RDCK directors make Castlegar mayor’s day
The mayor of Castlegar got a big boost Thursday from directors of the Regional District of the Central Kootenay during the monthly board meeting, when he came looking for support for improvements to his West Kootenay Regional Airport. The directors pledged $32,500 to help pay for the cost of the study into the reliability of […]
RDCK January Board Meeting Highlights
The Regional District of Central Kootenay held its first director’s meeting of 2017 at board room on Lakeside Drive in Nelson. Here are a few of the highlights of the Thursday meeting: First Female Fire Chief The RDCK has appointed its first female fire chief. Stephanie Whitney will assume leadership at the Winlaw Volunteer Fire […]
Business group lobbies for $40,000 feasibility study for bridge from college to downtown area
A coalition of downtown business owners wants a $40,000 feasibility study for a pedestrian/bicycle bridge spanning the Columbia River between Selkirk College and Zuckerberg Island. At its regular meeting Monday night, city council was asked to contribute $10,000 to the initiative. Presenter Jackie Letkeman told council that...
Gitxsan chiefs add fourth lawsuit opposing Pacific Northwest LNG
Inland B.C. hereditary First Nations chiefs joined coastal ones in announcing a fourth federal lawsuit against Ottawa’s approval of the Pacific Northwest LNG project, at a press conference in Vancouver. They claim that the gas export terminal is an infringement of their Aboriginal fishing rights. Two Gitxsan Nation hereditary...
Council wraps up 2016 with appointments to next year's committees
Monday night, Dec. 19, saw the final city council meeting of 2016 in Castlegar. As is customary, mayor Lawrence Chernoff announced the councillor's committee appointments for the coming year. The appointments are relevant to residents insofar as they help members of the community determine where best to direct questions,...
This time, Local Governments talk to Feds on future of Columbia River Treaty
Local government representatives Mayor Deb Kozak and Mayor Karen Hamling met with Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Pamela Goldsmith-Jones, federal officials and regional MPs in late November to emphasize the importance of working with local governments in the Columbia Basin before reaching decisions...
OUT OF LEFT FIELD: Blueberry School AGM a slap in face to taxpayers everywhere
I would like to preface this by saying I have long been a vehement – almost rabid – supporter of the Blueberry Creek Community School Hub (BCCS). I lobbied hard, both personally and professionally, for SD 20 to sell the BCCS property to its non-profit society to keep the school in operation. It is, thus, truly with a heavy ...
Blueberry school hosts unprecedented controversy
Long-brewing contention at Blueberry Creek Community School Hub reached a boiling point Wednesday night, when a large group of parents were denied membership in the non-profit society and, thus, access to its annual general meeting (which has, in the past, been open to the public). The meeting, held in the school gymnasium,...
Policy to change around city grants-in-aid
Change is in the air for Castlegar’s grant-in-aid policy after city council’s regular meeting Monday night. Finance chair and councillor Dan Rye brought forward a report suggesting that grants no longer be provided to people/groups/organizations travelling outside of the city for events such as sporting tournaments. “The...
City's trash talk paying off for tax payers
The City of Castlegar's newly-implemented garbage/recycling management program has been anything but wasteful, according to data recently released by contractor Waste Management. City director of Transportation and Civic Works, Chris Barlow, said that Waste Management tracks how much waste it collects and to which facility ...
