Council notes of the regular meeting of Jan. 11. All councillors were in attendance.
Village council has agreed to put forward a $1,000 commitment in a province-wide wood-stove exchange program.
Council approved this motion with no objections.
In an email exchange, Coun. Ulli Mueller told Bob Lafluer a program like this one is well worth the cost.
“Well worth it when you consider the cloud of smoke we sometimes sit in,” she said.
Coun. Joseph Hughes asked why the village doesn’t go one step further and do the same thing but with low-flush toilets.
“It would be more green, less treated water and all those good things,” he said.
He proposed the village put out $500 for a “toilet exchange” program for those interested.
The CAO will prepare a resolution for this plan for the next meeting on Jan. 25.
Command vehicle policy reviewed
Nakusp fire chief Terry Warren along with assistant fire chief Reg Gustafson started the meeting off with a presentation on a new policy they drafted up on the fire department’s Fire Chief Command Vehicle.
There has been some apparent miscommunication between village council and the fire department regarding the use of this vehicle, Gustafson said at the meeting.
Basically, council was questioning whether or not this vehicle was something they should have at all.
Warren answered that as a command vehicle, it’s not. But as a Chief Officer’s Vehicle, used for travelling to meetings and training, often out of the village, then it’s the best option for the taxpayer.
At this point, Warren says that’s what the vehicle is being used for – travelling to conferences and such.
“The reason it’s handy to have is because it’s cheaper for the taxpayer to pay for fuel of that vehicle instead of paying for personal vehicles which is way more money,” he said. “We’ve sent training volunteers everywhere.”
The vehicle was initially purchased in 2003 after the then Area K director, Helmet Klughammer, approved the request to buy one.
Council has taken their bylaw in for information and have agreed to deal with it at the next meeting on Jan. 25.
Village going for Hot Springs bridge grant
Village council has agreed to submit a grant request through Delterra engineering for a needed $400,000 for upgrades to the Hot Springs bridge.
The decision was made after council discussed the issue of not having enough information before going forward with the grant request.
The issue is that if village did decide to gather more info., they would more than likely miss the February 1 deadline.
CAO Bob Lafleur said there was a second intake for requests in April, but the grants come on a first come, first serve basis.
“It’s a Catch-22 here. If we get in under the wire, we might miss something and not get enough money,” Lafleur said. “The risk in waiting is if we do want to apply for three or $400,000, there’s the risk that it might not be there.”
Council agreed the best option was to make the February 1 deadline as they did not want to risk having no funds at all in April.
TARGA coming up
TARGA, the company wishing to race cars along the roads around the village, will be coming into town on Jan. 27 for a meeting open to the public at the Bonnington Arts Centre.
The meeting is open from 6–8 p.m. and anyone is welcome to join.
Still on the hunt for physicians
In her mayor’s report, Karen Hamling announced the village has still not received any long-term physician applications.
She said Dr. Norm Lea has been acquiring locums in the meantime, including a new physician to arrive mid-May and to stay until the end of August.
More information will be updated as it comes.
Hot Springs Commission almost full
During council reports, Joseph Hughes announced the hot springs commission is close to acquiring its final member.
No other news from the hot springs other than that.
Council approves storage for museum
Sharon Montgomery of the Nakusp and District Museum Society sent in a note to the village about a lawnmower they purchased to maintain the Centennial building lawn has been stored within the museum “which is totally impracticable.”
Instead, they requested village council to approve a metal shed that would be stored under the library steps and secured with a padlock.
The shed presented in their package was priced at $299.99.
Village council approved their request and the museum will being fundraising in February to purchase the shed.
Welcome! And can we get gym
memberships to be tax deductible?
Coun. Ulli Mueller requested village council to send a letter welcoming in Stephanie Cadieux, the new minister of community, sport and cultural development.
Included in this letter would be a “suggestion” as Mueller puts it to make gym memberships tax deductible.
“They’re really pushing for a fit and live healthy lifestyle, and [memberships] are really expensive.”
Council agreed to her request.
The Arrow Lakes News attends every Nakusp village meeting, so be sure to pick up your copy of the paper to see what’s going on in your village!