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I for sure cannot speak for anyone else, however, I can speak how I feel about Richard Rolke's article, "City hall records higher payroll."

No doubt people need compensation for jobs well performed.

I served seven years as a Director on hospital/care board back in the late '80s and early 90s and most of those on this particular board were former government bureaucrats who when it came time to ante up more money for the CEO and top non union staff I would hear the same line pined as Councilor Jack Gilroy; "I look at it and go, Wow, but it's the cost of doing business. If we want the people in proper positions, we have to pay a certain level or you'll lose them."

At that time the CEO of this particular facility was making $85,000 plus perks annually. I was the only person who voted annually against their pay raises. I maintained then and maintain today that most families if they live within their means can live nicely on an income of $7,000 a month. That goes for those earning $75,000 annually. If you can not support your family on $6,000 a month plus perks then you have a lifestyle problem.

I for one do not buy into the philosophy more money gets you better personnel. I'm sure there are hundreds of top, well-qualified professionals in the municipal "industry" that would gladly come to our city for less compensation.

To hear Mayor Wayne Lippert chime in behind this comment that the city is not top heavy with staff and council is being responsible disappoints me as I know this man. Sometimes I think he has lost his business compass and is sipping the bureaucratic kool-aid and is following instead of leading.

I appreciate Councillor Spiers efforts to keep us informed.

As I said I do not speak for anyone else but that's my opinion.

Joe O'Hearn

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Joe ... okanaganlakebc.ca agrees with you whole heartedly.

Regarding the recent article on the $3,000,000 increase in one year bringing the city hall payroll to $18,800,000, and the addition of 58 people to the staffing level since 2007. Incredibly, this all happened while the private sector (read taxpayers), was going through a terrible recession with many cutbacks and job losses.

In answer to your reporter's questions, Coun. Jack Gilroy and the mayor came up with the old bromide that you can't get good people unless you pay for them, etc., etc., etc.

Nowhere was any mention made of trying to cut costs to stay in line with taxpayers' reduced ability to pay, or even to see whether there was any "empire building," for which the civil service is famous, going on.

Indeed, when Bob Spiers and Patrick Nicol suggested that we should follow Penticton's lead and have an efficiency expert check Vernon's bloated payroll, it was voted down by council, with the same two gentlemen shrugging it off and saying "It would send the wrong message!"

If Penticton can reduce their staff by two senior supervisors and 10 other staff and still function, it is worth a look.

Regarding Gilroy's remark of sending the wrong message, how right he is, only the message has gone out to the taxpayers, that another $3,000,000, or so, isn't worth getting excited about.

I know the only two councilors that I'll be voting for in the next election!

W. Crosby

Starting Thursday at noon, all open burning, including campfires and fireworks, will be prohibited across the Kamloops Fire Centre, including the North Okanagan.

The fire danger rating is currently high to extreme across the fire centre, making the risk of a campfire sparking a wildfire a concern to forest officials.

This ban applies to open fires of any size, including campfires, fires with a burn registration number and industrial burning, fireworks, tiki torches and burning barrels.

Within this area, the ban covers all B.C. Parks, Crown and private lands, but does not apply within the boundaries of local governments that have forest fire prevention bylaws and are serviced by a fire department.

The ban will be in place until Sept. 30, or until the public is otherwise notified.

The ban does not apply to cooking stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes, or to portable campfire apparatus with a CSA or ULC rating using briquettes, liquid or gaseous fuel, as long as the flame is kept under 15 centimetres in length.