Last Sunday's Christmas Tree Light-Up went ahead with the help of a $750 grant-in-aid from District of Clearwater to Clearwater Rotary Club
Town council approved the grant for the event during its Nov. 20 council meeting.
In her background notes on the recommendation, chief administrative officer Leslie Groulx noted that Rotary was proposing a bigger and better Christmas Tree Light-Up this year. The event was to take place at the Wells Gray Infocenter, rather than next to the high school, as it has over the past few years.
Council writes Canada Post
The councillors approved writing a letter to Canada Post, expressing concern and opposition to a proposed new $200 charge per mailbox on all new home developments.
The post office should be a service to all Canadians, similar to the highways, said Merlin Blackwell.
A letter from Canada Post said new residential and commercial developments add between 150,000 and 200,000 new mailing addresses every year. During the past five years, mail volumes have dropped almost 20 per cent per address, contributing to Canada Post's financial losses in 2011 and the first half of 2012.
Money for Christmas campaign
Council approved donating $1,000 towards Clearwater Food Bank's Christmas Hamper Campaign.
The campaign provides hampers to families and individuals who might not have Christmas otherwise.
Hospital helipad a low priority
Interior Health is not interested in paying for the capital costs of a helipad at Dr. Helmcken Hospital in Clearwater, according to a letter from Dr. Robert Halpenny, Interior Health's president and CEO.
“In our smaller sites, which have comparatively few visits, Interior health is not presently in a financial position to support the capital costs associated with the construction of helipads,” he wrote.
Funding for capital costs would have to come from other organizations, primary local governments, Halpenny felt. The health authority would pay for operational costs.
He said that Interior Heath staff were presently working on framing the project scope, estimated volumes and cost estimates for a helipad at the hospital.
First and second reading for OCP
Council gave first and second reading to Clearwater's proposed new Official Community Plan on Nov. 20.
The OCP was then referred to the Agricultural Land Reserve and Thompson-Nicola Regional District for comment. After the referrals are complete it will come back to council for final approval.