What Happened at Invermere Council This Week?

By Carol Gordon

The regular meeting of District of Invermere council was held on Thursday, December 14 at 7 p.m. in the Municipal Office.

In attendance were: Mayor Gerry Taft and Councillors: Greg Anderson, Paul Denchuk, Al Miller and Justin Atterbury.

Staff present were: Chris Prosser, Chief Administrative Officer and Karen Cote, Director of Finance.

Gallery: Six people.

PETITIONS AND DELEGATIONS

Cycling Without Age

A presentation was made by Don Devlin and Blaine Nester (profile) to fundraise for the purchase of two Trishaw Bicycles.

“A non-profit program called Cycling Without Age was started in Denmark in 2012 with the main focus of getting seniors out for bicycle rides. Canada has 13 chapters. The intent of the program is to give seniors who are unable to get out on their own the opportunity to experience that freedom of “wind in your hair” again. This is something most of us take for granted, yet many people don’t have this freedom.” Fact Sheet Feedback

“Our goal is to secure funding to purchase two Trishaw bicycles with the intent to offer rides to senior citizens and those challenged with disabilities.

“We are approaching the District of Invermere to provide applicable insurances for the program, including the drivers. As well we will ask the District to assume ownership of the bikes.

“Our intent is to operate the program entirely with volunteers. We hope to have funding secured by February or March of 2018, so we can order the bikes and have delivery in time to start the program during the summer of 2018.” Fact Sheet

“The purpose of this request is to purchase two Trishaw bicycles to be used for giving rides to senior citizens and those challenged with disabilities in Invermere. We are approaching the Town of Invermere to provide insurance coverage.” letter

Discussion ensued between the presenters, councillors and Chris Prosser, Chief Administrative Officer, as to the logistics of the project including such topics as maintenance, storage, insurance, volunteers and safety.

Councillor Anderson said, “Kudos to you guys for taking the initiative.”

Council expressed its unanimous support for the program.

BYLAWS & PUBLIC HEARING REPORTS:

District of Invermere Financial Plan Bylaw No. 1532, 2017 received first reading.

“Section 165 of the Community Charter, directs the council to adopt a financial plan, by bylaw, before May 15th in each year.” Bylaw 1532

“The main focus for the District in 2018 is the completion of the new Columbia Valley Centre. Besides this major project, proposed capital expenditures are currently budgeted for $2.5 million during 2018 as it continues to invest in the maintenance of its transportation, water, sanitary sewer systems and facilities. Condition assessments on infrastructure help the District prioritize replacement capital projects within the financial plan.” RFD

Also included in the report, prepared and presented by Karen Cote, Director of Finance, is a list of recommendations made through the Staff Budget Input Sessions and survey, significant projects proposed for 2018, and other operational items.   RFD

Revenue Anticipation Borrowing Bylaw No. 1533, 2017 received three readings.

“This bylaw is a security measure for 2018 in the event that regular cash flows fall short of meeting expenditures before tax revenues come in. As well, this bylaw is a requirement from Kootenay Savings Credit Union in order to secure our current line of credit.” RFD

The council can borrow upon the credit of the municipality, not exceeding $5,961,049 with all unpaid taxes and the taxes of the 2018 calendar year when collected be used to repay the money borrowed. Bylaw 1533

REPORTS REQUIRING ACTION:

Financial Statements for the period ending September 30, 2017 – Report was given by Karen Cote, Director of Finance.

“These statements are prepared quarterly for council in order to reflect expenditures and highlight any expenditures that may arise that would require a Financial Plan amendment. This is the third and final regular financial reports brought forward to council for this calendar year.” RFD

For further information: General Balance Sheet; General Income Statement; Water Balance Sheet; Water Income Statement; Sewer Balance Sheet; Sewer Income Statement

Municipal Asset Management Program Grant Application – FCM

A report was prepared and presented to council by Chris Prosser, Chief Administrative Officer.

“The proposed recommendation will authorize the submission of two planning grant applications to assist the district in completing its Asset Management Long Term Financial Model. Grant applications will be submitted to the province and FCM under separate programs targeted at asset management.” RFD

Councillor Anderson: “The fact is that we have to get this work done.” It’s going to assist future councils in making informed decisions on budgets, he added, “So, from my perspective, it’s just something that has to be done.”

Mayor Taft: “Although I support the work on asset management, I am a little bit fearful that if we do too good of a job of planning our infrastructure a head of time, then we’re going to be expected to fund all of it and we’re not going to get any funding from the Province and the Federal Government. It is good to be proactive and plan things and on the other hand it would be nice if the other levels of government were doing the same thing (to plan for more than one to three years at a time). So perhaps we can suggest to them that they do their own asset management as well.”

He added, “Even when we’re asking for five year commitments on programs, how can we plan our capital when we may only know for one, or two or three years. We don’t even know for five years if we’ll have the funding.”

Councillor Denchuk said, “We’ll just have to have it ready for election time. That’s when the money comes out.”

The motion was approved by council.

REPORTS FOR INFORMATION:

Strategic Priorities Chart

An excerpt from the list of Corporate Priorities (Council and CAO):

1. TOBY CREEK PATHWAYS AND DOG PARK: Construction; Timeline – March 2018
2. FORMER COMMUNITY HALL: Demolition; Timeline – January 2018
3. ATHALMER PLANNING PROCESS: Consultation; Timelines – January 2018
4. MUNICIPAL CAMPGROUND and AMENITIES: Planning; Timeline – January 2018

For the complete list of the District of Invermere 2018 Corporate (Council/CAO) and Operational (CAO/Staff) Strategies see chart

CAO Prosser provided explanation. “I wanted to provide for council some information on where we stand.”

He added, “But also to get ready for an update meeting in early January that we’d like to have with council so that we can reaffirm some of these priorities. Are there new priorities that need to come forward for 2018 that may need to be added to the list and have that be ready for that discussion in early 2018.”

Councillor Miller inquired about the demolition of the former Community Hall.

Prosser replied, “The contract just came in on Tuesday, signed. We’ve asked them to start January 2. He informed council when asked that Max Helmer, who “came in with the lowest price,” will do the job.

Bylaw Report for September by Mark Topliff, Bylaw Enforcement Officer.

CORRESPONDENCE REQUIRING ACTION:

Windermere Valley Minor Hockey Association
It was approved by council to sponsor the B.C. Hockey Tier 4 Pee Wee Championships being hosted in Invermere for the amount of $500. letter

2756 Lord Strathcona’s Horse (RC) Invermere RCACC Sponsorship Committee

letter

Council approved a $200 sponsorship to cover the deposit for the cadet’s trip to participate in the Vimy Ridge Battlefield Tour.

CORRESPONDENCE FOR INFORMATION:

District of Sicamous letter addressed to the Honourable George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, regarding the prevention of Quagga and Zebra Mussels:

Excerpt from letter: “On behalf of the District of Sicamous we write to express our concern about the threat of Quagga and Zebra mussels. Sicamous submitted a resolution at UBCM (Union of BC Municipalities) that was endorsed requesting more funding from the Provincial Government to increase awareness and Education for the threat of Quagga and Zebra mussels into B.C. Lakes.”

Mayor Taft: “Prevention is a lot cheaper than trying to deal with it afterwards.”

Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) letter regarding Gas Tax Agreement Community Works Fund Payment.

The next District of Invermere regular meeting is Tuesday, January 9 at 7 p.m.

District of Invermere council meets regularly throughout the year on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month (second Tuesdays only during July, August, September and December) at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the Municipal Office (914 – 8th Avenue, Invermere) unless otherwise indicated.

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