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2011 IN REVIEW: April - local winners, rising taxes, new library

A summary of the April 2011 events and newspapers in The Journal readership area.
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Close to 50 Loon Lake residents showed up with signs on Apr. 3 to protest proposed new changes to their TNRD transfer station.

APRIL

Loon Lake Transfer Station changes anger residents

Residents burned an image of the TNRD’s new Solid Waste Management plan earlier this month to emphasize their frustration with new changes being imposed on the Loon Lake Transfer Station.

As of May 1, residents will no longer be able to dispose of yard trimmings or corrugated cardboard at the site, leaving them with the options of driving to either Clinton or Cache Creek with it.

“That’s a big concern,” said spokesperson Barbara Hendricks, “but the bigger issue is the lack of consultation.”

 

Arnott among BC’s community achievers

16 Mile resident Deb Arnott is among 36 outstanding British Columbians who were named the recipients of the eighth annual BC Community Achievement Awards by Premier Christy Clark and Keith Mitchell, chair of the British Columbia Achievement Foundation.

“Each of these people has a remarkable record of enhancing the quality of life of residents throughout the province,” said Premier Christy Clark. “And each truly deserves to be singled out and recognized by all British Columbians for their contributions.”

“Arnott is a community leader and role model who promotes business and community economic development in the Central Interior as general manager of Community Futures Sun Country,” states her biography. “Debra also supports a wide range of community initiatives as a volunteer including the Regional Literacy group, Thompson Rivers University, Regional Welcoming Communities, and the Historic Hat Creek Ranch to name a few.”

Ashcroft taxes will rise 22 %

Ashcroft Council voted for a 22 per cent tax increase in their Five Year Financial Plan at their Apr. 11 meeting.

Council approved a two per cent increase for all assessment categories, plus a 20 per cent tax increase for all assessment classifications to fund capital projects.

The 20 per cent increase will appear as a separate line item on the property tax notice and will be titled “Capital Asset Reserve.” The funds raised under this levy will be transferred to the Capital Works Reserve Fund each year and will only be used for capital purchases. Removing money from this Fund will require a motion of Council or the inclusion in the Five Year Financial Plan.

 

Cache Creek passes $5.7 M budget

The Village of Cache Creek adopted both its Five Year Financial Plan that includes its 2011 budget of $7,576,700, and the Water System Frontage Tax Bylaw at its Apr. 11 meeting.

The 2011 budget anticipates $303,855 in property taxes (11.7 per cent of budget’s revenue source), $623,647 from landfill royalties (24 per cent of revenue), $1.1 million in grants (41 per cent), and lists  $2,587,591 in capital expenditures planned for this year.

Over the next five years, general taxes and utilities (water and sewer user fees) will increase by 2.5 per cent annually.

 

New library for Cache Creek

TNRD announced that it would build a new library in Cache Creek in 2012.

The regional district purchased the old Chevron property on Hwy 1 next to the Royal Bank and plans to put a 1,600-2,000 square foot library on the .83 acres.

 

Local curlers international champs

Ashcroft curlers were the 2011 Dominion Cup Champions - Dwight Hodder, Paul Quesnel, Christopher Brezina, Gary Farr and alternate Cheyne Hodder.

This BC championship is for curlers from all the clubs in BC that are affiliated with Curl BC; The winning teams from the eight regional Zones meet in Richmond for the Pacific International Cup of Curling (PICC) to challenge the rest of the world.

On Apr. 20 the team went to Richmond, along with 15 other teams from California to Alaska, to play in the 12th annual PICC.

Ashcroft defeated Washington for the gold.

 

Questions bring awards

Can infrared cameras be used to detect icy road conditions while driving? That is the question asked in a YouTube video entry by 13-year-old Edward Wong, the fourth semi-finalist selected in the Year of Science “Choose Science, Go Far, Win Big” contest.

Wong’s winning idea puts him in the running for the grand prize of a $25,000 scholarship to any BC post-secondary institution. He’s currently in Grade 8 at Kumsheen Secondary school in Lytton.

Kamloops-South Thompson MLA Kevin Krueger presented Wong with his $250 prize package of science-themed items at Kumsheen Secondary school last week.