The Cariboo Chilcotin Regional Hospital District trustees endorsed a resolution to maintain its recruitment and retention program funding at $120,000 for fiscal 2013 through 2015, during the regular Cariboo Regional District board meeting Friday, Dec. 14.
The decision will allow contributions of $30,000 annually towards recruitment contracts in the north, south and central Cariboo.
An annual contribution of $30,000 to the Northern Medical Programs Trust is also included within this envelope.
Both programs will be reviewed in 2015 to consider whether or not to continue these contributions beyond 2015.
The recruitment and retention policy was adopted in 2009, with the proviso that it be reviewed in three years to determine its effectiveness and appropriateness.
Several months later, the board approved an annual contribution to the Northern Medical Programs Trust, again with the stipulation that the contribution be reviewed in three years.
Provisional budgets to consultation
The Cariboo Regional Hospital District (CRHD), the Cariboo Chilcotin Regional Hospital District (CCRHD) and the Cariboo Regional District’s (CRD) 2013 provisional budgets and business plans were endorsed.
The provisional budget will be presented to CRD residents in 2013 through three sub-regional consultation meetings taking place in the south Cariboo (100 Mile House at Creekside Seniors’ Centre) on Jan. 30; north Cariboo (Quesnel at Quesnel Legion Hall) on Jan. 31; and the central Cariboo (Williams Lake at the Pioneer Complex) on Feb. 2.
The CRD’s traditional town hall meetings for 2013 will be held at the beginning of the budgeting process in September and October in each of the electoral areas and municipalities. The budgets are currently listed on the CRD website on the Dec. 14 agendas at cariboored.bc.ca.
Wood stove exchange program
The CRD is supporting the 2013 Wood Stove Exchange program. The program encourages residents to replace their old inefficient wood stoves with cleaner burning models that improve personal health and air quality by providing funding incentives.
The CRD will refund wood stove inspection fees to program participants after installations are approved by CRD staff.
The program is a partnership of the Ministry of Environment and the BC Lung Association, and will be administered in 2013 by the Williams Lake Air Quality Roundtable.
Community works approved
Up to $10,000 of community works funds were approved for energy efficiency upgrades to the Lone Butte Community Hall.
Work will include replacement the current heating system, which is electric infrared heat with gas infrared heaters.
The gas infrared heaters will operate at approximately 95 per cent efficiency.
The CRD board also authorized up to $50,000 to perform energy efficiency upgrades to the Central Cariboo Search and Rescue facility in Williams Lake.
Projects scheduled for this building include a heating system retrofit, door replacements and ancillary heating upgrades.
CRDL hosts amnesty for literacy
The CRD Library will be hosting its annual fines amnesty during Family Literacy Week, at all branches from Jan. 22 to 26, 2013. Family Literacy Week is a national initiative intended to raise awareness of the importance of reading and engaging in other literacy-related activities as a family.
The library’s fines amnesty will apply to participating members returning overdue materials, along with donations of recommended non-perishable foods, to be provided by our library branches to local area food banks. Further information is available online at crdl.bc.ca.
CRD officials elected
The CRD’s Area G Director Al Richmond, and Area A Director Ted Armstrong were re-elected as chair and vice-chair respectively. This marks the fifth consecutive terms as chair and vice-chair for Richmond and Armstrong. A full list of the 2011-2014 CRD board of Directors is available online atcariboord.bc.ca
Happy holidays
The Cariboo Regional District board and staff wish residents of the Cariboo Chilcotin a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
The CRD offices will be closed from Dec. 24 through to Jan. 1, 2013.
CRD offices will re-open on Jan. 2, 2013. The next CRD board meeting is Friday, Jan. 18, 2013