Grants and Sponsorships
Council approved a $500 grant to the West Kootenay Minor Lacrosse Association to assist with expenses to travel to the 2015 Minor Lacrosse Provincial Championships.
Also approved was an allocation of $1,500, from the Parks Maintenance line item in the 2015 Budget, to the SHSS Rotary Interact in exchange for Club members committing to 150 hours of garbage pick-up over the months of July and August, to be co-ordinated in conjunction with the Communities In Bloom clean-up initiative.
Council voted to purchase a 1/4 page ad in the Selkirk College Saints Men’s Hockey 2015/16 Program, with a home game sponsorship package at a total cost of $800. The expense will be allocated to the general office advertising budget line item.
Licenses and Permits
Business licences are up very slightly from the year to date figures of last year, with 605 applications.
Building permits are also up for the year, with 105 permits valued at $4,488,124, about $1.5 million more than last year.
Potbelly Pigs
Council revisited the animal control bylaw with respect to the regulating of potbelly pigs.
The subject was brought to light because of a complaint that a resident was in violation of the current bylaw prohibiting pigs within the city.
City staff conducted research on potbellied pigs and reported to council.
Grand Forks is the only local municipality that allows for potbelly pigs, with restrictions that they must be miniature and under 100 pounds. Pigs are not allowed in Nelson, Trail and Creston.
After some discussion, council decided to keep the current bylaw in place and notify the resident that they will have to remove the pig from their property.
Paving
The city’s paving program will begin mid-July in the downtown/north area then will move south. The streets being paved this year are:
18th St from 17th St to Connors Rd,
18th St. from Connors Rd. to Edgewood Rd.,
4th Ave. from 4th St. to 5th St.,
5th Ave. from 6th St. to 5th St.,
Recreation Centre parking lot
Silverwood Cres. from Ridgewood Dr. to Pinewood Dr.
Community Gardens
Council decided to pitch in $899 to help the Castlegar Community Gardens pay for insurance for the year.
After having had some difficulties, the nonprofit has just got started with a new board and needed some help to keep the gardens up and running.