Karen Hogstead is the District of Houston’s new corporate services deputy director and grant writer.
“In this role she will be responsible for performing duties regarding the legislative and corporate affairs of he municipality and provide community grant writing support,” indicates a release accompanying her appointment.
Originally from Houston, Hogstead has been living on Vancouver Island until deciding to return.
While on Vancouver Island, she worked in local government, covering a wide range of areas.
“Houston and its people are near and dear to my heart and I am extremely grateful to be given this opportunity to help better our community,” Hogstead said.
Her grant writing responsibilities extend past those for the District to include non profit and community groups within the community who need a hand in applying for financial assistance from various external sources.
Hosgstead was welcomed officially by council at its July 4 meeting.
Property purchase bid unsuccessful
The District has been unsuccessful in a bid to purchase property immediately adjacent to its public works yard, sewage lagoon and bulk water station and sewage disposal station.
The property at 2700 Rail St. containing a home on 7.41 acres was on the market at a list price of $378,300 and has now been sold to another party.
There were no immediate plans by the District on a use for the property which is zone light industrial.
Fire department gets a new vehicle
The Houston Volunteer Fire Department is getting a new command truck and it’s coming at a price that is higher than anticipated.
From a first budgeted price of $130,000, the vehicle will now cost $141,256, not including taxes.
Vehicle provider Hub Fire Engines was the only company of three contacted to submit a bid, protective services director Jim Daigneault explained in a memo.
“One did not respond with a quote, the other company sent a letter stating they would not be submitting a quote,” he wrote.
The additional cost will come from the fire department’s capital budget.
The new vehicle is a Ford F350 crew cab chassis with modifications from HUB.
An initial quote of $150,151 was reduced to $141,256 following requested changes. With tax, the total came to $158,206.72.
The Hub price includes $4,500 to cover the travelling costs of two company representatives to deliver the vehicle up north and then return to Abbotsford, the home of the company.
Delivery is expected within a year owing to Hub’s workload and Ford’s own delivery time of chassiss to Hub.
Waste not, want not
Council has joined a non-profit society which promotes the provincial minerals industry.
And council is also backing Geoscience B.C.’s bid to learn more about what’s in the tailing ponds and waste deposits left when companies close their operating mines.
That’s because what was once considered waste could now contain minerals Geoscience B.C. says are needed for large-scale battery production and other means needed to provide power to replace carbon-emitting sources.
Collectively, there are 31 minerals considered critical to a low-emissions future and Canada produces 21 of hem, Geoscience B.C. vice president Christa Pellett told council July 4 via a video hookup.
“Mine tailings and waste rock resulting from production at current and legacy sites may contain economic concentrations of critical minerals and metals that were not recoverable or considered valuable at the time of extraction,” she said.
The critical minerals list includes aluminum, antimony, bismuth, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, germanium, indium, lead, molybdenum, niobium, silver, tantalum, tungsten, and zinc.
Geoscience B.C.’s first goal is to find out what is at abandoned mine sites and to do that, it asked council for a letter of support in its search for money for the project.
Mayor Shane Brienen welcomed Geoscience B.C.’s project, noting that as the logging jobs decline, jobs in the mining sector will become more important.
There is no fee for council to join Geoscience B.C. as an associate member.
Houston airport becoming popular
Council is inviting representatives from the Bulkley Valley Remote Control Flyers group to a meeting to fully explain their wish for a more formal agreement to use the District of Houston-owned airport.
The group also wants the Model Aeronautics Association of Canada to endorse its flying of model planes from the Houston airport under federal aviation regulations. That would also provide insurance coverage.
But first the model aeronautics association needs information on the current use of the airport by other groups. And that request for information brought on the suggestion to have the local group meet with council.
“We are really hoping to maybe even operate a program for younger people in our area interested in model/generation aviation,” wrote Bulkley Valley Remote Control Flyers vice president David Smedley in a letter to council.
He said the club has left the airport in immaculate shape when it has used it on other occasions.
Bursary to be paid
Council has affirmed the 2023 payment of a $1,000 bursary for a University of Northern B.C. student.
The money will come from the $26,000 budget set aside for grants in aid.
A council resolution to finance a bursary was passed in 2020 but it was open-ended.
Councillor Tom Euverman said he had no objection to paying for a bursary but thought there should be a time limit so it could be brought back before council for a discussion about renewal.
“I’m not suggesting every year but maybe three years or the duration of the council term,” he said.
After a brief discussion, the policy is now that the decision to pay an annual bursary will come to council following every election.