Star Gulch swimming hole dream deferred to 2014 or beyond
Facing hard budgetary constraints, council decided at Wednesday evening's committee-of-the-whole (COW) to defer a study on the potential conversion of the Star Gulch Reservoir beside Centennial Trail into a community swimming hole until at least 2014. With the massive increase in the city's water supply afforded by the...
Neighbourhoods of Learning Committee faces an imminent end to city funds
Council will maintain funding to the Neighbourhoods of Learning Committee (NOL) for 2013, but that may be it for city funds as the municipality faces budget constraints and council begins to reconsider its educational role in a post-K-12 Rossland. Coun. Jill Spearn, an elementary school teacher and council's representative ...
Community groups take the hit after millions in Columbia-Washington overruns
CAO Cecile Arnott confirmed to council at Wednesday's committee-of-the-whole (COW) that the Columbia-Washington upgrades have cost the city on the order of $6 million, about $1.4 million more than was originally budgeted. The final project cost is still under dispute as negotiations with the contractor continue. On top of...
All about politics
“Politics is the art of the possible. This doesn’t mean politicians are artists, just artful and artificial.” -- C. Jeanes This column will be all about politics, not about spiritual consciousness, religion, scientific materialism, nor any other of the abstract topics I have been troubling my readers about in more...
COMMENT: Spinning out of control?
It can hardly come as a surprise to anyone that governments – like corporations – employ spin to portray their actions in the best possible light (and to cast their opponents in the worst possible light). Nor is it news that many corporations – and the PR companies they employ – operate a revolving door for helpful politicians....
COUNCIL MISCELLANY: More weight on municipal shoulders as towns hoist massive regional tax increase
"Downloading" was a hot topic at council on Monday evening as councillors lamented a large increase in the regional tax burden that will be foisted on residents when their property tax bills arrive this year. Coun. Jill Spearn started things off, asking Coun. Kathy Wallace for her comments on the hospital requisition of...
Council begins budget planning, and not a moment too soon
CAO Cecile Arnott brought her preliminary budget presentation to council's committee-of-the-whole (COW) on Tuesday afternoon, offering councillors a first taste of what the 2013 financial plan might look like when it gets passed before the May 15 filing deadline. The next budget COW meeting has been scheduled for May 1 at...
COMMENT and ANALYSIS: The Final Word on Rossland's Budge the Budget DemocracySTORM
Well, Rossland, it's been a while coming: the final outcome of the "DemocracySTORM" on ways YOU felt our city should budge its budget. We asked three questions: 1) What should the City of Rossland spend MORE money on? 2) What should the City of Rossland spend LESS money on? 3) What other key points should council consider...
Rossland offers school district a deal to maintain K-12 in the community
Council was divided 4-3 last week in their decision to offer School District No. 20 (SD20) $140,000 per year for three years in exchange for K-12 and respite from the threat of school closures for at least five years—but SD20 hasn't indicated it will bite, and any deal with the school district will be put to a referendum...
COMMENT: Parents need to take action to prevent cyberbullying
Like most parents in Canada, I have grieved for Rehtaeh Parsons, the 17-year-old teenager that committed suicide April 7 after being sexually assaulted two years ago. After the assault, she was cyberbullied until her breaking point. As a parent, this terrifies me. I know I am in way over my head. Every parent feels that “kids...
