By Tom Mark

Coldstream Won’t Join RDNO Inspired Economic Development Plan

Jan 26, 2018 | 7:50 AM

Coldstream Council has decided the District won’t take part in a Rural Economic Development Service proposed by the RDNO.

Mayor Jim Garlick says the costs that would be allocated to Coldstream are too much.

“I believe it’s around 42 thousand that we would be paying and I know even with the grant, with the grant we’d be paying 16 thousand a year. And we said we don’t see, we haven’t seen from the discussions that there is a clear direction with it at this time.”

Garlick says council feels if it wanted to develop it’s own commission, like Vernon has, it would be more beneficial.

But even doing something on a smaller scale would be enough.

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“We’ve talked about, like if we did a promotional pamphlet or video or any of those things we could have those done at a much lesser cost than what that would be paid out over a three year term.”

The Regional District would see communities, with guidance from Community Futures, develop a plan to take advantage of the economic opportunities in the region but Garlick doesn’t think it’s a good fit for his community.

“I think if you take care of your utilities, your services in place, if you have your tax rates in place and you also have something that people are looking for, you’ll be searched out.

He points to the pellet plant in Lavington and now VegPro as large companies that sought out Coldstream in which to do business.

The Mayor also questions the timing with civic elections this fall.

He says you want to ensure that you have people working on it now who will still be around after the elections.

Garlick says all of Coldstream’s staff are ready to pick up the different hats that they need to wear in order to get things done.

He says spending it on just one thing just doesn’t make sense as a small municipality that wants to make the best use of its tax dollars..

by Tom Mark