The City of Kimberley established an Urban Deer Advisory Committee to examine issues related to urban deer within municipal boundaries and recommend ways to improve public safety.
During the past several years the committee produced the guiding document, Managing for the Future, which outlines all the steps the city should follow to manage an urban deer population.
With that document in place, the Urban Deer Advisory Committee is changing, going down to four members. Those members will include one member and an alternate from City Council; one representative from the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, Fish, Wildlife and Habitat Section; and two city residents.
“This is a leaner advisory committee,” said Coun. Darryl Oakley, who has sat on it as Council representative since 2011. “The reason is that Council has agreed to follow the Managing for the Future document. This committee will focus on counts and will recommend population management as needed.”
The committee will also assist with management trials such as the upcoming translocation project.
“That will require quite a bit of work from the committee if it goes ahead,” Oakley said.
Mayor Don McCormick said that with a smaller committee, those who sit on it will be subject matter experts rather than random community members.
Current chair Gary Glinz, whose very good work has been acknowledged by Council, will stay on as chair.