It is a message that Kimberley Mayor Don McCormick repeats again and again — this is a regional economy and no one municipality can go it alone. One of McCormick’s goals has been to create partnerships to encourage economic development.
Last week, Mayor and Council of the City of Kimberley met with the Chief and Council of Band on November 5th to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
The two councils met in March of 2015 to discuss their intentions to establish an effective working relationship based on mutual respect and cooperation, and now that initiative has been put in writing and signed.
The Memorandum of Understanding between the parties recognizes that:
The interests of all persons living in their respective communities are best served by working together in a spirit of cooperation.
The City of Kimberley lies within the traditional territory of the Ktunaxa Nation
There are mutually beneficial opportunities to enhance the region’s economic, social-cultural, and environmental significance through maintaining a meaningful and positive government to government relationship
Building an effective relationship will create certainty and harmony for neighbouring communities and will begin an important dialogue in anticipation of successful treaty negotiations