e-princerupert.com

Prince Rupert Regional Information Site

April 20th

We See

Wolves and penthouses

Kids at the alternate school spotted a wolf in mall parking lot yesterday

Keeping up with the Joneses?

One Payne brother has a penthouse overlooking harbour – arrow left --- thus perhaps another brother wishes to emulate with this new addition over 101 E First? (see my previous)

 

Lots of Spring cleaning/ Works going on in PR

 

 

At one time Rupert produced lots of good apples – here is one of the ‘old timers’ in front of a house on Third

Back to the Future?

We have gone through a period where trees became mere ornaments – useful only when flowered – thus ‘cherry’ tree above

 

Back to the Future?

Here someone on 2nd West has planted a new apple tree in front yard – only time will tell if apples edible or ornamental ---- Still it is the kind of thing Green Team 2 should look into – I am told that similarly currant bushes used to be common all around town --- and some other fruiting trees --- the point is that need varieties adapted to Rupert climate – might mean salvaging these ‘heritage’ plants

 

 

So when did Koning take over at SQCRD and what is her pay?

That was what one questioner at last meeting was trying to get at --- the rumour around is that she is earning on order of 200T$ with all the added benefits --- Looking back at my files I have her leaving the City in March 2009 and John Holland leaving SQCRD on August 19th 2009 (file has many links SQCRD) --- The question then becomes was the CAO job ‘advertised’ (not likely) --- or was Koning appointed without a competition ‘because City Reps (read Mussallem) knew her’ etc – More later

 

I was told by staff the point of the new drafting software – OCP maps by outsider contractor were like ‘postage stamps’ – and very difficult to tell exactly where a property might lie --- (what zone) as those postage stamp maps were the legal plan etc – now can ‘see’ within inches where boundaries are etc

City Budget ‘Be Happy ‘ the cuts could be deeper to support Watson Island at $10T/ month

Not only are transit fares increasing ‘dramatically’ but so too fees at Civic Center Complex (latter only to cover HST) --- but is it fair that City Staff get subsidized at 1/3 rate Senior Citizens must pay? At least employees should pay same rate kids do

 

I will look more closely at City Budget over the next few days

In many ways this should be an easy job as it is essentially last years budget with new numbers

 

But note how Dumbed down the Rodin budgets are from what we had before –

I am told Council has a thick binder with much better information – but mere citizens don’t need to bother with such detail

 

See this page for links to previous Budget articles

 

 

Here is the kind of info that is needed

All the above info is folded into Grants and other Fees in 2010 budget and given as a lump sum

 

 

 

Let’s use Rodin logic as rolled out in Recreation Complex discussion – his data shows that City has consistently subsidized the Civic Center Complex to the tune of 2M$ -- and that the Revenue taken in is about 1/3rd the subsidy ----Now lets apply same ‘logic’ to City Transit where public puts in $319,664 and City $239,665.00 --- for a ‘subsidy of 1 to 0.75--- And for the Airport subsidy it is $883,152 to the City’s $915,528 or about 1:1.04

 

Using this ‘logic’ Transit fare increases should be limited to 1:1 – similar to the much more expensive Airport Ferry

Recounting:

So Taxpayers allow RCMP and City Staff to swim at 1/4 rate paid by adults --- but ding the poor who ride buses and don’t drive GHG emitting cars to work etc – makes sense to me

More later – Previous Budget links here

Created by LG on 20/4/2010

Last updated on Tuesday, April 20, 2010