Archives for January 6, 2020

Have you ever secretly wanted to vent your jealousy toward a family member?  This is the season to do that and look like an angel.   First target those perfect people, you know the ones who always look great even if they just fell off a horse.  You know the right weight, perfect tan, you get the picture.

The best way to get to their heart is with sweetness this time of  year.  To get them off their game without suspecting you, you must satisfy two competing elements.  Temptation and Satisfaction.  Pick your unsuspecting victim with fantastic wrapping paper filled with only the best.   I know it works it happened to me.  I swear my dilemma comes from a Christmas gift conspiracy.  Family members passed the same gift idea down the line faster than the internet.  Things like what does grandpa like best?  M&M’s, Hedgehogs licorice pieces, Brazil nuts, Russell Stover assorted candies, even jellybeans if there are some in bulk, not to mention Turkish Delight.  This is my dilemma, I know I have to lose a few pounds, well truthfully ten to fifteen.  Last year I asked for socks I still have about twenty pair and several for one foot only.  Can’t throw them out because the washing machine might return the lost ones.

I digress.  Getting back to this year.  My Sister knows I like Russell Stover candy that’s a given,  I made a suggestion for one of the great grand kids to give me a chocolate bar.  From that suggestion the candy conspiracy began.  It is how a treat became a weapon.  I have candy from everywhere.  Two things for sure.  I will do my exercises, and I know temptation will overcome my reasoning.

After all the commodity in question can’t simply be wasted can it?  There is one other thing I can do.  That is add it to the stash I already have squirreled away.

When I stared at this much candy buzz pleasure, I thought it could be used as a sweet tooth weapon against all those willpower-ed relatives and friends that I know will reach their goal, while I run halfway across the Province to lose one pound.

I have rationalized my preconceived failure if I don’t lose the weight there will be more of me to love.   For those on the treadmill keep at it up there is a whole year to go.  Now what do I sample first?  Chocolate, jellybeans, why not both?

For those of the Orthodox Christian Faith who celebrate Christmas according to the Julian Calendar wish them a Merry Christmas on January 7th,

Fred Steele

 

Background:

In order to further divert wastes entering the landfill, the Solid Waste Management Plan has identified organics diversion as the primary means of achieving this goal. Food waste and other organic material accounts for approximately 40% of waste going to landfills in the RDOS. Previous studies estimate a diversion potential of 26% of the total waste stream should a curbside food collection program be put in place. Further, previous studies have shown that the costs to process wastes through composting are lower than that of landfilling.

On September 19th, 2019 the Board authorized staff to pursue a compost siting study. Specifically to look at the Okanagan Falls landfill site and lands at or near the Campbell Mountain landfill. Upon, review of these two sites it became clear the Campbell Mountain landfill would be the preferred alternative. It is also clear that combining the biosolids and organics composting operations will be a significant cost savings.

These advantages are:

· The Regional District has submitted an application to the Ministry of Environment for a Biocover methodology to meet the requirements of the Landfill Gas Regulation. Approval and successful implementation would be assisted by removing organics from Campbell Mountain.

· The Regional District is required to provide a site to the City of Penticton for bio-solids treatment and composting. The current site at Campbell Mountain in non-compliant.

· The organics composting facility leachate control system could be combined with the Campbell Mountain landfill system.

· The Campbell Mountain landfill is open more hours in the week than that of the Okanagan Falls landfill. Longer hours will assist in receiving biosolids, organic amendment, and food waste and will assist with the sale of finished compost. It is also more convenient for the majority of residents in the Service Area.

· There is no water source near the Okanagan Falls landfill where the Campbell Mountain landfill site has an active well on site and the ability to obtain additional water from the City of Penticton.

· The Campbell Mountain Landfill currently has a biosolids composting facility where Okanagan Falls does not. The Okanagan Falls Landfill site is closer to residential land use where the new Campbell Mountain landfill composting facility is a consistent use and will dramatically reduce existing nuisances.

· The driving distances for curbside collection vehicles dropping of garbage and organics will be much lower at Campbell Mountain. A number of recent events have increased the opportunity and urgency to establish a composting facility. Specifically, a new grant program has become available that could fund food waste diversion, and the proposed organics composting facility. The grant, if successful, would fund up to 83% of capital costs, not including land, but must include a predesign of the facility. The submission deadline is February 26. An appropriate land parcel has been identified. The Agricultural Land Commission is changing ALR exclusion rules after January 30, 2020 that may be problematic. Any application prior to January 30, 2020 will follow current rules.

A recent Business Case comparing a currently designated site at Campbell Mountain and the proposed site has determined a potential advantage of $1.7M to purchase the new site rather than build on the Campbell Mountain Landfill site due to geotechnical considerations. Also, the movement of the composting site off the Campbell Mountain Landfill property, will save landfill air

space, estimated to be valued $11M to $16M over the life of the landfill. The proposed land purchase will buy lands that are current impacted due to nuisance, thus eliminating a source of complaint and liability.

Total capital costs for the project are expected to be at $17.2M plus land costs. Should the Regional District be successful with a grant application our share of the capital costs will be $2.9M. This will enable a significant reduction in the aggregate biosolids and food waste composting per tonne cost of $100 to capitalize and process organic wastes.

 

Analysis:

There are several distinct advantages to build a combined biosolids/food waste composting facility near the Campbell Mountain Landfill. These advantages are:

· The cost of composting is less than that of landfilling wastes

· Combining biosolids, food waste and yard waste composting in the same facility is shown to reduce costs compared to running multiple sites. This is due to less capital and operating costs to operate one facility versus several. The consultant has identified a $20 per tonne savings.

· The Biosolids composting does not appear to be eligible for the current grant funding where a combined organics composting facility will be eligible.

· Diverting food waste furthers our objectives to divert organics entering our landfill and helps to trap Carbon that would otherwise be released into our atmosphere.

· Diverting food waste helps to extend the life of the landfill which is currently the most cost effective refuse disposal method. A 26% diversion means that the life of the landfill can be extended.

· Food waste compost will be a separate compost stream than that of the biosolids and can be used on farms.

· Compost is a valuable soil additive helps to trap moisture and conserve water.

· The addition of strict odour control in the new facility will reduce existing nuisances dramatically.

· The City of Penticton must improve its leachate management and odour control in order to be compliant with Provincial regulation

· There is an opportunity to use the Landfill scales and leachate control systems. There are several distinct advantages to purchase the land near the landfill. These advantages are:

· The capital cost to construct the composting facility is less than the cost to purchase the land, and represents a net savings of $1.7M

· The construction of the composting facility will move the facility away from neighbouring properties, create a strict odour control system and reduce risks of complaints.

· By moving the composting facility offsite, we create between $11M to $16M worth of airspace for the landfill

· The purchase of land will give us room to grow should additional treatment trains such as digesters or as the population increases.

· There will be large areas for compost storage should there be a down turn in compost sales.

 

Source: RDOS report

Picture – Google Earth capture

 

Recently my younger brother corrected my English ….or pronunciation on the work bereft. I had called it ‘berift’ for most of my life. It is bereft.

 

Let me use it in a sentence:  ODN is bereft of local news. ……As are most newspapers and news websites in our area.

 

Why ??

No local council meetings

School just returning

Too much snow – not enough snow

Courts are not working

Many people on holidays….. still

So when does January start – oh by about the third week….

If you have an interesting picture or story contact oliverdailynews@gmail.com

The 2020 homeowner grant threshold in British Columbia has been set at $1.525 million, maintaining that 92% of homeowners continue to be eligible for the B.C. Home Owner Grant.

The threshold is down from $1.65 million in 2019 due to moderating housing prices throughout the province. The threshold has again been set to ensure the same percentage of residential property owners are below the threshold and eligible for the full, basic grant amount. In years prior, rapidly rising housing prices led to an increase in the threshold.

The homeowner grant reduces the amount of property tax people pay to a municipality or to the Province for people who live in a rural area.

The grant is reduced by $5 for every $1,000 of assessed value above the threshold, meaning eligible homeowners with properties assessed above the threshold receive a partial grant until it is fully phased out. Some low-income owners, such as seniors or people with disabilities, can also apply for a supplement that replaces any grant amount they lose due to the value of their home being over the threshold.

The homeowner grant amounts are:

• up to $570 for the basic homeowner grant.
• up to $770 if the home is located in a northern or rural area. A “northern or rural area” means outside the Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley and Capital Regional districts.
• up to $845 for homeowners who are 65 years or older, or if the homeowner is a person with a disability or lives with a relative who has a disability.
• up to $1,045 for homes in northern or rural areas where the homeowner is 65 years or older, or the homeowner is a person with a disability.

The B.C. government reimburses municipalities for the full cost of the grant to ensure local government tax revenues are not affected.

Homeowners may also be eligible for property tax deferment if they are 55 years or older or are financially supporting a dependent child.