By Roy Wood

Reduce and re-use plastics, McKortoff urges 

Mayor Sue McKortoff took time during her report to council Monday to praise local businesses for their efforts to reduce consumption of single-use plastic items and to urge everyone to “reduce and re-use.”

Many businesses in town are working hard to reduce the use of plastic water bottles, straws, bags and coffee cups, she said. “We’re starting to think about doing things more effectively … We all need to work together to reduce the use of plastics and re-use them.”

Recent international developments have made it clear that unlimited recycling is not the answer to over-use of plastics, because the volume is simply beyond what the recycling industry can handle.

The town recently made a $2,000 donation to a major amateur women’s tournament at the Osoyoos Golf Club, which will see as many as a thousand single-use plastic water bottles supplanted by high-quality insulated bottles to be refilled on the golf course.

Romanko files his last CAO report

The mayor and several members of council expressed their appreciation for the work of outgoing chief administrative office Barry Romanko as he delivered the last of his semi-monthly CAO reports.

Councillor CJ Rhodes said: “It has been an honour and a privilege to work with you.” The sentiment was echoed by Mayor Sue McKortoff and Councillor Jim King.

Toward the end of each regular council meeting, Romanko routinely reads council his report, which details the work being done by the major town departments and by the CAO’s office. McKortoff said council will miss Romanko’s reports.

The CAO announced earlier this year that he would retire after 11 years as the town’s top bureaucrat.

His replacement will be Allan Chabot, who leaves a similar role in Revelstoke to take over in Osoyoos, effective late this month.

Building permits issued at twice last year’s rate

The value of building permits issued in Osoyoos so far this year is accumulating at nearly double the pace of last year, according to a report to town council.

The $2.3 million in permits issued in June brings the year-to-date total to $12.7 million. Last year at this time, the total to date was just $7.5 million.

Expressing her delight, Mayor Sue McKortoff said, “That’s about double from last year. That’s pretty amazing.”

The permits for June covered a mix of uses, including residential, commercial and industrial.