By ROY WOOD

Homeless advocate makes case to council

Crystal Clear received only good wishes and bit of advice on Monday as she took her fight for a homeless shelter in Oliver to a council committee meeting.

Clear has been campaigning through local media for a men’s and women’s homeless shelter in Oliver. On Monday she told council: “It is pretty sad when we see people sleeping under the bridge (and) in the parks, and people find shelter in bank lobbies.”

Mayor Ron Hovanes told her that there is provincial funding available for such projects, but that they need a sponsor and the town is not allowed to provide such sponsorship.

He suggested contacting local churches, recalling that several years ago members of the local Alliance church had approached him seeking some avenue to aid the homeless.

The mayor encouraged Clear to keep working. “Thank you for this (presentation) and we wish you luck,” he said.

Small step for downtown revitalization

The ongoing dream of revitalizing the downtown took a small step forward Monday as council approved a work plan to develop an action plan to be in hand by the end of March.

Thanks to $10,000 provincial grant, EcoPlan Consulting developed the 10-step work plan that includes a series of planning sessions, workshops and presentations.

The initiative flows out of the town’s strategic plan, which sees as part of its goal, the re-establishment of “Oliver’s downtown core as the social, cultural and civic heart of the community.”

EcoPlan will work closely with senior town staff and council as well as the chamber of commerce. There is no provision in the work plan presented to council for input for non-business residents of Oliver.

Mayor Ron Hovanes asked staff about the timing of the action plan, pointing out that the current council is half-way through its four-year mandate and “some of us would like to accomplish something real” before the time is up.

Light-up and fireworks set for November 25

The town will kick in $1,000 toward the cost of the fireworks show that highlights the Christmas light-up festivities on Friday, November 25.

Carol Sheridan made the case to council Monday, pointing out that the light-up committee has been fund-raising, but is still $1,500 short of the $5,000 needed to pay for the 30-minute fireworks show.

The Community Light-Up and Fireworks goes from three to eight p.m.  There are events around the downtown, including face painting, food vendors, wine tasting and goodies along with the Sage Valley Voices and the Oliver Elementary School choir.

Santa arrives downtown at 6 followed by activities, entertainment and a bonfire at Oliver Community Park. The fireworks go at 7 p.m.

On Saturday morning there is breakfast with Santa at the Oliver Community Centre Hall from 9 to 11:30.

SOSS act of kindness gets $500 boost

Over the objection of one of its members, council voted to help support an effort at Southern Okanagan Secondary School to help financially vulnerable students.

Called the Random Acts of Kindness Pantry, the effort will provide food and other necessities to students in difficult financial circumstances.

Mayor Ron Hovanes said the initiative was brought to his attention by a staff member and he advised her to send a letter to council. A letter from vice-principal Tracy Harrington asked for support, including financial donations.

Councillor Larry Schwartzenberger said the cause is a worthy one and that he “will donate to personally,” but that he is “philosophically opposed” to one level of government – the town — giving to another one – the school district.

Councillor Petra Veintimilla said she believes the request is from a group of concerned individuals and not from the school board. She moved the motion to make a one-time contribution of $500 from the unallocated grant-in-aid budget.

The motion passed, with Schwartzenberger opposed.

Kiwanis on the hook for unpaid sewer bill

The local Kiwanis club will get a nasty surprise in the mail one day soon as the town sends a $6,000 bill for an unpaid sewer bill from 2015.

Chief financial officer David Svetlichny told council that through an “administrative error” a $6,000 sewer charge was left off the tax bill for one of the Kiwanis buildings in 2015.

Kiwanis didn’t bring it to the town’s attention and no one at town hall noticed it until Svetlichny was going through financial records for Monday’s quarterly report to council.

He told council members that the town bylaws preclude town staff from acting on its own to collect such outstanding bills. In such cases, council must direct the administration to act.