The return to Miners Hall for in person meetings seemed like a good idea, but the City of Rossland has encountered some technical problems.
After more than 20 months of having virtual meetings posted online when councillors and staff were at varied and diverse locations, the city decided to push the stop button on the video recordings when they met under the same roof.
“Rossland city council resumed in-person meetings in November,” said Cynthia Anonuevo, Rossland’s deputy corporate officer. “Due to technological infrastructure and the nature of the Miners Hall, the meetings have not been recorded, as the sound and picture quality are poor.”
The city did record their first meeting at the hall on Oct. 18 and the quality wasn’t as good as expected. However, not having online access does pose problems for many, including the mayor and councillors.
“What I found with the virtual meetings too, we actually had more people participate in the virtual meetings than we do people wanting to come out at six-o’clock at night and go sit in the Miners Hall,” said Mayor Kathy Moore. “In a way, the intent is to have people participate in public meetings but the reality is more people participate when it’s virtual.”
The public is welcome to physically attend the meetings, but will not be able to access recordings online or participate virtually.
City Council Briefs
• Council awarded the City of Rossland Community Contributor Award to Lillian Karenko.
There were many deserving candidates, but Karenko’s work at the Thrift store, the Legion and the Catholic church deserved special recognition.
The annual award recognizes an outstanding community member who contributes significant volunteer time to enhancing the quality of life in Rossland.
• The plan for North Jubilee Park Landscape Design was given the go ahead.
Preparation of wetland and the community garden area will proceed as the first phase of the project.
The area will also be renamed with the guidance of Autonomous Sinixt First Nations elder Marilyn James.
Council also directed staff to develop a budget for future improvements to the park in order for the project to be shovel ready for grant opportunities, and that staff work with the designers to develop a park operations and maintenance plan and budget.
• The Rossland Arena Society was given the okay to relocate the bottle bin to city property next to the Rossland Arena. The bin will be closer to the arena, on Third Avenue and Spokane Street. Several local non-profits have stepped up to help manage the workload and share in the proceeds.
• Council passed a resolution to establish a reserve fund for policing services in 2022. The fund will help offset the costs incurred when Rossland reaches a population of more than 5,000 residents. Rossland’s portion of funding policing will increase from the current 30 per cent to 70 per cent when the city reaches that number. Council is considering that a one per cent tax increase may be required to go to the reserve fund.
• The city is also asking for Rosslanders input on amendments to the five-year financial plan. Residents can comment on or attend a public hearing at the next council meeting.
Amendments are normal as municipalities commonly deal with unexpected revenues and expenditures that were not identified in the original plan, which was adopted in May 2021. Residents can view the bylaw on the city’s website: www.rossland.ca.
• The Sustainability commission’s Food Task Force is holding a Farmer’s Market on Saturday, Nov. 27, at Miners Hall, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Lots of meat and greens, as well as artisan creations and gifts.
Rossland’s next meeting goes on Dec. 13, at 6 p.m. at the Miners Hall.
Read: Stuff the Bus coming to downtown Trail
sports@trailtimes.ca
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter