This is my first article since the election, Therefore, I would like to thank the residents of Creston for their vote of confidence in the Town Council and the re-election of Mayor Toyota and the four incumbents, Councillors Comer, Elford, Wilson, and Unruh. We are excited to be working with the newcomer’s Councillors DeBoon and Tzakis.
We have been busy since the election with the Inaugural meeting held on November 8th and Council Orientation held November 20 - 21. Through the orientation, we developed our Strategic Priorities 2019 - a document that will help guide us through the year. Staff have made several changes on the forms for council reports and budget sheets preparing us for a busy year ahead.
Our main priority, as everyone is aware, is getting a start on the Fire Hall. After the approval of the Terms of Reference for the Fire Hall Technical Advisory Committee, in December applications were accepted and during the Council meeting on Tuesday, January 8, 2019, the Committee members were appointed. Randal Fabbro (fire department rep), Gertie Brown, Brandon Vigne, Wendell Marshall (former ASC members), Rita Scott, Glen Guthrie, Thomas Wells (new members) and Bruce McFarlane (Area B Rep) and Adam Casemore (Area C Director). Council members appointed are Councillors Elford and DeBoon and Councillor Wilson as Alternate. This Committee will develop recommendations on the design development and construction of the new fire hall.
Other priorities include the Chief Administrative Officer recruitment, Emergency Plan Review, Cannabis Legislation (zoning is currently underway) and the submission of a grant application to address infrastructure maintenance and repair (road rebuilding). We have had several Development Permits brought forward, one that has received very positive feedback is the development of a service station and convenience store at 1625 Northwest Boulevard. A current re-zoning amendment being considered is for 1441 Northwest Boulevard to add monthly residential unit rentals of existing motel units, and a zoning amendment for consideration to add the retail sale of cannabis in commercial zones is also underway.
We are beginning our capital and operating budget process and the community has been asked to complete the Citizen Budget Survey on our website. To date, we have received over 200 responses - which will assist us with our discussions.
Each Councillor has been appointed to their respective committees within the community which keeps us busy outside of our regular Council schedule. My appointments this year are the to the East Kootenay Regional Hospital District (Cranbrook) and the Creston Valley Health Working Group.
I look forward to working for you and if you have any questions/concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at 250-428-4148 or karen.unruh@creston.ca.