by Lyonel Doherty

One thing that has been made clear to new mayor Ron Hovanes is that Oliver wants council to be fiscally responsible.

That’s his goal for the new year.

Hovanes said council needs to continue looking for grant opportunities or matching funds for new projects.

“As a new council we need to continue to explore best practices and look for efficiencies to ensure that all of our tax dollars are being spent wisely.”

On January 18-20, members of council will be attending training in Kelowna for newly elected and re-elected councillors. The course is sponsored by the Union of BC Municipalities and gives new and re-elected members important skills and updates to assist them in their new roles.

Hovanes also looks forward to the end of the month when council will be spending time sharing ideas and developing priorities for 2012.

“One of the directions I wish to discuss is how we can better communicate with the public. Often, the majority of taxpayers hear of a new direction of council only after the decision is made.”

Hovanes said council needs to take an active part in celebrating Oliver, such as its amenities, opportunities, history and inclusiveness. “We can play a large part in setting an inviting atmosphere for new residents, business and development.”

Hovanes said Town committees are just getting their feet planted, and with the training and workshops offered this month they will have a much clearer direction.

Newly elected Councillor Linda Larson said there are two concerns that need immediate attention in Oliver: Water billing and a new hotel.

She stated the need to review the current water billing and metering process (after some residents raised concerns about increased rates).

“I believe the base rate is too low to cover the actual costs of the system, and constantly raising the metered rate to offset the drop in usage is not sustainable.”

Larson said the need for a hotel is not going to go away. That’ why she’s working with Councillor Dave Mattes on an economic development strategy that will inventory all the empty commercial and industrial properties in Oliver. The idea is to “open a dialogue with all the property owners (and citizens) to see how we can help each other,” Larson said.

Other challenges she sees is how to deal with an aging population of business owners and a lack of young people to take their place in an uncertain economy.

“We will need to work from the inside out to strengthen what we already have going for us, like agriculture and light industry.”

Larson admitted she isn’t very good at making or keeping New Year’s resolutions, but she hopes to keep a healthy balance among her family, Town and volunteer commitments.

Re-elected Councillor Jack Bennest said the challenge he sees in 2012 is getting the new council to work as a cohesive unit.

He also wants to see the continuation of the “Economic Gardening” program to grow more jobs in the area.

Project wise, Bennest would like to see a designated public park at the Centennial RV site near the bridge, and a workable plan for Fairview Road enhancement.

His wish list also includes convincing the BC government to fund Oliver’s final phase of the water-twinning project.

Councillor Dave Mattes said his priorities haven’t changed since the election. His campaign was based on holding the line on tax increases and attracting investors to Oliver. He also wants to find ways to lower water metering costs.

Mattes is looking forward to setting group priorities when council meets early in the new year.

He noted his personal resolution for 2012 is to avoid being misquoted.

Councillor Maureen Doerr said 2012 will be a challenging year for her.

“The new experience of council is a large learning curve. It is one thing to run a campaign, but a totally new experience to actually sit on council, which is very exciting, as well as very daunting.”

But Doerr said she’s sitting with three councillors who have been there before, and they will offer great experience to draw from.

Doerr campaigned on the issue of a sustainable community, moving forward with continued growth. These are still her priorities. But as each member of council brings his/her campaign issues forward, it will be some time before the group has a clear direction of where it’s going, she said.

“I think it is imperative that we work on a strong plan now so that we can carry it through for the next three years.”

Doerr said the other issues she wants to focus on are a responsible, workable budget, a durable plan to maintain our infrastructure, a strong relationship with the Osoyoos Indian Band, continued dialogue with the business community, and a very open door policy for the public.

“As a councilor I would like to see more involvement by our citizens. We need to hear from the public on all aspects, not just the few, but the many.”

Doerr said she would like to see a hotel feasibility study completed in the near future. She finds this endeavour very exciting.