Council reporter ROY WOOD recently sat down with Oliver Mayor Ron Hovanes to chat about the year that is wrapping up and what may lie ahead. What follows is an edited transcription of that conversation.

What were some of the highlights of the year?

The big thing that took place this summer was the Wilson Mountain fire. The emergency operations centre, the number of volunteers that came forward, the number of people who were impacted.

We were all influenced by the Testalinda fire, which was a lot bigger. But to be faced by the urban interface of the fire. The potential damage or loss that could have happened.

The morning after, when the fire was pretty well out, it was a real wake-up call — for me and council and the community — about how we really dodged a bullet. From that we’ve now applied for fire mitigation and fire safety plan through the province. We’re accessing grant money so we can become a fire safe community.

At the Union of BC Municipalities convention I had a very successful meeting with the Attorney-General Susan Anton addressing the town’s concern about a prolific offender, Ronald Teneycke. It was almost a chance to give the AG a victim impact statement on behalf of the town. It wasn’t really a highlight, but it was an effective moment I’ll carry with me.

Amoung highlights for the community and council, there was a lot of public works that happened this year. Infrastructure. Downtown repaving. A lot of it’s not very sexy: alley and sewer upgrades; bridge work; a new well; two parks created; hike and bike path loop completed; new dog pound.

Any goals you had for 2015 that weren’t met?

The Official Community Plan review was a priority we wanted to get moving on. We’ve had some development pressure and it’s time to go back and engage with the community about what they’d like to see in our community.

So, we just put out a request for proposals for the OCP review and that’s now in the works for next year and we’re going to get that done. We realized that the money we put aside wasn’t enough and we’re going to have to add money to make that work. But we’re committed to it.

The amount of crime this year. We haven’t solved that one. But it has been an ongoing, active file of where do we go from here. For the first three quarters of the year, stats are high in pretty much all categories. Particularly property crime and theft of vehicles.

We’re looking down the road in the new year to a town hall meeting to engage the community, not just to hear the issues and to hear individuals, but also to clarify the policing role. What we as citizens can do: some simple things we, like locking our cars, and broader things we can do.

The RCMP assured me they have put a business case forward stating that we need two more officers in this detachment that currently has eight. And they have the support of the regional officer in charge. We hope to hear early in the new year.

What’s on your to-do list for 2016?

As I mentioned, tackling our crime issues. The town hall meeting will be important to assure people we’re actively working on it. The police have told us this area is a priority. That’s not going to stop. But we have limited resources and we are deemed to be crime-friendly at the moment.

Irrigation canal – The Ditch — needs a study to see exactly what needs to be done over time to rehabilitate the whole thing. We try to do a little bit every year. It’s an aging concrete canal so it needs rehabilitation. But it’s part of the lifeblood of our area, but it is a big cost to maintain.

Downtown revitalization is a big one. We really want to do something to try kick-start some of the empty holes in the downtown core. We’ll be working with businesses. For example, do they want to create a business improvement area?

We’ve been told that many of the 240 or so employees at the new provincial corrections facility will want to live close to work and there’s not a whole lot of inventory here. That’s one of reasons the OCP review is important.

I’ve been told that the corrections officers are people you want in your neighborhoods. They’re coaches; they’re in long-term careers; they’re good, honest, hard-working people.

We have an attractive, livable climate here. We have two good elementary schools and a wonderful high school, the hospital and other amenities. Hopefully there will be a positive impact when these people move into our community.

The Area 27 racetrack project is breaking ground this weekend. They’ve sold a lot of memberships. $200,00 is probably an average car up there. Apparently they get a certain number of days on the track. I’m guessing it will have to have an impact on real estate and other amenities.

We recently parted ways with our former CAO and we’re in the process of hiring a new one. But we won’t get one until probably the end of February.

Of course we still want to work closely with the Osoyoos Indian Band and the opportunities that may arise there.

Early in the new year, council will likely have a quick priorities session to get moving again on them.

Is being the mayor a full time job?

Not really, but it can take a lot of time. I pretty much attend all the things I need to attend. And the mayor gets asked to be the town’s representative at so many events. At this time of year can be a little bit nutty.

A lot of times at seven or eight o’clock on a Sunday Tara and I will look at each other and say, “Welcome to the weekend.” But it’s all-good. I asked for it and we’ve got a great community and I’m pretty blessed to have this role in a small community and be treated as well as I am.

The stipend doesn’t equate to a full time job. But nobody does this for the money. There has to be an understanding that you need to have a respect for the role and make sure you put in the time you need.

Some people are passionate golfers or they like to fix up old cars. For me, outside of my regular job and my family, what takes up my time is this role.

What’s the best thing about being mayor?

One is the actual engagement with the community with people and goings on … to be part of leaving behind a better community. Many days I go home and say to Tara, “It’s been a good day to be mayor. Very seldom do I go home and say I had a crappy day.”

It’s the one level of government that has the most impact on the average citizen.

We are providing services, raising taxes, overseeing recreational opportunities. And then there’s the meat and bones of the community:  roads and sewer and water, which are always the biggest budget items.

What’s the worst thing?

There really is no worst part, but one of the most taxing parts is the many, many lengthy meetings that you are expected to attend. Some of my regional district days are very long. I might be up there four to seven hours and there may only be one or two things that pertain to Oliver.

There is an incredible time commitment, and there is an expectation when you take on this role and that you need to be there at those events.

And these commitments are taken on not only by me but also by Tara. I’m blessed to have an incredible partner. It’s a small community. Half the time when I’m invited to an event, they are more excited to see Tara. If she’s not there they are asking why.

Will you seek the Liberal nomination in Boundary-Similkameen?

I would never challenge (incumbent) Linda (Larson). She was my mayor when I came on council. She has been my mentor in this job. She’s still a good friend of mine. She’s doing a great job and if she wants to run I’ll be her number one supporter.

A bit of background. I challenged John Slater for the nomination in 2008. I lost and became mayor again in 2011.

So, I’ve always had an interest in political opportunities and even higher political opportunities. If Linda were not to run, it would be an opportunity I’d have to look. I’d have to be approached and see how viable it was and it would be a question Tara and I would have to go forward with.

We’re both under 55 and we have to work for a number of years and we have huge responsibilities with our business. So, there’s not a quick answer to it.

I’m not saying no to it, but it’s not something I’m really banking on.

Where do you sit on the park issue?

I have a personal opinion, buy I’ve been very careful not to say the Mayor of Oliver supports this or does not support this.

I walked away from meetings between Environment Minister Mary Polak and the two sides and came away thinking, “My god, these guys are so close.”

The ranchers all care about the critters. Hunters care about the ecosystem. The environmentalists are no different in their care. If you could get these guys in the same room, there’s probably something at the end of the day that wouldn’t please everyone completely but would be workable.

I’ve shared with both sides that they don’t want me to push council into having a vote because it’s going to be divisive. Petra (Veintimilla) is a very vocal yes for the national park. One member is a very vocal no. The rest, I could guess but …

I have asked council that if, down the road, there is going to be a national park and there is going to be an economic benefit to the area, do we want to be part of it? Or do we want to give it all to Osoyoos?

Are we going to sit back and say we don’t want anything to do with this or are we going to step up to the plate and say now that the decision’s been made can we be part of this picture as well?

It’s not an answer I’ve got yet.

Anything that I missed asking you about?

I have a great council with very strong opinions and strong backgrounds in the community. Of the seven people on council the one with the least experience in the town is Larry (Schwartzenberger) and he and his wife have lived here for 30 years. The rest of my council were born and raised here and graduated from high school here. I have a great relationship with my council. We have our struggles, but we seem to be able to get things done.

I have an MLA who is totally engaged in our community. We don’t have a whole lot of friction between levels of government.

Oliver is a great place to live. It’s almost a blessing that we didn’t have a huge recreational lake that allowed us to boom like the other communities in the 70s and 80s and 90s. We’re still a settled, authentic rural agricultural community. We have a strong, diverse economy that could get stronger.

We still have one of the smallest tax requisitions per household of any community in the South Okanagan. I think Oliver is well suited going forward.