Council voted to approve an LED light trial in the Pinewood Subdivision. Forty street lights in the subdivision will be converted from sodium vapour to LED lights, which should wind up saving the city money in the long-run, as LEDs not only use less electricity but are also estimated to last for up to 15 years, as opposed to the three to five years that a sodium vapour lasts for.
Each light will cost $250 and installation costs the same, for a total of $500 and an overall project cost of $20,000. The project will be payed for out of the Climate Action Revenue Incentive Program funds.
Council approves rainbow flag and crosswalk
City council approved a one-year trial for a rainbow crosswalk at Fourth Ave. and Washington St. The Rossland Youth Action Network (YAN) had requested permission to paint the crosswalk following construction on Washington, and would cover the cost.
Council also voted to fly a rainbow flag outside City Hall during Pride Week. YAN would also provide the flag.
District spending more on Victims Assistance Service
Council approved a request from the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) to increase the annual requisition for the Victims Assistance Service from $62,500 to $87,000. The requisition is paid by seven jurisdictions including Rossland, Warfield, Trail, Montrose, Fruitvale and Areas A and B. The increase is to up the part-time employee’s hours from 10 to 20 hours per week, for the purpose of supporting retention.
The RDKB needed five of seven jurisdictions to approve to move forward with the increase, and as five jurisdictions had already voted in favour prior to Rossland city council considering the motion, there wasn’t much point in council objecting.
Rossland Youth Soccer asks council to waive fees
Fred Fontaine, president of Rossland Youth Soccer (RYS), asked city council to waive the organization’s field fees for 2016. The club pays more than any other club in the Kootenay South Youth Soccer Association. Clubs in Castlegar and Beaver Valley pay no field fees and Trail pays $3.60 per child, whereas RYS pays $8.50 per child. Fontaine also asked council to consider refunding the club’s 2015 fees, which total $2150.93. There are 241 youth in Rossland who participate in RYS.
Fontaine also asked the city to consider improving the Jubilee field, which RYS has found to be spongy, and to support RYS in its long-term goal of bringing a turf field to Rossland.
Council votes against waving fees for winter farmers’ market
City council voted against approving a request from the Rossland Mountain Market Society to waive its rental fees for the Miners’ Hall for its winter markets in November, December and January. Council reasoned that there was no reason not to charge the society for the cost of the hall, and that users should help pay for the cost of city facilities.