At their final meeting of the 2008-2011 Term on Tuesday - Williams Lake Council will receive a report from the City's Ecomomic Development Manager (A. Madrigga) recommending that Council authorize taking $27,150 to come from the City's Surplus Reserve (Rainy Day Account) in 2011 plus an additional $32,860 from the 2012 Budget to begin fabricating a Rick Hansen "Monument" (Statue) - see Mr. Madrigga's report here. City Staff do indicate that this project lines up with ICSP Goal #7 - Distinctive Arts, Culture and Heritage. In addition, the Surplus Reserve should be used for "emergencies" like water main bursts or other emergencies... and not for personal pet projects...
Now, I'm disappointed for a few reasons:
1) Council previously said no taxpayer money would be sunk into this project...
2) How can Council look someone in the eye who used to work at Tolko - Creekside and say that this (Rick Hansen Monument) is an appropriate expenditure
3) Compliance with the ICSP Vision/Goals can not trump good budgetary practices... namely going on a wild spending spree when local residents' have cut back their spending themselves...
Mr. Madrigga's report did say that local business is supportive of the project but didn't offer up its own money. Shouldn't that tell you something...
With that said - I'll be emailing Mayor Cook and Councillors Bourdon, Rathor, Walters and Zacharias expressing my personal disappointment in this and requesting that this recommendation be defeated...
The community's core focus should be:
1) Paying down the $19.4 million debt
2) Getting the local pool issue dealt with
3) Moving forward on local economic development...
6 comments:
Yeah if you were on council you wouldn't let that crappy sign on the highway be the only indication this is Rick's hometown either. Welcome back Rick! The sign's a little worse for wear, but we still love ya!
I agree on those stupid cowboy statues from the past few years but this time they gotta do it.
Sure I agree they gotta do something to honor a great man who completed an incredible feat, but a $30000.oo statue???? and that does not include the concrete to set it on, or the lights to shine on it.
For a city that is 20 million dollars in the hole I don't see this as appropriate.
Recognition for his amazing accomplishments yes, but spending over $30000 is obscene.
Perhaps they will just raise taxes a little more once again. Sure the people loosing their jobs won't mind.
Thanks for your comments...
Anonymous #2 - It's $60,000 and not $30,000
Anonymous #1 - Yes, I think Rick Hansen should be honoured but I don't think it should cost taxpayers' $60,000 when this Council said that the monument would cost taxpayers' "No Money" and we should look at other ways to honour Rick Hansen that cost very little or no taxpayer money... and yes, I believe this can be done by way of in-kind donations, etc...
$60000.00!!!!! Have we lost all grip on reality!!!!!!
At least this has been in the works a while. The first meeting after the election, council in Quesnel just gave themselves a raise bigger than their employees got. The first meeting after the election! Talk about bad timing.
I voted for this council again but do not agree with sepending this large sum of money.
Is that really what Mr. Hansen would want? The 60 grand would go a long way to further spinal cord reserch or create better accessability for the handicap in this community.
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