COUNCIL MISCELLANY: Rossland’s budget still not on the radar, Dog doo piled wide and deep, and Miners’ Hall facelift gets a nod
By Andrew Bennett
Did someone say budget? May 15 deadline fast approaches
There’s still no sign of a budget discussion at council as the May 15 filing deadline for municipal financial plans approaches.
Coun. Kathy Moore said, “I’m agitated that it’s now April and we haven’t started any serious discussion on our budget.”
She asked if there was any way to get an extension beyond the deadline, to allow council more breathing room if the debate were to need it, but the CAO’s response was ‘yes and no.’
“It’s possible,” CAO Cecile Arnott said, “The province will say no, but let you do it.”
Arnott continued that a Committee-of-the-Whole (COW) to kickstart the discussion will be announced soon, and she encouraged all interested residents to attend “to have their say.”
Arnott added that she hopes people will attend the COW, consider the presentations, and then write their ideas down and send them to council or share them directly at public input periods.
(And yes, I am keenly aware that the “DemocracyStorm” results have not yet been published, but soon!)
RCAC to get fundraising for Miners’ Hall renovations
Council has given the Rossland Council for Arts and Culture (RCAC) the go-ahead for plans to leverage city funds reserved for Miners’ Hall upgrades to earn additional grants to cover a broader range of renovations, including a complete makeover of the attic as a green room.
Most of council echoed Coun. Kathy Wallace’s concerns that “we’re very conscious about funds” at a time when the city faces a big bill from the downtown project and taxation issues around the school closure issue.
Nevertheless, Wallace continued, “RCAC does great work for the community, and if anyone can pull it off, the RCAC can. They can leverage funds we already have available for the Miners’ Hall and so it’s not a great impact on taxes.”
Coun. Kathy Moore agreed: “I don’t see us dedicating any more funds to this, but to have a shelf-ready project when a grant comes up is a good idea.”
She added a concern about the $1 million project, “Is this really going to be important, or is it just a nice-to-have? I don’t see a lot of revenue generation that can come from this—I would sure like to see some other revenue generation coming out of this.”
Coun. Tim Thatcher called it a “huge project” that the city cannot handle at the moment. “But if they start getting grants, I’ll be in favour of it then.”
The Miners’ Hall will next be used by Genevieve Fortin and Tod Kermode on April 19 for a fundraising event to support their daughter Mika Kermode who has autism.
The following day, April 20, the hall will be occupied by a community celebration of Earth Day organized by the Sustainability Commission, the RCAC, and Rossland REAL Food, including a screening of the brand new documentary sensation, Chasing Ice, at 7:30 p.m.—$5 for adults, $3 for students.
Annual “Doggie DooWaaWaa” this Friday and Saturday, March 12 and 13
As Coun. Jill Spearn marshalls troops from the schools in the annual spring cleaning campaign, Coun. Kathy Moore is rounding up as big a posse as possible to hit the trails to scoop the winter dog poop.
“Its not that bad, and the conversation is always fun,” Moore said. She added, “Please don’t make me do this all alone!”
The “pitch-in” styled event is sponsored by the City of Rossland who will provide trash bags, gloves, and will pick up the bags from the trail heads.
This Friday, April 12, meet at the Centennial trailhead (Kirkup Ave. between Spokane and the highway) at 8:30 a.m.
On Saturday, April 13, meet at the Railgrade trailhead (Union Ave. between Spokane and Washington) also at 8:30 a.m.
Call Kathy Moore 250-362-3319 for details.
