Kimberley City Council held their regular meeting on Monday, August 17, 2020, the only meeting for the month of August.
It was chaired by Coun. Sandra Roberts as Mayor Don McCormick was called away on a family emergency.
Zoning Amendments
The meeting bean with a public hearing regarding zoning the lanes around the new Save On Store on Archibald St. to commercial. Council did not receive any written feedback, nor did anyone call in to the meeting. With the hearing closed, Council gave third reading and adoption to the bylaws.
Grant Application
The City will apply for a $15,000 grant for staff training in Asset Management Planning. If successful, the UBCM will match the funds. The City has had an Asset Management Plan in place since 2016.
The plan presents a complete and concise summary of all City infrastructure assets. It provides a comprehensive focus and format for community infrastructure outreach programs; provides invaluable asset details for more credible and defensible decisions on infrastructure re-investment; and encourages exploration of sustainable infrastructure renewal funding levels. City staff have been utilizing this plan for several years in order to plan infrastructure investment.
Community Grants Policy
Council had an extensive discussion on cleaning up the wording around the Revised Community Grants Policy. the main discussion was around the City taking over the granting from the Kimberley and District Community Foundation of BC Winter Games Legacy funds. In the past, the KDCF chose the amateur sporting organizations who would receive grants, and the City dispersed the funds. In the future, the Foundation will send a sum of money to Council from the Fund and Council will decide who receives the funding. This is separate from funding community organizations receive from the City through CBT and RDEK grants.
Tenders Awarded
Council awarded two tenders at the meeting. The first tender went to Mar-Tech Underground Services Ltd of Langley, for the 103 Ave to Knighton Road sewer main lining project. The tender is for $275,075 plus tax. The second tender went to BA Blacktop of Cranbrook for the annual rod rehabilitation program. That tender was $320,654 plus taxes.
Annual Tax Sale
Council did have the option of deferring the annual tax sale of properties delinquent on taxes, because of COVID-19, but CFO Jim Hendricks explained that there are actually less properties (34), on the list than the same time last year (40) so it wasn’t believed the pandemic was having much of an impact in this particular area. He said that a good half of the properties on the list were on it for several years in a row. The tax sale is scheduled for September.
Good Neighbour Bylaw
Corporate Officer Maryse Leroux is working on a Good Neighbour Bylaw, which will be brought forward at an upcoming Council meeting. The bylaw will encompass the Noise Bylaw, the Firearms Regulation Bylaw, Unsightly Premises Bylaw, Smoking Bylaw and Nuisance Abatement Bylaw as well as provide regulations related to parks and public places. Leroux says more and more municipalities are using Good Neighbour Bylaws as a tool.
The “draft Good Neighbour Bylaw” supports the City’s goal to protect and improve the quality of life of its residents, promote civic responsibility, and to encourage good relationships between neighbours as well as ensure the enforceability of the bylaw.
