Steve Rant - Mackenzie Ave Rehab AAP Process

Recently, in a City Page Ad, the City of WL published a FAQ List of Questions pertaining to the Mackenzie Avenue Rehab Project.

In it, the City defends the project as being fiscally responsible and noted that residents' should not oppose this project as it would be "fiscally irresponsible" to oppose the borrowing of money connected to 2/3's fiscal support from Ottawa & Victoria

Quite frankly, I think the City should be ashamed for use that kind of language. I, as a voter/taxpayer, can perfectly decide on my own, what is and is not "fiscally responsible" projects, which I would suggest that the Mackenzie Avenue Rehab Project and steps to date (including no plan has to how the road will be repaired - a right of voters' before saying yay/nay on a borrowing bylaw) as being "fiscally irresponsible".

By at the end of the day, I suspect less than the 747 voters needed to block Council from adopting a bylaw to authorize borrowing up to $3.5 million for the Mackenzie Avenue Rehab Project will register a "no" vote

Steve Rant - Outcome of Feb 2nd Committee of the Whole Meeting (WL Council)

In late November of 2009, I'd asked Councillor Rathor to put forward a "Wood First Resolution" knowing that because he works in the forest industry, he would make a excellent advocate on Council to ensure its' passage.

Then at the Feb 2nd Committee of the Whole Meeting, Councillor Surinder Rathor asked the Committee to endorse a "Wood First Resolution", similar to what Quesnel Council passed in November of 2009. As an aside, PG Council recently passed a "Wood First Resolution" as well.

However, Councillors Zacharias & Montoya and Mayor Cook refused to endorse it that night, but agreed it needed further research. Concerns expressed include:

• Resolution may violate bidding rules
• Concern it might invite a lawsuit upon the City
• Concern it might be used to build a 20 story wood building (currently prohibited by the BC Building Code)

To this, I say shame on them. All 3 concerns are completely invalid because if they were anywhere near truthful, Quesnel and PG Councils' would never pass the language contained in a "Wood First Resolution" but because these 2 City Councils' passed a "Wood First Resolution" in similar language, the concerns of Mayor Cook Councillors Zacharias and Montoya can not be identified as being true. Instead, I believe that Councillor Zacharias is allowing her thoughts on this file to be heavily influenced by her association with the BC Construction Association, which is well on record as being opposed to the Wood First Act (the instigator of the Wood First Resolution)

I should note that Councillor Barr stated Mayor Cook and Councillors Zacharias & Montoya's concerns with the proposed Williams Lake "Wood First Resolution" as being "much ado about nothing"

I would strongly urge Mayor Cook and Councillors Zacharias, Bourdon, and Montoya to pass the Wood First Resolution, as proposed by Councillor Rathor, as it is the right thing to do and shows great respect for one of the three major industries in the Central Cariboo Region

Local Government Meetings in Cariboo-Chilcotin - Week of Feb 8-12th

A number of local government meetings are occuring in the Cariboo-Chilcotin this week:

Monday, Feb 8th - City of Quesnel

http://quesnel.fileprosite.com/contentengine/document.asp?id=4321


Tuesday Feb 9th - City of Williams Lake

http://williamslake.ihostez.com/Documents/DocumentList.aspx?ID=10189


Friday, Feb 12 - Cariboo Regional District

http://www.cariboord.bc.ca/crddirectors/2010%20agendas/February/February%2012,%202010/agenda.htm

Committee of the Whole (WL Council) Highlights - Feb 2nd, 2010

WL Committee of the Whole Highlights – Feb 2/2010 (Meeting held in Committee Room #1 – WL City Hall)

Present:

Mayor Cook, Deputy Mayor Rathor and Councillors Montoya, Zacharias, Barr and Bourdon

Absent:

Councillor Laurie Walters

Staff Present:

Brian Carruthers – CAO
Cindy Bouchard – Manager of Legislative Services
Anne Burill – Social Development Manager (left meeting at 6:40pm)
Darcy Lazzarin – General Manager of Corporate Services
Lilliana Dragowska – City Planner (left meeting at 6:40pm)
Jeff Bernardy – Engineering Technologist

Meeting called to order at 6:30pm

Minutes of Jan 19th, 2010 COW Meeting adopted

Item D2 – Social Development Manager & Planner – Verbal Update on Innovator’s Summit

City Planner and Social Development Manager advised the Committee on plans for an Innovator’s Summit

Item A2 – WL RCMP Detachment Annual Performance Plan for 2010/2011

Staff Sgt Warren Brown reviewed with the Committee Plans/Priorities of WL RCMP for 2010

A Question and Answer period ensued with the Committee

Mayor Cook, on behalf of the Committee, thanked Staff-Sgt Warren Brown for his presentation

Item D1 – Commercial Access Study for Prosperity Ridge – report from TRUE Consulting

A Powerpoint Presentation ensued

A Question and Answer Period ensued

The Committee then recommended to Council:

“That Council receive the Commercial Access Study, Summary Report prepared by TRUE
Consulting Group dated January 15th, 2010; and further;

That Council direct staff to work with the Ministry of Transportation and the Pioneer
Development Group to identify a preferred access option and potential funding scenarios and report back to Council.”

Carried

Item A1 – North Central Local Government Association (NCLGA) – Resolution Deadline of March 5th

The Committee reviewed ideas to submit as Resolutions for debate at the 2010 NCLGA Conference:

• Drugs & Mental Addictions Facility
• Possible Loss of French Immersion Program

CRD Board to be advised of above to prevent duplication
Item to return to next Committee of the Whole Meeting for further discussion

Item F1 – 2010 City of WL Draft Budget Review

Review of Revenue and Expenditures to date

Revenue vs Expenditure Gap of $750,000. Next Budget meeting on either Monday Feb 15 or Wednesday Feb 17. Staff to coordinate with Council members

The Committee discussed targets for property taxes increases and utility rate increases for 2010 for budgeting purposes.

Property Tax Increase (Target Range) – 3-5%
Utilities Rate Target Increase – 25%

Item D3 – Report of Councillor Rathor re: Wood First Resolution

The Committee discussed Councillor Rathor’s report on a Wood First Resolution

The Committee agreed to refer Councillor Rathor’s report to Public Works & Development Services Portfolio for review and the Wood First Resolution be considered at the March 9th Council meeting

Councillor Rathor opposed

Adjournment:

The meeting adjourned at 8:33pm

WL Council Meeting Highlights - January 26th, 2010

Present: Mayor Cook with Councillors' Rathor, Montoya, Walters, Bourdon and Zacharias

Absent: Councillor Tom Barr

Staff Present:

B. Carruthers - CAO
D. Lazzarin - GM of Corporate Services
T. Chung - Manager of IT
C. Bouchard - A/Corporate Officer

Meeting called to order at 7:33pm
Minutes of January 12th, 2010 Council Meeting approved

Delegations/Presentations:

1) Mayor Cook presented Grant Martin with a Certificate of Recognition in respect of his years’ of service as the RCMP Detachment Commander – City of Williams Lake.

Business:

1) Council authorized the scheduling of a Public Consultation Meeting on Wednesday, February 10th, 2010 at 7:00pm in Council Chambers, in regards to an OCP Amendment Application from Andrew Roe – Townhouse Complex – 1526, 1530, 1534 Broadway Avenue South

Mayor Cook declared a conflict of interest on the next item, as she is a resident of Woodland Drive. Acting Mayor Geoff Bourdon took the Chair

2) Council authorized the scheduling of a Public Open House on Thursday, February 4th, 2010 from 2pm to 7pm in Council Chambers to consult with Woodland Drive residents’ around extending Water/Sewer services to Woodland Drive

Mayor Cook returned to Council Chambers and resumed the Chair

3) Committee of the Whole Recommendations:

• Council declared redundant the Policies identified by the Director of Corporate Services and Staff was asked to review and update the remaining policies to reflect current processes & practices and bring them forward to Council for approval
• The 2010-2014 Financial Plan Schedule was received for information
• Council approved the Fire Boundary Phase 2 Expansion Agreement between the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District and the Mayor and Corporate Officer was authorized to sign the Agreement on behalf of the City
• Council endorsed the recommendation from the Water Advisory Committee and approved amending the Terms of Reference to allow for an increase from 6 to 7 members; and further, Dan Colgate was appointed as a member of the Committee
• Council authorized Staff to discuss with the Community Arts Council a strategy to reimburse the City for outstanding rent and report back to Council; and further, approval was given for occupancy of studio space in the old Fire Hall for the Spinners/Weavers, Potter's Guild and Artists Society and office space for the Community Arts Council at a rental rate to be negotiated and approved by Council.
• Council referred to the 2010 Budget Process - $20,000 purchase for a tandem axel car trailer and construction of a new permanent City parade float

4) Council received a letter from Province of BC Environmental Assessment Office regarding a Environmental Assessment Certificate for the Prosperity Mine Project, issued by the Provincial Government

5) Council agreed to provide a letter of support for Shaw TV to the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)

6) Council agreed to write a letter to Shaw requesting an update from Shaw’s Regional Programming Manager on:

• Analog to Digital Equipment
• Editing Equipment
• Local Programming Coordinator

7) Council received a letter from FCM regarding a call for municipal solidarity with Haitian communities and earthquake relief efforts be received and the community was encouraged to become involved

8) Council authorized the BC Indoor Rodeo Association’s $2,000 2010 Grant-in-Aid to be paid early, in accordance with Grant-in-Aid Policy No. 18

9) 2 Proclamations were issued by Council:

• Kidney Health Month – March 2010
• Family Literacy Week – January 25-31, 2010

Information/Announcements by Council Members:

Council members made announcements about issues/events on going in Williams Lake

• Olympic Torch Relay event on Thursday
• Cindy Bouchard’s promotion as the City’s Manager of Legislative Services
• Darcy Lazzarin’s retirement as the City’s General Manager of Corporate Services

Adjournment:

The meeting adjourned at 8:40pm

Mackenzie Avenue Rehab Loan Authorization Bylaw 2108, 2009 - AAP Process

As you are all aware, today starts the 30 day AAP (Alternate Approval Process) Process or Counter-Petition opportunity to oppose WL Council's desire to borrow up to $3.5 million to repair Mackenzie Avenue. The last day to register your opposition to Council adopting Bylaw #2109, 2009 is Monday, February 22nd, 2010 at 4:00pm at Williams Lake City Hall

Earlier today, I submitted my AAP Process form opposing WL Council's desire to borrow up to $3.5 million to repair Mackenzie Avenue. Previous to this, I did inform WL City Councillors' Surinder Rathor and Geoff Bourdon of my reasons to oppose Bylaw #2109, 2009 and now I wish to share them with you:

Reason #1

At present, there is no plan as to how the City intends to proceed with the repair of Mackenzie Avenue except for a general statement on this project and that is unacceptable. I feel that if the City placed a high priority on this project, it should have held a "Town Hall" meeting on this project and answered any/all questions of the public prior to it proceeding with the formal request for permission to borrow up to $3.5 million for Mackenzie Avenue.

Reason #2

WL City Council has decided to use the AAP Process or Counter-Petition opportunity to gauge public support or opposition to borrowing money to repair Mackenzie Avenue. Given that Council is seeking permission to borrow up to $3.5 million, a binding referendum should have occurred and furthermore, the cost of the referendum could have been included in the budget for the Mackenzie Avenue Rehab Project

Reason #3

Mayor Cook, while campaigning last fall for the Mayor's Office, criticized the then Council for how it handled the borrowing of $6.5 million for the new Fire Hall (and yes, I voted against that borrowing bylaw as well) and yet, she and her Council are using the same process as the last Council used to borrow money for the new Fire Hall. If one is going to criticize sitting politicians, at least criticize, come up with your own solutions and then implement them. In my opinion, Mayor Cook's actions on this file completely make her a hypocrite

Again - if you are opposed to Council borrowing up to $3.5 million for the repair of the entire length of Mackenzie Avenue, you have until Monday, Feb 22nd/2010 to register your opposition. If you want more information, see the City's website at http://www.williamslake.ca/ or contact the Mayor and Council. Their contact information is as follows:

Mayor Kerry Cook - mayor@williamslake.ca
Councillor Surinder Rathor - srathor@williamslake.ca
Councillor Natalie Montoya - nmontoya@williamslake.ca
Councillor Tom Barr - tbarr@williamslake.ca
Councillor Laurie Walters - lwalters@williamslake.ca
Councillor Geoff Bourdon - gbourdon@williamslake.ca
Councillor Sue Zacharias - szacharias@williamslake.ca

MLA's pay to be frozen for two years

In not a entirely unexpected measure, Premier Campbell has announced that all MLA's pay is frozen for 2010 & 2011 to deal with the Province's fiscal challenges. This is, in addition, to all members of the provincial cabinet foregoing 10% of their pay until the Province returns to balanced budgets

The entire press release is below:

The annual cost-of-living compensation adjustment for government MLAs will be frozen for the next two years in recognition of the budget challenges facing British Columbia, Premier Gordon Campbell announced today.

“The global economic downturn is still having a major impact on government revenues, and we are grateful for the public service’s recognition of the tough choices we face as we commence contract negotiations for the coming years,” said Premier Campbell. “In recognition of the progress made to date with public-sector agreements already announced that provide for no wage increases for the next two years, the Province has decided to suspend the cost-of-living compensation increase for all government MLAs for the next two budget years.”

Government will pursue measures to suspend the annual April 1 consumer price index adjustment for the next two years, effectively freezing MLA pay. The compensation freeze will be effective for 2010 and 2011, which covers the same period as the existing public-sector contract negotiation mandate. In addition, all members of cabinet will continue to forgo ten per cent of their ministerial compensation until the Province returns to balanced budgets.