The Village of Cumberland is using some of its Restart funding for a one-time grant program.
The item came up during a discussion of Restart funds at a council meeting earlier in November. The plan is to use up to $40,000 of the funds for the 2022 Restart Grant Program.
“This is simply to help organizations in our community that provide important community services overcome the challenges created by COVID,” Cumberland economic development officer Kaelin Chambers told council.
In terms of a timeline and application dates, the program would run alongside the village’s usual grant-in-aid program. Staff outlined a list of criteria for the grants, including limiting participation to local non-profits with an immediate need, among other conditions.
Cumberland has used Restart funds from senior levels of government for a range of projects, including alterations to the village office in light of COVID restrictions, technology upgrades and helping the Cumberland Business Association with its start-up.
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There were also a number of Restart projects on the agenda at the Nov. 8 meeting: $60,000 towards the next phase of village office renovations; $34,000 towards the construction of the fire hall emergency generator pad; $25,000 towards increased bylaw services for 2022; $7,000 towards council meeting software; $6,500 towards recreation facilities water/filling stations; $3,000 towards the 2022 Summer Series in the Park; and $2,500 to the Inclusion and Accessibility Committee to undertake a public event to promote social equity and inclusion in Cumberland.
Council members were generally supportive of the latest list of projects to be covered by the Restart funding and passed a motion to allocate the money.
Coun. Vickey Brown had questions about the item for the fire department, including water flow concerns due to the new pad. The concrete pad will be used to house the emergency generator unit at the new fire hall. As a staff report notes, the project costs for the generator have exceeded the original budget estimates.
Chief administrative officer Clayton Postings noted the importance of the new fire hall, especially in light of potential broader community emergencies.
“That, right now, is our emergency operations centre,” he said.
mike.chouinard@comoxvalleyrecord.com
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