Gubby discloses memberships and interests
Editor:rnIt has come to my attention that some residents are particularly concerned and sensitive to the potential for ethical conflict of interest amongst candidates for the upcoming election by their membership in local groups and organizations.
In the interests of full disclosure, I offer the following details of the associations and community-based organizations to which I contribute money or volunteer assistance.
I pay an annual fee of $10 per year, which qualifies me as a member to: The Osoyoos Lake Water Quality Society, the Osoyoos & District Arts Council, The Osoyoos Museum Society, The Inkameep Desert & Heritage Centre, the Osoyoos Now Society, Mountain Equipment Co-op and the Osoyoos Garden Club.
I am also a member of the British Columbia Automobile Association, Air Canada Aeroplan, the Osoyoos Credit Union and the Fabricland Sewing Club of Penticton.
I am an active volunteer with the Osoyoos Concert Committee and the Osoyoos Secondary School Breakfast program and sometimes contribute small amounts of cash or supplies to both of these groups.
I suppose my duties as an advisory committee member for the OCP Review and the Community centre could be worrisome for some “ so I mention those as well.
Our family also makes regular contributions to the Cancer Society, the Arthritis Society, the Kidney Foundation and the United Way.
If I have missed anything, please don't hesitate to let me, or the community, knowrnJean GubbyrnOsoyoos
Editor:rnLike many of you I read with great interest the proposed changes for East Osoyoos traffic.
Frankly, I don't understand the need for creation of a centre turn lane from the bridge to Cottonwood Dr. After all, high tourist season basically lasts two months. So for ten months you have a centre turn lane that will rarely be used. And to eliminate parking on the south side of Hwy. 3/Main St. will certainly affect the use of Pioneer Walkway. Where will tourists/visitors park to access the walkway?rnContinuing the 3 lanes to 45th St. is also hard to comprehend. Surely access to 45th St. could be controlled by a simple left turn lane with automated control signals. And why would it be necessary to extend 45th to Lakeshore Dr.? Could it be Lakeshore is going to be closed at the old Becker property? Then will the road fronting that property be given/sold to the developer so the resort can have a private beach?rnWe know that with new developments traffic flow increases. But what purpose is gained by Phase 3? Extending Cedar Lane and Cottonwood to 45th and Tamarack to Cottonwood only opens up further summer traffic into residential areas. Surely there is or will be enough increased traffic along Cottonwood with development now. Is it possible there are further undisclosed development plans for the area between Cedar Lane, Cottonwood, Tamarack and 45th?rnRealignment of 45th north of Hwy. 3 and widening to four lanes is puzzling. Where else is there a 4 lane road into a private resort? I suppose it is alright if the OIB pays for it all. But taxpayers dollars?rnOverall I see little to be gained by the Town of Osoyoos. The whole project seems to favour the OIB and its' development and expansion plans.
Turning to Boundary expansion it seems Town Council has grandiose plans – that bigger is better. If residents approve individual area expansion it will certainly change their rural way of life. I believe that many people over the last few years have moved to Osoyoos because of the small town atmosphere.
Of special interest is the Lacey Pt./Willow Beach expansion. Mayor Slater is reported to stand firm that any area wishing sewer hook-up must join the Town. But what about the OIB? Didn't Council approve the hook-up of the OIB resort development into the Town's sewer system? The OIB didn't have to join the Town. Wouldn't you call that discrimination?rnIt is refreshing to see the formation of Osoyoos Now. I hope they run candidates for Mayor and Council in the November elections. We need people with new and different visions.
The sewers will come folks and I don't think we will have to join the Town.
Ken Smithrn46 year summer residentrnVancouver
rnEditor:rnRobert Shuster's explosive interview with Michael Ryan is tendentious. rnIt should be stressed this is about the social, economic and ecological issues the community is facing; it is about issues not persons. In his interview with Michael Ryan, the Osoyoos Now Society, Robert Shuster tendentiously or rather blunt blatantly promotes the Town's economic development model and contract with Destination Osoyoos. Hopefully, people don't buy a car because an ad or TV commercial shows the car sitting on a mountain top. Hopefully in their guise as taxpayer and voter people will recognize tendentious political purpose driven interviews and educate themselves on the issues. One must assume that the major concern for the Osoyoos Now Society, and Michael Ryan and all others, is the social, economic and ecological issues the community faces. Inevitably then, the major concern must be the Town's Economic Development model and allied issues, such as land uses, i.e. zoning and ecological and environmental issues, the analysis, planning and control system “ how could it not. rnAssumedly, nobody would travel by air without at least some confidence in the crew and in the air control system. Why would we not have the same concern for the analysis planning and control standard as passenger of society. The Town Council and Destination Osoyoos seem to stifle justified concerns about the Town's economic development model. They would rather cloud the issues by publishing the same rudimentary and virtually meaningless information that Destination Osoyoos has published for years. rnBolstering the positive, telling people be happy don't' worry, we are in charge – that should be an insult to the community. What Destination Osoyoos and Robert Shuster don't seem to understand, is that the issues are not whether Mr. Mandzuik and Destination Osoyoos have made a positive contribution to the community or not (is any anybody claiming they haven't).
The fundamental issues are whether the Town's economic development model and the contract with Designation Osoyoos address the long and short-term issues the community is facing. Investment in real estate and allied business will come automatically, that is easy. Osoyoos and the South Okanagan also needs investment in business that can distribute wealth in the community via fulltime better paid jobs, so that ordinary folks can afford to live here, and that is much more difficult than to ride an inflating real estate balloon. Therefore, the members of the community should demand an independent scientific prudent analysis and audit of the current economic development model. Will that happen? So far it hasn't, the supporter of the current model claim this is how the voter wants it, hence be happy don't worry. Reminding me of what Winston Churchill said, the best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter, and democracy is the worst form of government except all the others.
What Churchill meant, is that understanding is the lifeblood of democracy, and understanding emerges from vigorous and open discussions in the press and in the community. So far the Town Council and Destination Osoyoos have refused to discuss the issues and my previous letter is unanswered. So far the society has been silent bystanders, a situation where a free press as Osoyoos Times is crucial for democracy. Osoyoos Times is also a business, but Osoyoos Times shows that the paper's overriding responsibility is to the society it serves, and that is the crucial difference between advertising and good journalism.
Osoyoos, support your local weekly paper and get involved in the real issues the community faces.
Kell Petersen
Osoyoos
