It only took 30 minutes for Quesnel City Council to get through their Tuesday, Aug. 24 agenda. After welcoming the new Ambassadors for the coming year, it was a short meeting.
Council approved applying for a grant for the Sprout Kitchen Food Hub. The city is hoping to add testing equipment, small-wares and utensils, more food processing equipment and a refrigerated delivery truck..
“This project will further expand on previous grand funding for the Food Hub to purchase additional specialty equipment, which will improve capacity and increase service levels,” a city report reads.
READ MORE: Quesnel Food hub now accepting bookings
The Local Food Infrastructure Fund is a federal granting program giving priority to projects already funded by 50 per cent. The city is asking for 47 per cent of the total project costs ($84,439).
The remaining amount is planned to be covered by remaining funds from a Northern Development Initiative Trust grant and some of the funds given to the project from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries.
Sprout Kitchen was also the focus of another agenda item. Council gave first reading to a bylaw to exclude the property from taxes.
“The city leases a portion of 101 Marsh Drive for the location of the Food Hub. The city then leases this property to the non-profit group — Sprout Kitchen Society — to run the Food Hub,” A city report notes.
The city has authority to exempt certain properties from municipal taxation, including non-profit groups, land surrounding churches and schools and athletic clubs.
“These exemptions are set by council and require counci9l to pass a bylaw exempting the properties they decide should be exempted,” the report notes.
E-Vote Confirmed
The Barkerville Brewing Company Patio is becoming permanent after council approved the results of an electronic vote held in between council meetings.
All available councillors and Mayor Bob Simpson voted to approve making the patio permanent, with Councillor Ron Paull unavailable.
The vote was taken electronically, as city council did not have a meeting in early August, and the city had problems with the new Liquor Control online process.
A city report noted there are no residential properties around the brewery and the restaurant’s busy times are in the evenings.
One property near the brewery, the R&R Sewing Company, wrote to the city against the expansion, concerned about the effect the project will have on parking in the area.
Barkerville’s capacity will not be increasing due to the project, as their capacity was set by washroom availability, not available space.
Council will have a fully in camera meeting on Sept. 7.
READ MORE: Quesnel restaurants adapting to pandemic rules
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