SUMMING IT UP: Grand Forks City Council

By Mona Mattei

As the referendum questions are set for Grand Forks residents to have a say over proposed $4.2 million in spending for future water, sewer and road repairs, Mayor Brian Taylor and Lynn Burch, chief administrative officer, headed out to Victoria last week to ask for the province’s assistance.

 

The city heads set a meeting with Minister Ida Chong to ask for special consideration for infrastructure funding support for the repairs they anticipate will cost about $32 million over ten to twenty years.

 

“If we can get some government help with this over the next five years for the first bite we take on this I think it’s really going to make it possible for us to commit ourselves long-term,” said Taylor. “If we don’t get government support the chances of us being able to do this … is going to be really diminished because we just can’t afford to do it ourselves.”

 

Some minor changes in the referendum’s wording required by the Inspector of Municipalities were adopted by council at their meeting.

 

Crimestoppers

 

Jack Fisher, chairman of the West Kootenay Boundary Crime Stoppers program made a presentation to council and invited the city to become a member. According to Fisher, about 25 percent of the tips received by the regional service originate in the Boundary. Taylor questioned the morals of providing cash for tips that he said should just be a citizen’s responsibility to their community.

 

“It’s an addended inducement if you will,” said Fisher. “The number of people that actually ask for any cash is low. They’re not phoning in for the money.”

 

Councillor Gene Robert spoke about the benefits of the service and proposed that the city approve the $500 annual membership. The motion passed.

 

Mountain Media Advertising

 

Six new visitor information signs across the Kootenay / Boundary regions are getting a face-lift, said Mountain Media Sales Representative Sandra Barron. Barron came before council to encourage the city to purchase advertising on the signs, along with 300 smaller posters, that are being created for 2012.

 

The signs are tourism information displays with three currently located at Rock Creek, and two between Grand Forks and Christina Lake. The new design slated for the signs will be created by renowned artist Jean-Louis Rheault and will give a three dimensional pictorial view of the area.

 

“The stopping power of the actual billboards is going to go from just providing basic information to the travelling public to becoming a tourist attraction themselves,” said Barron. “So we’re going to have a lot of people stopping, studying the signs, looking at the maps, and then they’re going to see the posters as they travel throughout the Kootenay – Boundary.”

 

Council received Barron’s report and will be reviewing their advertising budgets to determine their potential participation.

 

Re-zoning request

 

A request to change the zoning of a property located at 2675 Central Ave. has been set for public hearing. Barb and Jacques Boizeau have requested that half of their lot, the portion facing the highway, be zoned commercial from its current residential designation. The lot spans from Highway #3 to 75 Avenue on the north. Boizeau advised the planning department that they intend to subdivide the property eventually.

 

City staff were given direction to draft a zoning amendment bylaw which includes a public hearing as a part of standard process. Planning Technician Kathy LaBossiere also recommended that council place a covenant on the property to ensure commercial use does not spill over into the residentially zoned northern portion of the property.

 

Grand Forks Fall Fair

 

Mini-chuck wagon races are coming to the Grand Forks Fall Fair on Sept. 10. In addition to the work the city crews have done preparing the grounds for the event, council agreed to sponsor one of the chuck wagons for a cost of $500. Councillor Chris Moslin felt that the city had already contributed enough towards the annual fair, and did not support the motion.

 

Control over trails

 

Increased use of newly paved trails within the city has led to regular sightings of motorized vehicles accessing the pedestrian routes. Moslin noted that the existing bylaws governing trails in the city limits are insufficient.

 

“(The current bylaw) was put in place and applies to all sections of the Trans-Canada Trail within the City of Grand Forks. It also applies to any parks,” said Moslin. “But what it doesn’t apply to is any other trails, including our new trails along Riverside or to the community gardens. It seems to me it would make sense to amend that bylaw to include all city trails especially those trails that we’re trying to encourage pedestrian use.”

 

Staff were directed to provide council with a proposal for an amending bylaw which will allow for enforcement and restriction of motorized vehicles on the city’s trails network.

 

Development project delays

 

Projects slated for this fall have been delayed, said Burch. Councillor Michael Wirischagin questioned the progress on both the sidewalk for 25 Avenue en-route to Hutton Elementary school and the new multi-use sports field in City Park.

 

Burch explained that the Hutton sidewalk project was on schedule but the start date was held off waiting for engineering drawings. These are now in hand and the ramp to the highway, as well as the sidewalk north from the highway, are ready to begin.

 

The sports field has been held up by Telus Corp. who must relocate a pole that is in the area of the planned field. Once the pole has been removed the project will be completed. Burch anticipates that the field will still be ready before winter.

 

Organic waste collection pilot

 

The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) is still interested in starting a pilot program for organic waste collection in Grand Forks, said Taylor. An area of the city has been identified, but until the residents have been approached the specifics of the pilot program will not be unveiled.

 

Other

 

Council agreed to purchase a membership in the Canadian Sports Tourism Alliance on behalf of the community’s sports organizations at a cost of $150.

 

In reviewing the city’s promotions for visitors it was noted that there is no video coverage for the area on the key provincial tourism website Hello BC. Council approved $375 towards a regional video for Grand Forks and Christina Lake in partnership with Community Futures Boundary, RDKB areas C and D. Global Authority will produce the video.

 

As a result of the pressure from the city, two new outlets have come forward to accept used oil products. That gives Grand Forks a total of three locations to return oil from vehicles, and other uses. The names of the outlets can be found online at: http://www.usedoilrecycling.com/en/bc/returncollectionfacilities?q=v0h+1h0.

Council approved the development permit for Silver Kettle Developments Ltd.’s new seniors housing complex on 72 Avenue. This allows the 42 suite residential care facility and supportive housing to proceed.