Febuary 2020 Minutes

Greetings Readers,

Here's the minutes from the Febuary Executive meeting.

 Minutes of the General Meeting of the B.X./Swan Lake Community Association, 27 February 2020 at the BX/Swan Lake Fire Hall Meeting Room

Chair:  Paul Williamson
Present: Ray Ivey, Terry Donnelly, Richard Orton, Ron Swart, Harry Knopf, Ted Vanderwal, Ed Penno, Beckie Mertion, Klayton Mertion, Marg Bomford, Kathy Jenkins, Amanda Shatzko, Bob Fleming, Bill Wacey.
Call to order 7:32 pm.
Agenda approved. Moved by Ray, seconded by Beckie.
Minutes of 23 January approved. Moved by Ray; seconded by Beckie.

• Amanda reported on BX Ranch Lands.

• Bill Wacey reported on ramifications to the fire department Re: BX Elementary School's annexation by City of Vernon. This could possibly affect the education programs at the school as well as the fire hall’s relationship with the Boy Scouts that also meet at the school.

Area B and C Reports

• Amanda and Bob spoke on road upgrades, possible flood situations in the spring, and a new economic development service for rural North Okanagan including Areas B, C, D, E and F.

The next meeting will be on March 25,2020 (approximately at 7 PM) at the BX/Swan Lake Fire Hall Meeting Room, with guest speaker Sara Huber from the Agricultural Land Commission.

Meeting adjourned 8:14pm.  

Please feel free to leave your comments or questions below.

(On these or other subjects and they will be forwarded to be addressed.)

January 2020 Minutes

Greetings Readers,

The Association has had it's first meeting of the new year.  The minutes of the January 23rd, 2020 meeting are as follows:

Chair:  Paul Williamson
Present:  Karl Ernst, Ted Vanderwal, Sandra Liedl, Rob Liedl, Gord Weighill, Karen Weighill, Jiri Havelka, Iveta Havelka, Mike MacNabb, Bob Fleming, Betty Holtskog, Norm Friesen, Ray Ivey, Terry Donnelly.

•  Call to order 7:02 p.m. 
• Agenda approved. Moved by Ray, seconded by Karl.
• Minutes of November 28th meeting approved. Moved by Ray; seconded by Mike.
• Mike MacNabb reported on B.X. Ranch lands and the concept paper (that) he and Ray Ivey are developing.

Area B Report:

• Area B Director Bob Fleming reported Regional District of North Okanagan (R.D.N.O.) was sending a survey to random residents on the possibility of a new recreation centre. 
• Reported R.D.N.O. will again be expanding the installation of fire hydrants. 
• He and Area C Director Amanda Shatzko will make a presentation to the Regional District of the North Okanagan board at either the February or March board meeting in support of retaining the B.X. Ranch lands in public hands. BX Swan Lake Community Association will send a notice to our contacts requesting public support at the board meeting.

Guest Speaker Presentation:

• Betty Holtskog spoke on maintaining a healthy septic system, providing tips for lengthening the life of septic tanks and disposal systems.

Meeting adjourned 8:50 p.m. 

The next meeting scheduled for the B.X / Swan Lake Community Association is on Febuary 27th, 2020.

Comments and/or questions can be left below and forwarded to the executive members of the association.

November 2019 Minutes

Greetings Readers,

Below are the minutes from the meeting in November.

Minutes of the General Meeting of the B.X./Swan Lake Community Association, November 28th 2019, at the BX/Swan Lake Fire Hall Meeting Room

Chair:  Paul Williamson
Present:  Ray Ivey, Terry Donnelly, Terry Slobodin, Harry Knopf, Karl Ernst, Mike MacNabb, Brian Nicholson, Beckie Mertion, Blair Peden, Henrik Larson, Arnell Larson, Bill Pifer, Trevor Likus, Belinda Stewart, Mike Richardson, Bob Fleming, Amanda Shatzko.

Call to order 7:08 pm.

Agenda approved. Moved by Ray, seconded by Mike MacNabb.

Minutes of Oct. 24th, 2019 meeting approved. Moved by Ray; seconded by Beckie.

Area B and C Reports

• Area C  Director Amanda Shatzko reported on the BX School renovation. City of Vernon insisting on annexation before sewer hook-up. A.I.M. highway maintenance paving in Regional District of the North Okanagan.  Requesting Ministry of Transportation and Infracstrcture fund widening of road shoulders. Forestry Ministry to conduct controlled burns for fire suppression in the Silver Star Road corridor.

• Area B Director Bob Fleming noted residents can sign up for updates on the Regional District of the North Okanagan website. R.D.N.O. raising $78,000 from Areas B, C, D and E plus Lumby and Armstrong for a conservation fund project to make grants available to residents for environmental upgrades.  Also noted Fire Smart funding available to residents for problem brush clearing.

• Guest Speaker Presentation : Mike Richardson, Conservation Officer, gave an informative and entertaining talk on wildlife safety. He provided a number for R.A.P.P. (Report All Poachers and Polluters) 1-877-952-7277.

Meeting adjourned 9:00pm. Next meeting will be on January 23rd, 2020.

Please feel welcome to leave comment, inquiries or questions below in the comment section.

Lastly, the B.X. Swan Lake Association, hopes everyone has an enjoyable and safe Holiday Season (Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, etcetera) as well as an enjoyable and prosperous New Year.

October 2019 Executive Minutes

Greetings Bloggers,

Minutes of the General Meeting of the B.X./Swan Lake Community Association, 24 October 2019, at the BX/Swan Lake Fire Hall Meeting Room

Chair:  Paul Williamson
Present:  Ray Ivey, Terry Donnelly, Terry Slobodin, Harry Knopf, Karl Ernst, Sue Urquhart, Dale Urquhart, Marg Bomford.
Call to order 7:00 pm.
Agenda approved.

Minutes of 18 September approved. Moved by Ray; seconded by Terry Slobodin.

• Discussion starting with communication. Sue Urquhart volunteered to be information officer. Sue to take responsibility to line up guest speakers.

• Discussion of membership. Decided against making all residents and property owners automatically members of the association. Secretary, Terry Donnelly, to maintain membership list and an email contact list. 

• Blair Peden absent so no report on fire mitigation in the BX canyon.

• RDNO update: Bob Fleming and Amanda Shatzko unable to attend. No report.

• Harry Knopf reported on the stage coach. To purchase a new stage coach would cost $50,000 U.S. Dollars. Looking into other possibilities. 

• B.X. Ranch Land: Vernon Regional District of the North Okanagan members on board. Report they will not push for sale of the land for a year.

• Regional District of the North Okanagan has grants available for projects under the title “Greater Vernon Trails and Natural Spaces”.

• Noted the Land to Table group has a meeting scheduled at the Vernon Public Art Gallery 6:00 to 8:00pm October 29, 2019.

Meeting adjourned 8:08pm Next meeting Thursday, November 28th, 2019.

Please feel free to leave comments (or questions) below.

Sept. 2019 Minutes

Greetings Bloggers,

Here's the topics of discussion from the last executive meeting, after the usual business the topics were:

• Discussion starting with communication. Possibilities of a web site, a blog, a portal or Facebook. Decided to explore developing a web site. Marge volunteered to investigate costs involved including domain name and annual fees.

• Discussion of membership. Need to find who has the current membership list. Need to update bylaws to restrict voting membership to Area "B" and "C" residents and property owners only.

• Decided to move monthly meeting to the fourth Thursday. Paul requested suggestions for guest speakers and topics. Topics suggested were pocket gophers, noxious weeds, rats, and bee keeping. If you have additional ideas please contact Paul. pwmson007@gmail.com

• BX Ranch Land update by Mike MacNabb. Mike and Ray to draft a concept paper. Mike to deliver to John Janmaat, professor at UBCO, to expand on the community importance of keeping the land in public hands

• Special events update. No date set yet for opening of BX Ranch Land ‘Connector’ Trail. Would like ideas for a public event in the spring of 2020.

• Blair presented a report on his meeting with Tolko.

Next meeting will be on Thursday, Oct. 24th, 2019.
Feel free to leave comments or questions below, (in the comment section.)

June 2019 Minutes

Greetings Bloggers,
Pardon the tardy posting of the minutes from June.  Also, the association is off for two months for summer break.  Minutes are below:

Minutes of the Executive Meeting of the B.X./Swan Lake Community Association, 19 June 2019, at the BX/Swan Lake Fire Hall Meeting Room

Chair:  Paul Williamson
Present:  Ray Ivey, Terry Donnelly, Terry Slobodin, Mike MacNabb, Paul Williamson, Blair Peden, Sue Urquhart, Dale Urquhart, Harry Knopf, Marg Bomford, Bill Wacey, Bob Fleming, Linda Ensing, Beckie Mertion, Klayton Mertion, Dave Friesen, Cheryl Truscott.

Call to order 7:07 pm.

Agenda approved. Moved by Ray, seconded by Terry Slobodin.

Minutes approved. Moved by Ray, seconded by Linda.

• Discussion with Bill Wacey about the availability of the fire hall for meetings. He would like the association to coordinate with Block Watch as either Bill or his second has to come and open the hall.

• Introduction of speaker Tessa Wetherill, Land Matcher – Okanagan-Thompson, with the Young Agrarians. Tessa spoke on the mandate of matching land owners with young farmers and explained the practical and legal requirements of the matching process.

• Paul gave a short BX Ranchland update, bringing the membership up to speed on the Monashee Equine Group and their proposal for a school on the ranchland.

• Bob Fleming gave an Area B update, reporting the regional district board has officially requested the sub-division of the BX Ranchlands. Areas B and C directors would like the remainder land to be a local park. Swan Lake Waste Water project is waiting on funding. There is a new reservoir going ahead above Baker Hogg Road. The regional district board is still discussing locations for Search and Rescue’s new building.

Meeting adjourned 8:41pm
Next meeting 18 September 2019.

Please leave comments or questions below in the comment section.

May Minutes 2019

Hi again,
Here's the minutes of last month's meeting, May 15th, 2019.

Chair:  Ray Ivey
Present:  Ray Ivey, Terry Donnelly, Terry Slobodin, Mike MacNabb, Paul Williamson, Ted Vanderwal, Elaine Vanderwal, Mel Johnson, Amanda Shatzko.
Call to order 7:03 pm.
No agenda presented.

• Installed executive. President Paul Williamson. Treasurer Ray Ivey, Secretary Terry Donnelly. Directors: Blair Peden, Beckie Mertion, Belinda Stewart, Terry Slobodin.

New/Old Business

• Discussion on the BX Ranch lands included forming a co-op, bringing in other groups such as Young Agrarians, community gardens, possible site for compost collection, leasing small plots to young farmers at fair competitive rates, contacting groups to send letters of support to R.D.N.O. board and City of Vernon as well as Coldstream, and the need for a speaker to present the association’s proposal to the councils.

Meeting adjourned 8:28pm Next meeting 19 June 2019.

It is a short read, but the next post should follow the expected format.
Feel free to leave comments or questions in the area below.