The first full-time executive director for Habitat for Humanity Sunshine Coast, Sheila Gamble, introduced herself to Sechelt council during the Sept. 10 committee of the whole meeting.
She said Habitat for Humanity is currently finishing another duplex at their site in Wilson Creek and that one of her main thrusts as executive director will be to secure more money and land for future builds.
“I would like to look at opportunities for the District of Sechelt to work in partnership with Habitat for Humanity to help us fill the gap that you are looking at filling for affordable housing and to help us increase our builds,” Gamble said, noting the Manitoba, Sask-atchewan and Alberta provincial governments contribute to Habitat for Humanity annually.
Habitat for Humanity Sunshine Coast currently builds one duplex a year for families in need, but they want to be able to build two annually.
“We have the infrastructure to do more affordable housing builds. We have shovels in the ground, we have a team that’s ready and willing to do more building. So we’re there already, and we have families who need homes,” Gamble said, noting the District had both available land and money for affordable housing projects that could help.
Mayor John Henderson agreed there is some money available for affordable housing in Sechelt, saying the District wants to make sure they get “the biggest bang for our buck.”
Gamble will speak with District staff to see if there are any ways to work together in the future.
Curbside organics
Sechelt has had a pilot curbside organic pick-up project running for about four months now, and communications manager Connie Jordison gave an update on the program at the Sept. 10 committee meeting.
The project has seen Grayco Disposal pick up kitchen and garden waste from about 500 homes in the Davis Bay area weekly since May and take it to Salish Soils for composting.
The pilot project is slated to end in November.
Jordison said the District has overspent on the project in order to purchase kitchen catchers for homes, promote the effort and distribute special bags to use in the kitchen catchers.
The six-month total cost for the project was estimated to be $60,000, but at the four-month mark Jordison said $53,799.65 had been spent.
“Pilot project costs are expected to be approximately $6,600 over budget,” Jordison wrote in her report to council.
She said the program had been well received by the public and councillors were keen to see it continue.
Henderson said council would need to make a decision about whether to continue and/or expand the pilot project before it’s due to end on Nov. 20 and asked for more information about the impact the effort is having at the landfill.
Council asked for a final report on the project in October, when they will make a decision on the project’s fate.
GMF loan
At a council meeting on Sept. 10, councillors authorized the District to enter into the Green Municipal Fund combined loan and grant agreement to help pay for Sechelt’s new sewage treatment plant.
The $7.4 million loan and $1 million grant were approved by voters in a referendum in March.
Chief financial officer Victor Mema said the “terms and conditions discussed in the referendum have not changed,” but noted the document had been passed onto legal council and was subject to their approval.
Coun. Alice Lutes said she would not vote in favour of the loan because she did not feel there was enough demonstrated support for it in the referendum that saw 868 residents cast ballots in favour of going for the loan, while 853 were against the move.
When the question was called, Lutes and Coun. Mike Shanks voted against the motion; however, the motion passed with the rest of council in favour.
