At its Feb. 15 regular council meeting, Sechelt council set the golf rates for 2012 and approved minutes coming forward from the newly-established golf course advisory committee.
Council approved a rate of $1,850 including taxes for a 2012 annual pass to the course, which would include $100 in food and beverage vouchers valid until the end of June and a $50 food voucher for each remaining quarter of 2012.
The advisory committee noted the food and beverage vouchers should help to ensure the restaurant at the site remains viable.
In the committee minutes, there was some discussion about the 2012 dues that were paid to previous owners of the golf course. It was noted that some credit card companies require clients to submit claims for refunds for services not received within 90 days of the transaction date. Two members of the committee agreed to contact people who have pre-paid in this manner to assist them with getting their 2012 dues reimbursed.
As for those who prepaid with cash for the 2012 season, the committee noted that council has yet to decide how to address the issue.
It was agreed that the next meeting will be set up at the calling of interim golf course operations consultant and the District of Sechelt.
Council also released an in camera item Feb. 15 that said the District will ensure annual passes purchased from the municipality are honoured by any future operator of the Sechelt golf course until Dec. 31, 2012.
Grants
Thirteen local organizations were granted a total of $111,407 in traffic fine revenues at the Feb. 8 committee of the whole meeting.
The biggest chunk, $43,400, went to the RCMP for their managed standing programs. It's set out in the traffic fine revenue policy that the RCMP will receive up to 40 per cent of the funds from traffic fine revenues each year.
The second largest portion, $20,588, went to pay part of the costs for a youth outreach worker. The rest of the money for this position will come from the Sunshine Coast Regional District and the Town of Gibsons, which are partnering in the project.
A total of $11,000 will go to help increase care for victims of crime through the RCMP.
Councillors decided to grant $7,419 for maintenance, development and insurance of the Sechelt skateboard park.
The Community Justice Program will receive $10,000 and the Arrowhead Centre Society will receive $5,000 for operating expenses.
The school-based crime prevention program was awarded $4,000 for a one-time youth initiated project to provide drug awareness and training about sexual exploitation.
Crimestoppers will get $3,000 for operating expenses and Sunshine Coast Cycling will get $2,500 to offer bicycle safety training to Sechelt elementary school children.
The Home Alone program, run by the Commu-nity Resource Centre, will receive $1,500 to deliver four home alone workshops for local elementary school students.
The alternative school marine industries services training program will receive a $1,000 grant plus $1,500 worth of in-kind moorage costs so at-risk youth can learn employment ready skills in the maritime industry.
The Sunshine Coast Association for Community Living (SCACL) and the Sunshine Coast Community Services Society (SCCSS) will each receive a $1,000 grant.
SCACL plans to use the money to replace aging equipment in the 'litter picking' program and to initiate a merit based reward system for participants. The SCCSS will use its grant to provide a continuation of the homelessness outreach project.
