Wednesday, May 25, 2011

G + P Meeting May 24, 2011

Adoption of Agenda:
Mayor Decoux made the following changes
Under Topics of Discussion deleted Item #6, and added under In Camera Personnel CAO Recruitment
Motion to accept agenda with additions passed unanimously

Delegations:

Neil Chalmers-Replaced Andrew Rusynyk-Regarding the Ed Gregor Memorial Stewardship Day-June 4, 2011. Spoke to all the hard work that is done by volunteers and invited Mayor and Council to attend.

Topics for Discussion:
1. Bylaw No. 821-Property Tax Penalties:. Administration pointed out this will not apply to local improvements. Motion to recommended this bylaw to council passed unanimously

2. Draft Budget Policy:
No discussion, Motion to recommend this policy to council passed unanimously.

3. Draft Reserve Policy: Councilor Saindon asked administration if actual numbers would be added to the policy at budget time. Yes. Motion to recommended this policy to council passed unanimously

4. Bylaw Revisions:
• Long Grass Bylaw
• Traffic Bylaw
• Noise Bylaw
• Community Standards Bylaw
Discussion spoke to definitions and penalties would now be clear, and that yard sale signs must be removed within seven days. Motion to recommended this bylaw to council passed unanimously

5. Land Use Bylaw Amendment-Section 11-Sign standards: Motion to recommended this bylaw to council passed unanimously

6. Deleted

7. Notice of Motion-Transportation:
This issue relates back to Councilor Saje request for administration to come up with an alternative transportation system for the Crowsnest Pass. Administration will be bringing back at a later date the information to provide transportation outside the municipality.

Cam Mertz presented a report that included the following points:

• Service based on 5 days per week 14 hours per day
• Starting at the Volker Sevin yard in Coleman and ending at the MDM with 22 additional stops in between, with a 30 second stop at each location
• Would require new bus and two operators.
• Revenue based on 15 riders per shift cost of $2 per trip $35,000 per year.
• Cost would be $312,000 to operate and an additional $30,000 for capital costs.
• Capital Outlay would be $201,000 up front due to the amount of mileage placed on the Bus it would require replacing every three years.
• Funding Mertz indicated that there would possibly be some Federal or provincial funding to buy the bus, but the only funding that could be used is the MSI operational funding that presently is used else where in the municipal budget.
• Alternatives (1) Look at combining with the present town rounder, very difficult due to the scheduling requirements of the present clients, (2) Contract out the service or, (3) Look at the same service on a reduced basis.

Following issues were raised by Council:
  • Any time built into the schedule for breakdowns? No
  • Is going Diesel instead of gas an Option? Yes
  • Could we approach business to support this service? Yes
  • BC provides a regional service have we looked at that? Yes but we are not in BC
  • Have we compared to the rates that taxi’s charge? No
  • Councilor Gallant pointed out that since the election only one person as raised this as being an issue with him, he is not convinced that a need as been established.
  • What would be the issue of combining with the present service? Hard to work around present clients schedules, the community as made it very clear that they do not want the present service disrupted in any way.
  • Prices elsewhere show an average of $3 per trip, why did we not use that number here? The present cost per trip is $2.
  • Have we considered running a half-day on Saturdays? Administration will consider anything that council requests.
  • Can we sell advertising on the bus to raise money? Yes
  • How would other service providers feel about the municipality competing with them? They would not be thrilled with a heavily subsidized municipal service competing with them.
  • Would there be an option to work with the school boards? Administration believes that could be a possibility.
Motion was made for administration to under take a needs assessment and report back to council by Sept 6. Motion passed unanimously.

8. Discussion of Bylaw #826,2011 (Green Mountain Company rezoning in West Coleman):
Randy Tucker spoke for the local residents emphasized the importance of the following issues:
Appearance of the buildings
Safety concern with Highway 3
Density of proposed buildings
Parking volumes

In Camera: Motion to go In Camera passed unanimously.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why is administration wasting its time on this Transportation issue.

The dollars involved are insane?

Somebody asked the question about charging $3 instead of $2 per ride.

What if you charged $20 it would still cost the taxpayers big money.

Get the TASK FORCE results out put everybody to work and they will be able to afford their own ride.

For administration spend your time marketing our facilities.

Going nuts in the Crowsnest Pass

Anonymous said...

By my math we would be having to pay a minimum of $5000 a week to provide this service.
So Teck funds the first four weeks who would pay after that.
I can see it now "the next two hours of busing brought to you my Tim's pizza delivery"

Anonymous said...

Sorry that should be "By" not my.

This is just another example of getting people all excited about an issue in the midst of an election campaign.
Crystal ball time.
The study will come back in the fall and say that the demand is not here.
Shortly after the regional busing will die.
Its an old political con promise the world, get people excited then tell them down the road they either don't want it or can't afford it.

Of to Pincher now to jump in the indoor pool.

Tony

peter rosner said...

Tony you are right on that one. Its the old smoke and mirrors show to divert peoples attention from the real issues. Politicians and political parties have been doing it for years.

Anonymous said...

Public transportation will never make sense in a small community like the Crowsnest Pass.
Its an unfortunate but true fact. I would suspect that you could provide a taxi rides for every person that would use the service for less than it would cost you.
I know this is good politics but its all smoke and mirrors.
Get to the real issue the Task Force and the answers it better provide.
Nothing again pizza joints, but the road to ecconomic recovery is not paved with cheese and two toppings of your choice.

Anonymous said...

Thank you!!! You often have interesting posts! They put me in good spirits )