THANKS TO THE TOWN FOR HELP WHEN WATER WAS OUT
Editor:
During the recent water outage experienced in Osoyoos the 74 homes at Casitas del Sol on 115th Street were directly affected.
On behalf of our residents I would like to thank all those who helped during this time.
The support received from the Town of Osoyoos Public Works Department was above and beyond what we expected.
The office staff kept us well informed.
This enabled us to keep our residents updated on what was happening.
Such things as water being delivered for some of our senior residents who could not easily get out and arranging for shower and water facilities at the Sonora Centre were quickly set up.
We also commend all the outside workers who endured difficult weather conditions while working to get the water back in service as quickly as possible.
It was wonderful to see neighbours helping neighbours as many people pulled together in a spirit of community pride. Once again we should all be proud to call Osoyoos home.
Marjorie Trosky,
President,rnCasitas del Sol Strata Council,rnOsoyoos
OSOYOOS TIMES-January 7, 2009
DO RESPONDS TO RECENT LETTERS
Editor:
I am responding to the letters from Mr. Kell Petersen (Dec. 24) and Mr. David Eastbury (Dec. 31) in which they repeat “ yet again “ their dissatisfaction with Town Council's decision to have Destination Osoyoos carry out tourism marketing and economic development services on behalf of the Town.
We hear you.
You don't like the economic model being used successfully by the Town of Osoyoos and the 40 other B.C. communities that operate on basically the same model.
I guess you think all these municipalities must be wrong.
The major point that you belabour in your many letters to the editor is quite incorrect “ that somehow the non-profit Destination Osoyoos Society operates independently from the elected officials of our community.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Through our contractual obligation to the Town each year we jointly plan and incorporate into our business plan the projects and direction the Town wants us to pursue.
This includes, for instance, Town Council's request that we recruit doctors, rebrand the Town's marketing image, and implement the Additional Hotel Room Tax.
You don't like the recent provincial designation of Osoyoos as a Resort Municipality.
Yet this was requested by our elected officials.
Over the next five years it will provide us with $1 million and the additional bed tax will generate another $1.5 million.
This makes a major difference in the property tax that each of us will pay.
The utilities under our streets are aging and it is expensive to update them.
The additional revenue will benefit all of us in Osoyoos.
For some reason you even question our work to attract new doctors to our community.
There are people in our community who don't have a doctor and who must go to Emergency in Oliver to get basic medical care.
And Osoyoos has a number of doctors who have recently retired or who will retire soon.
This doctor shortage was considered unacceptable by your Town councillors, and they asked Destination Osoyoos to help recruit physicians.
In co-operation with the Town of Oliver and the doctors in our two communities, Destination Osoyoos has made a major effort to fulfil the request by Town Council to help attract doctors.
I have personally toured a number of prospective doctors around Osoyoos, to show them what a wonderful place we live in, and I and the other members of Destination Osoyoos are proud that we have helped to convince some doctors to move here.
We must continue this effort, and I am sure that the people of Osoyoos appreciate it.
Derek Noske,rnVice-Chair,rnDestination Osoyoos Board of Directors
OSOYOOS TIMES-January 7, 2009
READER SHARES BAD EXPERIENCE OF SHOPPING LOCALLY
Editor:
I am guessing, but about four years ago, your paper had an editorial about shopping locally, and I have noticed that Destination Osoyoos has had notices in your paper about shopping locally.
The reason for writing is because we detest being fleeced.
Experience 1: On Oct. 2, 2008 we went to an Osoyoos flooring store where we left a deposit of $800.
We were told it would be two or three weeks for flooring to arrive.
On Nov. 4 we went to the store and were told the floor would be installed Nov. 12.
This is some five-and-a-half weeks later.
On the morning of Nov. 12, we had a call saying the flooring had not arrived.
Later that same day, we had a call that the flooring had arrived and that we should come and pick it up.
I asked if he was going to install the flooring and he said he would not install it.
We requested our deposit refunded and found he had charged $250; $250 for nothing.
I call that being fleeced.
Experience 2: On Nov. 14, 2008 we went to another Osoyoos flooring store; the flooring was delivered and installed on Nov. 20.
I realize this is exceptional service, but five days compared to five-and-a-half weeks.
There are a lot of good stores and companies to deal with in Osoyoos, the list would be too long for this letter, but there is one bad apple in every bunch.
Gord Jeffries,rnOsoyoos
OSOYOOS TIMES-January 7, 2009
