The Midway Community Club asked for and was given permission to use Jim McMynn Community Park and the Community Hall for a day of celebration to mark the village’s 120th birthday on August 10, 2013.
Early plans for the event include a family picnic, traditional games, food and an abundance of community spirit.
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Barbara Bleiler advertising and sales rep for The Kettle River Express came to Midway council on June 3 to ask the municipality to advertise in the 2014 issue of the adventure travel guide put out by Vicom Design.
Brian McAndrew, company president and person responsible for concept, production, layout and design, joined Bleiler.
Council was told the first edition launched successfully on January 18 of this year.
Bleiler said the print publication is complemented by an interactive website dedicated to the guide that is updated regularly.
“We are out to compete against Beautiful BC Magazine because they have ignored the South Central BC here,” said McAndrew.
Council deferred discussion of the proposal until their June 17 meeting.
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Council voted to write a letter of support for the Southern Interior Beetle Action Committee’s Rural BC Project.
The vote didn’t pass without comment however as Mayor Randy Kappes said it seems “a possible good group that has some energy, but I didn’t get a clear indication of what exactly – aside from requesting from the province what action they planned on taking.”
“My own hope is that they do more than just look for a little money and a government handout,” Kappes added. “I hope that it comes to a more permanent change and a different way of thinking because it’s going to take more than just money thrown at this problem to solve it.
“We have to find a way that we can convince young people that they can make a living in small communities again. Until that is resolved no money is going to solve the issue.
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As was reported in last week’s issue of The Times council also heard Kamloops resident Carl Driedger propose the development of a country market retail facility at the museum bunkhouse and adjacent land.
Another proposal for the bunkhouse came in at the June 3rd meeting – this from Owen Stewart of Greenpeaks Resource Management. The tree planting company has been periodically renting the bunkhouse for use of the planters for the past year or so and Stewart is proposing a three-year lease to council.
Council voted to defer the two proposals until they had an opportunity to get more information.
Administrator Penny Feist told council that she had contacted BC Assessment and had been told that a long-term lease arrangement would attract taxes, based on square footage of use. She estimated they would come in at about $2,200 per year.
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The Midway Hiking and Biking Trails Society has proposed a Park bench memorial bench program that would be used to fund ongoing maintenance of the benches along the trails.
Council heard that these are common programs in other municipalities. Staff has been directed to prepare recommendations.
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Feist reported that Interior Health has signed a five-year contract for use of the blood lab in the basement of the medical clinic.
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A resident was given permission from the village to do some work on the drainage culvert on the village right-of-way adjoining their property so long as it was done at their expense and to village specs.
Another motion, that staff to do a drainage and runoff plan for the village was put forward by Councillor Marguerite Rotvold. Her motion passed as well.
Kappes reminded council that there had been discussions with the department of highways about two years ago about cost-sharing on a drainage/runoff study. “They said they were willing to do their part if we do our part because it gets to be a fairly expensive undertaking,” Kappes said.