(The Chronicle sat down electronically with Mayor Ron Hovanes to find out what he thought of 2016 and what he sees for the new year.)

OC: What was your favourite moment in 2016?

RH: If I had to pick a moment it would be my visit to the premier’s office in early spring. Our MLA arranged meetings with a number of ministers but also scheduled a meeting with Premier Clark. When she offered a half million dollar assistance on behalf of the province to deal with our irrigation issue, it re-confirmed how important good working relationships are. Oliver is fortunate, we have ongoing great relationships with our rural neighbours, the Osoyoos Indian Band, the province and the federal government. There are many issues where going it alone is not a workable option.

OC: What was the top issue that had the most impact in 2016?

RH: As a local government you deal with issues every day, but our irrigation crisis had to be our top issue. With the canal compromised by a rock fall just months before the growing season, getting water flowing was the number one priority.

OC: What was council’s most notable accomplishment in 2016?

RH: Has to be the temporary repair to our canal. It worked! As a council and as a team we did manage to work with our strategic planning priorities , make capital improvements, (Fairview upgrades, partnered with OIB and Area C on new weight room) and provided all of the expected services to our community. All of this was accomplished while focusing on irrigation repairs, staffing absence and ongoing day-to-day issues.

OC: Did the celebrity deaths in 2016 change your outlook on your own mortality?

RH: I’m not sure how this might have affected our operations. The year 2016 saw many locals deal with their own personal health crises and in some cases, losses. As a small, close community we come together many times for those in need. This is what affects us the most.

OC: Is there anything you would have done differently on council (if you had a second chance)?

RH: Not so much as to what I would have done differently, but I think we have to remind ourselves that we can always do better. We should always strive for the best practices and we should continue to represent ourselves as even more welcoming. We are a community that has worked for what it has and who we are. We are a great community and we need to recognize what we have attracted to our town and neighbourhood over the last few years: many new businesses, the corrections facility, Area 27, new housing developments, Mount Baldy reinvestment and the many new people who have come to call Oliver home.

OC: What are you looking forward to most in 2017.

RH: I’m looking forward to acting on the completion of our Official Community Plan and a more narrowed focus on how we can assist even a stronger downtown revitalization. I also look forward to working with senior levels of government on large projects like the permanent repair to our irrigation canal.

OC: What local issue will have the most impact this year?

RH: The canal repair. Not only is it necessary, but it is going to be very expensive. I hope that with senior government support we will have a lasting repair with a local cost that we can all manage.

OC: What do you want to accomplish most in 2017?

RH: Our council is half way through our mandate. I would like us to work with focus to carry on our ongoing responsibilities and at the same time target strategic priorities like the downtown core.  As a community we now own three lots in the downtown. It would be great to find a project that would benefit the downtown and the community as a whole. As a council we also have to work and assist the newly arrived businesses to our area plus those that may wish to call this area home. We have a diverse economy and truly are being recognized for this.

OC: What change is most needed in Oliver?

RH: I believe that rather than a specific targeted change, we need to accept change on an ongoing basis. Change is not always easy, governments change, staff change, funding models change, priorities change and if you’re a farmer your growing season is never the same. We are fortunate in Oliver that we continue to be recognized as a stable, diverse authentic small town farming community. This is seen by those that have lived here for generations and those newly arrived. We witness change on an ongoing basis but we have not forgotten who we are and who brought us to this point in time.

By Lyonel Doherty