The Village of Valemount held their regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, July 10 in the council chambers. Mayor Jeannette Townsend, councillors Nathalie Olson, Joshua Estabrooks, Cynthia Piper and Rita Tchir were present, as were administrator Doug Fleming and deputy director Sandy Salt.

Grant-in-aid

Council did not follow up with Resolution 273/07 from the previous meeting, which would have provided the Valemount Community Market with a one-time grant of $300. Council found that their motion contradicted set policy of a maximum amount of $200.

Resolution 273/07 said that if the community market could bring a letter from the Chamber of Commerce they would provide a $300 one time grant if there was enough funding. Market volunteers Roger Beck and Rashmi Narayan had made a request to council.

Townsend said that now knowing of the limitation, council could not contradict their own policy, despite a grant to the Valemount Arts and Cultural Society of $300 made at the previous meeting.

Tchir made the motion. Estabrooks seconded it. Olson said that equal treatment was important and voted against a motion to grant the market $200, as per policy. Piper also voted against the motion though she said it was for other reasons. Townsend broke the tie by voting in favour of granting $200.

Correspondence

Council moved to provide political support to the funding of a Community Development grant from the Columbia Basin Trust for ambulance attendants in Valemount.

Council will support a comprehensive study to be undertaken by Lumina Consultants to assess seniors housing in Valemount.

Councillor Olson expressed concern about a proposed shift to building code enforcement regime. Fleming said that costs could increase a bit but not dramatically.

The village will write to Minister Ida Chong regarding official opposition concerns about the B.C.-Alberta Trade Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement. The official opposition believes that developers could choose which regulations they want to abide by (Alberta municipalities or BC local governments), including protection of scenic views, pesticide restrictions under the agreement.

Council will bring local concerns about commercial water bottling plants to the Union of BC Municipalities during their Annual General Meeting at the Small Talk Forum.

Permit

After sorting out a solution to a waste disposal problem, Council voted in favour of (3 for, 1 against) a development variance permit which would allow them to build a patio in front of their building just 30 centimetres from the parcel line. Councillor Olson was the dissenting vote; she said she wasn’t clear about what would happen with parking on the site.

Council voted unanimously in favour of an application for a kitchen addition to the restaurant. The restaurant must post a $3000 bond until it builds three additional parking spaces. The parking spaces are required because of the increase in building volume.