Keremeos Village Council donated $100 towards the Similkameen Swim Club at the April 22 regular meeting of council.
Council proclaimed May to be Missing Children’s Month in the village.
Council received a letter and Fee for Service Agreement reports from Similkameen Country for information purposes.
Council also received an email from the Okanagan Basin Water Board urging action on invasive zebra mussels.
Bylaw enforcement numbers up in first quarter
The village received nine bylaw enforcement complaints in the first quarter of 2014, up from six reported during the same time last year.
CAO Laurie Taylor attributed the rise to a lack of snow this winter that made unsightly premises easier to see. Most of the increase came from a rise in property maintenance complaints.
Building revenues up in first quarter
The Village of Keremeos has issued five building permits so far this year, up from three issued during the same time last year, reported CAO Taylor to council.
Seven building permits have since been issued in April alone, she added. Mayor Bauer made the observation that “village properties were changing hands”.
“Unusual request” denied
A request to council by the South Similkameen Arts Society to waive costs to use the community kitchen in Memorial Park for 16 days this spring and summer was turned down by council.
SSAS plans to reserve the park and gazebo on the second and fourth Friday and Saturday of the month in June through September in order to hold an outdoor arts and crafts market.
Members of the society wished to access the kitchen in order to store materials and make coffee, explained CAO Taylor, who described the requestr as “unusual”.
However, health regulations require cleaning of the facility after each use at a cost of $20 per hour.
The fee, if waived, would have to be made in the form of a donation to SSAS. At a rental cost of $95 per day, this would total $1,520, an amount which would come from the donations and promotions account.
The account has a budget of $4,000, $1,500 which has already been spent.
Council expressed fears of setting a precedent in overturning the request.
