WL/Kamloops News - Tuesday Jan 31st edition

In Williams Lake:

* Alkali Lk Chief Fred Robbins seeks cultural funding - see here
* Study into funds used by Anaham Band between 2004-2009 - see here
* EDITORIAL: Parents talk to your kids about drugs, like ecstasy - see here
* Letter writer says Victoria should fund public education only and not private schools - see here

Finally - don't forget that tonight - Williams Lake Council will be holding its' 2nd Budget Meeting at 6pm in Williams Lake Council Chambers with a Public Comment Period following consideration of all business.

Also - at 7pm in the School District Boardroom - the Board of Education for School District #27 will be holding its' regular meeting.  The Agenda for tonight's meeting can be found here

Meanwhile in Kamloops:

The local Kamloops Voters Society and Kamloops Mayor Peter Milobar clash over holding "strategic planning sessions" In-Camera - see here

Meanwhile - Kamloops Councillor Marg Spina looks at the issue of Strategic Planning Meetings - see her column here

The whole issue of holding strategic planning session behind closed doors or In-Camera isn't one that applies to Kamloops but to all local governments (School Boards, Municipal Councils and Regional Districts) in British Columbia.  In these sessions - matters relating to staffing and new services are usually discussed and as such, the Community Charter does permit either a municipal council or regional district board to hold these meetings (Strategic Planning Sessions) "In-Camera" or behind closed doors - provided that you pass the appropriate motion to close the meeting to the public first

But, in all honesty, the best solution to the public criticisms' to the holding of strategic planning sessions' is to release the Agenda for these meetings, similiar to the City of Castlegar releasing its' In-Camera Agenda to its' residents, which shows what items are being discussed and under what "In-Camera" section of the Community Charter - Section 90(1)(...)

This is the best way to show that a local government is transparent and open - even with its' Strategic Planning Sessions

SBF