Just another Maniac Monday has become the mantra for staff at the Town of Princeton office. Princeton is anticipating the arrival of a tour in honour of Rick Hansen as part of a 25 Year Anniversary Celebration of his Man in Motion campaign which will take place in May of 2012. At present, Rick Hansen is not expected to be in the tour group, however, Princeton has been asked to offer an end of the day celebration in honour of Hansen's efforts as a British Columbian as he toured the world raising money.
The partnership between the Town of Princeton and the Regional District of the Okanagan Similkameen was examined in relation to building permits. RDOS has a service contract with the Town and the building permit bylaws which were last updated in 2003. For 2011, a thorough review was given to the building permit fees and recommendations were approved to accept a new fee schedule.
Councillor Ray Jarvis attended a special council meeting to wrap up the budget for 2011. "It is exciting how much we have accomplished over the last year," announced Jarvis, "an exciting to see how many more projects the community is working on. We have much more work to get done."
Councillor Marilyn Harkness was pleased to announce the Interior Health has "come up with some renovation money for our clinic." Cascade Clinic will be able to undergo a renovation later this year after details are released. Harkness was also relieved to announce that "the locum doctor schedule is filled until May at present."
Council touched on the desire to pull together an Aquatic Centre Committee to help prepare for a community referendum on the topic. Harkness said, "an Aquatic Centre would certainly be good for the health and well being of many in our community."
Many at Town Council expressed their appreciation of recently retired town worker Ken Silovitch. "Ken had a lot of dedication and heart," said Chief Administrative Officer Patrick Robins.
An illness hit the Junior Girls basketball team at the Valley Finals held in Princeton. "six out of nine of the girls were very ill," said Councillor Jason Earle. "They ended one spot out of making it to the Provincials. It was too bad they were sick, but in spite of that they did their very best."
Councillor Frank Armitage also attended some of the Valley finals basketball and said, "the girls were true sportsmen and great representatives of our town even though they were suffereing from the flu." Armitage was full of praise for the Vermilion Forks Field Naturalists. "I attended their 25th Anniversary celebration at Riverside Centre and it was really fitting for that wonderful group." Armitage attended the Posse year end banquet and said "the boys were great representatives of Princeton and I wish them all well in their future endeavours."
Mayor Randy Mclean touched on the dam proposal which is being contemplated near the Copper Mountain Mine. "It is a long way from anything more than an idea," said McLean, "but it is definitely worth looking at. Right now a feasibility study is in process."
McLean also commented on the Junior Girls basketball team and stated that "when you consider that the girls have been playing against schools with populations half the size of Princeton, how far they have come takes on new meaning. It was an amazing season for them. The team is being developed with great coaching."
One highlight of the meeting was the town's recommendation to the government that the land which had been occupied by a wood manufacturing plant be re-zoned to conform which the communities Official Community Plan for the tunnel area. "We would like the area to not be used any more as industrial. We have an opportunity to express the will of the community to the government on this crown land and the process is much easier when the land is not privately owned, but rather owned by the province. We want to get this piece re-zoned as soon as possible."