Regional district seeks proposals for organics diversion
Powell River Regional District (PRRD) board of directors voted to proceed to a request for proposals for its organics diversion objective at its Thursday, June 25, meeting. In May 2015, a request for expressions of interest was issued to invite proponents to submit documentation demonstrating interest, qualifications, an understanding of the technologies they offer and how those would meet the regional organics processing/diversion objective to establish a regional organics processing facility within or in proximity of the regional district, or to establish a transportation service to an existing nearby facility.
Seventeen proponents registered interest and, of those, seven submitted documentation.
The selection process reduced the potential proponents to three. Two are local and the third from Vancouver Island. The request for proposals will ask for the costs of organics pickup from the transfer station, transportation to a centralized composting facility in the region, Lower Mainland or Vancouver Island, and costs for operating a centralized composting processing facility.
Rejects proposal
The regional board concurred with the recommendation of the planning committee to advise FrontCounter BC that it does not support the issuance of a licence of occupation over a 0.06-hectare parcel of land in the vicinity of District Lot 115, located on the west side of Texada Island, for the purpose of constructing a shed to house the applicant’s experimental equipment related to the exploration of precious metals. The vote was unanimous.
Desires information
Directors unanimously affirmed a recommendation from the planning committee that it advise FrontCounter BC the regional district does not approve the application of a five-year Crown land licence for waterpower investigative purposes being issued to Sigma Engineering Ltd., over an 803.5-hectare area located in the vicinity of Raccoon Creek in northern Electoral Area A, until the applicant advises on how the power will come out of the generating site.
Accepts report
Directors unanimously received for information the 2014 audited financial statements for the regional district, prepared by BDO Dunwoody.
Road widening
Directors concurred with the recommendation of the committee of the whole to proceed with the third phase of the Padgett Road widening project, inclusive of the 1.2 kilometres between Gunther Road and Daisy Road intersections, as per ministry of transportation and Infrastructure standards, and the previous phase one and two work. Directors also agreed to allocate up to an additional $60,000 from Community Works funding in case the current funding runs short of the Gunther to Daisy road intersections. Directors voted unanimously in favour of the phase three project.
Upgrade courts
Directors voted unanimously to direct staff to submit an application for funding to Western Economic Diversification Canada under the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program to refurbish and upgrade the Palm Beach tennis court for an estimated cost of $41,857. The board agreed to commit funds to pay for any costs that are not covered by the grant. Further, the board agreed for a budget amendment to be approved to allow for the project with the potential grant funding.
Stan Gisborne, Electoral Area B director, asked what happens if the regional district does not receive the grant. He wanted to know if the project would still go ahead. Al Radke, chief administrative officer, said the item was put into the budget on the provision that the regional district was seeking a grant, but if a grant is not secured, funding is not in place to complete the project.
Refurbish dock
Directors concurred with the recommendation of the committee of the whole to direct staff to submit an application for funding to Western Economic Diversification Canada under the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program to refurbish and upgrade Savary Island Dock for an estimated cost of $423,000. The board agrees to commit funds to pay for any costs that are not covered by the grant, and that a budget amendment be approved to allow for the project with the potential grant funding. Radke said this project is part of the regional district’s long-term strategic plan, so securing the grant will speed up the timeline for actually completing the project.
Funds market
Directors approved financial assistance in the amount of $300 to the Texada Arts, Culture and Tourism Society to assist it with the upcoming summer craft market. The funds will be allocated from the Electoral Area D grant-in-aid account.
Cheery donation
Financial assistance in the amount of $500 will be provided to Powell River and District Christmas Cheer Committee to assist it in the provision of Christmas Hampers in 2015. The grant will be allocated from grant-in-aid accounts as follows: $250 from Electoral Area A and $250 from Electoral Area C.
Approves borrowing
Directors concurred with the recommendation of the rural services committee to endorse that the Savary Island Fire Hall apron upgrade be financed through short-term borrowing of $34,800 from the Municipal Finance Authority in accordance with Section 175 of the Community Charter, to be repaid within five years, and that a budget amendment be approved to recognize and use the $5,200 proceeds from the sale of the fire truck toward the upgrade.
