I have just returned from the Association of Kootenay Boundary Local Governments annual meeting held in Nakusp.
It was well attended by elected representatives from our region. This conference provides an excellent opportunity to share learning and experiences with our colleagues as well as to decide which regional issues will be brought to the Provincial annual meeting of municipalities in September.
For the first time, the group decided to prioritize the issues we want to submit. The top issues were: request a provincial review of funding for mental health issues, require local public meetings for issues on Crown lands, increase funding for victim services, and request the Federal government to include marijuana derivatives in the legal program. It was a busy couple of days.
I got a look at Nakusp’s clever micro-hydro unit that generates power off the municipal water supply before it enters the treatment plant and I also toured Nakusp’s new waste-water plant. I never thought I’d find such things so fascinating, but I do!
Rossland council was thrilled to welcome our newest employee: Interim Chief Administrative Officer, Mike Maturo, has hit the ground running. With his extensive municipal experience and deep understanding of Rossland, Mr. Maturo was able to immediately step into the ICAO role.
I am confident with his creative, proactive out-of-the-box thinking he will have a positive impact on moving Rossland forward.
Our public engagement session for our financial plan was a grand success. Over 60 people showed up to learn how the online Thoughtexchange process had impacted the financial plan.
It was an interactive session with the public getting an overview of the budget and some of the challenges that are ahead. The response was overwhelmingly positive. The 2015-2019 financial plan is almost finalized!
In March two Rossland council meetings were opened with poetry readings from Almeda Glenn Miller – one poem addressed the need for a resolution to the recreation issue with the City of Trail. Unfortunately we do not have an update on that situation yet.
Trail is negotiating with the other communities first but we remain hopeful that a mutually agreeable solution will be found.
Trail, Warfield and Rossland as partners in the local sewerage service, can select up to three volunteers to advise the Steering Committee on the development of a new sewage
treatment plant that will serve our area. Many to thanks Rossland’s representatives, Elise Pare, Trevor Greene and Alastair Champion for stepping up. I look forward to meeting the volunteers from Trail and Warfield at the introductory meeting.
The improved plant is a huge project that will benefit us all but it will also be an expensive undertaking for all of our communities. We need to carefully consider our options.
Watch for members of the Rossland City Council in the Silver City Days Parade on May 9. We’ll be the ones on bikes.
On May 7 I will be helping Mayor Cecchini from Fruitvale dish up ice cream. Talk about collaboration! Please come by and say hello. I’ve enjoyed getting to know my fellow mayors better as we carpool to meetings and bounce ideas off each other. I appreciate their wise counsel.
Kathy Moore,Mayor of Rossland
Community Comment is an opportunity for elected officials from our local municipalities to update citizens in the region on the events, plans and progress in their respective communities. Every Friday, the Trail Times will present, on a rotating basis, a submission from councils, school trustees or regional district directors.