The RDKB board of directors received a report from Theresa Lenardon, RDKB manager of administration, regarding the 2014-15 Provincial Wood Stove Program.
In her report, Lenardon stated that the program is designed to encourage British Columbians to change their older smoky wood stoves for low-emission appliances including new CSA/EPA certified clean-burning wood stoves. Communities benefit from better air quality and individuals benefit from increased efficiency saving money and reducing pollution.
The program has been in place since 2008 and has gone really well.
"We're really supportive of the wood stove program," said Grace McGregor, RDKB board chair. "It has been very successful. Most of the electoral area directors provide a bit more money to go with that incentive to along from our grant-in-aid to encourage people to trade in their stoves which had emissions."
The key goals for the program are: 1. To improve community air quality by providing incentives to change out old smoky wood stoves with cleaner burning options, and 2. provide education on clean burning techniques through Burn it Smart workshops, brochures, websites and social media.
Lenardon recommended that the board approve participation in the 2014-15 Wood Stove Exchange Program and that it be called “The RDKB Wood Stove Exchange Program.” The RDKB would act as the administrator of the program and distribute the grant funds.
The program will be managed and administrated by RDKB CAO John MacLean and the program “team” will include a director from each community. John Vere of Grand Forks will act as program coordinator. Vere has been coordinating the program since March of 2008. He sits of the Boundary Air Quality Committee and was responsible for the research and successful drafting of the Wood Burning bylaw for the City of Grand Forks.
The Wood Stove Program will be a partnership between the RDKB and the Boundary Air Quality Committee, local credit unions, BC Lung, insurance agencies, Interior Health, media and local retailers.
The program goal for 2014-15 is to exchange 30 old appliances through the RDKB.
Rogers
Jeff Ginalias, planner for RDKB, presented a report to the board regarding Rogers' application for two licenses of occupation, one for a utility line and the other for a roadway, to service a telecommunications facility, for which a license a license of occupation has already been granted.
The site is located on Crown land just north of Midway. The utility line will run about 95m and the roadway, a short extension off an existing road, will be about 75m.
The utility line will power a communication site Rogers plans to build within their existing Crown tenure to the west of the CBC tenure. The communications site will enhance cell coverage and communication in Midway and the immediate area.
"They have to go through our regional district if it is within our district," said McGregor. "Often they will also come to the Advisory Planning Commission for comment."
McGregor said the project will bring more competition to the cell phone industry in the area which is always good for residents.
"We generally support those unless it's in an area that's going to be a problem," she said.
The project is scheduled to start this summer and the construction time is estimated to be 4-8 weeks.
In a letter send to Rogers, Jeff Ginalias, planner for RDKB, stated that Rogers has satisfactorily completed its consulation with the regional district and the regional district is satisfied with Rogers' public consultation process and the process does not require any further consultation with the public.
He also stated, the RDKB concurs with Rogers' proposal to construct a new wireless telecommunications facility, provided it is constructed substantially in accordance with the submitted plans.
Grants in aid
The following groups received approval at the board meeting Aug. 28 for grants-in-aid:
Committee for Communities in Bloom provincial conference and awards Area 'A' - $500; Genelle Recreation, Area 'B'/Lower Columbia - $1,800; Grand Forks Citizens on Patrol, Area 'D'/Rural Grand Forks - $1,000; Grand Forks Community Trails Society, Area 'D'/Rural Grand Forks - $4,000; Kettle River Museum, Area 'E'/West Boundary - $1,000