A sore spot was touched on, as was a need to revamp district policy during council’s recent awarding of the contract to demolish the former municipal office building.
At its Jan. 22 meeting, district council agreed to award the contract to NAPP Enterprises Ltd. of Prince George. Out of five bids, NAPP’s was the lowest at $32,365 (before taxes).
Other bidders included Solcam Industries of Sicamous at $37,200, and two Kelowna companies ($34,990 and $39,905).
The total cost for demolishing the former municipal building at 1214 Riverside Avenue is expected to come in at $38,500. This includes the $1,500 fee for an already completed hazardous materials assessment.
Before council approved the award, Coun. Don Richardson spoke in favour of hiring local. District administrator Heidi Frank explained the tendered bids were ranked and scored through a grade system, and that for future RFPs, the policy would have to be amended so that local bids could take precedence.
Coun. Fred Busch commented on the wording of the related staff report to council, that the building had been “condemned as a result of damages caused by the Mara Lake flooding event of June 2012.” He asked this record be amended to reflect the BC Safety Authority’s involvement.
“The actual damage was caused because BC Safety Authority removed the electric meter. It resulted in the pumps not pumping and, as a result, the basement flooded,” said Busch, “And now we have a building that is condemned, instead of a building that could have been used.
“And I still feel BC Safety Authority was responsible for this flooding of the building. Even though the minister is saying, ‘oh no, this is fine. Maybe he erred a little bit but you’ve got insurance so suck it up and stop complaining.’ But Fred isn’t going to stop complaining.’”
In addition, Busch once again suggested that the demolition not occur without some fanfare and remembrance. He reflected on the building’s history and its use as a ranger station, then by the water board and, later, after incorporation in 1989, as a municipal office.
“Well, there’s a lot of history in that building,” said Busch. “Things happened in that building as a result of it being a district office – most of it was good. And so I would somehow like to perhaps have a gathering someplace, perhaps next door in the Red Barn, people could just come and talk about the building and things that happened there.”
A motion by Busch to hold such a gathering in the near future was supported by council, as was a motion to amend the RFP policy to prioritize hiring local.