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RDEK Board Highlights
The following is a synopsis of the May 29 Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) board of directors’ meeting.
30-Year Service Award
RDEK Board Chair Rob Gay presented Ed Saffin with a 30-Year Service Award (pictured above left). Ed started working for the RDEK in 1985 as a Draftsman in the Planning Department. This was in the era of pen-and-ink drafting on mylar and describing geographic areas in metes and bounds – no computers, no Geographic Information System, no GPS – just a steady hand, and good eyes. In 1988 Ed was promoted to the position of Planning Technician and then in 1998 he was promoted to his current position of GIS Database Technician.
CBT Community Initiatives & Affected Areas Programs funding approved
The board of directors approved funding for 140 projects through Columbia Basin Trust’s Community Initiatives and Affected Areas Programs, which are administered by the RDEK. A total of $1,063,163 was approved for 2015/2016. A full list of the approved projects is available on the RDEK’s website: www.rdek.bc.ca.
Engineering Services Contract for Phase 1 of West Fernie Servicing and Restructure Project awarded
The engineering services contract for Phase 1 of the West Fernie Servicing & Restructure Project has been awarded to Kerr Wood Leidal / MPE Engineering team for an amount not to exceed $847,713.
Community-to-Community Forum applications to be submitted
Applications will be submitted to the Union of BC Municipalities for grants to host regional Community-to-Community Forums with the Ktunaxa Nation and Shuswap Band prior to March 31, 2016.
EMMA roof replacement & Canal Flats Zamboni funding
An application will be submitted to the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program to support the roof replacement project at the Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena (EMMA). In addition, the portion of the 2015 capital grant for the Canal Flats Arena no longer required for the elevator lift will be used to fund the PST on the new Zamboni and the remainder will go towards the EMMA roof replacement costs.
Fuel management prescription funding
An application will be submitted to the Union of BC Municipalities for funding under the Strategic Wildfire Prevention Initiative Program for a fuel management prescription and operational fuel treatment activities at Panorama Mountain Resort. A second application will be submitted to the same program for additional funds required to complete the Baynes Lake fuel treatment project.
Looking for higher water levels at Elko Dam head pond
Letters will be sent to BC Hydro and Columbia Power requesting a meeting to discuss solutions to ensure higher head pond levels at the Elko Dam to increase water levels in the Baynes Lake and surrounding areas.
Working on purchase and sale of land for reservoir
The Chair and CAO have signed the agreement with the BC Transportation Financing Authority for purchase and sale of land for the expansion of the Windermere reservoir.
Discretionary Grants-in-Aid (DGIA)
– Elkford Secondary, Isabella Dicken, Rocky Mountain Elementary and Sparwood Secondary schools will each receive $1,000 from the Electoral Area A DGIA account for their Parent Advisory Councils.
– The City of Fernie will receive $1,000 from the Electoral Area A DGIA account to go towards the 2015 Canada Day celebrations.
– The Cranbrook Kimberley Hospice Society will receive $2,500 from the Electoral Area C DGIA account and $1,000 from the Electoral Area E DGIA account to help offset operational costs.
– The Meadowbrook Community Association will receive $500 from the Electoral Area E DGIA account to help cover food costs for their community weed pull.
– The Fairmont Community Association will receive $400 from the Electoral Area F DGIA account for Fireworks Ban signs.
– The District of Invermere will receive $4,000 from the Electoral Area F DGIA account and $1,000 from the Electoral Area G DGIA account for a three dimensional model of the Valley Community Facility.
Public meetings
Area B Town Hall & Volunteer of the Year Celebration – June 10 —7 p.m. at the
Jaffray Community Hall
(7 p.m. Volunteer of the Year Celebration/ 7:30 p.m.—Area B Town Hall Meeting.)
Elk Valley Community Directed Funds Committee – June 12 — 9 a.m. at Fernie City Hall
Columbia Valley Community Directed Funds Committee – July 20 —10:30 a.m. at Windermere Fire Hall.
Central East Kootenay Community Directed Funds Committee – August 13 —3 p.m . at the RDEK Board Room (Cranbrook).
Public hearings
Tuesday, June 23 —4 p.m. at the Fernie Family Centre – 521 4th Avenue, Fernie for Bylaw No. 2569 cited as “Regional District of East Kootenay – Elk Valley Zoning Bylaw No. 829, 1990 – Amendment Bylaw No. 75, 2015 (Savage/ Rohn).
Next board meetings
Thursday, July 2 – Committee meetings – TBA
Friday, July 3 – RDEK board meeting – 9 a.m.
For more information, please visit our website: www.rdek.bc.ca or follow us on Facebook and let the news come to you: www.facebook.com/eastkootenay.
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