Cortes Island residents will most likely be paying a great deal more for their fire department this year. The Cortes Island Fire Department (CIFFA) is asking the SRD for about $127,000 more in 2023. CIFFA hopes to obtain $381,000 from property taxes.
Their request was received as correspondence at the Wednesday, Feb 22, meeting of the SRD Board.
Continue reading SRD Board; Cortes Island Fire Department needs more money
Despite the heavy snowfall Wednesday, at least 100 people are believed to have attended the open house for Rainbow Ridge affordable housing development in Mansons Hall.
“We were really happy with the turnout considering the weather, the snow and the road conditions. We decided to go ahead with the event regardless because we had special guests including Ian Scott, who was coming all the way from Victoria. He’s our development consultant and he was in Campbell River for other meetings. He made it to Cortes through the snow. The island roads were plowed and salted to help people, including me, get all the way from Squirrel Cove as well as the Klahoose drummers who made it to the event to help open up the presentation,” said Sandra Wood, Executive Director of the Cortes Community Housing Society.
Continue reading Open House for Rainbow RidgeBy Steve Brown, Chief, Klahoose First Nation
At approximately 9:00 PM on Wednesday, November 23, a fire broke out in our community which destroyed at least three units behind the Health Centre. A neighbour heard the fire alarm, called 9-1-1, and the Cortes Fire Department arrived shortly after. Thankfully, everyone involved escaped safely and is okay. The fire was extinguished, and staff are currently assessing damage, working to repair what can be fixed, and supporting members in need.
Continue reading Apartment Fire at Klahoose Health Centre
(Editor’s note: The article about the Nov 23, 2022 fire that follows is an edited transcript of an audio file. Also, a GoFundMe page has been started to support Sandy Emmonds, who lost her home and all her belongings in the fire: https://gofund.me/86053866)
By Regional Director Mark Vonesch
Mark Vonesch: I’m here with Eli McKenney, the Interim Fire Chief from Cortes Island. Eli, wow, what a night last night …
Eli McKenty: Yeah. It was a short night as far as sleep goes, and a long night in every other way.
Mark: Can you tell us what happened? Tell us the details.
Continue reading How the Cortes Fire Department responded to the fire
(Transcript of the radio program, with edits)
Eli McKenty had been Cortes Island’s Interim Fire Chief for 15 days when I interviewed him. He was actually the Department’s preferred choice as Fire Chief five months ago, but turned the job down, so they hired someone from Alberta. After five months of a six month trial period, the Cortes Island Fire Department came to the conclusion that ‘aspects of Dave Ives’ leadership style were at odds with the culture of our fire department’ and he was dismissed. McKenty agreed to be the Fire Chief until they can find a replacement.
Continue reading Interview with Cortes Island’s new Interim Fire Chief
