The Town of Creston’s annual $10,000 contribution to the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area has survived the 2016 budget process. But it might not in the future.
Council agreed to keep the contribution in place by passing a motion at the March 8 regular council meeting.
Reducing or eliminating the grant had been considered in earlier committee of the whole meetings, with some councillors questioning how the money is spent. After learning that it is used to cover educational programs in addition to helping with operational items like trail maintenance, councillors agreed to have staff flag the annual grant for review in 2017 budget discussions.
“And further, that the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area be advised of council’s intended review of the annual funding provided to that organization by the Town of Creston,” the motion said.
Larry Binks, Regional District of Central Kootenay Area C director, told council that the Wildlife Interpretation Centre is scheduled for closure in 2017. Another group is working toward construction of a “discovery centre” on a parcel of adjacent piece of land that fronts both the management area and Highway 3. That parcel, he said, must be removed from the Agricultural Land Reserve for the plan to continue.
Council Briefs
•A $500 discretionary grant was approved for the Prince Charles Secondary School senior boys’ basketball team to assist with the team’s participation in the B.C. high school AA basketball provincial championships.
•Creston Lions Club member Tom Mann proposed that the club work with town staff to create a “kindness meter initiative”. Mann said the Lions propose to use old parking meters on existing posts to facilitate donations for club projects.
Mann said that communities across Canada, including Castlegar, have adopted a similar initiative to encourage donations to local service groups and charities.
The request was referred to staff.
•Payment of $3,371 was approved to renew the town’s membership in the Union of BC Municipalities.
•A letter from local resident Cyril Colonel expressing his concerns for the restriction of access to the Duck Lake Road area was received. Council directed that the letter be forwarded to the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area with a response request.
•A letter was received protesting the College of the Rockies’ plan not to heat or provide water in its greenhouses this year, and to reconsider the future of the structures.
•Council will ask the local Columbia Valley Alliance for Literacy co-ordinator for input after discussing a request to participate in the 2016 Mayor’s Poetry Challenge in April. To meet the challenge, a local poet must read a poem at a council meeting.
•A request for a letter of support for the Kootenay Columbia Discovery Centre Society’s application to have a parcel of land removed from the ALR was referred to a committee of the whole meeting for discussion.
•Council approved a motion to amend the transportation policy on mileage rates for personal vehicles on town business. The rate set by the Canada Revenue Agency will now be used instead of the current practice of adjusting compensation according to gas pump prices.
•Town manager Lou Varela reported that the Official Community Plan process is being restarted and will be completed by the end of 2016. The OCP was shelved last year when a planner contracted to lead the process resigned.
•Council approved the use of $8,300 of Community Development Funds to gravel a portion of the dog park where drainage is a problem.
•A request from the Creston Valley Rotary Club for a letter of support for a Columbia Basin Trust grant application was approved. The club is working with staff to design and locate a new washroom facility in Centennial Park.