Saturday, April 2, 2011
Last Post
After much thought and personal deliberation I am discontinuing my Blog as Williams Lake CAO. I am doing this with some reservation as I believe there are readers who have enjoyed my postings. However, there are a number of important considerations that have contributed to my decision. When I first established my blog, I felt there was a gap in communication between City Hall and the community. We did not have a dedicated 'communications' function and for the most part, I was filling that role. I also felt our web site needed more to offer readers. Much has changed in the past year with the City hiring a Communications Coordinator. The gap in communication no longer exists as we now have capacity to provide consistent information to the public. We have also finalized a new web site which is set to come on line in mid April and will provide readers with a new look, improved format and enhanced information. More recently, I have become the target of some fairly prolific allegations and subsequent media interest. I recognize this is an occupational hazard in my line of work and I have no problem in shouldering the criticism and responding with the facts. However, I am also aware of the political undercurrents associated with some of the coverage and comentary and that is of concern to me. As CAO, I am responsible for administration of the City's operations, supporting our staff, fulfilling Council's policy direction and providing Council with technical and professional advice. Administration in local government has no role in the politics of local government. That is not to say that those of us in administration shouldn't be aware of, and tuned into the political scene as obviously it does affect our elected officials. Being on the political front line is the exclusive turf of the Mayor and Council and when Administration is drawn into the politics of local government, the credibility of Administration can be compromised. As much as I have enjoyed writing on my blog and sharing my perspectives with my readers, at this point I feel my time is best spent attending to the important work of moving the City's operations forward and supporting Council in their governance role. As always, if anyone has any questions or concerns with the administration of the City, my door at City is always open and I can be reached by phone or e-mail at bcarruthers@williamslake.ca
Friday, February 25, 2011
Official Community Plan
After many meetings and workshops, public events and written submissions, the City's Imagine our Future process wrapped up with Council's adoption of the Integrated Community Sustainability Plan (ICSP) in the summer of 2010. The ICSP provides a framework that will encourage and support integrated consideration of environmental, social and economic implications when Council makes decisions.
Since the summer, staff have been working to incorporate the ten key priority areas and land use objectives that were identified during the ICSP process, into the City's new Official Community Plan (OCP). The City's new OCP is very unique in that it deals with much more than the traditional land use and zoning issues that are found in an OCP. Together, the ten key priority areas represent the community's vision for an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable community.
The community is now being provided an opportunity to review and provide input to the draft OCP. City staff have already made presentations to a variety of groups in the community and many more presentations are planned for the weeks to come. In addition, staff will be attending a number of high-traffic public areas in order to reach members of the community who might not otherwise particpate in a structured consultation process.
The City of Williams Lake web site has a link to the draft OCP and the community is encouraged to review the document and provide their input.
An OCP is a legislated requirement that helps guide land use and other strategic decisions so that development takes place in a deliberate and sustainable manner. Given the broad scope of this OCP and the high level of public particpation, this plan should assist City Coucnil and the community in making sound, sustainable decisions in the future.
Since the summer, staff have been working to incorporate the ten key priority areas and land use objectives that were identified during the ICSP process, into the City's new Official Community Plan (OCP). The City's new OCP is very unique in that it deals with much more than the traditional land use and zoning issues that are found in an OCP. Together, the ten key priority areas represent the community's vision for an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable community.
The community is now being provided an opportunity to review and provide input to the draft OCP. City staff have already made presentations to a variety of groups in the community and many more presentations are planned for the weeks to come. In addition, staff will be attending a number of high-traffic public areas in order to reach members of the community who might not otherwise particpate in a structured consultation process.
The City of Williams Lake web site has a link to the draft OCP and the community is encouraged to review the document and provide their input.
An OCP is a legislated requirement that helps guide land use and other strategic decisions so that development takes place in a deliberate and sustainable manner. Given the broad scope of this OCP and the high level of public particpation, this plan should assist City Coucnil and the community in making sound, sustainable decisions in the future.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Closed Meetings of Council
Questions sometimes arise with respect to Council going into 'Closed' or "In-Camera' meetings and I felt it was appropriate to provide some facts around Closed meetings and the use of this legislative provision to conduct Council business. Section 90(1) of the Community Charter allows part of a council meeting to be closed to the public if the subject matter being considered relates to or is one or more of the following:
(a) personal information about an identifiable individual who holds or is being considered for a position as an officer, employee or agent of the municipality or another position appointed by the municipality;
(b) personal information about an identifiable individual who is being considered for a municipal award or honour, or who has offered to provide a gift to the municipality on condition of anonymity;
(c) labour relations or other employee relations;
(d) the security of the property of the municipality;
(e) the acquisition, disposition or expropriation of land or improvements, if the council considers that disclosure could reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the municipality;
(f) law enforcement, if the council considers that disclosure could reasonably be expected to harm the conduct of an investigation under or enforcement of an enactment;
(g) litigation or potential litigation affecting the municipality;
(h) an administrative tribunal hearing or potential administrative tribunal hearing affecting the municipality, other than a hearing to be conducted by the council or a delegate of council;
(i) the receipt of advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose;
(j) information that is prohibited, or information that if it were presented in a document would be prohibited, from disclosure under section 21 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act;
(k) negotiations and related discussions respecting the proposed provision of a municipal service that are at their preliminary stages and that, in the view of the council, could reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the municipality if they were held in public;
(l) discussions with municipal officers and employees respecting municipal objectives, measures and progress reports for the purposes of preparing an annual report under section 98 [annual municipal report];
(m) a matter that, under another enactment, is such that the public may be excluded from the meeting;
(n) the consideration of whether a council meeting should be closed under a provision of this subsection or subsection (2);
(o) the consideration of whether the authority under section 91 [other persons attending closed meetings] should be exercised in relation to a council meeting.
Given the range of circumstances that could or would require a matter to be considered in a closed meeting, they can be a fairly common occurrence. However, placing items on a closed meeting agenda is not done so lightly and each and every item is carefully assessed against the legislated criteria by the CAO and Corporate Officer. The most common items that go to closed meetings include employee relations, appointments of individuals to committees/awards, disposition of land and litigation issues. In many cases, the resolutions of Council from a closed meeting are brought forward to regular agendas for the public record. However, there are items such as employee relations or litigation that are not made public due to the need for personal or legal confidentiality.
Public perceptions of Council "doing business behind closed doors" when they are in closed meetings are common. However, it is the role of the CAO and Corporate Officer to ensure that closed meeting items meet the criteria of the Community Charter and provide advice to Council with respect to those items that should be brought forward for the public record.
(a) personal information about an identifiable individual who holds or is being considered for a position as an officer, employee or agent of the municipality or another position appointed by the municipality;
(b) personal information about an identifiable individual who is being considered for a municipal award or honour, or who has offered to provide a gift to the municipality on condition of anonymity;
(c) labour relations or other employee relations;
(d) the security of the property of the municipality;
(e) the acquisition, disposition or expropriation of land or improvements, if the council considers that disclosure could reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the municipality;
(f) law enforcement, if the council considers that disclosure could reasonably be expected to harm the conduct of an investigation under or enforcement of an enactment;
(g) litigation or potential litigation affecting the municipality;
(h) an administrative tribunal hearing or potential administrative tribunal hearing affecting the municipality, other than a hearing to be conducted by the council or a delegate of council;
(i) the receipt of advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose;
(j) information that is prohibited, or information that if it were presented in a document would be prohibited, from disclosure under section 21 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act;
(k) negotiations and related discussions respecting the proposed provision of a municipal service that are at their preliminary stages and that, in the view of the council, could reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the municipality if they were held in public;
(l) discussions with municipal officers and employees respecting municipal objectives, measures and progress reports for the purposes of preparing an annual report under section 98 [annual municipal report];
(m) a matter that, under another enactment, is such that the public may be excluded from the meeting;
(n) the consideration of whether a council meeting should be closed under a provision of this subsection or subsection (2);
(o) the consideration of whether the authority under section 91 [other persons attending closed meetings] should be exercised in relation to a council meeting.
Given the range of circumstances that could or would require a matter to be considered in a closed meeting, they can be a fairly common occurrence. However, placing items on a closed meeting agenda is not done so lightly and each and every item is carefully assessed against the legislated criteria by the CAO and Corporate Officer. The most common items that go to closed meetings include employee relations, appointments of individuals to committees/awards, disposition of land and litigation issues. In many cases, the resolutions of Council from a closed meeting are brought forward to regular agendas for the public record. However, there are items such as employee relations or litigation that are not made public due to the need for personal or legal confidentiality.
Public perceptions of Council "doing business behind closed doors" when they are in closed meetings are common. However, it is the role of the CAO and Corporate Officer to ensure that closed meeting items meet the criteria of the Community Charter and provide advice to Council with respect to those items that should be brought forward for the public record.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Why a New Fire Truck?
I always find it interesting the kinds of questions that people ask our Mayor and Councillors when they are out and about and I had originally intended to use this blog as a means to address such questions which may also be on the minds of others in the community.
The Mayor was recently asked - "Why did the City buy a new truck for the Deputy Fire Chief when the Fire Hall was over budget?"
That is an understandable question. My first response is to clarify that the money to purchase new trucks or other equipment comes from an Equipment Reserve, where funds have been set aside on an annual basis for the replacement of aging equipment. Setting funds aside ahead of time ensures that equipment can be replaced when required, without affecting the operational budget.
Secondly, there was a demonstrated need for a new truck. Currently, the pick-up trucks operated by the Fire Department are 1/2 tons with limited towing capacity. The Fire Department has a Fire Safety House and a large Hazardous Materials Response Trailer which required a larger truck to pull them safely and economically.
Furthermore, the 1/2 ton Fire Department truck which was replaced was reassigned to the Engineering Department to replace an 80's model pick-up that had reached the end of it's useful life. The truck from the Fire Department will now serve the Engineering Department well for a number of years to come, without the cost of buying a new truck for Engineering.
There is a common assumption that City vehicles are replaced on a pre-determined schedule (ie. every five years) which is not the case. The City keeps vehicles and equipment in its fleet until such time as the cost of operating and repairing them exceeds the value of purchasing a replacement. Depending on the level of use they receive, some vehicles operate in excess of 10 or 15 years, some even longer. When a new vehicle is purchased, the existing vehicle may often be reassigned to another department where it can operate under lighter duty for an additional period of time. At the end of the day, vehicles and equipment that are no longer required by the City are sold at auction or by sealed bid.
The Mayor was recently asked - "Why did the City buy a new truck for the Deputy Fire Chief when the Fire Hall was over budget?"
That is an understandable question. My first response is to clarify that the money to purchase new trucks or other equipment comes from an Equipment Reserve, where funds have been set aside on an annual basis for the replacement of aging equipment. Setting funds aside ahead of time ensures that equipment can be replaced when required, without affecting the operational budget.
Secondly, there was a demonstrated need for a new truck. Currently, the pick-up trucks operated by the Fire Department are 1/2 tons with limited towing capacity. The Fire Department has a Fire Safety House and a large Hazardous Materials Response Trailer which required a larger truck to pull them safely and economically.
Furthermore, the 1/2 ton Fire Department truck which was replaced was reassigned to the Engineering Department to replace an 80's model pick-up that had reached the end of it's useful life. The truck from the Fire Department will now serve the Engineering Department well for a number of years to come, without the cost of buying a new truck for Engineering.
There is a common assumption that City vehicles are replaced on a pre-determined schedule (ie. every five years) which is not the case. The City keeps vehicles and equipment in its fleet until such time as the cost of operating and repairing them exceeds the value of purchasing a replacement. Depending on the level of use they receive, some vehicles operate in excess of 10 or 15 years, some even longer. When a new vehicle is purchased, the existing vehicle may often be reassigned to another department where it can operate under lighter duty for an additional period of time. At the end of the day, vehicles and equipment that are no longer required by the City are sold at auction or by sealed bid.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Reduced Crime in Williams Lake
St. Sgt. Warren Brown of the Williams Lake RCMP provided Council with a review of the 2010 crime statistics at the January 11th Council meeting and the results are nothing short of amazing. Compared to 2008, when crime appeared to be at an all-time high in Williams Lake, a majority of criminal offence categories have seen as much as an 88% reduction, with many in the 50 - 60% range. The reduction in offences corresponds with a 20% reduction in Calls for Service.
Having been the City's liaison with the RCMP for a number of years, I can offer some opinions and observations with respect to the why these numbers have decreased so dramatically. It is recognized that crime in general in down in communities throughout BC and the country. However, not anywhere near the levels of reduction we've seen in Williams Lake.
Most notably, the Williams Lake RCMP has taken a very consistent approach to dealing with the community's prolific offenders - those few individuals who are responsible for a vast majority of crime. These individuals have been provided a particularly high level of attention from our RCMP members and as a result, when they offend, they are being arrested and are receiving stronger sentences. There is a clear correlation between reduced incidents of property crime and the incarceration of prolific offenders so when these individuals are in prison, our community is much safer.
Another factor influencing crime reduction is the dedication and efforts of the numerous volunteers in our community policing programs. These volunteers spend numerous hours patrolling our streets, facilitating Restorative Justice circles, monitoring traffic speeds and providing education to the community to name a few.
In late 2008, the current Council approved funding for two civilian support positions at the Williams Lake detachment, intended to reduce some of the administrative requirements of the RCMP members, thus allowing the members to spend more time on patrol and conducting investigations. These positions have proved invaluable and in 2010, Council committed to these positions becoming long term.
These latest statistics are good news for our community and indicate a promising trend that we hope will continue in 2011.
Having been the City's liaison with the RCMP for a number of years, I can offer some opinions and observations with respect to the why these numbers have decreased so dramatically. It is recognized that crime in general in down in communities throughout BC and the country. However, not anywhere near the levels of reduction we've seen in Williams Lake.
Most notably, the Williams Lake RCMP has taken a very consistent approach to dealing with the community's prolific offenders - those few individuals who are responsible for a vast majority of crime. These individuals have been provided a particularly high level of attention from our RCMP members and as a result, when they offend, they are being arrested and are receiving stronger sentences. There is a clear correlation between reduced incidents of property crime and the incarceration of prolific offenders so when these individuals are in prison, our community is much safer.
Another factor influencing crime reduction is the dedication and efforts of the numerous volunteers in our community policing programs. These volunteers spend numerous hours patrolling our streets, facilitating Restorative Justice circles, monitoring traffic speeds and providing education to the community to name a few.
In late 2008, the current Council approved funding for two civilian support positions at the Williams Lake detachment, intended to reduce some of the administrative requirements of the RCMP members, thus allowing the members to spend more time on patrol and conducting investigations. These positions have proved invaluable and in 2010, Council committed to these positions becoming long term.
These latest statistics are good news for our community and indicate a promising trend that we hope will continue in 2011.
Friday, December 31, 2010
All the Best in 2011
2010 was my first full year as the CAO for the City of Williams Lake and it was a very gratifying year in my career. What really stands out for me is the people I have the privilege of working with. The City of Williams Lake has a very dedicated and committed staff, whether it be the Works Yard, Complex, City Hall, Airport, RCMP or Fire hall. From my experience, our staff fulfill their roles with pride and do a great job for City residents. When I take stock of all it takes to keep our City operating, it always comes down to the people. They keep our Airport runway clear, watch our children as they swim and skate, fight fires, keep our water running, plow the streets, enforce our bylaws and handle the public's inquiries to name just a few.
In addition to leading a great group of staff, I have the opportunity of working with an equally committed City Council. It isn't my place as a CAO to offer my opinions or assessment of the decisions made by Council. However, I can speak to the respect and confidence that all of Council has shown our staff throughout the year and their collective fostering of a productive working relationship between Council and Administration. Due to the 'hands-on' nature of local government, it is not uncommon for the roles of the elected body and administration to become blurred. I believe the success of this past year has been a dedicated effort of all concerned to respect and support the respective roles of Council and staff.
I am very much looking forward to 2011 and all of the opportunities that are ahead of us. As with any year, the budget is a critical and delicate process for both staff and Council. At the end of the day, staff must present Council with the best information possible to allow them to make their financial decisions for the upcoming year.
Some key areas where I and my staff will be focusing in 2011 include the implementation of a service delivery review and resident household survey. Economic development will continue to be a high priority as we identify and pursue opportunities to diversify our tax base and support existing businesses and industry. Community Forest, District Heating, Airport land development and development of the mountain biking industry are some examples of initiatives we will pursue. Some changes people will see in 2011 include a much improved City web site and improved communication with residents. We will also be working to improve options for the public to pay their bills and taxes.
In addition to leading a great group of staff, I have the opportunity of working with an equally committed City Council. It isn't my place as a CAO to offer my opinions or assessment of the decisions made by Council. However, I can speak to the respect and confidence that all of Council has shown our staff throughout the year and their collective fostering of a productive working relationship between Council and Administration. Due to the 'hands-on' nature of local government, it is not uncommon for the roles of the elected body and administration to become blurred. I believe the success of this past year has been a dedicated effort of all concerned to respect and support the respective roles of Council and staff.
I am very much looking forward to 2011 and all of the opportunities that are ahead of us. As with any year, the budget is a critical and delicate process for both staff and Council. At the end of the day, staff must present Council with the best information possible to allow them to make their financial decisions for the upcoming year.
Some key areas where I and my staff will be focusing in 2011 include the implementation of a service delivery review and resident household survey. Economic development will continue to be a high priority as we identify and pursue opportunities to diversify our tax base and support existing businesses and industry. Community Forest, District Heating, Airport land development and development of the mountain biking industry are some examples of initiatives we will pursue. Some changes people will see in 2011 include a much improved City web site and improved communication with residents. We will also be working to improve options for the public to pay their bills and taxes.
As 2011 marks the end of this current Council's term, City administration will be busy preparing for the municipal election in November. This is a major undertaking every three years and diligence in planning and preparation ensures a smooth process for the candidates and the electorate.
I very much enjoy my role as the CAO for the City of Williams Lake and I look forward to serving and supporting Council, staff and the community in the coming year.
Happy New Year to all!
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Use of Social Media
A report to Committee of the Whole last week regarding the proposed use of social media by the City has sparked a few comments from citizens. Although the number of comments aren't significant, it does indicate that some members of the community have reservations about the City moving in this 'electronic' direction. Ironically, some of the comments were received by 'electronic' mail.
It is important to note that the City is not abandoning the traditional methods of communicating with constituents such as newspaper ads/articles, public meetings, newsletters, radio, etc. These are all important tools to reach various segments of our population. However, various levels of government, including municipalities are recognizing the importance of social media in reaching a segment of the population that we may not normally engage. And unlike many of our conventional methods of communication, social media provides an opportunity for timely feedback from citizens.
Personally, I am not a regular user of Facebook, Twitter or other electronic networking sites and have my own opinions with respect to the overall benefits of social media to society. With that said, I do understand that social media has become an integral part of our culture and we need to keep pace with our citizens and their communication preferences, thus my CAO blog.
The creation of a social media policy for the City ensures that as we embrace these relatively new forms of communication, that they are used effectively and appropriately.
It is important to note that the City is not abandoning the traditional methods of communicating with constituents such as newspaper ads/articles, public meetings, newsletters, radio, etc. These are all important tools to reach various segments of our population. However, various levels of government, including municipalities are recognizing the importance of social media in reaching a segment of the population that we may not normally engage. And unlike many of our conventional methods of communication, social media provides an opportunity for timely feedback from citizens.
Personally, I am not a regular user of Facebook, Twitter or other electronic networking sites and have my own opinions with respect to the overall benefits of social media to society. With that said, I do understand that social media has become an integral part of our culture and we need to keep pace with our citizens and their communication preferences, thus my CAO blog.
The creation of a social media policy for the City ensures that as we embrace these relatively new forms of communication, that they are used effectively and appropriately.
Friday, December 3, 2010
CFIB Report - Municipal Spending Out Of Control
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business released a report this week that slams local governments for out of control spending. The CFIB uses a very simplistic formula that compares the increase in municipal spending between 2000 and 2008 with population and inflation growth over the same period and suggests that municipal spending increases should not exceed the population/inflationary increase.
The report ranks the City of Williams Lake as having the 4th highest per capita spending of the 25 BC municipalities with populations between 10,000 and 15,000 with $1656/capita. The report also shows an increase in operating expenditures of 43% in the 8 previous eight years compared to an 11% increase in population and inflation, concluding that there was excess spending in 2008 of $4.1 million.
The obvious problem with the CFIB report is that it only considers expenditures and does not factor in new or increased revenues that off-set increased expenditures. Some examples of new or increased revenues during this 8 year period include Gaming revenue, traffic fine revenue and Provincial grants for non-capital programs to name a few.
The report ranks the City of Williams Lake as having the 4th highest per capita spending of the 25 BC municipalities with populations between 10,000 and 15,000 with $1656/capita. The report also shows an increase in operating expenditures of 43% in the 8 previous eight years compared to an 11% increase in population and inflation, concluding that there was excess spending in 2008 of $4.1 million.
The obvious problem with the CFIB report is that it only considers expenditures and does not factor in new or increased revenues that off-set increased expenditures. Some examples of new or increased revenues during this 8 year period include Gaming revenue, traffic fine revenue and Provincial grants for non-capital programs to name a few.
In addition, the report does not acknowledge the fact that many increases in operating expenditures are beyond the control of the municipal government. Some examples include policing costs (RCMP), regional solid waste (CRD) or the costs of complying with new or enhanced regulations.
The CFIB report suggests that if the City of Williams Lake had maintained operational expenditures in line with population and inflationary increases, expenditures in 2008 should have been $4.1 million less than they actually were. There is no disputing that operating expenses have increased substantially in the past eight years. However, to reduce the municipality's operating expenses by $4.1 million would result in profound impacts to services provided by the municipality. The City provides cores municipal services to its residents, very few of which are discretionary. For example, RCMP and fire protection alone cost a total of $4 million annually. Water and sewer services are essential, roads must be maintained, garbage must be picked up, our airport and transit provide mobility and parks, recreation and culture add to quality of life. To reduce or eliminate any of these, or other services the City provides I would argue would not bve acceptable to our residents.
The CFIB report does bring to light the fact that municipal spending has increased over the past eight years. However, far more analysis of revenues, local priorities, service demands and historic spending decisions are required in order to determine that a particular municipality's spending is "excessive".
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Committees vs Portfolios
Traditionally in local government, Mayors assign specific roles to Councillors, outside of the Council and Committee of the Whole structures. These roles provide a Councillor(s) with responsibility for a particular function or group of functions within the municipality with the purpose of providing governance oversight.
I recently completed a research paper for a Local Government Administration course at Capilano University which examined the use of Portfolios vs Committees in BC municipalities. The most common form of Councillor assignment is through a Standing Committee. Under Section 141 of the Community Charter, the Mayor has the ability to establish Standing Committees "for matters the mayor considers would be better dealt with by committee and must appoint persons to those committees." A municipality commonly has 3 to 4 committees with 3 to 4 Councillors assigned to each committee. Committees are intended to examine or consider matters pertaining to their areas of responsibility and to make recommendations to either Committee of the Whole or Council. Committee meetings are scheduled, structured with agendas and minutes and open to the public.
In comparison, far fewer Mayors elect to use use the Portfolio system whereby individual Councillors are assigned to oversee specific departments or functions. Portfolios are similar to Committees by providing recommendations to Committee of the Whole or Council but are less structured and not generally open to the public.
Upon assessing the benefits and challenges associated with each structure, it was concluded that the Committee structure is more balanced with the involvement of three or four Councillors as opposed to a single Councillor and is more transparent with scheduled, open meetings.
The Mayor is currently contemplating a change from the current Portfolio system to a Committee structure in 2011. From an administrative perspective, Committees provide far more structure and reduce staff attendance at meetings from seven (Portfolios) to three (Committees). With a committee of three Councillors considering matters, recommendations can often go directly to Council rather than have to go to Committee of the Whole, reducing the time required for Council to make some decisions.
I recently completed a research paper for a Local Government Administration course at Capilano University which examined the use of Portfolios vs Committees in BC municipalities. The most common form of Councillor assignment is through a Standing Committee. Under Section 141 of the Community Charter, the Mayor has the ability to establish Standing Committees "for matters the mayor considers would be better dealt with by committee and must appoint persons to those committees." A municipality commonly has 3 to 4 committees with 3 to 4 Councillors assigned to each committee. Committees are intended to examine or consider matters pertaining to their areas of responsibility and to make recommendations to either Committee of the Whole or Council. Committee meetings are scheduled, structured with agendas and minutes and open to the public.
In comparison, far fewer Mayors elect to use use the Portfolio system whereby individual Councillors are assigned to oversee specific departments or functions. Portfolios are similar to Committees by providing recommendations to Committee of the Whole or Council but are less structured and not generally open to the public.
Upon assessing the benefits and challenges associated with each structure, it was concluded that the Committee structure is more balanced with the involvement of three or four Councillors as opposed to a single Councillor and is more transparent with scheduled, open meetings.
The Mayor is currently contemplating a change from the current Portfolio system to a Committee structure in 2011. From an administrative perspective, Committees provide far more structure and reduce staff attendance at meetings from seven (Portfolios) to three (Committees). With a committee of three Councillors considering matters, recommendations can often go directly to Council rather than have to go to Committee of the Whole, reducing the time required for Council to make some decisions.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Prosperity Decision
I was certainly caught off guard today, as were many, when the Federal Environment Minister announced in the House of Commons that Prosperity Mine would not proceed, at least not as it has been proposed. It is disappointing for many in our community who were looking forward to the opportunities associated with the mine. As frustrating as the decision is to the project's supporters, we must keep in mind that life will go on and that we shouldn't let this decision rule our future. At the same time I received the e-mail announcing the Federal Cabinet's decision, I received a media release from Tolko announcing two recently signed agreements with China National Building Materials, the country’s number one lumber distributor, to supply more than 364 million board feet of lumber for China's growing construction needs. The province also announced last month that the Cariboo Chilcotin Beetle Action Committee would receive $1 million per year for three years to support economic transition and development in the region. These are good stories that adds a degree of certainty for our local forest industry.
As a resident stated in a letter to the editor today, the City needs to establish a more focused strategy for economic development. I am pleased to say that we have been moving in this direction over the past few months. At the request of Council, our Economic Development Manager is increasing focus on specific business development initiatives such a potential District Heating project in the downtown core, a Community Forest application, assisting with the development of properties adjacent to Wal Mart and creating a development strategy for lands at the Airport. All of which will create new jobs, increase our tax base and expand opportunities for our existing businesses and industry.
Today, the Mayor confirmed the City's support for Taseko Mines as they consider the future of the Prosperity project and there is optimism that acceptable solutions can be found to allow the mine to proceed. In the meantime, the City will agressively pursue and support new economic opportunities to help ensure a strong stable future for our community.
As a resident stated in a letter to the editor today, the City needs to establish a more focused strategy for economic development. I am pleased to say that we have been moving in this direction over the past few months. At the request of Council, our Economic Development Manager is increasing focus on specific business development initiatives such a potential District Heating project in the downtown core, a Community Forest application, assisting with the development of properties adjacent to Wal Mart and creating a development strategy for lands at the Airport. All of which will create new jobs, increase our tax base and expand opportunities for our existing businesses and industry.
Today, the Mayor confirmed the City's support for Taseko Mines as they consider the future of the Prosperity project and there is optimism that acceptable solutions can be found to allow the mine to proceed. In the meantime, the City will agressively pursue and support new economic opportunities to help ensure a strong stable future for our community.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Welcome to Ken Macinnis
I am very much looking forward to November 1st as it will be the first day of work for Ken Macinnis as the City's new Communications Coordinator. Communications is an integral function within the City and I look forward to having Ken join our team and take on his new duties. Communications is not something you can do off the corner of the desk, at least if you want to do it effectively. Up until this week, the role has been share amongst a number of the staff with me producing a majority of the media releases.
The wildfires in August really drove home how important it is to have dedicated personnel looking after planning, producing and/or delivering communications. When issues are affecting our residents, whether it be a disaster or a new City service, people want timely and accurate information. From the City's perspective, we want to proactively inform residents of issues or occurrences so as to avoid rumours, speculation and misinformation.
By having a dedicated Communications Coordinator, it is my expectation that our residents will become better informed of happenings within the City. Communications will be timely and informative utilizing a range of electronic and non-electronic media. Stay tuned as I'm sure you'll notice the difference.
The wildfires in August really drove home how important it is to have dedicated personnel looking after planning, producing and/or delivering communications. When issues are affecting our residents, whether it be a disaster or a new City service, people want timely and accurate information. From the City's perspective, we want to proactively inform residents of issues or occurrences so as to avoid rumours, speculation and misinformation.
By having a dedicated Communications Coordinator, it is my expectation that our residents will become better informed of happenings within the City. Communications will be timely and informative utilizing a range of electronic and non-electronic media. Stay tuned as I'm sure you'll notice the difference.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Williams Lake Leading the Way
I am currently enrolled in the Local Government Administration Program through Capilano University in North Vancouver and every month, I join 24 other municipal employees from across BC for a weekend of classroom study. During the course, we benefit from guest lecturers, review literature, partake in group exercises and submit two formal research papers. However, one of the most beneficial aspects of the course is the exchange of information between the class participants who work in a range of local governments from villages to large lower mainland cities.
When the class discusses how our various municipalities deal with specific issues or challenges, it becomes very obvious how progressive the City of Williams Lake is on a number of fronts. One would assume that Metro Vancouver and other large municipalities would be on the leading edge and in many cases they are. However, I have become pleasantly aware over the last two months that the City of Williams Lake is remarkably advanced in how we administer, plan for and deliver our services. There are always functions we can improve on or issues where we could take different approaches but is is gratifying to know that as much as there is room to learn, there are many areas we can be proud of and provide leadership for other local governments.
When the class discusses how our various municipalities deal with specific issues or challenges, it becomes very obvious how progressive the City of Williams Lake is on a number of fronts. One would assume that Metro Vancouver and other large municipalities would be on the leading edge and in many cases they are. However, I have become pleasantly aware over the last two months that the City of Williams Lake is remarkably advanced in how we administer, plan for and deliver our services. There are always functions we can improve on or issues where we could take different approaches but is is gratifying to know that as much as there is room to learn, there are many areas we can be proud of and provide leadership for other local governments.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Paving, Paving Everywhere
2010 has seen the most paving we've seen in a very long time and the newly paved roads are certainly a treat to drive on. The condition of our roads is consistently a high priority for our residents and in response, the City began the development of a Pavement Management Plan in 2010 to identify and prioritize roads that require reconstruction. This plan is intended to provide direction for staff and Council when preparing future Capital budgets.
In 2010, the City was fortunate to have the Province and Federal Government approve the use of surplus funds from the Mackenzie Avenue project for other paving priorities in the City, including the reconstruction of Cameron Street which was previously approved in the 2010 budget. As a result, the City was able to repave a number of high priority streets including portions of Oliver Street, 4th Avenue, Western Avenue, Comer Street, Boundary Street and Third Avenue.
Although the pavement management plan had not been fully completed, it was able to assist staff and Council by identifying streets that should be considered for repaving this year. The final pavement management plan will be presented to Council for approval in November.
The City appreciates the patience of motorists during the paving activity as there were many times when traffic was disrupted and rerouted. Due to the late approval of additional paving funds, the contractor had a very challenging timeline and thanks to unseasonably warm and dry weather in October, they were able to complete the works before winter descends upon us.
In 2010, the City was fortunate to have the Province and Federal Government approve the use of surplus funds from the Mackenzie Avenue project for other paving priorities in the City, including the reconstruction of Cameron Street which was previously approved in the 2010 budget. As a result, the City was able to repave a number of high priority streets including portions of Oliver Street, 4th Avenue, Western Avenue, Comer Street, Boundary Street and Third Avenue.
Although the pavement management plan had not been fully completed, it was able to assist staff and Council by identifying streets that should be considered for repaving this year. The final pavement management plan will be presented to Council for approval in November.
The City appreciates the patience of motorists during the paving activity as there were many times when traffic was disrupted and rerouted. Due to the late approval of additional paving funds, the contractor had a very challenging timeline and thanks to unseasonably warm and dry weather in October, they were able to complete the works before winter descends upon us.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Community Arts Council Debt Settlement
I don't usually comment on specific Council decisions. However, Council's recent resolution to accept a Baby Grand piano from the Community Arts Council, in lieu of an outstanding debt owed to the City has caused a fair bit of discussion in the community. I thought it would be appropriate to highlight some points that people may not have considered or been aware of in relation to Council's decision.
The debt owed to the City was for outstanding lease fees for their occupancy of the Heritage House wing of Cariboo Lodge. This space was provided to the CAC as an interim measure after they had been evicted from their previous home when the City acquired Skyline School for the new Firehall. Fees for use of Heritage House were based on their annual cost of operating the Skyline facility. In the meantime, the City had provided some assurance to the CAC that the old Firehall would be available to them once it was vacated by the Fire Department and renovated.
During their occupation of Heritage House, the CAC experienced some significant financial challenges that prevented them from paying their rent to the City for the better part of a year, totalling $9163.
The City had been working with the CAC for over a year to determine a method for the CAC to satisfy their debt, in spite of their limited funding sources and financial situation. The proposal to "sell" the piano to the City in lieu of their debt was examined by staff and recommended to Council with consideration of the non-profit nature of the organization which has been historically supported by the City (and CRD) through Grants in Aide. The alternative of having the CAC sell the piano to a third party and pay the City with the proceeds was not preferable as the Complex (and its users) would then lose the benefit of a Baby Grand piano, which has served many performances, events, memorial services, etc. in the Gibraltar Room over the years. At the end of the day, the City now owns a piano worth well more than the debt owed to the City and the CAC has satisfied their debt and can move forward with a clean slate. More importantly, the community continues to benefit from the piano.
It should be noted that City Councils often come to unique arrangements with non-profits due to the fact that non-profits are just that and are generally involved in providing valuable service to the community or a sector of the community. If Council was not prepared to be flexible with the CAC, their ability to provide services to the community would certainly have been compromised which would in some ways contradict Council's Strategic Goal of supporting Arts and Culture by "Developing and Implementing and Arts and Culture Plan".
The debt owed to the City was for outstanding lease fees for their occupancy of the Heritage House wing of Cariboo Lodge. This space was provided to the CAC as an interim measure after they had been evicted from their previous home when the City acquired Skyline School for the new Firehall. Fees for use of Heritage House were based on their annual cost of operating the Skyline facility. In the meantime, the City had provided some assurance to the CAC that the old Firehall would be available to them once it was vacated by the Fire Department and renovated.
During their occupation of Heritage House, the CAC experienced some significant financial challenges that prevented them from paying their rent to the City for the better part of a year, totalling $9163.
The City had been working with the CAC for over a year to determine a method for the CAC to satisfy their debt, in spite of their limited funding sources and financial situation. The proposal to "sell" the piano to the City in lieu of their debt was examined by staff and recommended to Council with consideration of the non-profit nature of the organization which has been historically supported by the City (and CRD) through Grants in Aide. The alternative of having the CAC sell the piano to a third party and pay the City with the proceeds was not preferable as the Complex (and its users) would then lose the benefit of a Baby Grand piano, which has served many performances, events, memorial services, etc. in the Gibraltar Room over the years. At the end of the day, the City now owns a piano worth well more than the debt owed to the City and the CAC has satisfied their debt and can move forward with a clean slate. More importantly, the community continues to benefit from the piano.
It should be noted that City Councils often come to unique arrangements with non-profits due to the fact that non-profits are just that and are generally involved in providing valuable service to the community or a sector of the community. If Council was not prepared to be flexible with the CAC, their ability to provide services to the community would certainly have been compromised which would in some ways contradict Council's Strategic Goal of supporting Arts and Culture by "Developing and Implementing and Arts and Culture Plan".
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Where Has the CAO Been?
I find myself again apologizing for my lack of posts recently. Between some vacation time, a Local Government Administration program at Capilano University and Union of BC Municipalities Convention, September has flown by. I have certainly had a fair share of comments about my Blog delinquency. So now time catch up on a number of initiatives that may be of interest:
CN Rail Ties - As of this past weekend, the contractor was doing some very final clean-up with all of the chips removed. Finally! In a meeting with CN Rail last week, they admitted to the error in choosing this site as a grinding and storage facility in the core of our City. The future of the site is in the hands of the owner, BC Properties. With respect to contaminated soils, this falls under the Environmental Management Act which requires a Site Profile and possible Site Investigation should the owner transfer the property or apply for a rezoning, development or development variance permit or change in use. Given the site's past history as a rail works and storage yard, there will undoubtedly be some degree of contamination.
Road Paving Program - Thanks to a suggestion and support of Community and Rural Development Minister Ben Stewart and MLA Donna Barnett late this summer, the City applied to the Federal/Provincial Infrastructure Program to utilize the surplus funds from our Mackenzie Avenue grant for other paving priorities in the City. After a rather lengthy approval process, we received approval Monday last week which has resulted in the rather hasty implementation of the expanded paving program this week. At the end of the day, the City will benefit from approximately $1 million in paving at a cost of approximately $300,000 to City taxpayers. Pretty good value. The City utilized our recently developed 'Pavement Management Plan' to priortize the streets to be paved.
Infrastructure Improvements at the Complex - Regualr users of the Complex may have noticed a number of improvements that have been completed in recent months. Some are more obvious than others, including new sidewalks, lighting in the pool, informational video monitors in the lobbies, arena washrooms, etc. Behind the scenes, the pool has a renewed de-humidification system and new high efficiency boilers. Still to be completed is a new entrance for the arenas with automated doors similar to the main entry. Not only will these improvements contriubute to increased energy efficiency in the building but will make the building more user friendly and modern.
2010 Union of BC Municipalities Convention - I joined a majority of Council in Whsitler at the UBCM Convention last week. As usual, it was a very busy week with many meetings with Ministers and other agencies and numerous education and information sessions. Highlights include obtaining approval from CN Rail to use their road between the rail line and the lake east of RC Cotton for the KidSport Classic in 2011, consideration by the RCMP for a Urban First Nations policing unit, pledge of $1 million per year for three years for the CC Beetle Action Coalition by the Premier and recognition for the City's FCM Sustainibility Award. Although a significant committment of time, I always leave UBCM with a sense of confidence in what we are doing as a community and new information we can use to make our community and administration even better.
CN Rail Ties - As of this past weekend, the contractor was doing some very final clean-up with all of the chips removed. Finally! In a meeting with CN Rail last week, they admitted to the error in choosing this site as a grinding and storage facility in the core of our City. The future of the site is in the hands of the owner, BC Properties. With respect to contaminated soils, this falls under the Environmental Management Act which requires a Site Profile and possible Site Investigation should the owner transfer the property or apply for a rezoning, development or development variance permit or change in use. Given the site's past history as a rail works and storage yard, there will undoubtedly be some degree of contamination.
Road Paving Program - Thanks to a suggestion and support of Community and Rural Development Minister Ben Stewart and MLA Donna Barnett late this summer, the City applied to the Federal/Provincial Infrastructure Program to utilize the surplus funds from our Mackenzie Avenue grant for other paving priorities in the City. After a rather lengthy approval process, we received approval Monday last week which has resulted in the rather hasty implementation of the expanded paving program this week. At the end of the day, the City will benefit from approximately $1 million in paving at a cost of approximately $300,000 to City taxpayers. Pretty good value. The City utilized our recently developed 'Pavement Management Plan' to priortize the streets to be paved.
Infrastructure Improvements at the Complex - Regualr users of the Complex may have noticed a number of improvements that have been completed in recent months. Some are more obvious than others, including new sidewalks, lighting in the pool, informational video monitors in the lobbies, arena washrooms, etc. Behind the scenes, the pool has a renewed de-humidification system and new high efficiency boilers. Still to be completed is a new entrance for the arenas with automated doors similar to the main entry. Not only will these improvements contriubute to increased energy efficiency in the building but will make the building more user friendly and modern.
2010 Union of BC Municipalities Convention - I joined a majority of Council in Whsitler at the UBCM Convention last week. As usual, it was a very busy week with many meetings with Ministers and other agencies and numerous education and information sessions. Highlights include obtaining approval from CN Rail to use their road between the rail line and the lake east of RC Cotton for the KidSport Classic in 2011, consideration by the RCMP for a Urban First Nations policing unit, pledge of $1 million per year for three years for the CC Beetle Action Coalition by the Premier and recognition for the City's FCM Sustainibility Award. Although a significant committment of time, I always leave UBCM with a sense of confidence in what we are doing as a community and new information we can use to make our community and administration even better.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Lessons Learned from 2010 Fires
This summer saw unprecedented wildfire activity in the region, particularly in the Chilcotin where dry conditions coupled with hectares of dead pine fueled fires in almost every corner of the Plateau. What was concerning about this year's fires wasn't so much the sizes or numbers but the widespread threats to homes, ranches and populated areas and the resulting evacuations. The City of Williams Lake was not immune from the threat of interface fire as the Meldrum Complex burned toward the Fraser River in mid August. Given the conditions and weather forecasts at the time, the City and CRD, in consultation with the Ministry of Forests initiated Evacuation Alerts and Orders over areas between the City and the Fraser. The concern was that predicted winds could throw the fire over the Fraser, creating a potentially dangerous situation for greater Williams Lake property owners and residents. Fortunately the predicted conditions did not materialize and the fires remained west of the Fraser. What did materialize however was an incredible learning experience for the the City and partner agencies as we implemented the City's Emergency Plan and began preparing for worst case scenarios.
The City joined the CRD's Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) as all emergency response agencies were already present in the EOC and communication lines were well established. As the possibility of a City evacuation increased, the City established our own EOC at the new Fire Hall in order to concentrate on evacuation planning and response, involving the RCMP, Ministry of Transportation and Interior Health. The City maintained a presence in the CRD EOC, ensuring communication and coordination between the two EOCs.
Although the City's emergency plan contemplates mass evacuation and provides a framework for initiating such an endeavour, there were a number of logistical details that had to be worked out, particularly regarding the evacuation of vulnerable, disabled and elderly. With the appropriate agencies at the table, we were able to develop a detailed multi-agency evacuation plan that will ensure an effective and orderly evacuation should it be required in the future.
Interface fires are becoming the norm throughout the Province with global warming and dying forests. Williams Lake is surrounded by forest, much of it under attack from Mountian Pine Beetle and and an increasing presence of Fir Beetle. It is only a matter of time until there is a fire at our doorstep that will require the evacuation of portions of, or all of the greater Williams Lake area. Thanks to this recent 'close call', I am extremely confident that we have suffient plans and emergency response structures in place to effectively and safely evacuate our residents should the need arise.
The City joined the CRD's Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) as all emergency response agencies were already present in the EOC and communication lines were well established. As the possibility of a City evacuation increased, the City established our own EOC at the new Fire Hall in order to concentrate on evacuation planning and response, involving the RCMP, Ministry of Transportation and Interior Health. The City maintained a presence in the CRD EOC, ensuring communication and coordination between the two EOCs.
Although the City's emergency plan contemplates mass evacuation and provides a framework for initiating such an endeavour, there were a number of logistical details that had to be worked out, particularly regarding the evacuation of vulnerable, disabled and elderly. With the appropriate agencies at the table, we were able to develop a detailed multi-agency evacuation plan that will ensure an effective and orderly evacuation should it be required in the future.
Interface fires are becoming the norm throughout the Province with global warming and dying forests. Williams Lake is surrounded by forest, much of it under attack from Mountian Pine Beetle and and an increasing presence of Fir Beetle. It is only a matter of time until there is a fire at our doorstep that will require the evacuation of portions of, or all of the greater Williams Lake area. Thanks to this recent 'close call', I am extremely confident that we have suffient plans and emergency response structures in place to effectively and safely evacuate our residents should the need arise.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Taking Advantage of Summer at Work
With many of our staff on holidays, not just at the City but in other agencies we deal with, the summer months provide an excellent opportunity for those still at work to get caught up. On a regular, day to day basis, the information flow and workload in City Hall can seem relentless. Incoming correspondence from countless sources, e-mails, reporting requirements, Council meeting agendas and minutes, reports to Council and the list goes on. The work is challenging and the days go extremely fast. However, the pace often doesn't allow us to keep up with the less critical, but equally important functions such as keeping files in order, planning for future initiatives, connecting informally with staff and other things that tend to take a back seat when we are busy.
It is important that the CAO and senior staff have an opportunity to get their heads 'out of the trench' and dedicate time to anticipating the future, evaluating what we are doing, how we are doing it and if there are better ways to do it. Too often we do things the same old way, not because it's the best way but because change takes time and effort. More often we are forced to make a reactive change when something goes wrong. However, it is preferable that we make changes 'proactively' so that we have time to think the issues through and implement change effectively. The summer months give us the opportunity to do just that.
It is important that the CAO and senior staff have an opportunity to get their heads 'out of the trench' and dedicate time to anticipating the future, evaluating what we are doing, how we are doing it and if there are better ways to do it. Too often we do things the same old way, not because it's the best way but because change takes time and effort. More often we are forced to make a reactive change when something goes wrong. However, it is preferable that we make changes 'proactively' so that we have time to think the issues through and implement change effectively. The summer months give us the opportunity to do just that.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Stampede A Huge Success
Another Williams Lake Stampede has come and gone and from all accounts, it was a great success. The weather cooperated for a majority of the weekend, especially Saturday for the Parade. The downtown was a buzz with activity Saturday and hats go off to the WLBIA for a great job organizing Street Party. The Rodeo ran without a hitch as usual with good crowds for all the performances. My only concern was the number of particpants in the Mountain Race as it seemed a little too many to be safe (or as safe as the Mountain Race can be).
The RCMP reported a relatively quiet Stampede Weekend with very few serious incidents. They had a good presence in the community which sets a tone for how folks behave. Our Stampede is certainly becoming more and more a true family event.
I had a little different perspective this year as I spent two mornings slinging bacon and hash browns at the Rotary Breakfast. It was fun to see all the comings and goings and to experience breakfast from the other side of the grill.
Now it's time to put away the cowboy boots and hat and enjoy the rest of summer!
The RCMP reported a relatively quiet Stampede Weekend with very few serious incidents. They had a good presence in the community which sets a tone for how folks behave. Our Stampede is certainly becoming more and more a true family event.
I had a little different perspective this year as I spent two mornings slinging bacon and hash browns at the Rotary Breakfast. It was fun to see all the comings and goings and to experience breakfast from the other side of the grill.
Now it's time to put away the cowboy boots and hat and enjoy the rest of summer!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Preparing for Prosperity
I must apologise for my delinquency in maintaining my blog these last two months. May was extremely hectic as I was out of town attending conferences three of the four weeks in May. It seemed that June was spent getting caught up from being away and getting our Annual Report prepared. I am looking forward to the summer months when things quiet down and I have time to get prepared for the 2011 budget process which begins in September.
Both City Council and staff are anxiously awaiting the report of the Federal Panel Review for Prosperity Mine. The final decision for the mine will have a significant impact on our municipality, whether it be positive or negative.
If the Federal Cabinet approves the mine, we will experience a level of growth and activity not recently experienced. Our challenge will be managing growth as opposed to encouraging growth. We will have a role to play in assisting our business community in being able to take advantage of the numerous opportunities associated with the mine. We will also have a significant demand for residential and commercial development which we must be in a position to respond to in a timely and coordinated fashion. As the CAO, I continue to develop organizational contingency plans in anticipation of the mine moving forward and the ICSP process will provide us to tools to ensure our growth is managed in a sustainable manner.
In the unfortunate event that the mine experiences challenges in moving forward, we will need to adjust our Economic Development strategy to address a potential decrease in economic confidence. Economic diversity will become even more important as we will be forced to rely less on the resource sector for our economic fuel.
Both City Council and staff are anxiously awaiting the report of the Federal Panel Review for Prosperity Mine. The final decision for the mine will have a significant impact on our municipality, whether it be positive or negative.
If the Federal Cabinet approves the mine, we will experience a level of growth and activity not recently experienced. Our challenge will be managing growth as opposed to encouraging growth. We will have a role to play in assisting our business community in being able to take advantage of the numerous opportunities associated with the mine. We will also have a significant demand for residential and commercial development which we must be in a position to respond to in a timely and coordinated fashion. As the CAO, I continue to develop organizational contingency plans in anticipation of the mine moving forward and the ICSP process will provide us to tools to ensure our growth is managed in a sustainable manner.
In the unfortunate event that the mine experiences challenges in moving forward, we will need to adjust our Economic Development strategy to address a potential decrease in economic confidence. Economic diversity will become even more important as we will be forced to rely less on the resource sector for our economic fuel.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Community Corner Grand Opening
April 30 was an exciting day for those of us involved with the Community Corner project. Looking back to the beginning, I can distinctly recall sitting in the Mayor's office with some senior staff of Petro Canada back in 2007. We had asked to meet with them to discuss the City's concerns with the state of the old Petro Can service station which was being leased by an automotive repair business. Old cars and trucks, pieces of machinery and parts littered the site, creating an eyesore on one of the most prolific properties in the downtown core. Petro Can acknowledged our concerns and agreed to find a more suitable tenant for the property.
At about the same time, discussions were being had with both Communities in Bloom and the Food Policy Council with respect to possible uses of the site. One concept was to acquire the land and demolish the building to create a park and green space in the downtown. The other suggestion was to utilize the building for a unique cooperative between the Food Policy Council, Business Improvement Area and Community Policing, all of whom were considering new office space.
The City favoured the partnership concept and approached Petro Can with a proposal to lease the facility with a fee equivalent to their annual municipal property tax which is approximately $5500. With some renderings of proposed facade improvements and a unique community partnership, Petro Can was happy to accept the proposal in 2008. The Partnership successfully applied to the City and CRD for a $10,000 Grant in Aide and began and aggressive donation drive to secure the resources required to renovate the vacant service station. Petro Can assisted by removing the automotive hoists, leaving the Partnership with the challenge of transforming the dirty, greasy service bays and office space into a functional, inviting establishment to serve three diverse groups.
Community Corner is an excellent example of local government working with community groups in pooling our resources and efforts for the benefit of the entire community and I am proud to have played a role with this dedicated group of volunteers.
At about the same time, discussions were being had with both Communities in Bloom and the Food Policy Council with respect to possible uses of the site. One concept was to acquire the land and demolish the building to create a park and green space in the downtown. The other suggestion was to utilize the building for a unique cooperative between the Food Policy Council, Business Improvement Area and Community Policing, all of whom were considering new office space.
The City favoured the partnership concept and approached Petro Can with a proposal to lease the facility with a fee equivalent to their annual municipal property tax which is approximately $5500. With some renderings of proposed facade improvements and a unique community partnership, Petro Can was happy to accept the proposal in 2008. The Partnership successfully applied to the City and CRD for a $10,000 Grant in Aide and began and aggressive donation drive to secure the resources required to renovate the vacant service station. Petro Can assisted by removing the automotive hoists, leaving the Partnership with the challenge of transforming the dirty, greasy service bays and office space into a functional, inviting establishment to serve three diverse groups.
Community Corner is an excellent example of local government working with community groups in pooling our resources and efforts for the benefit of the entire community and I am proud to have played a role with this dedicated group of volunteers.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)