By Times Chronicle Staff
The following are Oliver town council briefs from the Nov. 7 meeting.
Up to $7K for strategic planning
Oliver’s new town council will spend up to $7,000 to undertake strategic planning in the new year.
That was the decision made during council’s inaugural meeting last week.
The day-and-a-half exercise in January will help set the town’s priorities and budget for the four-year term. The money will be spent on hiring a consultant and booking a venue with ancillary costs.
Chief Administrative Officer Ed Chow said the cost is reasonable compared to $15,000-$20,000 that other municipalities are paying for their planning sessions.
Councillors appointed
Town council has appointed members to various committees to help with local governance.
Mayor Martin Johansen was appointed as the director on the regional district board, with Petra Veintimilla as the alternate. There was a bit of a contest since both Veintimilla and new Councillor Terry Schafer expressed interest in the role. She acknowledged that Schafer had way more experience than her, but council decided to appoint her because she had the most votes in the recent election. Veintimilla suggested the role be a rotational one to allow other councillors to be the alternate.
Dave Mattes was appointed to the Okanagan Regional Library Board again, with Schafer as the alternate.
Mattes was also nominated to be considered for the Economic Trust of Southern Interior Regional Advisory Committee.
Veintimilla was chosen as the acting mayor for October, November, and December, while Councillor Aimee Grice will serve as acting mayor for July, August, and September.
Mattes will assume the role in April, May, and June, while Schafer’s months are January, February and March.
Ambassadors thanked
Town council thanked three teenagers during a special ceremony on Nov. 7.
The event was for outgoing Oliver Ambassadors Jordyn Koteles, Mya Crowley, and McKenna Burns. These girls were recognized for their dedication in representing the community during the past year.
