CRD Board Highlights - Friday, March 27th

Delegations:

1) Ron Rasmussen, CA and CRD Auditor - Review of 2008 Audited Financial Statements, for year ending December 31st, 2008 for the Cariboo Regional District and Cariboo/Cariboo-Chilcotin Regional Hospital District Boards

Business:

1) On April 20, 2009, Cariboo Chilcotin Regional Hospital District (CCRHD) Vice Chair, Mary Sjostrom and North Cariboo Area C Director, John Massier will be attending a Northern Health orientation for RHDs. Twice each year, Northern Health and the Regional Hospital Districts meet in Prince George to discuss capital planning and Northern Health’s priority setting strategies. The orientation will include an overview of Northern Health, including the organization, structure, capital planning, and capital project operations

2) The Cariboo Regional District will provide support to Cariboo Chilcotin internet service providers’ (ISP) applications for the Building Canada Fund. Under the Broadband and Connectivity portion of the program, the purpose of the funding is to help ISPs in the expansion of broadband and connectivity services to rural and remote communities. Further information is available by contacting the CRD at 250-392-3351 or toll free at 1-800-665-1636.

3) A regional meeting will be held with the municipalities, the Cariboo Regional District and the Town of Smithers on April 8 at 1:30pm at Thompson Rivers University to discuss the NAV CANADA Discussion Paper regarding Air Traffic Service Requirements. MP’s Dick Harris and Cathy McLeod along with key stakeholder groups will also be invited to the session. The study proposed service changes for the Quesnel and Williams Lake Regional Airports. In response, the Cariboo Regional District, the City of Williams Lake, the City of Quesnel, and the District of 100 Mile House sent letters to NAV CANADA expressing the desire not to lose or have reductions to these important services.

4) The Cariboo Regional District updated its Building Inspection Bylaw to comply with current BC Building Code requirements. Residents planning on new construction projects or renovations are encouraged to contact the CRD Building Inspection Department to see if they are within a designated Building Inspection Boundary.

5) The Cariboo Regional District will be submitting applications to the Building Canada Fund for a number of shovel ready projects throughout the Cariboo Chilcotin. The CRD has identified a number of projects including the North Cariboo Multi-Centre (Quesnel), the Kyllo Water Reservoir Replacement (108 Ranch), the South Cariboo Airport Improvements (South Cariboo region) and Wheelchair Accessible Trails (Regional). The Federal and Provincial Governments recently announced the second intake of applications for the Building Canada Fund with a deadline of April 24, 2009. Eligible categories for this round include water, wastewater, solid waste infrastructure, local roads, green energy, disaster mitigation, culture, tourism, sport, recreation and collaborative projects. Further information on the Building Canada program is available online at www.buildingcanada-chantierscanada.gc.ca

6) The Area 'J' Director, Alex Bracewell requested that emergency preparedness education programs available through the CRD, Municipalities or independent fire departments be expanded to the Chilcotin elementary schools. Bracewell suggested that schools along Highway 20 in Alexis Creek, Tatla Lake and Anahim Lake would provide excellent opportunities. Presentations to the students would include demonstrations with the CRD Fire Safety House, Fire Smart information, fire escape plans and information about when to use 9-1-1.

7) The Cariboo Regional District will provide letters of support to the District of Wells for their Job Opportunities Partnership funding program applications. The first project is the implementation of recommendations of the Wells/Barkerville Community Wildfire Plan. Work will involve treatment in and around the Wells waste transfer station and the area surrounding the New Barkerville subdivision. The work entails fuel modification activities such as thinning, pruning, and removal of fuels. The second project is the replacement and repair of existing structures for a mountain bike trails project. The location of these trails is in the Wells/Barkerville area of the Quesnel Forest District - an area roughly bounded by Stanley to the west, Mount Murray to the north, the 3100 road to the east, and Mount Burdett to the south.

8) The CRD Board of Directors' passed the 2009 Budget and 5-Year Financial Plan for Years 2009-2013. Area 'B' Director Roberta Faust voted against the Budget, as she was unable to review the Budget 'line-by-line' on her laptop and was unable to get a printed spreadsheet. Area 'F' Director Duncan Barnett also voted against the Budget. His reasons for voting against the Budget include concerns about the Administration Function