Betsy Kline
Castlegar News
Castlegar City Council met Monday evening for their regular scheduled meeting.
Castlegar’s Water Smart Ambassador, Laura Smit, made a presentation to Council on the ongoing work of getting Castlegar residents to break our bad watering habits. Laura is available for lawn and garden water use assessment appointments. After their assessment, residents are given a personalized watering schedule and are offered a free rain sensor for their irrigation system or a hose timer for their sprinkler. Laura will also be riding around town on her bicycle placing yellow warning flags on the lawns of residents who are not following the city’s watering restriction guidelines. She will be wearing a blue Water Smart shirt so she can be identified.
Stephen Hill, former Federal Conservative candidate for our riding made a presentation to council on behalf of the Conservative party. He highlighted how the changes made to riding boundaries will affect our area. Nelson and Creston are no longer in our riding, but Penticton is; thus changing the previous rural composition. In his opinion this change is more likely to produce a Conservative victory in these parts.
Mr. Hill asked the Mayor and Council for input on how the Conservative party could better serve Castlegar. Councillor Chernoff responded, “Come visit here way more often then what they do. They lose touch with small communities. The only way to know a community is to talk to the people, find out what’s important to them.”
Other highlights of the meeting included a report that building permit values have increased making it look like this will be a good year for construction. Business licenses are also up from last year. Updates on projects included notice that the tender for the Pioneer Arena chiller has gone out and will be awarded soon. The Millennium Ponds project is progressing. Trees have been planted, the top soil is down and turf will be installed this week. Completion is slated for mid to late July.
Council also voted to appoint three community members to form a committee to conduct a review of remuneration paid to Mayor and Councillors as is required by bylaw. The Council Remuneration Review Committee members will be Kirk Duff, Jacquie Hamilton and John Waterfield. Any changes to remuneration will take place following the next election, after a new city council takes office.