Councillor Ulli Mueller brought up a ‘red flag’ issue identified by downtown businesses: large vehicles such as RVs parking in front of stores for long periods of time. Some business owners suggested that bolder signage is needed, said Business Retention and Expansion coordinator Vivien Berry.
Counc. Guy Duchaine said the Nakusp and Area Community Trails Society (Nakusp ACTS) website is up and running, complete with their hiking schedule. You can find it at nakusptrails.ca
Counc. Tom Zeleznik told council and staff that NACFOR has undergone a full audit of its 2012 books, which concluded that the community forest had good financial and control processes in place.
He also mentioned that Janis Neufeld, one the organizers of the Kaslo Sufferfest outlined plans for the fest to be expanded to include Nakusp in 2014. The event, to be renamed Kootenay Sufferfest, will have activities in Kaslo, New Denver and Nakusp over three days and is forecasted to attract 1,000 participants.
Repairs to arena
Of the $400,000 earmarked for repairs to the roof and building envelope of the Nakusp and Area Arena, a significant chunk will now be going to address issues with the ice plant design. Design problems have been behind issues with the plant’s compressors, and the worst-case scenario estimate puts the cost for the repairs around $275,000. However, a maximum of $150,000 will be spent this year to fix the issue and get the arena ready for the winter, said CAO Linda Tynan. The CAO also said that if the repairs become financially unmanageable, there will be a public forum on the issue. Although no decisions can be made until the report into the needed repairs is complete, council did vote in favour of preparing a loan authorization just in case. No interest will be charged until the money has begun to be used.
Supporting transit service
Council voted to support an RDCK initiative to amalgamate transit for Nakusp, New Denver, Silverton, Area K and part of Area D. The amalgamation is projected to cost taxpayers less while ensuring there are no delays in service if there are transit breakdowns. Under the proposed service, transit vehicles could be shared across the regions in the event of vehicle failure.
Paying to play
Shon’s Bike and Ski will be paying to use a Village parking stall as part of their business. As residents have likely already seen, the stall is used to display bikes in front of their shop, and the owners have said they are more than willing to pay a fee for rental of the street space.
Mayor Karen Hamling emphasized that the Village is only charging just over one third of what could be charged, citing economic conditions as the reason for the reduced rate. Both the bike shop and What’s Brewing On Broadway are being charged $42 per square foot for the season, which tallies up to roughly $504 for the bike and ski store. The mayor stressed that Local Government Act does not allow local governments to give unfair advantage to businesses, making it necessary for the Village to charge them rent for Village properties.
‘Danger’ trees pose less of a threat
Trees on 1st Avenue that were once to be chopped down are now only going to get a less severe trim, and will only be topped. Score one for those who love to hug trees.
Granting New Horizons
Council approved the request for the Senior Citizen’s Association to upgrade the electrical panel in the Senior Citizen’s Hall, and agreed to support their New Horizons grant application that will allow them to get the job done.
Fire over-Hall?
A request for Expressions of Interest (EOI) will be prepared by the Village for groups who may be interested in using the old firehall across from the liquor store on 5th Avenue, but it may be more work than most organizations bargained for. Interested parties will have to put the work in to bring the building up to code, which means addressing a long list of issues, looking at the report paid for by the Nakusp and Area Development Board. Excess moisture is one of many concerns, but CAO Linda Tynan said the real issue for the Village is ensuring that any group that takes on the firehall will bring real value to the community.
“It’s not only always rent,” she told the Arrow Lakes News. The Village is “pretty open” to EOIs, recognizing that it will take significant improvements to the building to make it functional.
New NACFOR board members
Lee Ann Marshall and Rod Zorn have been appointed directors to the community forestry company, until November 2013.
Looking back, looking forward
The three year priority plan review will be taking place July 4, and council will be looking back at how progress on the plan has been working and if any changes need to be made.
“Once a year we need to do a review,” said Mayor Hamling.
