Most municipal leaders from the Kamloops area are in Penticton this week for the Southern Interior Local Government Association’s annual convention.

SILGA’s executive director Alison Slater says during the four-day convention, delegates will take part in conferences and vote on 24 resolutions.

“We have 37 different local governments, which includes your municipalities as well as your regional districts. Out of the I believe we have about 225 potential candidates who can come, we get 150. The sessions come on during the work week, so I think our turnout is excellent,” Slater says.

“Almost 50 per cent of delegates are brand new from the election in October. They’re looking forward to be able to network – this is their first opportunity to get everybody together. Learn from the people who have been around a little longer and work on best practices. That’s what we’re looking for.”

The TNRD is bringing forward two motions which ask for short-term vacation rentals to be taxed like business, and for online voting to be allowed in municipal elections. The District of Barriere is also bringing a resolution forward asking to lobby the province to review and amend its formulas for payouts to successful litigants. Meanwhile, the District of Sicamous is bringing forward two motions, one asking for the province to regulate fuel costs.

If passed those will be brought to the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention later this year. Slater says in a typical year, only about two or three don’t get passed.

“A lot of them are funding requests for ministries, no one wants to turn away potential money. Generally when a local government puts a resolution forward, they’ve put a lot of thought into it and they’re good resolutions.”

(Photo: City of Penticton Facebook)