Step right up and let your name stand.

[Drip_Torch]

"Dark fibre and shared services". I thought, wow, sounds impressive. Although I didn't have a clue in the world what he was talking about... and then that happened. For me, a bit of relief realizing I wasn't the only one in the room that didn't know what Max was talking about.

What did you think of the forum format? I bet it was a lot of fun for the local media personalities, but personally I didn't see the point. Unless city council meetings really are nothing more than an improv act? I would much rather know how a prospective councillor can prepare answers based on current issues. To make it like a real world council setting release the questions 3 days before the forum, so we can see who comes up with the best answers. Maybe different candidates get different questions, to mix it up, and have the challenge available at the end of the round to go back on the answers.

Who knows, might even incubate an idea or two that sticks with a forum format like that.

[Chessman]

Drip_Torch I am not sure what dark fibre or shared services are either I guess I could google it. Maybe someone online will enlighten us?
As for the formate, I agree with you I am not sure Miller got it right with the Council Forum. Some of the media asked good questions but to many questions were unrelated to issues in the City. With 24 candidates for Council I would have appreciated more insight into how each of them would address an issue or learn more about what each of them stands for.
It was a long night . In my view there are only 8/9 real Council candidates. The rest are wasting there time and our time but they do have the right to run.

[Drip_Torch]

Dark fibre... un/under utilized fibre optic cable. Can't imagine why the city would have any or where it might be. As far as fibre optic goes, this town rocks. For example, I'll have fibre optic service available at my door soon, that is almost the equivalent in bandwidth to service Rainmaker, (a feature film lab,in Vancouver) spent a few million dollars to get less than a decade ago - (or so).

Shared services, procurement, as an example, or facilities like an Emergency Operation Centre.

Both Penticton and the RDOS have separate EOC setups and I don't understand that? Penticton recently has been spending money to upgrade their EOC and the RDOS, just last spring, rented a separate space to operate their EOC. That's just one quick example of a Shared Service that I know isn't happening. There's many more that I could point out as not being utilized and a couple that I could point to that are. Penticton's fleet facilities, as a example, are shared somewhat.

What I really didn't get was what had happened in the last four years that I might have missed? Fibre optic has been in the planning stages for almost a decade and on the shared services front, from where I'm looking, it appears to be moving in the wrong direction.

You're right, it was a long night and for the time invested, I hoped to walk away with far more than I did.

[Chessman]

Drip_Torch thank you for the lesson on Dark Fibre and Shared Services...interesting.
Why would the City and the RDOS both have an EOC when they are so close to each other? Could they not just utilize one location/site and we the taxpayer would save some $$$$$ ?
There must be alots of duplicate services. How do we the taxpayers get them to do something about this redundant spending?

[Drip_Torch]

Drip_Torch thank you for the lesson on Dark Fibre and Shared Services...interesting.
Why would the City and the RDOS both have an EOC when they are so close to each other? Could they not just utilize one location/site and we the taxpayer would save some $$$$$ ?
There must be alots of duplicate services. How do we the taxpayers get them to do something about this redundant spending?

I imagine, if we were to ask the question regarding the EOC's, the answer would quickly be legislation and liability. The real answer is that's the way it has always been done. We'll never know that answer simply because "legislation and liability" will be were the conversation ends. I don't see anyone that would interrupt the status quo in the present mix. The reality is Penticton and RDOS need to have a plan and an emergency management organization. A well thought out plan that see's the management organization and facilities shared would require a Minister's approval presently, - but I'm willing to bet we'll be moving that direction in mere years. (in case you didn't notice, a few bad days towards Manning Park area really put a damper on our economy in Penticton - two years in a row.)

CWPP's, or community wildfire protection plans, another one that has me shaking my head. Imagine a RDOS meeting, the consultant parks in front of city hall, in the free parking, and walks to the RDOS. He consults all the same databases that Penticton's information is in, perhaps drives across Penticton to confirm conditions in Naramata match his reference points. Two years later, Penticton's consultant parks in front of the RDOS building and walks across the road... There's no reason a regional plan couldn't be updated every five years, but instead the RDOS does one and then Penticton does one, then Summerland etc...

EOC’s a quick example, perhaps not the best. Procurement for the fire services in the RDOS foot print might be better. For example, I’m aware of at least 3.5 mil in capital expenditures in Penticton alone over the next 3 years. In the RDOS foot print, that number is close to 10 mil and I suspect it’s really quite a bit higher. Imagine even a 2% savings there by creating economies of scale.

(Now do that another 10 times and things are starting to happen.)

The Medicine Hat housing model is called that, because someone in Medicine Hat challenged the current operating paradigms and a few other people had the courage to listen and ask questions.

[pentona]

Picton failed miserably at discussing "Shared Services" in the area. He obviously does not understand the term; maybe missed too many council meetings. I say he is going to be "Off the Island" very soon.

Regarding an EOC, why would Penticton need their own, when they already pay the RDOS 42% or so of their costs? Why not share whatever the RDOS would set up for an EOC? After all, the City of Penticton is inside the RDOS. Seems like a duplication of services if you ask me.

[fluffy]

Surprising that a readers’ poll in the Herald a day or two ago showed Jakubeit as the front-runner.

[seewood]

Regarding an EOC, why would Penticton need their own, when they already pay the RDOS 42% or so of their costs?

Ego, nothing more. When an emergency comes up, Penticton wants to be in charge.

Surprising that a readers’ poll in the Herald a day or two ago showed Jakubeit as the front-runner.

You can vote as many times as you want. Herald evidently has not figured out to only allow one vote per computer.

[fluffy]

You can vote as many times as you want. Herald evidently has not figured out to only allow one vote per computer.

Got it. So it would appear that Mr. Jakubeit’s mother has a little spare time these days.