Quesnel Council Highlights - May 4th mtg

Courtesy of the City of Quesnel:

Emergency notification launch

Council received an update on the new Emergency Notification system. Residents should know:

1.  This is a FREE community-wide system and available to all residents in the Cariboo Regional District including 100 Mile House, Quesnel, Wells, and Williams Lake. Quesnel residents register
through their local government website, www.quesnel.ca.

    2.  By registering, residents will automatically be registered for emergency notifications. They can also opt in to register for Public Works notifications within the City. This means they will be notified of any major work (paving, sewer/water breaks, etc.) that may restrict or affect access on the roadways or water service disruptions to their residence. 

    3.  Residents listed in the white pages have been automatically added to the notification system and will receive notifications through their listed lines. They must register to add all other contact information and locations.

    4.  There is a Terms of Use (TOU) agreement when residents register. Here are a few highlights from that agreement:

    -   You must agree to the TOU when registering. They may change from time to time without notice so it will be residents’ responsibility to review the TOU on an ongoing basis.

    -   The service is not intended for anyone under the age of 18.

    -   The service is not a replacement for the City’s direct communication. Residents should call 911 if they have an emergency.

    -   The service will entitle specific officials from the City to broadcast notifications to those registered via the communication tools residents have listed.

    -   It is the residents’ responsibility to update their contact information.

Physician recruitment positive

A collaborative partnership has developed in Quesnel to address the issue of physician recruitment, a situation that is shared across other rural communities. This partnership is set to start the implementation of a locally driven physician recruitment strategy which includes developing a new Northern Health owned local primary care clinic for unattached patients and supporting social integration and spousal support for new recruits and their families.

2015 tax rates finalized

All property tax rates from the various taxing authorities have now been received and were presented to Council.

There will be a total average municipal tax increase of 4.9% to most classes, including residential. That increase is $34.55 for the municipal portion for the average house assessed at $165,655. This is based upon the average assessment increase in Quesnel of 0.6%. If a home’s assessment increased by more than the average, the tax increase is more than the average; if it is less, the tax increase is less.

The average house will also see an increase of $43.86 for North Cariboo Recreation. There were slight reductions in the Cariboo Regional District Taxes and the Cariboo Chilcotin Hospital Taxes. In
total, the average house will see an increase of $74.04. 

Detailed information on the average residential increase and a breakdown of the Property Tax Rates for 2015 are available on our website at www.quesnel.ca.

Other news

-          Council received the 2014 reserves and surplus report showing $7,479,532 in statutory reserves and $1,770,318 in allocated surplus. The City also had $10,187,296 of gas tax funds and unallocated surplus which includes capital funds for both water and sewer.

-          Council accepted the City of Quesnel’s 2014 Annual Drinking Water Report which provides a summary of quality testing and water management throughout the year. A copy of this report and the monitoring results are available to the public at City Hall and at www.quesnel.ca/Reports2015.html.

-          The Statement of Financial Information (SOFI) for 2014 was received by Council. This statement is required on an annual basis and reports on council remuneration and benefits. The expenses listed include all expenses incurred, not just those from the training and travel accounts. The full report is available online in the Agenda section of the website.

-          Council gave final consideration and adoption on the following bylaws:Bylaw 1757 - Nuisance Amendment;
Bylaw 1759 - Five Year Financial Plan; and
Bylaw 1760 - 2015 Tax Rates.

NEXT MEETINGS:Monday May 11 @ 6:30 p.m.

Two public hearings for Zone Amendments

Monday May 11 @ 7 p.m.
Regular Meeting/Committee of the Whole Session

Tuesday, June 9 @ 5:30 p.m.North Cariboo Joint Planning Committee Meeting