Council approved travel for Coun. Geoff Bourdon to attend MP Dick Harris’s roundtable to discuss Canada’s economy for the upcoming 2011 budget at the Civic Centre in Prince George on Wednesday, Jan. 26.
Council endorses wood stove exchange program
Council endorsed the 2011 wood stove exchange program being run in the Cariboo region during the months of February, March and April, and encouraged the community to participate by exchanging their old wood stoves for new more efficient stoves. Council authorized an in-kind contribution to the 2011 wood stove exchange program by providing an $80 building permit rebate for every woodstove purchased and installed under the 2011 wood stove exchange program; and council permitted the Williams Lake Environmental Society to place a display in the City Hall lobby highlighting the wood stove exchange program. The City will provide the rebate for a maximum of 25 woodstoves within city limits.
Grant sought for storm water
management
Council authorized staff to submit a grant funding application through the Gas Tax Agreement Innovations Fund for construction of Overall Stormwater Management Phase 3 in 2011.
Phase 3 of the Overall Stormwater Management Project, scheduled for construction in 2012, is currently in detailed design stage and will be build-ready shortly.
Successful applicants will be awarded grant funding up to the lesser of 100 per cent of the actual eligible project costs and 100 per cent of the estimated eligible project costs identified in the application. Therefore, if successful, Overall Stormwater Management — Phase 3 would be constructed in 2011 rather than 2012 to take advantage of full funding. The amount of funding applied for as per cost estimate is $771,625 excluding HST.
Remedial Action imposed
Council imposed remedial action on the owners of 675 Pigeon Ave., as vehicles parked on the property constitute a nuisance as defined in a prevention and Abatement of Nuisances bylaw and in the Community Charter. The City says the nuisance also violates a zoning bylaw.
Council imposed the requirement that 11 derelict vehicles on the property be removed. If the owner has not complied by the date specified, the City may, without further notice to the owner, undertake the work at the expense of the owner, and for that purpose may by its employees or those of a contractor enter on the land for the purpose of completing the requirement.
If the City takes action under this resolution, it may recover the costs incurred from the owner as a debt, and in the same manner and with the same remedies as property taxes under the Community Charter.
The City says previous attempts to discuss complaints of the number of vehicles being stored have been unsuccessful.
Councillors
appointed to Junior Council
Council appointed councillors Natalie Hébert and Laurie Walters as liaisons to the Junior Council for the remainder of the term of this council, and agreed two councillors will be appointed at the inaugural meeting of the new council in December 2011 to be the liaison with the Junior Council.