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Regional board briefs: Endorses fire-assistance agreement

Endorses fire-assistance agreement Powell River Regional District directors voted to endorse a regional fire department emergency service agreement at the board’s meeting on Thursday, September 22.

Endorses fire-assistance agreement

Powell River Regional District directors voted to endorse a regional fire department emergency service agreement at the board’s meeting on Thursday, September 22.

Once signed by representatives from Powell River Regional District, City of Powell River, Tla’amin Nation and Gillies Bay and Van Anda improvement districts, the agreement will provide an overarching framework for fire departments in each jurisdiction to request and provide help to neighbouring departments.

The regional agreement will also replace a number of single, mutual-aid agreements the departments have held over the past 25 years and has provisions for the recovery of costs from the assisting department, according to agreed to rates, if fire service assistance is required.

 

Progress stalls on Padgett Road bike path

Work has ground to a halt on construction of bike paths on Padgett Road after the provincial government did not receive an application for phase-four funding earlier this year, Electoral Area B alternate director Al Rebane told the regional district board on Thursday, September 22.

According to Rebane, the reason was due to the transportation ministry not receiving the $157,500 application. Rebane said the ministry’s manager in Powell River, who resigned near the time the application was due, “dropped the ball.”

The board agreed it would bring the issue up with BC transportation minister Todd Stone during the Union of BC Municipalities conference being held in Victoria this week and request a two-year funding commitment from the government in order to complete the project.

 

Applies for disaster program

Powell River Regional District board directors agreed with a committee of the whole recommendation to endorse an application to Emergency Management BC for the National Disaster Mitigation Program. The program would fund a comprehensive regional risk assessment that would identify flood hazards, potential impacts and outline community and infrastructure vulnerabilities. The assessment would also address the issue of predicted sea rise due to climate change and storm surges.

 

Plans for wider discussion

Powell River Regional District’s board has decided, similar to City of Powell River council’s resolution, to bring the recent Tapping the Groundswell community social action planning report to an upcoming meeting with Tla’amin Nation and City of Powell River for discussion. The lead recommendation of the report calls for the creation of a regional social action committee comprised of representatives from the regional district, Tla’amin and the city.