An Honour Knowing You, Bob!

It most certainly was an honour to know Bob Spiers, who passed away suddenly on Monday, June 25th.

"Like a dog with a bone," he was said by several people of the way in which Bob analyzed and handled topics.

And I saw it myself.
I remain grateful today for Bob's efforts on my behalf, when no-one else seemed to care.

Even though he was a City of Vernon councillor, and Highlands Golf is in Coldstream's jurisdiction, when I had a huge huge problem with the Regional District Greater Vernon Water regarding the annual rate I was being charged for my business' private fire hydrant, Bob not only chewed on that bone, he reduced the bone to smithereens!

Bob Spiers...councillor extraordinaire, an honourable man

During several of the monthly meetings, he even proved to his peers--Greater Vernon Advisory Committee members from both Vernon and Coldstream--that the manager (McTaggart) of the Greater Vernon Water authority had provided spurious information to the committee re my fire hydrant "private" rates.  And those of others, as it was discovered by Bob Spiers.

Spurious information?
Well, I call it outright lies that McTaggart spewed to meetings.
And Bob Spiers proved it with his analysis of data that McTaggart himself had provided.

While my blog stories at the time didn't give Bob credit, it was through Bob Spiers' analyses that my business was allowed to receive fairness and parity.

Background blog stories:
here, and here, and here.
And here.

Bob Spiers appreciated fairness and accuracy and truth.
And he reminded Greater Vernon Advisory Committee members that they should, too.

Thank you Bob...
rest in peace.
Your caring and dedication and commitment were so important to me.

Way to Go, Bob

and thank you for what you do!

Bob Spiers, city of Vernon Councillor is at it again.
And we should all be grateful for his efforts.

Efforts...plural.
Because he's done it before.

The present Tax on a Tax petition already has 444 signatures from British Columbia alone (we in British Columbia have had the dubious pleasure of paying carbon taxes since 2008 when Premier Clark enacted the law.)

Canadians appear to have forgotten that they have something called "choice"

Rather than steal Bob's thunder, we'll send you to Bob's blog to click on the petition link and add your name.  And please send the story/link to ALL your email contacts in Canada!

Petition to the Government of Canada
Whereas:
The Government of British Columbia instituted a carbon tax in 2008 and the federal government GST (currently at 5%) is still being charged on this carbon tax.
We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to eliminate the GST being charged on this or any other future carbon tax enacted by the provinces or territories. 


"Once government gets a taste of a new tax," Kia would've mused "its appetite isn't easily sent back to the diet table."


Remember to send the petition link (from Bob's blog, provided above) to all your Canadian email contacts.

Do it now.

Not sure why you're signing?
Well, in case you've spent the last number of years under a rock...click for explanations:
 
What is carbon tax?  
By the way, carbon tax failed in Australia.  Maybe we can hope for the same here in Canada...eventually.
What is GST?

Then...crawl out from under the rock.
 

So they only last 15 years?

In their ongoing exploration to sate a voracious appetite for revenue, GVW has stumbled on a new revenue source.
They're charging customers for water meter replacement.

While GVW states that some water meters "have been out there for 30 years", they apparently only accurately record water consumption for 15 years.

The new fee prompted GVAC director Bob Spiers to coin a new description for Greater Vernon Water:  bandits (see November 8th blog story here, which proves the $8/quarter fee residents will pay ~$500 to the utility over 15 years versus ~$100 if they were able to purchase their own).

The new fee prompted a Letter to the Editor, as yet unpublished, by Dana Mills, printed with permission:

"To The Editor, The Morning Star:           2015 November 13

I notice Greater Vernon Water is planning to charge everyone extra for their old water meters.  In other words, they are going to impose extra fees to cover the past mismanagement of what should have been a simple ongoing water meter infrastructure renewal program.

This is on top of millions of dollars RDNO staff and politicians have already committed to their "smart" water meter program.  It's disturbing to note that they are using current cash to fund this long-term capital expense.  This means water rates are going up right now to purchase a bunch of fancy equipment that should last for at least the next twenty years.  Do you think they will reduce rates next year after all of this stuff has been bought?

Politicians recently approved costly expansions to the RDNO Cross Connect Control program despite the fact that the new "smart" meters will quickly report any backflow conditions detected.  Repeating past mistakes, they are expanding a bureaucracy which should actually become less relevant as technology improves.  Be warned, RDNO staff will go to extremes to justify this expensive program.  Do you have a private swimming pool or hot tub?  How about a fish pond or a creek?  Do you collect rain water from your roof to apply on your garden?  If so, you are subject to an additional annual fee at their selective whim.

Perhaps, instead of a new surcharge, they should reallocate funds from their CCCP to pay for their old water meters.  Also note: Less than half of GVW revenue collected comes from domestic water consumption, and they don't know how many of these old meters are inaccurate or by how much."  Dana Mills

"Bob Spiers' description is not only accurate," offers Kia, "but if you look up bandits in the dictionary, there's probably a photo of the GVW office."

Or the muzzled GVAC directors.