The decision on how to spend money earned by the filming of Wayward Pines has been deferred to the new council.
The District of Kent earned $309,500 in revenue from the months-long production of the new Fox series. Council resolved earlier this year to spend the money on a legacy project that would have a lasting impact on the community. One of the ideas staff put forward was to purchase a mobile stage unit, complete with generator, lights and sound equipment, to enhance current community events and potentially add more cultural events to the area.
When several people in the community voiced their displeasure with that decision, council voted to go back to the drawing board and ask the community for input.
Mayor John Van Laerhoven said while that brought out many ideas, many of the suggestions are things that can be put on a budget item line in the future. Projects like fixing the bathrooms at the baseball diamonds can be budgeted in, now that council is aware there is a desire to fix them up.
Van Laerhoven said the issue has been deferred to the next council, which will be sworn in on Dec. 1. The new council will include two new councillors, Susan Spaeti and Sylvia Pranger. Current councillors Lorne Fisher and Holger Schwichtenberg will not be returning. Fisher was not re-elected, and Schwichtenberg chose not to run this term.
Wayward Pines was filmed along Pioneer Ave. over the course of several months, and included a full set that remained in place in the city's main park, Pioneer Park.
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