SUMMING IT UP: Grand Forks city council
By Mona Mattei
The sale of 3.5 acres of land to Golden Life Management was approved by Grand Forks city council at their last meeting. Golden Life Management is a Cranbrook-based business building facilities and providing residential care for seniors. The bid on the property was received in early March with a “subject to” clause that the deal would not be closed until Golden Life knew they were the successful proponent in a tender bid for residential care services with Interior Health Authority (IHA). Golden Life was awarded the contract with IHA in late April, and the subjects came off their proposal for the property accordingly. The acreage, located behind Dick Bartlett Park to the west, was subdivided from a larger lot and sold for $300,000 to the company for their seniors’ housing development. Deer issues A meeting of the deer minds took place at the annual Association of Kootenay Boundary Local Government (AKBLG) meeting in early May. Representatives from the cities of Fernie, Cranbrook, Invermere, Sparwood and Grand Forks held a meeting to discuss possible solutions to the increasing population of urban deer. Councillor Chris Moslin reported that they discussed a model from Montana in which mule deer were culled with volt guns. They heard that the process was both humane and effective, but faced challenges. “Both municipalities (who observed the Montana example) were taken with the cull, the effectiveness of it and the discretion of it, and the complete humanity of it in the sense that the animal never suffered,” explained Moslin. “The challenge is not so much the cull, it’s the meat disposal afterwards and how we manage the disposal. What we have to do is show the greatest respect for the animal that the meat is not wasted.” Overall the focus for the deer committees in all communities continues to be education, feeding bylaws and enforcement, building signs, and that decreasing the population of ungulates is only one portion of their plans. All agreed that the best plans are ones backed by budgets and that there might be potential for cost sharing among the communities, especially for a cull program. All agreed that they will continue to lobby the provincial government for funding support as well as technical expertise. Solar days and motorized vehicles Moslin also reported that the solar days activities are in the planning process, and he, along with other volunteers, had been in the schools building solar cars for the upcoming races. Council was put on notice that they will need to address motorized vehicles on the new trails system in town. Through the environment committee they are still working to complete a report that will get further funding for the solar days projects. FortisBC is also a sponsor of the solar cars for the school children. “The education is one of those things that is just priceless because the kids are so into this and they do such a good job and their creativity and ingenuity is one of the things we have to measure to survive the changes that challenge us,” said Moslin. AKBLG activities All councillors except Councillor Gene Robert attended the AKBLG meeting in …. Councillor Cher Wyers reported that there were 20 resolutions supported at the table over the session including one from Grand Forks. Wyers ran for a seat on the board but was not successful. One of the resolutions that were successful called on the provincial government to repeal the annual property tax sale law. Selkirk College’s aviation department will be exploring options to use the Grand Forks airport after Councillor Joy Davies took time to talk with the staff at the AKBLG. Canada Day
Council approved the use of James Donaldson Park by Waterlow Audio to present the Sadies on Canada Day.
