News Leader News
VALLEY PLANNING GROUP MEETS IN PRINCETON
On Wednesday, September 21, Similkameen Valley Planning Society will meet in the Skills Centre at 7:00 p.m. The public is welcome to attend and ask questions. After the initial question period, the meeting will begin.
Mayor Keith Olsen encourages local residents to attend and learn more about this management and planning group.
When it started, ten years ago, it was unique due to the uniting of seven different government representatives. The mayor of Keremeos and Princeton, the Regional District Area Directors of the Similkameen Valley, and the Chiefs of the Upper and Lower Similkameen Indian Bands met to discuss the aftermath of a flash flood in November 1995.
Later, they decided to form the society and work together on projects meant to improve life in the Similkameen Valley. They form a powerful unified front in dealing with government at many levels.
At the September 6 Town Council meeting, Mayor Keith Olsen noted the importance of one of the society's initiatives, the hiring of an economic development officer. He pointed to the grants to the arena, Vermilion Trails and Arts/Now, for a total of $380,000 for the upper end of the valley, and $38,000 in the Keremeos area, as well as the highway signs giving the valley an identity for tourism. Mayor Olsen said $120,000 went directly into the valley's communities.
Six of the members of the Planning Society have given a commitment to continue to support the economic development initiative, and he asked Council to decide whether they would make that commitment, rather than wait for the new Council to be elected in November. Mayor Olsen said the newly elected Council might not be aware of the value of the $20,000 committed each year to economic development.
Councillor Lorne Esselink was reluctant to make that commitment, saying he felt the new Council should be able to decide on the basis of existing reports.
Councillor Kathy Clement moved that the matter be tabled.
COUNCIL SPONSORS BREAKFAST
Town Council will sponsor a breakfast for those attending Princeton and District Community Skills Centre on November 2 for the Worldwide Leadership Conference. This is part of the Worldwide Luminary Series which is broadcast on a closed circuit teleconference and is not available anywhere else. Princeton's Community Skills Centre is one of only four sites in BC where it is being shown.Council pledged $250 to cover the cost of a light breakfast. This contribution helps defray costs for those attending.
The Skills Centre fall program will provide details on how to register for this seminar.
The goal of this conference is to unlock leadership potential, not only as an individual, but as a leader within any organization. The conference is called Leading to Greatness: Building True Success.
Speakers include Richard Branson, the head of Virgin brand, a record company which signed on The Rolling Stones, Phil Collins and Janet Jackson as its first business, but moved on to become The Virgin Group, more than 200 companies in 30 countries.
Carly Fiorina, Chair and CEO of Hewlett-Packard, will speak. Jack Welch, who was Chair and CEO of General Electric for more than 20 years, is retired and is the author of the best-selling book, Winning. Malcolm Gladwell, another successful author of books on business management, Rudy Guiliani (New York Mayor during 9/11), and Marcus Buckingham, former researcher into leadership and author of two best-sellers about leadership, are on the November 2 agenda.
Stephen R. Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, has counselled many of the world's most prominent business leaders. He is scheduled to speak.
The session begins at 7:45 a.m. and ends at 2:30 p.m. Those attending will be asked to arrive earlier than 7:45 a.m. to allow time for breakfast and introductions. If you want further details, contact Sharan Jung at the Skills Centre.
SOREB REPORTS STEADY MARKET
The South Okanagan Real Estate Board (SOREB) reports that MLS sales increased by 25% to 300 units sold in August 2005 compared to 239 sold during the same period in 2004.This months statistics have surged ahead of last month and the strong market activity continues with many out-of-town buyers seeking the increasingly popular Okanagan lifestyle, showing great interest in the many new, exciting projects being offered for sale at this time, be it retirement, family or first-time buyer.
In sales units, Osoyoos leads the way with a 90% increase, 57 units sold compared to 30 last August. Next, Keremeos units sold are up by 50%, at 18 sales this month compared to 12 last August. Kaleden/Okanagan Falls sales units are up 17%. 20 sales compared to 17 last August.
Penticton units sold total 121, which is up 27% from 95 last August. Oliver sales units at month-end are down slightly -3%, 28 sales compared to last August's 27. Naramata sales units are down by -83%, 1 sale compared to 6 sales last year.
In Princeton area sales are up 31%, 29 units this August compared to 22 last year. Summerland shows a slight decrease of -7% in units sold this month, 26 compared to 28 in August 2004.
The Board Listings' total inventory remained static at 3,130 compared to 3,128 last August. Actual Listings taken in August 2005 are up slightly 2%, 385 listings compared to 377 in August 2004.
Total Sales Volume for the entire Board is up substantially by 46% at month-end, $70,391,545 compared to August 2004 at $48,210,852. Year-to-date volume is also up 42%, totalling $462,257,863 this year compared to $324,899,755 last year at this time.
The South Okanagan Real Estate Board is comprised of 251 member REALTORS and 29 real estate offices in the southern interior of BC.
For the most comprehensive source of all real estate listings, home buying and selling information, visit the national website at www.mls.ca and www.icx.ca under "Thompson/Okanagan."
The public website is available at www.soreb.org. All SOREB listings are published in our realtySEARCH magazine available at all real estate offices and various locations in South Okanagan/Similkameen communities.
