All five members of Cache Creek council were present for the regular meeting on May 25, which started at 4:30 p.m.
Community Foundation
Coun. Wendy Coomber asked CFO Cristina Martini if the Village had funds in reserve that could be put aside for a Community Foundation, a program sponsored by Northern Development Initiative Trust (NDIT) that matches funds from participating municipalities up to $50,000 annually for distribution to local organizations. Coomber had raised the idea of creating such a foundation in Cache Creek at the May 11 meeting.
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Martini said funds were available, but that she was unsure of how much. Coomber moved that the Village set aside $25,000 for a Community Foundation. Coun. Annette Pittman, who was not at the May 11 meeting, asked what the Foundation’s money would go towards, and Coomber gave a brief explanation, saying she hoped the Village could use it so groups would go to the Foundation for money, not to council. It was further explained that the Foundation would have to be set up and would operate separately from council, and would be a continuing entity, not just for one year.
Pittman’s main concern was whether the Village had $25,000. CAO Martin Dalsin said the Landfill Legacy Fund could be looked at to see if money from that could be put towards a Community Foundation: “What could be more of a legacy than a foundation like this?” Mayor Santo Talarico made an amendment to the motion that if restrictions on the fund allowed, $50,000 be taken from the Landfill Legacy Fund and used in order to take advantage of a Community Foundation. The motion was tabled pending further information about the Landfill Legacy Fund and its use.
Bridge replacement
A meeting with Stantec, an engineering services company, about replacement of a bridge over Cache Creek off the East Trans-Canada Highway east of Quartz Roadtook place on May 20. The construction cost estimate, which does not include engineering fees, is $529,000, and a report from Stantec noted that if the project could be tendered before receiving permits from the Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans and the Ministry of Forest, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations then a construction start in late summer or fall of 2020 was possible. However, Dalsin noted that tendering the project before receiving the necessary permits could pose a risk and lead to re-tendering the project, causing a delay in construction.
The new bridge would replace one that was washed away in the flooding of May 2017.
Other items
Talarico noted that the fitness centre at the Cache Creek Community Hall was scheduled to reopen on May 28.
Coomber said that the Historic Hat Creek board had decided not to open the site for 2020, but that an interesting program offering a VIP shopping experience at the site, by appointment for locals, has been proposed.
Coun. Sue Peters asked that a letter of thanks be sent to the Public Works department, Village staff, and the CAO and CFO for the work and long hours they had put in during this year’s flood season. She noted the praise that Public Works had received for their expertise from outside agencies that had worked with the Village.
Council voted to support the Village’s application for a Crown Land lease for an area that will house a debris flow structure at the Campbell Hill landfill. It will provide protection from overland and runoff debris flows for both the new landfill and all areas at lower elevations. Council also voted to provide a letter of support to Community Futures Sun Country for their application for funding for the NDIT Regional Business Liaison Program.
The meeting moved into closed session shortly before 5 p.m.
All minutes and agendas for Cache Creek council meetings can be found on the Village’s website at http://www.village.cachecreek.bc.ca/. The next scheduled regular meeting of council is on Monday, June 8 at 7 p.m.
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