Former Keremeos Mayor and Past Chair of the Okanangan – Similkameen Regional Hospital District, Walter Despot, addressed Keremeos council during the regular meeting on August 7.
Despot spoke to council about a request for a letter of support that was recently mailed to 500 businesses in the hospital district.
A request of support for a planned expansion of Penticton Regional Hospital is being asked for from as many residents of the OSRHD as can be solicited. The letters would be sent to the premier and associated ministry heads in a bid to make sure the project is budgeted for in the near future by the province.
“We want to impress upon the premier and minister the support that we have from everyone in the regional hospital district,” Despot told council.
The new facility would contain space for ambulatory care, day surgeries and academic space. The upgrades are necessary to bring the aging regional hospital up to date and allow it to continue functioning in an efficient manner.
“The hospital is currently congested,” Despot explained, noting that current occupancy rates run from 98.9 per cent to 109.3 per cent.
The hospital district will be expected to ante up a 40 per cent of the expansion’s projected 300 million dollar cost.
“We have 22 million in reserve,” Despot noted, adding that the South Okanagan Hospital District was also committed to fundraising an additional 20 million dollars to equip the new construction.
Despot also described current issues with the existing hospital, mostly built in the 1950s, to accommodate new high tech equipment. A case in point was a recently purchased CT scanner that involved serious additional costs in order to properly vent it , mainly due to the fact that the building was too old to properly accommodate the new instrument. Despot concluded his remarks by urging the public to take a few moments to sign a letter or make one up on their own to send to the premier.
Council moved to support the letter.
Council also received a letter from the Green Communities Committee regarding the Climate Action Recognition Program, for informational purposes.
A recent proposal to redistribute the federal electoral boundaries in the region caught council’s attention. The federal realignment would see Areas “G”, “H”, and Princeton separated from the rest of the Similkameen valley.
Council was split on the proposal, but agreed to a motion to receive the information while insisting that the Similkameen valley remain intact as a single riding.
A request for council approval to have the village cover the cost of lunch for a group of nine cyclists involved in the ALS Cycle of Hope never received a motion. Council, in discussing the matter felt that providing lunch would set a precedent for the other numerous causes represented by bicycle tours passing through Keremeos in the summertime.
Council had good things to say about the Kars Under the “K” car show that took place in Memorial Park on the long weekend.
The village recently put together a letter of understanding agreement with the regional district to formalize the contract agreement with the RDOS over curbside garbage services in the village. The LOU was authorized by council; it will be put before the regional district board for approval prior to coming back to council once more prior to adoption.
Discussion during question period involved a resident’s concern over the spread of vine weed in the village. She asked what the village might be able to do to control the problem.
