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West Kelowna  

Memorial gets 1 last vote

Peachland council will vote one last time on whether Charrie Fichter will be able to lay flowers at the lakefront memorial bench in honour of her slain daughter.

Fichter has been laying flowers at the bench for more than five years in honour of Ashlee Hyatt, who was stabbed to death at a house party in 2010.

She was asked to stop earlier this year when someone complained about flowers at a different bench, saying they made that person sad.

Council has dealt with the matter three times, the latest earlier this month, when a motion to allow the practice was defeated following a 3-3 vote.

Mayor Cindy Fortin, a supporter of Fichter's, was at council for the afternoon debate, but missed the evening vote due to a family medical emergency.

Coun. Keith Thom made it known earlier this week he would bring forward a notice of motion to re-introduce the item for a re-vote, stating the democratic process didn't play out as it should.

Thom has voted against the motion.

Fortin said that process could take a month, so instead, she will use her discretionary power as mayor to bring the item back immediately at the next council meeting Tuesday.

"For the sake of council, the family and everyone, I figured let's just deal with it right away and hopefully come up with a solution that everybody can live with," said Fortin.



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