Financial Plan Amendments
Council approved three amendments to the 2013-2017 Five-Year Financial Plan.
The Civic Centre Operations, undertaken by Kicking Horse Culture, was originally budgeted at $20,000. The municipality had little idea of what it would take to run the recently completed facility, and had to increase the expenditure by $13,258, coming from the Town’s contingency reserve.
The centre is also gaining in popularity, with more and more events and weddings being held there, and is therefore also gaining more revenue.
The Resort Municipality Initiative Visitor Sign Program, and the BC Visitor Centre Plaza Project also needed to be amended to account for an increase in both revenue and expenditure. This means that neither increase will affect the budget’s bottom line, or the Town’s reserves.
The RMI Sign Program increased by $72,425, which means there will be less money for the program next year. And the plaza project (for which the Town was a flow through for Destination BC) increased to $65,000.
Community Excellence Awards
The Town of Golden Council has voted to continue their sponsorship of the Kicking Horse Country Chamber of Commerce Community Excellence Awards.
In the past they have been a Silver Sponsor, which requires a $500 contribution, as well as purchasing tickets for council and staff to attend the event.
Council voted to maintain the same level of sponsorship, with councillors Caleb Moss and Keith Hern opposed.
Encroachment Agreement
Kal Tire, located on 10th Avenue North, requested an encroachment agreement from the Town of Golden that would allow the business to put up a sign on public land.
The permanent sign would follow the municipality’s sign bylaw, but must be on public land because there is no private land beyond their building.
Council approved the request.
Water Smart Grant
Golden has given back a grant they had received from the Columbia Basin Trust.
The $10,000 grant was for the Water Smart Program, which for the first time was going to be administered by the Town’s bylaw officer.
In late spring, the bylaw officer position became vacant, and therefore the Water Smart Program never took off.
