City hall briefs: Riverside Park to be home to new art
The city’s arts commission is on the hunt for a new piece of art to highlight the entrance to Riverside Park.
Kamloops city council has given the commission the go-ahead to start an expression of interest project for an “artistic entrance feature” for the park worth up to $75,000.
The new piece is one of two being planned for the area. Another public artwork is slated to be displayed at the Lorne Street/Third Avenue roundabout.
Both works will be funded using cash the city has set aside explicitly for public art.
DCCs are increasing by a small amount
The president of the Central Interior chapter of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) said a small hike in development-cost charges approved by council this week is “not ideal,” but is being supported by his organization.
The charges, better known as DCCs, are a levy on new contruction the city uses to pay for water, road and other infrastructure projects that support new developments.
Kamloops recalculates its DCCs every two years.
The revised rates will increase charges on a single-family home to $9,525 from $9,342 and were developed in consultation with the CHBA.
Association president Brian Hayashi said the rate change takes into account homebuilders’ concerns about keeping their products affordable and shows the city “respects the reality that Kamloops homebuilders are in a difficult economic climate and will be for at least a year.”
Milobar, Bepple, expect to pass $5K
Two members of Kamloops city council expect to exceed their $5,000 travel-expense limits in 2013.
Mayor Peter Milobar said high registration fees for several conferences he is planning to attend will likely push him over the usual limit.
Coun. Nancy Bepple’s Federation of Canadian Municipalities commitments — she attends four meetings a year as a member of the FCM board — will also bump up her expenses.
Council members have a budget of $5,000 per year, along with a per diem for incidentals and meals.
If they need to exceed the $5,000 cap, they must seek permission from council.
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