In a brief special council meeting Monday, April 29, City of Castlegar council gave first, second and third reading to the 2013 Tax Rates Bylaw which will see average residential properties pay three per cent more.
A release from the city stated the increase amounts to approximately $26, and keeps fees less than the 2012 rates on similar houses in nearby communities.
Council also approved the disbursement of Columbia Basin Trust Community Initiatives Funding grants to 22 organizations totalling over $99,000.
The largest disbursements went to:
- Castlegar Sculpturewalk Society ($20,000)
- Blueberry Creek Community School for kitchen expansion and bathroom upgrades ($16,000)
- Castlegar Arts Council / Kootenay Festival - Let's Celebrate! ($15,000)
- Castlegar and District Recreation for summer cool camps ($9,000) and the Kootenay Gallery of Art, History and Science for marketing and social media development, phase 2 ($8,000).
The meeting lasted only about 10 minutes and had two members of the public in the gallery.