Mid-Week News - Jan 25th edition

Quesnel:

* Local Ramada Hotel owner asks for compensation over lost business during St. Laurent Ave construction - see here

Note - Quesnel Council will formally vote on the request at their Jan 30th meeting but Quesnel's City Manager has recommended Quesnel Council deny the request as per Section 25(1) of the Community Charter - prohibition of municipal councils' to financially assist businesses

Williams Lake:

* Anti-HST crusader Eric Freeston says HST repayment deal with Ottawa unfair to BC'ers - see here

* Ida Chong: Multi-Year Gaming Funds agreements are being actively pursued - see here
* Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett/Taseko Mines VP Brian Battison to speak at Thursday's WL & District Chamber of Commerce luncheon - see here
* Literacy opens many doors for people  - see here
* Old Slumber Lodge converted into Affordable Housing?? - see here
* Bragging on Facebook regarding ICBC payout has cost local $20,000 - see here
* Ind. Cariboo-North MLA Bob Simpson "calls out" BC Liberals over "BC Jobs Plan" Ads - see here - see here
* Bob Simpson: Getting ready for next month's BC Legislature Session - see here
* Weekly City of WL Mayor's Column  - see here
* Debate over 0% property tax hike between senior WL City Councillor SPS Rathor vs WL Mayor Kerry Cook - see here

Editor's Note - In posting the above article yesterday on my personal Facebook page - it seems a tax hike of even 2-3% for some WL residents' is a "non-starter".  Also, concerns were raised about lack of building inspection services from the City (especially after the recently-signed Building Inspection Services agreement with the Cariboo Regional District) and also a concern was raised regarding tax shifting from Heavy Industry to Residential.  You can read those comments for yourself here

100 Mile House:

* Local concern expressed over new Health Care funding deal - see here
* Look at CRD Area 'G' Town Hall meeting held earlier this month - see here
* New Christian school in 100 Mile House gains steam  - see here
* Jordan Bateman - Victoria must tighten spending further or BC Liberals' face "electoral defeat" in 2013 - see here
* Poll on attendance at CRD Town Hall Meetings - see here.  Interesting that 85% of those polled or 23 people say that don't plan to attend while the remaining four or 14% of those polled plan to attend... With these numbers, perhaps the CRD will have to look at additional tools to survey the public on a proposed CRD Budget...
* 100 Mile local realtor says "We need jobs desperately or our lifestyle will take a big hit" - see here

Finally:

1) The Central Cariboo Joint Committee is meeting tonight at 5pm in the CRD Boardroom.  Agenda is:

* Graham Kelsey (President of local Arts/Culture Society) to give an update on his organization's activities

* 2012 Meeting Schedule
* 2 NDIT (Northern Development Initiative Trust) applications
* Reconsideration of Grant-in-Aide applications from Rotary Club/2012 Dry Grad (as requested by CRD Area 'D' Director Deb Bischoff)
* Update from Pool Task Force

2) At last night's WL City Council meeting - Councillor Surinderpal Rathor voted against authorizing Mayor Kerry Cook and City Administrator Brian Carruthers from travelling to Saskatoon for 2012 FCM (Fed. of Cdn Municipalities) Conference/AGM.  But before the vote - Councillor Rathor attempted to move a motion to refer the item to the budget as the FCM Conference was not until June however Mayor Cook blocked the attempt by citing that Rathor's motion was "contrary to the Main Motion".  However a look at the City's Procedure Bylaw states: (Section 21.5 (a)) - motions permitted during consideration of a question before the Council

(a) to refer to committee, other body or staff department

Mayor Cook, at the very least, should have shown a little respect to those who voted for Councillor Rathor by putting his motion of referral to Budget Process to the Council and see if it gained a seconder, and then have the subsequent vote upon it (likely - it would have failed).

Meanwhile - readers' here have expressed disappointed in Rathor's vote calling him a "hypocrite" after voting to go to Halifax to attend the 2011 FCM AGM

I think that Mayor Cook needs to be more open of all ideas as it pertains to the City Budget or other issues and not find reasons to shoot it down.  A great community is the one where we take/implement the very best ideas, regardless of where or whom they come from...