The following is a synopsis of what occurred during the Feb. 4 District of Sparwood council meeting.

DELEGATIONS

Teck

Nic Milligan, Manager Social Responsibility for Teck, provided an overview of the company’s Castle Project at Fording River Operations (FRO). Castle is an extension of FRO and will become the primary source of coal for FRO and maintain current production rates. The project is currently in pre-feasibility design stage and Teck plans to initiate the Environmental Assessment process in early 2020. Coal reserves are substantial and could support FRO for many decades.

BYLAWS

Revenue Anticipation Borrowing Bylaw

Revenue Anticipation Borrowing Bylaw No. 1264, 2019 was adopted. This bylaw provides for an operating line of credit in 2020 if required. The district has not had an overdraft for many years, however there is always the possibility that one could be created if transfers from investments get delayed.

Upper Elk Valley Fire Protection Services Authorization Bylaw

Upper Elk Valley Fire Protection Services Authorization Bylaw No. 1265, 2020 was adopted. This bylaw provides for fire protection services to the Upper Elk Valley Fire Protection Services Area, as depicted in Schedule A of Appendix A of the bylaw.

BC Active Transportation Grant

Council authorized the submission of a grant application in the amount of $500,000 at 70% funding, under the BC Active Transportation Infrastructure Grant through the Province of BC for developing a walkway along Michel Creek Road. Council also authorized an increase in the 2020 budget for the district portion of the project from $70,000 to $215,000 to support this grant application.

Policing Priorities

Council approved the following top three Detachment policing priorities for the District of Sparwood for 2020/21.

1. Traffic/visibility – focus on speeding, aggressive driving and impaired driving;
2. Crime reduction – focus on repeat chronic prolific offenders; and
3. Youth – involvement within the schools through talks, presentations and speaking to students in hallways.

District Workforce

Council approved one additional public works labour position and one additional recreation maintenance position with recruitment to commence in February 2020. Council also appointed Michele Schalekamp as the interim Corporate Officer and Jenna Jensen as the interim Emergency Program Coordinator until such time as a new Director of Corporate Services has been hired.

Recreation Master Plan

Council received a progress report from Upland Planning & Design and the REConsulting group undertaking the development of the Sparwood 2030 Recreation Master Plan. The next phase of the project is for the consultants to evaluate what the community is saying and compare and contrast this against the current state of parks and recreation in Sparwood.

Shaw Go WiFi Agreement

Council authorized advertising of the disposition of part of District properties located at 367 Pine Avenue (Leisure Centre) and 136 Spruce Avenue (Main Office) to Shaw Cablesystems Ltd. for Shaw Go WiFi telecommunications equipment. The agreement will be brought forward to the March 3, 2020 regular meeting for council consideration.

UPCOMING DISTRICT MEETINGS

• Youth Advisory Commission Meeting on Tuesday, February 11 at 12:05 p.m. at Sparwood Secondary School
• Regular Meeting on Tuesday, February 18 at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers

District of Sparwood

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