After a delegation from NSS Outdoor Ed students and a lengthy presentation and discussion about Village water and sewer rates, there was still council work to be done.
Mayor’s report, abridged
Mayor Karen Hamling gave the short version of her report, adding only that her request to the Columbia Power Corporation for heritage plaques had been approved. She also reminded that the Community Initiatives applications are available for local groups and that they must be submitted to a regional office.
In her report, the mayor also noted that the RDCK board sent a letter to the provincial and federal governments supporting a long-term infrastructure plan. The board also passed a resolution to suspend the intake of acquisition applications from water and wastewater systems until March 31, when it is expected that the Utility Service Delivery report will be complete.
BC Hydro’s five-year budget agreement for debris clean up expires on March 31, 2013, so a new agreement is being worked on, said Hamling in her report. Maps have been reviewed to determine priority clean up areas, and due to the high water levels in 2012, the committee is requesting $150,000 to try and clean up as much as possible. The budget request will go to the comptroller for approval.
The RDCK will be putting the animal control contract out for proposals as the current animal control person has decided not to continue, Hamling reported.
Tourism workshop coming soon
Councillor Guy Duchaine reminded council that the Tourism 360 workshop and presentation are coming up and space is limited, so anyone interested should register as soon as possible.
NACFOR update
Councillor Tom Zeleznik updated the council on NACFOR’s operations. The community forestry outfit has asked for an extension to the cut control period until Dec. 31, 2012 in order to capture approximately 55,000 cubic metres of undercut volume that would otherwise be lost.
In other news, the biomass presentation that was scheduled for Jan. 16 was cancelled.
Mobile home zoning change
Zoning Bylaw 614, 2008 was amended to change the front, rear and side setback for mobile homes to be 1.8 m, 1.5 m, and 1.5 m respectively, bringing it in line with Bylaw 189, 1978.
NACFOR AGM to be approved by council
The Village of Nakusp is the sole shareholder of NACFOR, and every year their annual report must be signed by the shareholder. NACFOR has requested they no longer hold an annual general meeting, and rather that the council sign the report. As it is the shareholders’ responsibility to appoint auditors, council also approved the appointment of Berg, Naqvi and Lehman for 2013.
Fosthall powerhouse plans rerouted
Councillor Tom Zeleznik informed council that there had been a proposal to build a powerhouse at Fosthall with a line down Saddle Mountain Road across to Crescent Bay that hooked into the substation.
“When the power goes out in Nakusp and New Denver it affects a lot of people,” said Zeleznik, and the second line would help keep the power on.
Now, the plan has been amended to run a line to Pingston because it would be cheaper, said Zeleznik. The councillor requested that a letter be written explaining the impact of the change and how it would be more beneficial to run the line to the Nakusp substation. Council voted to ask staff to contact the BC Hydro representative as well as send a letter to both the office and Minister for Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations expressing concern.