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New Kimberley city council gets to work
Kimberley City Council Report
By Nowell Berg
On November 14, City of Kimberley council held its regular bi-monthly meeting. This was the first meeting since the October municipal elections.
Councillors Sue Cairns, Kevin Dunnebacke, Woody Maguire, Jason McBain, Sandra Roberts and Steven Royer were present, along with Mayor Don McCormick.
An archive of the meeting can be found on the City of Kimberley YouTube channel. Watch it here.
New Councillors
Having been sworn in on November 7, Mayor McCormick and returning Councillors Jason McBain and Sandra Roberts were joined by new Councillors Sue Cairns, Kevin Dunnebacke, Woody Maguire and Steven Royer.
Mayor McCormick welcomed the new councillors, saying he’s excited to work with them on the many opportunities and challenges facing the community. He added, “I expect all four, with mentorship from returning Councillor’s McBain and Roberts, to be up to speed quickly. “
Council made the following appointments to various boards and committees.
- Ktunaxa Kinbasket Treaty Advisory Committee – Mayor Don McCormick (Coun. Woody Maguire – alternate);
• Kimberley Public Library Board – Coun. Jason McBain.
• Kimberley Tourism Society – Mayor Don McCormick.
• Municipal Insurance Association (voting delegate) – Mayor Don McCormick.
• Kimberley Arts Council – Centre 64 Society – Coun. Sandra Roberts.
• Mark Creek Implementation and Monitoring Committee – Coun Sue Cairns.
• Sullivan Mine and Railway Historical Society – Coun. Kevin Dunnebacke
Council also voted to establish the Accessibility Advisory Committee, which is now a requirement of the Provincial government (Accessible British Columbia Act).
The committee will be responsible for “identify[ing] barriers to individuals in or interacting with the [city].”
The committee will advise the city on how best to remove and prevent accessibility barriers. Coun. Steven Royer will be the city’s representative. Other committee members will be drawn from the disability community.
Bylaw Enforcement and Animal Control Report
Bylaw Enforcement Officer (BEO) Lever’s third quarter report to council shows that 319 calls for service were received. Topping the list: water shortage calls (74) reporting residents watering lawns outside the designated times. The BEO issued 19 written warnings and 24 verbal warnings.
The next highest category, 71 calls regarding street use, abandon vehicles and parking infractions. This was followed by calls about animal control (65 calls) covering such things as licensing, dogs off-leash and or at large and barking.
Seven dog attacks were reported with all but one dog-on-dog incidents. The single dog attack on a senior person resulted in the animal being euthanized.
Communications Officer Maryse Leroux said, “We’re struggling with people taking seriously the fact they need to have their dog on a leash.”
Streets and parking violations netted residents 25 tickets totalling $1,475.00.
Wastewater Treatment Plant
After receiving majority support from residents in the October referendum on financing for the new Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), Council adopted the WWTP Loan Authorization Bylaw.
The official results from the referendum were 1,545 Yes votes and 259 No votes.
This bylaw allows the city to borrow up to $35 million as the city’s portion of the construction costs (26.67%), which could come in at $105 million.
The city has made an application to the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) for a $70 million grant to cover 73.33% of the construction budget.
Coun. Royer asked if the interest rate on the borrowed money could be locked in now.
Chief financial officer Jim Hendricks said, “no.” He clarified the answer by saying the actual borrowing of the money would not take place until 2025 or 2026, and by then he hoped that interest rates would settle down.
ICIP grant recipients will be announced in the spring of 2023.
Kimberley City Council meets twice monthly starting at 7 p.m. The next scheduled regular council meeting: November 28.
Lead image: The new City of Kimberley council. City of Kimberley photo
e-KNOW file photos
e-KNOW
