Items from Tuesday’s regular meeting of Creston town council:
•After a discussion about Coun. Wes Graham’s vote about CBT grant allotments reported in last week’s Creston Valley Advance, council agreed that any councillor representing the town at RDCK meetings should follow town council’s direction unless compelling information to do otherwise comes forward. That councillor, it was agreed, should immediately report to council about his or her change in position.
Graham voted against a resolution at the RDCK after making a motion to support it at the previous town council meeting. He told the Advance that his vote “was an oversight”. Graham was acting as the alternate director in the absence of Mayor Ron Toyota.
•Gillian Cooper appeared before council to make some recommendations about grizzly bear awareness and safety. Cooper, community co-ordinator for the Trans-border Grizzly Bear Project’s Bear Aware program, recommended that the Town of Creston create an agreement with Creston’s conservation officers to put warning signs and close public trails when a grizzly bear is known to be in a specific area.
Also, Cooper recommended that council create a bylaw making it illegal for residents to put garbage cans on the curb before the morning of the pickup. Leaving garbage out overnight is an attractant to bears, creating a danger to the public and the bears, she said.
Cooper reported that last year she placed “Bear Attractant” stickers that included information about the Bear Aware program on garbage cans left out overnight in Wynndel.
“The first night I put the stickers on there were 32 residences with cans out,” she said. “The next week there were only 12 and the following week there were four. And I got calls from residents to thank me because they were concerned that their neighbours were inviting a bear problem in the area.”
Council directed staff to bring back recommendations on how to proceed with Cooper’s requests.
•A letter from area resident Signe Miller recommended that the town install a downtown public washroom, a clock and maps for the convenience of visitors. Council voted to refer the concerns to the Creston Valley Chamber of Commerce for its response and to consider the suggestions in the 2012 budget process.
•The owners of City Centre Motel became the first to qualify under the property tax forgiveness bylaw designed to encourage hotel and motel renovations and construction. They propose to make a $110,000 renovation to the property.
AB-BC Recreation and Resources Ltd. also received approval under the same program. Council later approved a site plan change in the development permit that will see construction of a Ramada Inn and conference centre at the junction of Highways 3 and 3A. The location of the hotel on the property was changed to comply with Ministry of Highways requirements.
•Approvals are in place to allow for a mid-week Farmers’ Market on Spirit Square at 11th Avenue and Canyon Street. The market will run Wednesdays from 3-6 p.m., July through September.
•Council approved a revised five-year financial plan that recognizes the delay in construction last year at the wastewater treatment plant. The construction plan was put on hold when bids came in well in excess of allocated funds. A new plan is being explored.