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Marysville school students’ safety in MOTT’s hands
Kimberley City Council Report
By Nowell Berg
On February 23, City of Kimberley council held its regular bi-monthly meeting.
Councillors Sue Cairns, Kevin Dunnebacke, Diana Fox, Woody Maguire, Jason McBain and Sandra Roberts were present along with Mayor Don McCormick.
An archive of the meeting can be viewed on the City of Kimberley YouTube channel. Watch it here.
RCMP Quarterly Update
Sgt. Daniel Biggs presented a report on Kimberley RCMP activities for October to December 2025.
For calendar year 2025, the calls for service were “similar” to the 2024 calendar year.
“Just under 2,000 calls for service” in 2025. “We haven’t seen a significant increase or decrease in a while.”
Calls for service in Q3 (Oct – Dec 2025) were 391, down from 551 during the summer months. During Q3, 247 vehicles were stopped for roadside checks, and 74 tickets were issued.
Sgt. Biggs added, “We’re renewing our partnership with the southeast traffic unit.” Since January they have conducted two traffic enforcement patrols.
One significant event just after Christmas was a break and enter at Secure Metals in Marysville where an ATM was “taken from there” with $75,000 inside.
“Partnering with the Dynamiters was great,” said Sgt. Biggs, referring to the “Cram the Cruiser” event held on January 2. “This was the first time doing this,” he added. The event raised just under $1200 in cash and 675 pounds of non-perishable food was donated. “We hope to expand on this next year.”
“We fluctuate between seven out of 10 members for usual strength,” he said. Due to a recent retirement, the detachment is “in the three to four vacancy rate, but we have two members incoming before summertime, hopefully.”
Responding to a question from Coun. Cairns about the traffic situation in the mornings at Marysville Elementary School, Sgt. Biggs said, “There is not proper signage in that area.”
He’d like to see flashing lights and better speed signage along the highway. He also noted there is ongoing discussions with School District No. 6 and Ministry of Transportation and Transit (MOTT) regarding the issue.
Mayor McCormick said the issue is before MOTT. “We are unable, no one is able, to do anything on that highway without MOTT’s approval or them doing it. It’s quite a rigid situation we find ourselves in.”
Kimberley Health Centre Society (KHCS) Update
Kimberley Health Centre Society (KHCS) board member Travis Martin presented council with an update on KHCS operations over the past year.
Martin told council the KHCS is run by a “volunteer board” of seven that manages the Health Centre. The facility also employs a full-time custodian, part-time facility manager, and two contact positions, one bookkeeper and one executive assistant.
A key addition to health services was an upgrade to the “primary health network,” along with Interior Health and Food Recovery expansions.
Martin added that the lease agreements have all been “renewed” which has led to a seven per cent increase in lease revenue. He also noted that maintenance cost rose 13%, payroll up 17%, property tax up 17%, and utility costs up 19%.
Martin thanked Coun. McBain and Mayor McCormick for their support and advocacy “to keep our center on the map and in the minds of the Health Authority.”
Kimberley and District Chamber of Commerce (KDCC)
Kimberley and District Chamber of Commerce President Sue-Anne Banks reported on the chamber’s mission and mandate.
Hosting the Business and Community Excellence Awards is an important way of celebrating local businesses. Over 100 tickets were sold for the 2025 event.
Banks concluded, “When one organization succeeds, the whole community benefits.”
Jenna Gyurkovits, Chamber Secretary, provided an over-view of 2025 activities. She said, the “Shop Local” campaign generated $38,000 that was “spent in the community.”
The Platzl Light-up drew over 2,500 residents. Happy Hans mascot is getting a make-over, but will look the same. The chamber is also responsible for the restoration, upkeep and maintenance of the Cuckoo Clock. The chamber thanked Kelvin and Mr. Kevin for their work on maintaining the clock’s operation.
The clock generates about $400 per month from residents and visitors who want to experience the yodeling.
Chamber General Manager Jocelyn Treleaven presented the results from marketing efforts undertaken in 2025. The chamber has a “51% increase of views on Facebook,” said Treleaven. The KDCC has also seen a “huge” increase in Instagram interactions mostly from people who don’t follow the Chamber.
She noted they are looking to “dive deeper” into understanding social media participants, how they found the KDCC and what they are getting from the engagement.
Treleaven noted the chamber currently has 134 active members. Several initiatives are being undertaken to grow membership. “We want to double our numbers,” she said.
The other visible change for the chamber is a re-brand from the Circle K logo to the new look Cuckoo Clock graphic.
Kimberley city council assembles twice monthly starting at 7 p.m.
The next regular council meeting: March 9.
e-KNOW file photos
e-KNOW
