Notes from the Clinton council meeting of June 22.
Paramedic training
Council approved giving free use of the Clinton Memorial Hall for a training session for possible new candidates for the BC Emergency Health Services (ambulance paramedics) in Clinton.
Community Paramedic Diana Guerin made the request, noting that the full-day, eight-hour CPR C course would cover adult, infant, and child CPR, airway management, and oxygen therapy. “As you are aware BC Emergency Health Services is experiencing significant staffing shortages with no immediate relief in sight, as the local Unit Chief I have been tasked to begin a recruitment campaign,” wrote Guerin in her letter of request.
“We are trying to reduce the costs to all applicants the best way possible to encourage more applicants. TRU is willing to provide the training.” The course will take place on July 12.
Pickleball courts and a skateboard park
A letter from Clinton resident Ross Tapping, suggesting potential activities that could be developed in the community, was filed under Information Correspondence, but council decided to forward it to the Parks and Recreation working group for consideration.
Tapping suggested a skateboard park to the east of Clinton Creek Estates, and also urged council to consider turning at least one of the existing tennis courts into pickleball courts (one tennis court can accommodate four pickleball courts). He noted the huge, and growing, popularity of pickleball amongst all age groups, and said that pickleball courts would “put [Clinton] on the map as a progressive community with people in mind for development of all sports.”
B.C. Provincial Nominee Program
Clinton currently participates in the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), in order to attract immigrant entrepreneurs to start businesses in one of five streams: construction, general store, sporting goods/musical store, limited-service dining, or pharmacy. A report from Community Economic Coordinator Kat Chatten noted that of the two participants who had received formal invitations to settle in Clinton, one has arrived and another is due in the next six months.
There were invitations to four other applicants for exploratory visits before COVID-19 shut down travel. However, Chatten noted that when Clinton enrolled in the PNP, there was a surplus of available housing and locations for business. That is not the case now, with the two invited participants struggling to find both housing and business locations.
“How do we continue to accept applications, when there’s nowhere for them to function?” asked Mayor Susan Swan. “[Chatten] has suggested that we pause our participation for now, until things change.”
Council agreed to pause participation in the PNP (although the four invitations issued before the pandemic will be honoured). If and when the housing situation improves, the village would once again be able to start taking applications.
Infrastructure funding
Council moved to support an application to the Canada Building Fund in British Columbia for grant funding totalling $2,416,230 for three projects: an access road to Lot 9 ($863,230); a sidewalk to Frontage Road ($230,000); and a West Road water loop ($1,323,000). If successful, the grant would fund 100 per cent of the costs for all three projects.
As the funds can only be accessed once a program is completed, with the village paying upfront, Chief Administrative Officer Murray Daly said that given the five-year time scale for completing approved projects, the village could pick one project and pay from general reserves, then get reimbursed and proceed with the next project.
Coun. David Park asked if the village had the funds. Chief Financial Officer Mandy McKague said yes, and showed council where the funds could come from, but added that while she liked 100 per cent funding, she did not want to see the village spend more than $800,000 to $1 million in a year.
“It will work, as long as we’re not waiting six months to get a million dollars back.” She also said she would like to see the projects completed in three years rather than five because of rising costs. “We’re in a position to handle it as long as we’re not waiting a long time to get reimbursed.”
Coun. Christine Rivett noted that access to Lot 9 would open up more lots to sell. Park noted that all three were projects that the village has wanted to do for a long time.
Chatten pointed out that the village had applied for funding for the West Road water loop in 2017, at which time the project had a cost of $500,000. “The longer we wait, the more it will be,” Swan said.
Pump replacement
A report from Public Works Foreman Karl Hansen noted that the mixing pump in the treated water reservoir recently failed. The pump is used to keep the water moving in lower usage months, so that the chlorine is mixed evenly. The report stated that with more usage in summer the water in the tank is filling and draining more, so mixing is fine, but a new pump will need to be ordered so it can be installed before fall.
The pump is in stock and can be obtained within 10 days, at a cost of $17,000 plus GST. The expense was not budgeted for in 2022, but the funds can come out of the water reserve. Council approved the purchase.
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