Outcome of Public Information Meeting - City of WL 2010 Budget Process

Present:

Mayor Kerry Cook
Councillors L.T Walters, S.J. Zacharias, G.W. Bourdon, T.C. Barr
Brian Carruthers – City of Williams Lake CAO
Darcy Lazzarin – General Manager of Corporate Services, City of WL
Geoff Goodall – General Manager of Planning & Operations, City of WL
Tom Chung – IT Manager, City of WL
4 Members of the Public
Members of the Media - WL Tribune, Cariboo Advisor and The Rush/Wolf Radio

Meeting started at 7:30pm

Mayor Cook gave opening comments and noted the presence and absence of City Councillors (City Councillors Natalie Montoya and Surinder Rathor both absent at this meeting as Councillor Montoya was busy and Councillor Rathor is vacationing in India)

The CAO gave a Powerpoint Presentation on the 2010 Budget Process:

• Reviewed Council actions in 2009 on their 10 Strategic Goals for the 2008-2011 Term
• Reviewed Council actions for 2010, in regard to Council Strategic Priorities for 2010 & 2011

Councillor Tom Barr (Council Finance Chair) reviewed 2010 Budget Preparation Targets:

• Property Tax Rates - 4 scenarios of status quo, increases of 2%, 3.5%, or 5%
• Utility Rates – 3 scenarios of status quo, increase of 25% in 2010 & 2011 or 50% in 2011
• Review of Major Capital Projects proposed in the City in 2010:

i) Renovations to Old Fire Hall – Arts Facility
ii) Traffic Signal Upgrade – 2nd Avenue and Oliver Street
iii) Reconstruction of Cameron Street and 3rd to 5th Avenues
iv) Pavement Management Plan
v) Mackenzie Avenue Rehabilitation
vi) Feasibility Study for Prosperity Ridge Traffic Access
vii) Preliminary Design for Woodland Drive – Water & Sewer
viii) Aquifer Assessment
ix) Phase 1 Twinning of River Valley Sewer Main

A Question and Answer Period ensued

Questions included:

• Property Tax Rates – review of rates in property classes
• Discussion around General Water & Sewer Infrastructure Projects in the City
• Lack of Stable Communications – Time of this Meeting
• RCMP Contract – Funding of Positions
• Water and Sewer Utility Rates – when deferring of increases to Water & Sewer Rates becomes impossible
• Mackenzie Avenue – remove industrial traffic to Highway 97 North, via Mackenzie Avenue Connector, in order to improve safety for pedestrians & car/light truck traffic
• Sustainability Plan and how it plays into Council Operations & 2010 Council Strategic Priorities
• Mackenzie Avenue Project – Decision on Referendum vs Alternate Approval Process (Counter-Petition)

Mayor Cook gave closing comments – Next meeting in February 2010 on City of WL 2010 Budget

Meeting adjourned at 8:40pm