Creston Fire Rescue Chief Bruce Mabin presented the second-quarter report for the fire department. While the fire department has 28 members, the average experience level is dropping due to the retirement of experienced members and hiring of new ones, he said.
Creston Fire Rescue responded to 46 calls from April through June, 16 of which were motor vehicle incidents.
Five structural fires resulted in a loss of $318,000, but Mabin estimates the value of property saved to be more than $1.6 million.
Council Briefs
•A public hearing regarding a development variance permit for properties at 1403, 1407 and 1409 Hillside St. was held, with no objections being heard from the public or town officials. The process to create a panhandle access will now proceed.
•Mabin reported that an application for funding under the Strategic Wildfire Prevention Initiative has been made. The program is designed to help fund wildfire protection projects.
•Council members were presented with a public health plan discussion guide and overview document that outlines the provincial government’s public health system strategies.
•The final report by Water Smart ambassador Clair Schadeli was presented. In her position, funded by the Town of Creston and the Regional District of Central Kootenay, Schadeli worked to increase public awareness about conserving water and to assess opportunities to conserve the resource. Council directed Mayor Ron Toyota to send a letter of gratitude to Schadeli for her work in the summer position.
•In an effort to reduce paper use at Creston Town Hall, council recently moved to the use of iPads, which eliminate the need for paper agendas and information packages. A policy for the use of the digital equipment was presented.
•Council voted to fund an evaluation of the Creston fire hall, in which a number of detriments have been noted, including mould, a shortage of shower facilities, a potentially dangerous air circulation system and a roof that doesn’t meet current snow load standards. Up to $10,000 will be spent to fund a complete assessment of the structure and get recommendations about how to ensure its viability in the future.
•The town will apply for provincial funds to help with the installment of an electric vehicle charging station at the Creston Valley Chamber of Commerce. The cost to the town for such a project would be about $1,000.
•A request from G.F. Oliver Funeral Chapel Ltd. to place a family columbarium in Forest Lawn Cemetery is being held until a report about all local cemeteries and their operation is received by the end of October.
•A noise control bylaw amendment to allow registered snow removal operators to clear snow during the night when necessary was passed.