One of the main orders of business at the Oct. 7 meeting of the District of Barriere council, was to proclaim October 2013 as Foster Family Month. Mayor Bill Humphreys read out the proclamation for those present.
In other business, the Use of Vehicles for District Business Policy No. 23 was passed, as was the first reading of the Draft Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 73.
Council members passed a motion to give a grant of $100 to the Barriere Youth Soccer Association.
A working group has met to review the first draft of the Zoning Bylaw. The next step of the process includes a new draft that will be brought forward for discussion to council, with a summary of the proposed major changes, hopefully on Oct. 21; following that, a public meeting and open house date will be set.
It was reported district staff had approached the Thompson Nicola Regional District (TNRD) to request their support in funding a percentage of the Community Wildfire Protection Plan. The TNRD have declined, stating that since the fire protection and fringe areas around Barriere are almost all private land, they feel there would be little value in undertaking a planning process that could not be taken to the implementation phase as funded mitigation efforts would only involved Crown lands. In light of this, the project will be on hold indefinitely.
CAO Colleen Hannigan reported that the district’s automated answering system for Water, Sewer and Roads calls, has been changed to inform callers of the after hours call line number, 250-672-2118. The district employee on call will respond to any such calls received.
Regarding the Winter Road Maintenance Agreement - it has been signed and abrasive testing has been completed satisfactorily, with the contractor, Murray Purcha and Son Ltd, ready to respond to winter weather.
The washrooms at the Bandshell have been winterized and will be open this winter from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the public’s convenience, effective immediately.
The next District of Barriere council meeting will be on Oct. 21, at 7 p.m.