TUESDAY
< Derby on for Family Day
JANUARY 12, 2016
7th Annual Family Fishing Derby | Page 3
Farewell, Thin White Duke > David Bowie: 1947 - 2016 | Page 12
Like Us TownsmanBulletin Follow Us
INCLUDES G.S.T.
@crantownsman
Vol. 65, Issue 07
1
$ 10 Proudly serving Cranbrook and area since 1951
www.dailytownsman.com
BARRY COULTER PHOTO
The creative directorship of Wild Drama’s upcoming production of “Mary Poppins.” Choreographer Siona Jackson (front, left) of Toronto is a long time friend of Director and Instructor Mary Hamilton (centre). Caitlin Matwey (front, right) is a MBSS grad coming back to take on the role of Music Director. The three are pictured in front of some of the cast of “Mary Poppins.” See story, Page 2.
Transition plan in place as RDEK CAO eyes retirement FOR THE TOWNSMAN
The RDEK Board of Directors has announced they have selected a new Chief Administrative Officer to replace current CAO Lee-Ann Crane when she retires later this year. “As we look to early June and the retirement of our current CAO, the Board felt it was important to have a plan in place to ensure a smooth transition,” explains RDEK Board Chair, Rob Gay. “We are pleased to announce current RDEK Chief Financial Officer Shawn Tomlin will assume the role of CAO following Lee-Ann’s retirement in June.” Crane has been CAO of the Regional District for over 18 years
and has been an RDEK employee for almost 37 years. Tomlin has been with the RDEK for 13 years and has been CFO for nine. “We wish Lee-Ann the very best in her retirement and know Shawn will have huge shoes to fill,” says Gay. “Having said that, Shawn knows the RDEK, our programs and services and has been a key member of our Senior Management team, so we feel confident he will be able to make the transition into this new role with a good understanding of the role and the support of our Board and staff.” The RDEK will begin recruiting for a new Chief Financial Officer this week.
The ‘blob’ is gone Blob of warm Pacific water, which likely caused low snowpacks last year, has dissipated; snowpacks back to normal for most of province C A R O LYN G R A N T
LEE-ANN CRANE
What a difference a year makes. After a year of much lower than normal snowpacks across the province in 2015, the first snowpack report from the River Forecast Centre for 2016 indicates pretty healthy snow packs, especially in the southern portion of the province. Part of this is likely due to the dissipation of “the blob”, an area of warm water in the northern Pacific which was present over the past two years. Researchers believe the blob to have been responsible for the warm winters and low snowpack over the past two years.
Seasonal forecasts from Environment Canada are indicating a high likelihood of above normal temperatures across British Columbia over the January to March period. By early January, nearly half of the annual BC snowpack has typically accumulated. Snow basin indices range from a low of 53% in the Stikine to a high of 143% in the Similkameen. In general, most of the province has near normal snow pack levels (90-110%) for January 1, 2016. The East Kootenay snowpack is in the 90 to 110 per cent range.
See SNOWPACK, Page 3