The Board of Directors awarded the Electoral Area “D-1” Kaleden/Apex Official Community Plan review and update project to EcoPlan International Inc. in the amount of $119,270 (plus taxes). The total project budget is contingent on additional funding in the 2015 Budget but the project will commence with up to $73,700 confirmed under the existing 2014 Budget. The scope of the work which will be done will be background report, land inventory and trend research, community engagement, groundwater capacity overview, infrastructure study, fire risk review, alignment with the South Okanagan Regional Growth Strategy, and bylaw preparation.
In 2011 the Board of Directors combined all of their Regional Fire Services to operate under one common bylaw known as the Emergency Services Bylaw No. 2566, 2011. The Board has adopted an amendment to that bylaw to allow for an expansion of public safety service in the Anarchist Mountain Volunteer Fire Department response area to include Medical First Response.
The 2011 Regional Trails Master Plan identified acquiring tenure over the former Kettle Valley Railway as a priority to establish a regional trail network within the Regional District. The Board of Directors approved an application be made to the Province for a License of Occupation of a 4 meter width over all sections of the former Kettle Valley Right-of-way within Electoral Area “C” for non-motorized trail, and for all sections shared in Areas “A” and “C” from Road 19 to 296th Avenue. The Board of Directors also directed that an application to the Ministry of Transportation be made for a permit to construction within a section of the right-of-way adjacent to Highway 97 from 296th Avenue to 246th Avenue in Electoral Area “A”. The Board of Directors also approved an application to the province be made for a license of occupation over the construed trail adjacent to Highway 97 from 246th Avenue to 202nd Avenue in Electoral Area “A”.
Several amendments to the Five Year Financial Plan were approved by the Board of Directors, including:
Apex Waste Transfer Station Site Design and Construction drawings. The approved 2014 Five Year Financial Plan calls for spending $5,000 for Consultants in 2014 and $50,000 in 2015. The $5,000 was envisioned as being spent for a site survey of the proposed areas. This survey work is proceeding to Request for Quotes. The $50,000 was allocated for the engineered site design, feasibility studies and construction drawings for the transfer station to be built in the summer of 2015. The 2015 budget also proposes $215,000 to build the transfer station.
Regional Trails Farm Tractor. The Regional Trails Department has an opportunity to purchase a Farm Tractor with attachments. The tractor would be used for maintenance and operational improvements for Regional Trails and Parks. The estimated total cost of the purchase will be approximately $27,000. The purchase is to be funded from reserves.
Osoyoos Museum Society. The Society has requested a transfer of $17,929 from their reserve funds for the Design Development Phase and acquisition of a Military Collection Visible Storage/Display system
The Board of Directors adopted Bylaw No. 2654, 2014, Electoral Area “D” Transit System Service Establishment Bylaw, which received elector approval through an Alternative Approval Process. The deadline for electors to register opposition to the bylaw was August 29. The number of elector response forms needed to prevent adoption of the bylaw was 355; the actual number of valid elector response forms received was 13.