Budget time in the Village, and oh what a complicated process it is. My first step was to look for a comparison to other communities in the region, and fortunately the Provincial government has made it easy - a downloadable Excel file that I filtered for just the North Okanagan. Here are the results:
704 - Taxes and Charges on a Representative House - 2011

Municipalities	Representative House Value	General Municipal Taxes
Armstrong	309,868	729
Coldstream	457,717	1,000
Enderby	253,284	810
Lumby	250,408	768
Spallumcheen	267,818	872
Vernon	378,409	1,090

HTH

Conflicting Morning Star Articles about Lumby Recreation

I caught up on back issues of the Morning Star over the weekend and Lumby recreation figures in three articles.A Friday December 16th article extolls the virtues of spending $57,000 of next year's White Valley Parks, Recreation and Culture budget on a new water spray park and a new outdoor fitness circuit. Total project cost $435,322.

Leap forward two days to Sunday December 18th and there's an article (by the same reporter) warning of the potential danger of a 5% tax increase for the same White Valley Parks, Recreation and Culture Advisory Committee. General increases for all the current functions (administration, parks, arena, community centre, curling, pool) are predicted.

In the same Dec. 18th edition the same reporter writes that a swimming pool upgrade is underfunded and staff have asked for another $100,000 to complete the project. The committee held firm - $525,000 is all that  taxpayers can afford.

However given economic conditions there will not be any funds to implement the cultural master plan, according to the chair. Economic conditions for the arts have been bad for a very long time - the amount allocated  to arts, theatre, or music has been zero every year.

Zero, out of a $1 million operating budget.

Ban on cosmetic use of pesticides in Lumby

December 19th council will hear a presentation promoting a ban on the use of cosmetic pesticides in the Village. I have collected a few links to sources I think I can trust, and will add to it as more info is forthcoming.

1. May 2011 Andrew McLeod writes that the provincial Liberals and NDP agree, and legislation is coming.
2. The Ministry of Environment refers to a bi-partisan committee (which is interested in hearing your views) to develop the provincial legislation. Several reports are available of their work to date, as well as all the committee work.
3. Review of the scientific literature by the journal "Canadian Family Physician", the official journal of The College of Family Physicians of Canada. The article's conclusion includes, "The results of this systematic review have prompted the Ontario College of Family Physicians to recommend that everyone, especially children and pregnant women, reduce exposure to pesticides whenever possible, both at home and in the workplace."

This is a divisive issue with both sides quick to label their opponents as unthinking emotional fanatics who are out to ruin everyone's lives. Respectful dialogue only please as we find our way through to a greater Lumby. 

Lumby water bill needs more info

For my first foray into how things work at council I thought I would pick something that would be relatively uncontroversial. I think it will be useful for the water bill to show historical consumption rates similar to our hydro & gas bills.

But primarily it's a test to see if it possible to get things done while on council. If you have any ideas for short, simple projects that would make life in our Village a little better, please let me know.

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Notice of Motion

Whereas the Village of Lumby utility invoice provides information intending to reduce water consumption and waste, and

Whereas past water consumption rates are available to the Village, and

Whereas consumers are provided with a graph of past consumption of electricity and natural gas on those utility bills, and

Whereas the City of Vernon provides past water consumption information with a graph,

Therefore, be it resolved that the Village of Lumby utility invoices include a graph of past quarterly water consumption so their customers can moniter changes in their rates of water consumption.

Lumby Mayor and Council December 5, 2011

Job opportunities in Lumby

Local good-paying job with Village

There's a job posting on the Lumby village web site. The posting closes December 9th, and that's about all I know about it. http://www.lumby.ca/index.html

More construction jobs coming

The construction management company in charge of the inSite Senior Care facility slated for construction in spring 2012 is Kasper Development Corporation . It will be for 46 beds of  'complex care' (Alzheimer & brain injury patients) called Monashee Mews .Word has it that they would like to hire local, but they have a process for trades and contractors to go through that will take some time.

Health care jobs

For info about working at Insite Senior Care once the building is finished.go to http://insiteseniorcare.com/careers . They want your applications now because they are planning for 60 new BCGEU jobs in Lumby.

Unofficial results November 19, 2011

http://www.elections.civicinfo.bc.ca/2011/reports/electionresults.asp?localgovernmentid=66

Mayor
Kevin Acton

Councillors
Randall Ostafichuk
Lori Mindich
Jo Anne Fisher
Nick Hodge

Thank you. I look forward to three years of representing Lumby residents on council.