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Sooke to sell logs to a commercial buyer

The original plan was to give the wood to a local charity
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The District of Sooke will sell an entire lot of raw logs stored at the public works yard, originally offered to local charities.

Earlier this year, the district offered the logs to any charitable organization for the sale of firewood as a fundraiser.

Only two organizations made a bid, partly because of an onerous list of municipal requirements to buck, split and remove the wood.

”This is what happens when government get involved. We’ve been cutting firewood for charities in Sooke for 150 years and only when we (government) take it over it doesn’t work,” Coun. Kevin Pearson said.

RELATED: Sooke firewood giveaway helps non-profits

The logs were felled last summer on district-owned land, also known as Lot A, along Wadams Way.

A staff report released Monday recommended the district sell the logs to a commercial buyer.

It’s expected that the 250 cubic metres (10 logging truck loads) of raw logs would sell for $800 per load, or a total of $8,000.

Council agreed to the recommendation, but debated how the money should be dispersed to local charities.

Coun. Brenda Parkinson and others argued for the money to placed in the community grants fund, while Pearson suggested it be put in a contingency fund for groups who wouldn’t normally be eligible for grants.

Council decided to sells the logs and at a future date decide what to do with the money.

“We don’t know what we’re going to get for the logs, ” Mayor Maja Tait said.



editor@sookenewsmirror.com

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Kevin Laird

About the Author: Kevin Laird

It's my passion to contribute to the well-being of the community by connecting people through the power of reliable news and storytelling.
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