EDITORIAL – Noble Creek farmers at least got City council to listen to them
(Image: CFJC Today)
An editorial by Mel Rothenburger.
MOTHER NATURE made them do it. And the provincial government.
Boiling down some six hours of debate and discussion yesterday, that’s the gist of Kamloops City council’s defence of the mess surrounding the Noble Creek Irrigation System.
Users of the system have formed a society and asked the council to continue operating it until the end of 2024 to allow them time to investigate options.
The prolonged examination of grievances and possible steps began with Noble Creek farmers peppering council with questions, an exercise that revealed how much the councillors didn’t know about the system and the impacts of their decision to shut it down.
To be fair, though, a key piece of information emerged: the problem isn’t money; it’s that the Ministry of Forests hasn’t allowed the City to complete rip rapping of the North Thompson River as it had planned to do to save the water intake and pump house from erosion.
I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.
Mel Rothenburger is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. He has served as mayor of Kamloops, school board chair and TNRD director, and is a retired daily newspaper editor. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.
ArmchairMayor.ca 
The noble creek irrigation system will be a critical asset to reduce and provide much needed water to reduce and put out wildfires those in the west side area.
I think fire suppression from the irrigation system must be included in the letter to the ministry not just the loss of water to irrigate farm land.
Cooper
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Mr Curtis is dead right. It is extremely difficult for the peasantry to deal with people who many times know nothing of the difficulties of others. The BC Forestry Dept is the biggest example having had to deal with them as a rancher. BC Highways runs a close second. Telus is in there as is the amalgamation of Shaw\Rogers.There are much more troubled times ahead.
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The City by Trawin. The mayor is absolutely right in questioning his decisions and employment as head of the City’s administration. And recently the 8 councillors sided with him and confirmed their confidence in him. That is wrong.
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I was horrified to hear Coun. Karpuk say that the city’s fine print on utility contracts and statements says nobody in Kamloops (on the City’s system or the NCIS) is guaranteed water and that all residents and businesses should have a back-up plan in case the City can’t/won’t supply it. Wow.
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WOW is right and that person has, in a very short while, shown a complete lack of intelligence. That he is on council is deeply disturbing.
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Another example of our councilors relying on somebody else telling them what to do and say instead of investigating it themselves and finding out the real info. Get out of your chairs and get out into the real world…Maybe if there was some way they could spend less time in endless meetings they could be allowed to go out and gather the info they need to make their own decisions. I totally understand they work long hours but can somebody else go to these endless rounds of committee meetings so our elected officials could actually get out more into the community and find out what it needs?
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Anyone brave enough to subject themselves to the noxious self-flagellation of sitting in front of the Oompa Loompa High Council for 6 hours deserves a medal.
How disappointing it must be for these residents to learn that the Oompa Loompas had little understanding of an issue that is severely impacting these residents and their way of life.
Imagine having the rug pulled from under you, only to have the individuals in power display a severe lack of comprehension about the very things they’re making decisions on?
I would venture this also extends into many other issues that come in front of the High Council.
My goodness.
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