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Creston resident suggests paying others to leave to reduce RCMP costs

Creston town council reviewed a letter from Michael Bunn, who proposed that it take some actions to alleviate policing cost pressures...
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The Creston Town Hall is located on 10th Avenue North.

At its Feb. 28 regular meeting, Creston town council reviewed a letter from Creston resident Michael Bunn, who proposed that it take some actions to alleviate policing cost pressures in the coming years.

Bunn’s scheme would see the Town of Creston pay residents $2,000 each to move out of the regional district, with a goal of bringing the town’s population back under 5,000 and eliminating the requirement to pay for municipal policing.

He also proposed that the town buy up rental properties as they are abandoned under the program, then demolish them and landscape the lots, readying them for future development “in better times”.

“It would be very possible for Creston to have it’s (sic) police dept. within the next three years and then allow the town to start to grow again,” Bunn wrote.

Council voted to have Mayor Ron Toyota meet with Bunn to discuss municipal issues in person.

Bunn had previously made a presentation to town council at the Jan. 10 regular meeting, with suggestions to help pay off $2.1 million borrowed by the Regional District of Central Kootenay to complete the Creston and District community Complex.