Lyonel Doherty, Times Chronicle

Where does he start?

Oliver Mayor Martin Johansen conceivably asks himself that every day as the new year continues to unwrap.

Johansen says it’s nice to hear that local businesses are doing well (as heard during his downtown walks), but there’s only one problem: “They’re having trouble getting employees because there’s no place for anybody to live.”

He notes the same battle is being fought by the Town of Oliver with some new employees not able to find housing.

The mayor says what frustrates him the most is seeing all of these multi-family development permits (over 50 units) approved by council but nothing being built yet.

The mayor says the town has undergone quite a turnover in staff, noting it has a new chief financial officer, a new corporate and deputy officer, a new director of operations, and a new receptionist. 

With a new year comes a new (and old) slate of issues for Johansen.

One issue he is struggling to get answers to is why Oliver was removed from the list offering the “lone forgiveness” program for new nurses. 

“Why would they come here when they could go to Grand Forks and get part of their education (costs) covered there?” The mayor says this creates competing incentives in communities trying to attract nurses.

“As much as we need doctors to keep the ER (emergency room) open, we need nurses as well.”

Johansen says he has been trying to get answers from MLA Roly Russell but to no avail.

“How do we get reinstated in that program? That’s a huge hit (to our community),” the mayor says.

Moving to economic development, Johansen points to Oliver’s airport as a great opportunity for growth. He is anticipating a strategic plan assisted by recommendations from the general manager of Kelowna International Airport.

One idea being considered is establishing a flight school in Oliver, the mayor says.

He is also brainstorming ways that Oliver can generate revenue as a headquarters for firefighting crews during wildfires.

“I have even heard things as interesting as drone delivery service that you can run out of airports. Our airport might be a natural for that.”

Downtown revitalization is still top of mind for the mayor and senior staff.  

Town-owned lots are still being eyed for infill development, such as a couple on Main Street where a new Town Hall could be built with a rental housing component.

Johansen is also interested in exploring the future use of the old courthouse building on Fairview Road. He would like to see that building used for affordable housing.

The mayor envisions Oliver Tourism moving into the current Town Hall building, and the old CPR station being transformed into a pub or restaurant on the hike and bike trail.

Johansen says it would be ideal to work with a developer using land as an incentive to create something without having to borrow money for it.

“I’m not about borrowing $5 or $6 million and building a new city hall just to build a new city hall,” he says emphatically. 

While it’s exciting looking ahead to see what opportunities exist, Johansen has a “sore point” that is hard to bandage.

He refers to last year’s agreement to have a full contingent of police officers covering the community. In discussions with local RCMP, Johansen has learned the detachment is not at full member capacity. 

“We have stable policing, but I’m concerned about members getting burned out,” Johansen says.

The mayor points out that one file or individual can take up an officer’s entire shift, with nobody to take up the slack.

“This just leads to more reactionary policing which is not where we are trying to go.”

But Johansen says the good news is Oliver is only paying for what it is using. Since surpassing 5,000 population, Oliver must now pay 70 per cent of policing costs, but only on the resources that are currently in use.

“The actual expenses for RCMP we thought we had to pay did not materialize because they (extra officers) never materialized,” the mayor says.

The project occupying council’s time at the moment is its strategic priority session, which it completed on Jan. 16. 

Numerous issues are being categorized, including healthcare, affordable housing, hike and bike trail, aquatic centre, childcare, and economic development.

Johansen says one priority is reconfiguring the intersection at McKinney Road and Black Sage Road, where different properties are competing for space. The reconfiguration will result in a safer, less convoluted intersection for motorists.