There were a number of important items on the otherwise brief agenda for the November 22 meeting of Prince George City Council.
Fair cost sharing for new RCMP collective agreement
Mayor Lyn Hall has joined the mayors of 12 other BC municipalities in co-signing a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to ask the federal government to re-evaluate the cost-sharing balance for retroactive pay and ongoing increases resulting from the new RCMP collective agreement. The letter was included as an item of correspondence at last night’s Council meeting.
The mayors are requesting that the federal government consider an equal cost-sharing approach to offset the financial implications for local governments of a sudden implementation of a nearly 24 percent raise and retroactive pay of the RCMP’s first collective agreement. The mayors also asked the federal government to pay a minimum of 50 percent of the retroactive pay and associated costs, and for an in-person meeting in Ottawa with the prime minister to discuss the matter and its potential implications for municipalities.
Kris Dalio, director of finance, reported that while the City has been setting aside funds according to the amount the federal government recommended, the City would still owe $2.7 million more than has been set aside to date. In sum, the federal government negotiated a contract in excess of what was previously indicated to municipal governments.
Council also moved that a second letter be sent from the mayor on behalf of Council asking the federal government for a meeting to convey the City’s concerns.
A new name for a new pool
During Monday’s meeting, Council directed administration to pursue a naming rights agreement for the City’s new downtown pool through a Request for Proposal (RFP) process and using internal resources. An opportunity exists potentially to generate revenue by obtaining a naming rights agreement for the new facility to assist with its operating expenses or any other lawful purpose.
The City has a Naming Rights Policy that will guide the process for obtaining a naming rights agreement for the new facility. In accordance with the Naming Rights Policy, administration will evaluate proposals received in response to the RFP and bring the recommended proposal to Council for approval.
A sustainable plan for stormwater infrastructure
Council received an update on the City’s plan to ensure City stormwater infrastructure is maintained well enough to guard against hazards like flooding and sinkholes. The Integrated Stormwater Management Plan will also help keep our waterways clean for future generations. Prince George, like many municipalities, has aging stormwater infrastructure. In fact, half of the City’s storm sewers are more than 40 years old, and some have already started to fail.
The City will be reaching out to the public with further stormwater education, including any financial implications that will affect residents, such as the creation of a dedicated funding source to ensure this important infrastructure is maintained. Further information about Prince George’s aging infrastructure and the City’s plans to deal with it is available at www.princegeorge.ca/infrastructure.
Upgrade coming for CN Centre outdoor digital sign
Council approved Administration’s request for funding to update the CN Centre’s digital sign on Ospika Boulevard with funding from the Northern Capital Planning Reserve Fund. The current sign has become inoperable due to wear and tear and is now so old that replacement parts are unavailable. With an estimated 15,000 cars driving on Ospika Boulevard every day, this sign is one of the most exclusive, attractive advertising spaces in the city, and a replacement is overdue. The replacement is expected to cost $150,000.
View the full agenda for the Council meeting with links to all of the reports on the City website.