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Nelson elected new chief of Lil'wat Nation

Pemberton council briefs: Annual RCMP stats, Telus gets concurrence
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Pemberton COuncil News from the March 17 regular meeting of Pemberton council. file photo

Lil'wat Nation has elected a new chief and council.

In a vote held Saturday, March 14, Dean Nelson defeated incumbent Chief Lucinda Phillips.

Leonard Andrew was elected cultural chief, defeating Joanne John.

New Lil'wat Nation councillors, in order of most votes received, are Alphonse Byron Wallace, Felicity Nelson, Joshua Ryan Anderson, Rosemary Stager, Maxine Joseph-Bruce, Vaughan Gabriel, Lois Mamaya7 Joseph, Carl Wallace, Helena Edmonds, Luke Johnny and Martina Pierre.

Check back with Pique in the coming weeks for a follow up.

2014 PEMBERTON RCMP STATISTICS presented

At the March 17 regular meeting of Pemberton council, Pemberton RCMP Cpl. Christopher Dodds and Whistler RCMP Staff Sgt. Steve LeClair presented Pemberton's annual crime statistics for 2014.

There were 37 violent crimes reported in Pemberton in 2014, including 16 calls for domestic abuse, seven for assault with a weapon and six for sexual assault.

There were 105 reports of property crime, including 25 reports of theft from a vehicle, which RCMP attributed mostly to a single-night spree.

"We had a person who we did identify but were unable to charge," Dodds said. "We had a cluster of theft from vehicles happen all in one night in downtown Pemberton here last year. That's pretty much responsible for that spike."

Bike theft reports were down to just seven from 15 in 2013, something LeClair said police were working hard on in 2014.

Of particular concern for RCMP in the Sea to Sky is the 451 abandoned calls to 911 in 2014, Dodds said, because each call requires about an hour of police time.

Traffic Safety numbers were similar to those posted in 2013 — 91 collisions last year compared to 90 in 2013 — but there was a significant increase in impaired driving infractions — from 26 to 59.

"That number shows increased detection and increased enforcement," LeClair said, noting that it doesn't necessarily mean more people are drinking and driving.

Overall there were 1,616 calls for service in 2014 and 409 charges laid in Whistler and Pemberton.

EXTENSION GRANTED FOR TELUS CELL TOWER

A Telus tower in the Pemberton Business Park will soon be extended by 20 metres.

At the March 17 meeting of council, council voted to issue a letter of concurrence to the extension of a 14.9-metre telecommunications tower located at 1941 Stonecutter Place in Pemberton.

The tower will eventually be extended to 35m.

After sending an information package to all property owners near the tower, Telus received three responses — two in favour, one opposed.

Due to the low number of responses a public information session was deemed unnecessary.

Representatives for Telus said at the meeting that the extension was necessary to extend coverage for Telus customers who complained of dropped calls.

There are currently no plans to extend a separate Telus tower located behind the Elements building in Pemberton, one rep said.

A separate proposal by Rogers for a cell tower in Pemberton is still in the consultation process.

Public comments for that project were accepted until Feb. 13, after which Rogers has 60 days to respond to all comments.

Rogers will be presenting to Pemberton council at the April 7 Committee of the Whole meeting, with a follow-up scheduled for the April 21 regular council meeting.