Coldstream Council's Fear: Snow!

Their 13-day fear anyway.

One key to diagnosing a phobic disorder is that the fear must be excessive and disproportionate to the situation, according to ThePhobiaList. 

In the case of Coldstream, it certainly is disproportionate to the situation.
Because Council doesn't admit what the situation actually is.

To those of us who know how this local government manipulates information--or has the newspaper do it for them--this Mayor and Council's fear of snow, as reported in The Morning Star, Oct. 28/12, entitled "Coldstream considers cutting staff overtime costs" is a smokescreen that belies the fact their finances are going in the wrong direction.

Seems that Coldstream's district office will be closed 13 days beginning December 22nd, and Mayor and Council are scrambling because of maintenance wages.  

Snow in the Okanagan?
Bet on it.
On average, our area--in a winter period spanning 40.8 days--can expect 40.5 inches (102.9 cm) of snow.

So, in THE understatement of her term "...if there's a snowstorm we'd have to pay overtime," said Councillor Besso, pretending that this Council is the first to consider such an earth-shattering topic in the community's history.

It's not that Councillor Besso can't think ahead (proof is her willingness to preserve farm parcels--suitable only for forage--for the future, and also this Council's penchant for planning drainage improvements in anticipation of the 100-year storm). 
It's because this Mayor and Council, time and time again, possess an inherent inability to think like business. 

So what would a business owner do?
Apart from wondering whether he should be closed for 13 days, and realizing that he's in big trouble if he is juggling to make wages...(the District of Coldstream is 3+ million in debt for a population of only 10,000), he'd start here:

• A business would recognize the importance of their maintenance department (and not leave day-to-day operational decisions to those holders of "broad powers" holders, who know the least).

• A business would look at previous years' labour costs.

• A business would delegate and have the Maintenance Supervisor provide two holiday plans--a best and worst case scenario:  one for wages based on average snowfall years, and one for wages based on high snowfall, complete with the requisite maintenance supervision that includes a chargehand. 

Come to think of it, would a business close for 13 days?

Coldstream Council's snow-itis is indeed excessive and disproportionate.  Unless they're having trouble making wages...or wondering how to fund their employees' defined benefit pension plan...or...

"Fear makes the wolf sound more important than he is," offers Kia.