HE SAID SHE SAID: Public outcry pushes for sustainability, but council digs in its core service heels
Following council’s five hour debate on the entire budget on May 1, council was forced to pause the financial plan blitz for twenty minutes on May 6 to hear nine members of the public oppose the only major cut: approximately $20,000 axed from the Sustainability Commission (SC), terminating their paid coordinator with no...
COMMENT: Financial Plan passes with no hint of public consultation, or thought
Council approved the 2013-2017 financial plan (FP) on Wednesday morning, just one week after the bulk of debate was completed in a single unpublicized meeting on May 1. No major changes came about in a follow-up meeting on May 6 that concluded with council passing the first three readings of this year's FP bylaw. The major...
Downtown trash cans and more uncanned, but recanning remains possible
Council has decided to reinstate the downtown furniture budget that it had put on hold last year. The $108,000 line item includes benches, but also bike racks, recycling bins, bear-proof garbage containers, and the eclectic but contentious ore cart. Council's decision, however, stipulates that city staff will return to council...
Electrical glitch resolved at Silver City Days; rides to be running on time
A glitch that saw the rides stop working during the first night of Silver City Days is fixed in plenty of time for the causeway’s opening this afternoon, according to festival society president Ian McLeod. “One of the main generators blew up on us at about 6 p.m. (Wednesday),” he said, adding the mechanical issue […]
Interfor nets almost $18 million
International Forest Products Limited (Interfor) reported net income of $17.8 million or $0.32 per share before share-based compensation expense and other items in the first quarter of 2013. These results compare with net earnings, reported on the same basis, of $3.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2012 and a loss of $4.1 million in […]
UPDATE: NDP incumbent Conroy responds to critical Kootenay Savings letter
Update: Letter to the Editor: On May 7, President and CEO of Kootenay Savings Credit Union, Brent Tremblay, wrote a letter to local media outlining his concerns with the proposed capital tax on financial institutions that the NDP has discussed implementing if we win government on May 14. Firstly, I want to thank Brent for […]
Jazz announces more flights to Castlegar's regional airport
Castlegar will be seeing more flights at its regional airport, according to a press release issued today. “The West Kootenay Regional Airport is pleased to advise that Jazz Air has increased its summer passenger service to better meet the needs of the travelling public in the West Kootenay region,” the release said. Airport manager Gerry […]
ADVERTISING FEATURE: Pinnacle PAC welcomes two associates home
Pinnacle Professional Accounting Corporation (Pinnacle PAC) is proud to announce two new associates: Justine Jarrett, CA and Chris Brien, CA have returned from the West Coast to the West Kootenay to practice with Pinnacle PAC. Justine is originally from Rossland and is thrilled to be back in town. She is currently practising from both Pinnacle’s […]
Sustainability Commission funding in flames as museum budget nearly doubles for 2013
Funding to community groups was cut by four per cent (about $14,000) relative to 2012 levels overall at Wednesday evening's committee of the whole (COW), with the Sustainability Commission taking the main hit as funding for the SC manager disappeared—ostensibly to bring the role "in house" to the city—while the city granted...
Swathes of community support scythed in the 2013 budget
The Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Rossland, the Rossland Pool Society , and the Neighbourhoods of Learning committee were all cut by five per cent relative to 2012 funding during council’s Wednesday evening committee-of-the-whole (COW), for a total expenditure of $107,540—about $5660 less than 2012. Please note: all council ...