Cache Creek Council Meeting Sept 14 2020

Cache Creek Council -- Some of the main topics that were discussed at the Cache Creek Council involved a housing study put forward by M’akola Development, showing off certain interesting stats in regards to housing In Cache Creek, these numbers are from no later than 2106 however. Some of those are that the population in Cache has consistently dropped over time, and that the biggest portion of the population is people between the ages of 25-64, 21% of the residents rent, on average 20% of each age group in cache Creek sits on the low income line, and of that number most of people are the renters…

Another major topic was the BC Interior Community Foundation. Some new tidbits have been found about this such as that there is a guaranteed 3.5% interest rate on this amount of money, so even at its worst it will still be earning the Village $3500 a year, but NDIT does get one percent of that so the village will be getting $2500 a year for sure. However there is room for a better interest rate as these things do fluctuate so there could be a better year, but never a worse year.

After the NDIT topic, Mayor Talarico moved onto business that involves a letter was brought up by CFO (Chief Financial Officer) Christina Martini at a previous council meeting.  at the August 17th 2020 council meeting Under “New Business”, Martini expressed her frustration over a phone call she received from Ms.Pittman, regarding letters that were sent out to all businesses in Cache Creek which had not yet paid their 2020 property taxes, due by Sept. 30. The letters showed the outstanding balance of taxes owed, and were meant as reminders; they were sent because COVID-19 has resulted in an extension of the date when taxes are normally due. Martini described the phone call as very rude, which Pittman disputes. Pittman, who has personal interests in more than one Cache Creek business, said she was calling as a business owner and taxpayer, not as a councillor. “You were very rude as a taxpayer, and did not understand the difference between ‘outstanding’ and ‘overdue’,” replied Martini. Pittman noted that she had been “very upset”, and seemed to be claiming that the letter she had seen differed from what other businesses had received. Martini said this was not the case, and asked if Pittman was calling her a liar, to which the answer was “Yes.” Talarico asked Pittman to bring in the letter she had received, and ended the exchange by commending Martini for sending out the reminder letters to everyone. “We’re very appreciative of your efforts as CFO and employee.” The Journal later confirmed that there are some $120,000 in property taxes (business and residential) still outstanding in Cache Creek for the 2020 tax year. 

For context here is what the letter that they are talking about says: "Dear Taxpayer, please note that this letter serves as a Reminder that property taxes in the amount of X as shown below remain unpaid. As at January 1, 2020 interest will also begin to accrue on the 2020 amount unpaid. For the exact payout of the outstanding taxes with interest calculated to the date of payment, please contact the Village office at there phone number. If you do not have the ability to pay the current portion in full, please contact the Village Office to set up a payment plan."

The letter produced at the September 14 meeting was in fact the same letter that everyone else received. Once the letter was produced Mayor Talarico and Councillor Pittman started to have a heated verbal exchange at one point the Mayor called the Councillor "a disgrace". Other Councillors and the CFO joined in the exchange as well. Councillor Pittman was stripped of her upcoming Deputy Mayoral time, and Mayor Talarico read a statement that apologized to the CFO and once again commended her on her performance".