Sparwood City Council has released the latest edition of Council Facts, a publication updating the community on council operations. Council meetings are held on the first and third Tuesday of each month.
At the December 3 council meeting, Cassandra Cagier of Intelligent Futures presented the Sparwood Livability Study (SLS) for council’s endorsement. The study was developed to understand and measure elements of the community and mining. This includes Teck’s Baldy Ridge Extension and other developments that may have positive or negative impacts on quality of life in Sparwood. The Socio-Economic Effects Advisory Committee identified several priorities for 2020 that have been endorsed by council. These include air quality, dust/dirt, health care access service hours, housing availability and economic diversification.
Council also heard from Staff Sgt. Jeff Harold with the Elk Valley RCMP. He presented a report that reflected a decrease of 52 calls for service over the same third quarter period as in 2018.
Community Wildfire Education was authorized to submit a grant application to the Columbia Basin Trust for funding up to $25,000. This funding would help to raise awareness and deliver educational programs about actions that property owners and the District of Sparwood can take to mitigate the impacts of wildfires in the area. Council also approved an operating budget of up to $25,000 to match the funds for this initiative.
The District of Sparwood was also authorized to enter into an agreement with the Regional District of East Kootenay to provide fire protection services to the Upper Elk Valley Fire Protection Service area. This agreement will be for a term of five years, beginning on January 1, 2020.
Council reminded residents that off-street parking regulations are still in effect. This prohibits on-street parking between 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. from October 1 to March 31. These regulations are to assist with snow removal during the winter months.
Finally, the District of Sparwood mayor, council and staff would like to extend their very best wishes for the holiday season in sharing the greeting, “We wish you all peace, happiness, and good health in 2020.”
editor@thefreepress.ca
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