Kamloops mayor and council are already setting an ambitious agenda for meetings with high profiled cabinet ministers at this year’s Union of BC Municipalities convention.

Ken Christian says there are a number of important issues on his agenda including getting some face time with Public Safety minister Mike Farnworth.

The issue to take to Farnworth has to do with the Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre.

“There is a concern that we have related particularly to the keeping of female prisoners. Because they don’t accommodate female prisoners in our region we wind up being the default lock up. I don’t think the taxpayers of Kamloops really should have to have the burden of keeping prisoners just because there isn’t a facility locally that can accommodate them.”

Christian also wants to lobby for a better way in dealing with alcoholics.

“The other issue we have is an urgent need for a sobering centre in Kamloops. Our municipal cells are not the place for people who are suffering from acute alcoholism. This notion of a drunk tank is really a dangerous situation. We would like to see the government invest in a sobering centre for people with alcohol addiction.”

Christian is also hoping for some face time with Attorney General Dave Eby to discuss the downtown Kamloops BCLC headquarters situation.

The one meeting he is hoping not to have is with Finance minister Carole James about the sharing of marijuana taxation revenue with local governments.

That is because he is hoping a deal is done by then.