Columbia River Revelstoke MLA Norm Macdonald had his sit down with Environment Minister Barry Penner on Wednesday, and has come away feeling that progress is being made on the issue of the urban deer herd.

Macdonald said that Penner had the letter sent by Kimberley Mayor Jim Ogilvie on the issue in his hand at the meeting and that he had obviously been giving the issue some thought.

“The objective was to facilitate a solution to a challenging problem. There are a mix of views in the community on how to deal with deer and the community needs to have a voice in any decision. You need a good process,” Macdonald said.

Penner will present a report, Macdonald says that outlines Kimberley’s problem and what other communities across North American have tried to do to deal with it.

“They are suggesting a community committee that would work to come to consensus as to which solution would be best,” Macdonald said. “The community would then feel that its voice was represented. The province would participate to a certain extent in the solution.”

He says there are many details to work out, as whatever it is decided to do in Kimberley will likely be carried out in other communities as well.

“It certainly seems like a reasonable way forward,” Macdonald said. “I think the Minister has come forward in a way that’s constructive. I’m pleased the Minister found time to meet with me and I’m pleased they are participating in a reasonable way.”

Macdonald says concerns from a provincial perspective include cost, setting precedents and making sure there is a process in place that gives the community a voice.

“Everything I heard him say was completely reasonable and I was pleased with it,” Macdonald said.