Comment from Councillor Mike Campol

It’s Monday – light agenda at Osoyoos Town Council. 2 Councillors away, one just back from a holiday.

Mayor Sue McKortoff reports on a meeting she was not invited to attend at the local school board offices in Oliver.

The school board has now invited the local council to a meeting February 9th but that is not sitting well with just about anyone.

With Councillor Rhodes and Youngberg away there is no way to consult properly and find suggestions on alternatives to closing the elementary school, re-shaping Osoyoos Secondary to a K-9 school and shipping grades 10-11-12 by bus to Oliver.

Shocking news – says Councillor Mike Campol: “It is an understatement to say I am frustrated and devastated by this news of school changes and closures in Osoyoos.”

Mayor McKortoff understands the facts and the ramifications but still feels slighted. She went to the Oliver meeting after being advised that the Oliver mayor, Ron Hovanes would be there. She was not invited or the council, staff or Town advised that the meeting was to centre on….just Osoyoos.

Campol told Council Monday – I was elected to represent young families with the intent of creating economic opportunities. ” How can you do that with school closures? ”

McKortoff says she will say more when meeting with trustees but annoyed that consultation would begin after a decision has been made. The school district announcing that no other area in the school district would be examined at this time.

The Mayor says “we must find interesting ways of dealing with this” in a very tight time frame.