Clearwater's Curiosity Shoppe thrift store will get a 100 per cent exemption from paying municipal property tax, town council has decided.
Council made the decision during its Oct. 6 meeting.
The store recently gave $6,000 to Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital to purchase beds, as well as is donating $300 per month to the food bank, director of finance Wesley Renaud reported.
“She's doing wonderful work down there,” commented Mayor John Harwood, referring to Curiosity Shoppe president Heidi Funk.
The tax exemption was one of several approved by council for non-profit groups. Also getting 100 per cent exemptions are Evergreen Acres, Yellowhead Community Services, Clearwater Ski Club, Elks Lodge $499, and Central North Thompson Rod and Gun Club. Legion Branch #259 is getting a 75 per cent exemption while the exemption for Freshwater Fisheries Society of B.C. (hatchery) is 60 per cent.
Movie project gets help
Council approved allocating a grant-in-aid of $300 to complete the DVD duplication of “Henry and the Wolf Doctor.”
The more than two-hour-long movie was shot in Clearwater last spring and is intended to be a pilot for a television series.
The producers, Mike Politis and Glen Pickering, had earlier asked for $3,000 in aid.
Softball provincials have shortfall
Although the U14/U18 provincial softball championships hosted by Clearwater last summer were a success, they did not bring in as much direct revenue as hoped for, chief administrative officer Leslie Groulx reported.
A change of executive for Clearwater Minor Ball last spring meant the organization did not feel it had the experience to host the event, she said.
As a result, the District took over and the job went to the sports coordinator.
A total of 11 teams took part, consisting of 190 players and coaches, plus their families. Total spinoff revenues for the three-day tournament were estimated at $30,000.
However, the income from sponsorships, merchandise and concession did not meet expectations, plus the wages for the coordinator proved to be higher than anticipated.
On Groulx's recommendation, council voted to transfer $2,300 from the economic development account to cover the shortfall.
Fire department looks cost-effective
Clearwater residents could be getting a bargain for its fire protection compared to other, larger municipalities.
Councillor Ken Kjenstad asked how the cost per capita of Clearwater's fire department compared to the costs per capita for fire rescue in a chart in a letter from Ambulance Paramedics of British Columbia regarding a dispute between Delta and BC Emergency Health Services.
The cost per capita would be about $163,000 divided by a population of 2,480, said chief administrative officer Leslie Groulx.
That works out to about $66 per person for Clearwater.
Only two of the 23 cities on the chart, Mission and Chilliwack, were about the same as here.
All the rest had fire rescue costs of $100 or more per capita.
West Vancouver was the highest at nearly $300 per capita, followed by Delta and Prince George at around $200.