|
Comments? |
|
Prince Rupert Regional Information
Site |
||||
NATURESea, land, river PEOPLESCommunity
|
|
|
Highlight
of evening was MLA Garry Coons discussing looming fare increases for BC
Ferries A busy agenda with lots added
Issue 54 = 45T$ to PR 10T$ added for Tsunami studies etc Mainland Recycling generates surplus But Islands waste still 305T$ in hole |
|
|
Invited to
give his perspectives |
|
Primary
message was to ‘pull together as a region’ from First Nations to Chambers of
Commerce etc 2nd
emphasis was to appeal to locally appointed Ferry Board member Steve Smith to
make the case Generated
good discussion among Board |
|
The
Board was making the case that not only Tourism – But that Ferries was their
Highway – one member
recounted how he had paid 150$ to come over to Rupert from QCIs to attend
this meeting – that was for a passage and room and without a vehicle – few
people have to pay 150$ for use of a toll road Coons
responded that recent polls saw 71% of respondents wishing to return Ferries
to Provincial control Des
Nobles made the point that ‘user pays’ Will
translate into ‘user’ wont pay – and will stop using the facility |
|
Pulling Together Discussion
led to seeing BC Ferries as Highway for Coastal Communities --- thus looking
for other communities similarly affected – The meant Bella Bella and areas south – the Coastal Community Network was to be contacted etc Effectiveness
of Ferry Board questioned ‘These
meetings infrequent and usually amount to BC Ferries ‘reporting out’ to us
and not wanting any real input from appointed members’ commented Carol
Kulesha mayor of Village of QC |
|
Most interesting |
|
|
While
I asked why/ what this 45T$ was for --- I received various explanations ---
and will have to return to it later – Here is MFA ‘explanation’ for issue
#54 – clear? |
|
The
Emergency (Response) funding for D & E (Tsunami etc) was most interesting
|
A busy
agenda – numerous added items etc |
|
These are from the
additions to agenda Village of QC interested
in terms of office and remuneration of elected reps – wants guidelines from
Province on latter –where not tied to assessed value or population etc |
|
‘We
need Sirens’ was Kulesha’s observation --- and others agree --- Cory Delves (Village
of Port Clements) spoke of his
recent vacation in Hawaii and their excellent Tsunami Response --- especially
how focus upon non-residents – and their information needs etc |
‘We
Consulted’ |
|
I will return to
this again later --- but it was again Carol Kulesha that pointed out hat only
300 residents in Area E and paying an additional 10T$ tax would be onerous –
Evan Putterill seemed miffed that anyone would question his judgement --- and
mentioned that the Homeowners’ Grant had been increased ---- But to me this
highlights a structural weakness of SQCRD --- First Nations’ Reserves provide
most the population – but because don’t pay taxes – tend to be left out –
completely --- Emergency Response would seem to be best to include Reserves and municipalities etc |
|
|
Mainland
Recycling always contentious |
|
I have included only parts of the relevant budget sheet (all available online)--- note how the excellent price for cardboard has helped generate a 25T$ surplus in 2010 instead of the anticipate d loss of 16T$) Note too how the
‘Administration’ funding has been increased by about 40% in 2011 (pink arrow
below) --- This has been done across all the different files |
|
|
Here was the
big loss maker from earlier years |
|
In 2010 had to get
special permission from Province to run a deficit ---- While the new manager
has made the operation more efficient --- we note that it still did not
generate as much $$ as budgeted in 2010 --- though the 474T$ deficit was
still brought down to 305T$ |
|
|
|
|
Note
again the increase in Admin charges |
|
And NTI
funding --- MIEDS (Misty Isles Economic Development
Society) Best quote of evening – MIEDS should adopt Oona River and Dodge Cove
(then won’t have to fight over the split in funding) |
City Council meeting Monday night
|
|
I
will return to the ‘Structural Weakness’ of SQCRD Tuesday ---- needless to
say the ‘Best Quote’ (left) is symptomatic ---- I have referred to this as
the Neo-Colonialism implicit in SQCRD
|
Created by LG on 26/3/2011
Last updated on Monday, March 28, 2011