Parcel tax review panel ready to roll as hike in water tax is deferred until 2013
Complaints against the parcel taxes Rossland levies on certain properties will be heard by the Parcel Tax Roll Review Panel next Wednesday, May 23, at noon, at City Hall. Last week council appointed Coun. Jody Blomme, Coun. Kathy Wallace, and Mayor Greg Granstrom to serve on the review panel. Property owners who feel a parcel...
Apology to Berg Naqvi Lehmann
In an editorial on May 3 I wrote about an issue I had raised to the auditor that did not make it to council before the final audit, despite assurances that matters raised by the public would be addressed to staff and then council.I contacted Berg Naqvi Lehmann, Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors (BNL) to find out why...
DriveBC now offering webcam views of Kootenay Lake ferries
The first of 30 new webcams to be installed this year on the DriveBC network are now live, giving motorists a real-time view of traffic queues, weather and road conditions at the Kootenay Lake ferry terminals. DriveBC web cameras are now live at: * The Balfour ferry terminal, 35 km east of Nelson, looking north […]
Government delivers legislation to end the HST
Finance Minister Kevin Falcon has introduced legislation to meet government’s commitment to return to the Provincial Sales Tax on April 1, 2013. As committed, the PST is being re-implemented with all permanent exemptions. The government also introduced common-sense improvements that will make administration of the sales tax easier for businesses. Consumers will pay PST only […]
More than $3 million to be spent for Highway 3 improvements
The province is investing more than $13 million in Highway 3 improvements, with more than $3 million to be spent in the West Kootenay region. Four projects valued at $13 million will get underway this year, improving safety and travel for residents, visitors and commercial drivers on Highway 3 in the West Kootenay, Similkameen and […]
Council approves contract with Copcan for Columbia-Washington project
Council has approved a multi-million dollar contract with Copcan Contracting Ltd. for the renovation of Columbia Ave. and Washington St. up to First Ave.—Rossland's biggest single project ever—as negotiated by CAO Victor Kumar and contract administrator Kevin Terness of ISL Engineering.The final project cost to the city of ...
Local lawlessness on the rise...sort of
Crime in Rossland was up in 2011 from 2010 according to statistics recently released by the RCMP, but Sgt. Rob Hawton of the Trail RCMP pointed out the numbers are fairly small, so real trends are difficult to identify. "Not a whole lot stood out," Hawton said. "We don't want to say it's insignificant, but the numbers are...
Decision on new stat holiday open for your vote
Minister of Labour, Citizens’ Services and Open Government Margaret MacDiarmid and Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation Pat Bell were joined by families and community members at the Royal B.C. Museum today to announce a consultation process with British Columbians for choosing which Monday in February will be the new official statutory holiday, Family Day. […]
End prohibition of marijuana, say B.C. mayors
Tax and regulate say B.C. mayors calling for the end of prohibition of marijuana to lower violence in their communities. Grand Forks mayor Brian Taylor joined his voice to the call that came out last week from the eight mayors of Vancouver, Burnaby, North Vancouver City, Vernon, Armstrong, Enderby, Lake Country and Metchosin. The joint […]
Ancient Musqueam Marpole village site must be protected from further desecration
First Nations Summit leaders are speaking out in support of the Musqueam Nation in their continuing fight to protect the remains of their ancestors located on the former Musqueam village site C̓əsnaʔəm, now known as the Marpole Midden. The Musqueam Nation has been engaged in discussions with the City of Vancouver and the ...