The formality of Regional District of Central Kootenay board approval is all that stands between 37 organizations and their Community Initiatives Grant cheques.
Creston town council is sending recommendations, approved at yesterday’s regular meeting, totalling nearly $66,000 for Columbia Basin Trust funds for RDCK approval.
Successful applicants for the funds include:
•904 Kootenay Squadron Air Cadets: $1,564
•Boswell and District Farmers’ Institute: $1,714
•Canyon Community Association: $2,964
•Central Kootenay Spay/Neuter Animal Program Society: $2,571
•Cresteramics Society for the Handicapped: $2,000
•Creston and District Historical and Museum Society: $2,500
•Creston and District Society for Community Living: $2,329
•Creston Community Band: $500
•Creston Curling Centre: $714
•Creston Pet Adoption and Welfare Society: $350
•Creston Valley 4-H Club: $1,996
•Creston Valley Blossom Festival Association: $4,999
•Creston Valley Fall Fair Association: $5,000
•Creston Valley Figure Skating Club: $1,500
•Creston Valley Food Action Coalition: $1,714
•Creston Valley Horse Association: $464
•Creston Valley Music Teachers Association: $2,429
•Creston Valley Regional Airport Society (AWOS upgrade): $5,326
•Creston Valley Regional Airport Society (Jet fuel dispenser) 0
•Creston Valley Search and Rescue Society: $1,629
•FarmFolk CityFolk Society: $607
•Focus on Youth: $1,500
•Health Arts Society: $486
•Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital Health Foundation: $286
•Kootenay Spirit Festival Society: $21
•Kuskanook Harbour Society: $679
•Northern BC Friends of Children: $250
•Royal Canadian Legion Branch 29: $3,071
•SQx Danza: $2,819
•Stepping Stones for Success: $188
•Symphony of the Kootenays Association: $143
•Town of Creston (Teen Action Committee): $4,000
•Trail Traditional Karate: $357
•Trails for Creston Valley Society: $3,071
•Valley Community Services Society (TAPS): $3,143
•Valley Community Services Society (Fun in the Sun): $1,000
•West Kootenay Permaculture Co-op Association: $71
•Wildsight Creston: $1,987
Council Briefs
•Representatives from Stantec Consulting Ltd., who will guide the Town of Creston and a committee of volunteers through the Official Community Plan process, presented an overview of the process that will take nearly a year to complete. The OCP is a statutory requirement designed to help move the town through the next 30 years in an orderly fashion. Considerable community input will be invited to identify priorities for land use and other issues.
In the gallery were more than half of the advisory committee volunteers, who were scheduled to have their first full meeting on April 29.
•In what amounts to a bit of financial housekeeping, finance director Steffan Klassen reported that he has been informed that the town cannot use gas tax funds for infrastructure improvements that are not contracted out unless specific approval is provided by the federal government.
No change will result in town projects or the overall budget, Klassen said.
•Council gave staff the go-ahead to process a development variance permit application for 713 Cavell Street. The Creston Seventh-day Adventist Church proposes to add a storage room to the back of the building, which would encroach slightly onto the three-metre setback requirement.
•A $1,000 contribution from the Community Development Fund will be made toward costs of hosting the 2015 ISPS Handa Canadian Blind Golf Championships at the Creston Golf Club.
•A discretionary grant of $500 was approved to assist the Lower Kootenay Band’s expenses for the 25th annual Yaqan Nukiy Powwow in May.
•The Millennium Park adjacent properties will once again be used for an annual automotive swap meet on Aug. 29.
•A three-year license of occupation will be provided to the Creston Valley Food Action Coalition to continue to operate the Creston Valley Farmers’ Market on town property on Cook Street from May 1-Sept. 30.
•Town staff will prepare a report for council about the ramifications of extending a revitalization tax exemption for the downtown area.
•Bylaws to set tax rates, adopt the five-year financial plan, define property maintenance requirements and define bylaw notice enforcement were passed.