - Between regular city staffing hours, overtime, hiring contractors and the cost of hauling snow about a quarter of the snow removal budget has already been spent less than two weeks into the new year. Public Works Director Jen Fretz says the city spent $160,000 on regular staffing and another $240,000 on overtime, contractors...
UPDATE: Anti-tethering bylaw not on agenda for Kamloops
KAMLOOPS - The City of Kamloops will not be joining the ranks of the 14 municipalities and two regional districts that have alread put restrictions on tethering dogs outdoors. The B.C. SPCA has been lobbying councils across the province to adopt bylaws that help promote animal well-being and human responsibility. In late 2013 the Regional...
Lorne Street will no longer be part of official truck route
KAMLOOPS - City staff is looking to amend the traffic bylaw to remove several downtown streets from the official truck route. Low-clearance underpasses, a roundabout, road improvements and park areas are listed as some of the many reasons for wanting to remove Lorne Street, River Street and 10 Avenue north of Victoria Street from the...
Free transit worth the cost?
COUNCIL WORKSHOP TO DISCUSS OPTIONS KAMLOOPS - Transit is a topic that gets a lot of discussion around the table at City Hall, and rightfully so. Taxpayers subsidize a portion of the public transportation and council plans to again explore whether any form of free transit can be offered and how much is too much...
City to voice concerns over pipeline project
KAMLOOPS - The City of Kamloops has been given the opportunity to question the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion and staff plan to take full advantage of the opportunity. Noise, influx of workers during construction and impacts on traffic, infrastructure and parks are among the top concerns, along with the possibility of the newly...
Garbage rates going up in Kamloops
KAMLOOPS - In the new year the average customer will see a $15 increase annually for garbage pick-up over the next three years, but it is the only city utility service where increases will occur in 2015. For single family residential homes an increased cost of fuel and vehicle maintenance of $200,000, combined with an...
Tranquille business owners concerned about bridge repairs
NECESSARY REPAIRS COULD CLOSE MORE BUSINESSES KAMLOOPS - Concerns about traffic flow, loss of business and costs were all aired at an open house discussing the Overlanders Bridge construction project Thursday night but most everyone at the meeting agreed it is a project that needs to be done. Steven Puhallo of the North Shore Business...
Parking rates not going up just yet
PUBLIC TO GET BREAK AFTER YEAR OF HICCUPS KAMLOOPS - A planned rate increase for downtown parking has been delayed a year because parking kiosks installed over summer failed on several occasions in the months that followed. Delays getting the kiosks installed and fully operational, followed by problems with the sequencing and screens, as well...
City asks permission to use land for waterpark, event centre
KAMLOOPS - The weather is cold outside but the city is looking ahead to warmer weather as staff continue to plan for the future of the Tournament Capital Ranch property — a future that could include a water park, exhibition centre, nature trail and picnic area in addition to agricultural uses. The nature trail and...
New council sworn in
DUDY LOOKS FORWARD TO FIRST TERM KAMLOOPS - A short ceremony Monday night was the first official business of the newly elected city council and with it the first day of a four-year term began. The nine newly-elected council members were led on stage by RCMP members in official red serge and and two bagpipers...
City spent nearly $1,300 for each person who attended budget meetings
THE HIGH COST OF TRYING TO INCREASE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT KAMLOOPS - The City spent nearly $60,000 trying to get citizens involved in budget discussions this year and only got 44 people to public meetings—or roughly $1,300 per person— and most councillors said that was too much. “$57,000 for 44 people to come to a budget...
STAHN: Why is voter turnout so low?
In Kamloops we saw voter turnout for the 2014 civic election hit just above the provincial average once again, this time with 33 per cent of voters taking to the polls. This was barely a 3.3 per cent increase over the 2011 civic election, which was a small increase over the 2008 election when we...
Candidates have up to seven days to remove signs
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - The elections are over but there are still some of those brightly-coloured election signs lying around. They should all be gone soon though, candidates are required to remove them by this weekend. The Ministry of Transportation has the strictest regulations, requiring signs to be removed the next working day after the general voting...
Candidates have up to seven days to remove signs
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - The elections are over but there are still some of those brightly-coloured election signs lying around. They should all be gone soon though, candidates are required to remove them by this weekend. The Ministry of Transportation has the strictest regulations, requiring signs to be removed the next working day after the general voting...
Candidates have up to seven days to remove signs
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - The elections are over but there are still some of those brightly-coloured election signs lying around. They should all be gone soon though, candidates are required to remove them by this weekend. The Ministry of Transportation has the strictest regulations, requiring signs to be removed the next working day after the general voting...
If students had a say council would look very different
STUDENT VOTE RESULTS IN SIX DIFFERENT COUNCILLORS KAMLOOPS - If city students were able to vote in the recent civic election, we would have seen four new faces around the table and the return of former a councillor. It's quite a result considering 33 per cent of eligible Kamloops voters took to the polls last...
O’Fee: Election ‘unremarkable’
DEVER LOSS A 'LOSS FOR COUNCIL' KAMLOOPS - A look back at our civic election shows few surprises according to a local lawyer and former city councillor. Only 22,672 people, or just over 33 per cent of eligible voters, actually voted in the 2014 civic election. Those votes saw two new faces elected, but they were...
ELECTIONS 2014: Where did all the voters go?
KAMLOOPS - Voter turnout was up in Kamloops for this year's municipal election — and remains just above the provincial average — but only about a third of eligble voters showed up to cast a ballot. This month 22,672 of the 68,410 eligible voters cast ballots at the advance polls and on Election Day, for a voter...