Saturday, May 8, 2010

Council Meeting, May 10, 2010



Featured presentations:
2010 Lavington Mayday presentation;
Coldstream's 2009 Annual Financial Report;
Future of Silver Star Provincial Park and
Kalamalka Lake.
Everyone welcome!





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Friday, May 7, 2010

Mayor Calls For Separate Restrictions -- by Peter McIntyre KISS FM

Vernon's mayor admits it could cause a lot of controversy, but he supports having different water restrictions based on the source.

Wayne Lippert says it makes no sense for customers on the well-supplied Kalamalka Lake system, to be under the same rules as Duteau Creek.

"My view on it is, it's one utility but you have number of different sources, n
ot just Kal Lake and the Uplands reservoirs, you also have Antwerp Springs, like well number 2 that's been giving the okay to come back on line, so that's like saying. 'we have one well that's overflowing with water, but because the other one's dry and we're waiting for it to fill, then we shouldn't use the one that's full. That doesn't make sense to me."

Lippert says the tighter restrictions have a big financial cost to the regional district.

"Our finance officer determined if we kept this (stage 3 rules) on for a significant length of time, it would cost us $1.5 million in revenue to the utility. My question back to the users and fellow directors is, how fair do you think it is to have to increase everybody's rates next year to make up that $1.5 million dollars? I think people would be very upset with us. It's not just managing water, it's managing finances as well."

The District of Coldstream is recommending NORD implement the same restrictions, regardless of source.

Lippert made his comments following a NORD meeting where the stage 3 rules were put on hold for two weeks pending further evaluation of the water supply.

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Mayor Lippert attitude is an excellent example of why there were and still are frictions among the GVWU participants.

There are various reasons why all utility customers must be treated the same.

1. During the past 6-8 years all customers were paying the same water rates but enjoying different quality water. When officials were asked about this inequity their response was: we are in the same utility we must pay the same rate. Now we must bear the same burden as far as water restrictions are concerned.

2. The whole Okanagan Valley is experiencing drought conditions and Kalamalka Lake is part of the system. Control of the gate that releases water to Okanagan Lake is in the hands of Provincial and Federal jurisdictions. We could run low on water in Kalamalka lake as well in short order.

3. Mayor Lippert is the Chair of GVAC and should represent the Committee's wishes and not his own agenda.

The foregoing comments represent my own ideas and not necessarily that of Coldstream Council nor that of GVAC.

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Thursday, May 6, 2010

NORD Meeting -- May 5, 2010: Water restrictions.

NORD Board approved a two week relaxation of the stage 3 water restrictions. What this appears to mean that stage 3 restrictions are still in effect but they will only be enforced after the 2 weeks reprieve. Customers are asked to continue to use water wisely from both the Duteau and the Kalamalka Lake sources. The exact wording of the motions passed are posted below along with a request from Coldstream Council to treat all customers equally.



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Tuesday, May 4, 2010

New locations from Google Earth -- SCAM!

If you receive an email such as the one below be WARNED! It's a scam! Google earth is free!

-Easily add your contacts
-Share your discoveries
-Tab each other on maps
Take Google Earth to the next level today
Your Earth code: 6208
http://oservicenote.com/re.php?lnk=1203613081&e=coldstreamer@shaw.ca
Best regards,
David Byrne
Earth Online Team
If you want to stop receiving mail, please go to:
http://oservicenote.com/
or you may contact us at the following address:
Media Internet Consultants, Edif. Neptuno, Planta Baja, Ave. Ricardo J. Alfaro, Tumba Muerto, n/a, Panama

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*SPrKL* A Complimentary Informal Wine and Cheese Event !

You are Invited to

*SPrKL*

at

A Complimentary Informal Wine and Cheese Event !

on

Tuesday May 11th

7:00-9:00 at the ‘Log House’

8505 Kalavista Drive Coldstream

• Come hear more about our beautiful lake - Heather Larratt

• Sign Up for the Coldstream Creek Clean Up: May 15th

• Discuss proposed May Long Weekend SPrKL activities

• Find out about the *SPrKL Night Gala* in August

Please email info@spkl.ca to let us know if you plan on attending and how
many guests you would like to bring.

New members are always welcome!


Thank-you!

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Volunteers needed!



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Saturday, May 1, 2010

Upcoming event!



Dear friends and fellow music lovers,

Just wanted to let you know that Coldstream resident, world-renowned composer IMANT RAMINSH, and his poet wife Becky Strube, will be the stars of the MAY 9th, 2010 Okanagan Symphony Concert -Imant has composed the music and Becky the words for a marvelous new work called "Quaternity: A Canata of Seasons" in honor of the 50th Anniversary of the Okanagan Symphony - this will be the WORLD PREMIERE of this new composition. Please come out and support them and the Okanagan Symphony at this wonderful concert May 9th, 2010 7:00 pm at the Vernon Performing Arts Centre.

Hope to see you there,

Maria Besso

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Friday, April 30, 2010

Selected articles -- Morning Star, April 30, 2010.



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Courtesy Don Quixote

Serious Coffee and A&W join HST fight

Andrew A. Duffy, Times Colonist

The southern Vancouver Island segment of the provincial Kill HST campaign has reached agreements with both Serious Coffee and A&W restaurants on the Island to set up petitions within the store locations. "Right now we're just working on the logistics -- when we can ensure we will have canvassers there on site," said campaign organizer Brad Slade, who hoped details would be worked out by mid-week. The agreements will allow canvassers with petitions to set up shop within the Island's 25 Serious Coffee locations and eight A&W locations to collect signatures. The exceptions will be stores within shopping malls.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Message from the Society for the Protection of Kalamalka Lake

*SPrKL*

To all who are concerned about the water quality of Kalamalka Lake:

Monday May 3rd, 2010 from 7:00 -9:00 pm at the Women's Institute Hall, there will be an Open House organized by Coldstream Council and the Environmental Advisory Committee. This meeting is part of Phase 1 of Community Involvement in Creek Action, and will include a brief presentation of the results of the Sensitive Habitat Inventory and Mapping (SHIM) that was done on Coldstream, Brewer, and Craster Creeks last summer. You will have an opportunity to view the maps, to ask questions and to find out what you can do to help protect the Creeks, and ultimately... to help improve the quality of Kalamalka Lake water.

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Selected articles -- Morning Star, April 28, 2010.



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Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Off Road Activity and Unauthorized Structures Provincial Contacts for Enforcement


With the recent approval of the Shared Services Plan for the Thompson Okanagan Management Area for all Natural Resource Ministries, development of the Okanagan Shuswap, Compliance & Enforcement Implementation Plan is underway. Two of the key priorities in the plan are:
1) Off Road vehicles causing environmental damage.
2) To address unauthorized structures such as cabins, homes, constructed
bike trails, docks and any other structure that has not been authorized by
government (ie) ILMB, MFR, MTCA).
While C&E is aware of some structures and sites we, by no means, have a full picture of known structures and ORV (off road vehicles) sites. To that end I am asking if you could take some time out of your day to assist us in addressing these priorities.

I have established contacts within the Okanagan Shuswap Field Unit, that will aide in this collection process.

For the ORV Environmental Damage, the contacts will be Randal Kohlhauser (Randal.Kohlhauser@gov.bc.ca) for the South; and Dan Krywonos(Dan.Krywonos@gov.bc.ca) for the North. For the abandoned/unauthorized structures, the contacts will be Don Lemp (Don.Lemp@gov.bc.ca) for the South; and
Todd Smith (Todd.Smith@gov.bc.ca) for the North.

If you come across or are aware of these sites, take the time to send to the respective contact, the following information:
i) geographic location
ii) nature of the site impacted
iii) directions on how to get there if required
iv) GPS coordinates if you have them
v) Any significant environmental, social(safety) economic issues you have noted
Another helpful method would be to pinpoint the location of the site on Map view and send a copy, with some detailed information noted above

Give some thought to the potential, positive impacts that your information may have. We all know there are issues with squatters, environmental damage and the like occurring in scattered locations across the district. With recent authorities that C&E staff have been issued (Special CO and Lands Officer status) we now have additional “tools” available to effect some positive outcomes related to these unauthorized activities.

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Monday, April 26, 2010

Master Water Plan issues.

I will be making a presentation to Council at tonight's meeting on Master Water Plan Issues. The draft of my presentation can be accessed at MWP

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Coldstream Ratepayers News! All Coldstream residents are ratepayers!

The opinions expressed by "Coldstreamer" are strictly his own and do not represent the opinions of Coldstream Council!

Because I value your thoughtful opinions, I encourage you to add a comment to this discussion. Don't be offended if I edit your comments for clarity or to keep out questionable matters, however, and I may even delete off-topic comments.

Gyula Kiss
coldstreamer@shaw.ca;

***Coldstreamernews***

***Coldstreamernews***
We must protect our rights and freedom! (Photo courtesy of D. Gibson) Click on eagle to watch EAGLECAMS

About Me

My photo
I have been a resident of Coldstream since 1976. I have had 15 years of experience on Council, 3 years as Mayor. As a current Councillor I am working to achieve fair water and sewer rates and to ensure that taxpayers get fair treatment. The current direction regarding water supply is unsustainable and I am doing all I can to get the most cost effective water supply possible.