THURSDAY
S I N C E
MAY 15, 2014
1 8 9 5
Vol. 119, Issue 75
105
$
INCLUDING G.S.T.
Bocce champs crowned Page 9
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PROUDLY SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF ROSSLAND, WARFIELD, TRAIL, MONTROSE, FRUITVALE & SALMO
Warfield meets with city to talk recreation
HOG HEAVEN
BY SHERI REGNIER Times Staff
ART HARRISON PHOTO
Harley Davidson of the Kootenays, from Cranbrook, brought over $500,000 worth of chrome and steel to Trail Wednesday giving local riders a chance to try out one of the motorcycle company’s 2014 models at Waneta Plaza.
MLA speaks out against ALR changes Conroy wants more debate on Agricultural Land Reserve BY ART HARRISON Times Staff
Citing lack of public consultation, Kootenay West MLA, Katrine Conroy, presented a motion to refer the government’s proposed Bill 24, altering the existing Agricultural Land Reserve. “I’m introducing a motion to refer the matter to the Select Committee, that will give us a chance to debate the motion and why it should go back to the drawing board,” said told the Times from Victoria Wednesday. Bill 24, the Agricultural Land
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Reserve (ALR) Act, would divide the province into two zones. The Lower Mainland and Okanagan would retain the regulations and restrictions of the original ALR act and the rest of the province, including the Kootenays, would have relaxed regulations allowing property owners to have land removed from the ALR more easily allowing for resource and real estate development on lands once reserved for food production. “Everybody should be asking Bill Bennett (Liberal MLA for Kootenay East) what his agenda is,” Conroy said, “I can’t get an answer. So many people are saying, ‘Don’t do this,’ many of the
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reduced
people they had said supported it.” In recent years the terms “100mile diet” and “eat local” have become increasingly popular with an increasingly large portion of the population who are trying to encourage healthier eating that doesn’t involve food that was harvested months ago and shipped sometimes thousands of miles before arriving at your local super market. Farmers’ markets are becoming a fixture in cities and towns around Kootenays, many of them featuring fresh fruits and veggies produced by farmers and orchardists who work land within a few miles of the markets. See ‘WHO, Page 3
One Percent realty
nancy Kaiser 1208 Second Ave
1621 Balsam St.
1175 Green Ave
$169,900
$199,000
$157,500
2 bd 1 bth
3 bd 2 bth townhouse
2 bd 1 bth
Flexibility is the name of the game as bargaining talks continue between Warfield and Trail, according to the village’s mayor. Both sides met Tuesday morning to resume negotiations following Warfield council’s decision not to renew a five-year recreational and library services agreement with Trail. This time around, Warfield is looking for some leeway in Trail’s cost sharing “formula” that determines how much the village has to pay the city so its citizens can access Silver City facilities and the Trail and District Public Library through the Trail Resident Program (TRP). Since disbanding the TRP agreement, Warfield residents have been subject to a dual rate system that has them paying double the fees to use the city’s sports facilities and library. “What I can say is that we had an open discussion about a bunch of items,” Warfield Mayor Bert Crockett told the Trail Times Wednesday morning. “Talks will be ongoing but as long as there is a set formula in place it’s hard to get into any form of negotiation.” After 12 years in politics the village mayor said it’s time to end the long standing animosity between local municipalities about what is fair to pay for recreational services. “I’ve had enough of it,” said Crockett. “I think we’ve all had, and I think the formula seems to be where everyone has run amok.” All affected communities need to come together and decide on a voluntary contribution, he continued. “This issue will always rear its ugly head until we get together and decide how much to contribute voluntarily. Then we’ll pay it, and that’s it.” After meeting with Crockett and the four village councillors, Trail Mayor Dieter Bogs is hopeful for a resolution and confirmed a follow up meeting with Warfield is scheduled for next week. “We had a good meeting,” said Bogs. “And we look forward to talking with them again.” Since organizing its own reimbursement program, Warfield has paid out about $9,300 to village residents to cover library cards and sports passes, noted Vince Morelli, Warfield’s chief administrative officer. “It seems to be working,” he said. “There’s been no major hiccups and we try to help people with financial difficulty.” The decision to no longer cost share with the city under the TRP was made during an incamera council meeting in March, leaving the city on the hook to cover the loss of Warfield’s $74,500 towards recreation and $32,500 annual payment toward library services.
368-1817 362-9094 nancykaiser.ca nnckaiser@gmail.com
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