Kevin Anderson
editor@lapressecommunautaire.ca
KAPUSKASING – Kapuskasing council is considering re-instating the position of Special Events and Communications Coordinator.
The municipality has been without one for some time now and with several big celebrations lined up in the next two years, mayor David Plourde said it would be important to have a qualified individual fill the role once again.
“We’ve got a lot of our regularly scheduled events but we’ve also got the 100th Anniversary of the town coming up and that’s a big one,” said Plourde. “No event can be planned overnight, let alone something of that magnitude, so it would be important to get someone into that role as soon as possible so we can get them up to speed on regular events and begin planning the centennial.”
Other events that would fall under the purview of the new Special Events and Communications Coordinator would include the Winter Carnival, Sports and Trade Show, Senior’s Month, Aboriginal Day, Lumberjack Festival, Fall Fair, Youth Gathering and the Festival of Lights.
The municipality is hoping to pay for the new position through the institution of the new Transient Accommodation Tax.
“The Kapuskasing Economic Development Corporation is considered a non-profit and has tourism initiatives as part of its mandate,” said Town of Kapuskasing CAO Guylain Baril. “By having this position under the KEDC banner, it would qualify for disbursement of the Transient Accommodation Tax, since the collection of that tax is to be used for tourism initiatives.”
Council will vote officially on whether or not to re-instate the Special Events and Communications Coordinator position at its next regular meeting, however all indications at Wednesday’s Committees of the Whole meeting were that the motion would pass unopposed.
