PORT McNEILL—Council approved a $2,000 contribution to the Port McNeill Volunteer Fire Department for its 18th annual fireworks show at its regular meeting Oct. 15, two years after the funding was halved in the wake of flooding that displaced residence of Kingcome Inlet village.
After providing a tradition contribution of $2,000 through 2009 to the firefighters for the show, council in 2010 chose to to reduce the funding in the wake of the Sept. 25-26 flooding that year that scattered Kingcome residents, many of whom were hosted by the 'Namgis First Nation in Alert Bay while floodwaters receded.
"Since we donated $2,000 last year, in my mind we basically budgeted that again for this year," coun. Chris Sharpe said. "I don't know why we we'd deviate from that."
Council passed the request unanimously.
The fireworks show will be held Wednesday, Oct. 31, beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Centennial Ballfield near the waterfront. Free hot chocolate and hot dogs are provided, and a large bonfire will be lit to warm spectators.
Tax exemptions OK'd
Council passed Bylaw 639, which provides property tax exemptions for local churches and other civic, non-profit organizations.
Coun. Grant Anderson, who was not in attendance when the first three readings were given to the bylaw, was not eligible to vote. He said he would have had to abstain anyway, as he is president of Royal Canadian Legion Branch 281 in Port McNeill, which was included among the exemptions.
The bylaw passed unanimously among those in attendance, without comment.
More trail requested
Dave Nelson of Port McNeill Rotary thanked the Town for its assistance in the building of the Rotary Trail alongside Campbell Way, which was dedicated earlier in the month, and put in a plug for additional trail-building next season.
"We're looking at the possibility it could be a two- or three-phase project, to come down the highway and then down East Main to the Regional District (Broughton Campsite)," Nelson said. "We're going to ask in the budget for next year if the town could put some money in your budget for this, and we'll ask the Regional District (of Mount Waddington), as well."
Mayor Gerry Furney congratulated Nelson and the Rotary Club on completion of the existing trail, and thanked him for his presentation.