WL News...Oct 11th edition

* Kerry Cook receives 2nd First Nations' endorsement from Soda Creek Band Chief Bev Sellars - see here

Editor's Note - I wonder, as a practical item, if these endorsements from both Soda Creek/Williams Lake Bands, will translate into local votes for Ms. Cook, given how often First Nations members' vote in other elections, both provincially and federally

* Tribune columnist Diana French says - Time is now for local governments to work together (CRD, City of WL and School District #27) - see here
* Geoff Bourdon formallly announces his re-election, over at Welcome to Williams Lake.  See his statement here and his video announcement here

Editor's Note - let's look a bit further at Councillor Bourdon's statement:

Bylaws:

* Revised Parking, Animal Control, Storage Container, False Alarm and Signage Bylaws.  Signage Bylaws was done well, however on Animal Control (no consultation with the public).  Storage Container/False Alarm (public was consulted however public was suspect of Council's true intentions' and whether or not these two bylaws were in the public's best interest)

Taxation Issues:

* Promote new industrial development and existing business to expand - examples of this?? This Council has raised taxes to the point where Heavy Industry taxation is the highest in 2011 in all of BC

* Revised criteria to eliminate ‘double dipping’ and stop funding non-profit businesses that provide the same services as private business - WL Golf Course still gets "Grant-in-Aide"?? but the rest of this statement I agree with

New Goals:

* Individual Tax incentive programs focused on Industrial diversification, commercial expansion and development and helping home owners with the legalization of secondary suites. No costing for this and until there is (given high taxation and high debt load) - we need to re-evaluate how Council has done in downtown core with Tax Revitalization program and see if it has work BEFORE expanding it. Also - local tax structure will need to be addressed BEFORE I can see Industry taking advantage of a Tax Revitalization Program


* Changing our planning/budget structure to look farther than three year election terms to include long term asset management. (a Multi-Million dollar replacement plan for the Rec complex shouldn’t be able to sneak up on us!). While I agree with Mr. Bourdon in principle - practically speaking - this is impossible to do because new Councils' get elected and come with new ideas of their own...nature of the beast as they say. But seeing as we're talking about this - both Councillors Rathor, Barr and Zacharias will have to take some blame for getting us into the mess we have over the local Rec Complex. Planning for this was under way in 2007 (possible Multi-Plex) but fell flat in early 2009 and now public consultation won't start until early in 2012. Wonder where we could have been if planning was wrapped up in 2008...? 3 Years is a long time where lobby for money (2008-2011) could have been done