Two property owners have been selected to participate in the 18-month urban hen pilot project. During the pilot period, the approved home owners may keep up to five hens. Due to the low number of applications, the city is willing to consider adding more properties to the project.
City staff will be moving forward with bylaw enforcement on property owners that are not participating in the project but are keeping chickens illegally.
Advertising
Council approved the purchase of a half-page ad in the 2017 summer edition of Route 3 Magazine published by Black Press. The ad will be used to promote the Millennium Ponds. The $825 cost will be allocated from the 2017 advertising budget.
Grants awarded
Council awarded grants to three recipients. The Trail FAIR Society will receive $500 for the RCMP Strategic Prevention Services Annual Youth Summit at the Selkirk College Castlegar Campus. About 350 students in Grades 8 to 10 from Stanley Humphries Secondary School attended the summit in 2016.
Montory Enterprises Limited/The Green Race will receive $750 to assist with the costs associated with organizing and hosting the Green Race in Castlegar this summer. Expenses include the cost of shuttle transportation for all runners from the Millennium Park start and finish, live music and first aid.
The Columbia Basin Environmental Education Network (CBEEN) will be given $700 to assist with the costs of hosting the Wild Voices for Kids Programs in Castlegar. The program aims to connect students to their natural world and develop ecological literacy. Last year 279 students in Castlegar participated in the program.
Compensation increase
As per current city policy that annual cost of living adjustments in relation to the BC Consumer Price Index be applied to the exempt staff salary grid each year, council passed a motion updating the pay grid. The approximate annual cost will be $24,000.
The same policy includes an increase to Castlegar Volunteer Fire Department member compensation for an approximate annual cost of $1,200.
Contracts awarded
Council awarded a contract for the Dumont Crescent water main replacement to Sorenson Excavating Ltd. The contract is worth $165,890.55 and will cover replacing 170 meters of 150 mm diameter PVC water main, installation of one fire hydrant, four new water services and the reconstruction of 1,100 square meters of roadway.
A contract for repair and remediation of 30 meters of roadway on 37th Street necessary because of settlement of the roadway was awarded to Civil-Tech Services Ltd. for $28,303.80.
Licenses/permits
Year-to-date business licenses are up from 2016 with 588 permits valued at $70,742 compared to 572 at $69,752.50 last year.
Year-to-date building permits are also up with 81 permits valued at $2,625,161.44 compared to 72 permits valued at $1,990,975.14 for 2016.