Please support research into prostate cancer by participating in an event happening Saturday at the Kinsman Hall called “Ride for Dad” It is just a fun motorcycle ride, some of the riders have collected pledges toward the cause. You can sponsor a rider, or simply make a donation. Go to motorcycleridefordad.org
for more detail.
This is a worthy cause.
Have a nice weekend.
metalman.

From almost 54 years ago under the category … “will we ever learn”

CITY SEEKS CONTROL TO BEAT LOCAL SPRAWL.
PG Citizen June 25, 1958

A plan to stamp out Prince George’s “suburban sprawl” with a four-mile radius of the downtown area may go into effect this year.

City Council also wants control of all development along roads and highways within a 10 mile radius of the city.

Front page headline
PG Citizen January 21, 1958

COUNCIL HOLDS FIRST OF 23 SECRET MEETINGS
Public barred from sessions

City Council held the first committee-of-the-whole meeting of the year last night. It was the first of 23 such meetings scheduled for 1958 ………

It is a state of affairs that cannot be duplicated in any municipality anywhere in BC.

I think I am starting to understand why this community has a history of lack of transparency.

It is in the community’s genes …… ;-)

An insight of how UK City Council’s operate. Hull in England has over 50 Councillors for a City of about 250,000. The format is a party system and configuration and debate is similar to parliament.

This is the link to their Council live stream debate.

http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/Hull-City-Council-meeting-webcast-April-19-2012/story-15905624-detail/story.html

When you have the video open, click on the little arrow near the top right to pull down the session speakers …. Every single one, with a time, will become visible.

For an interesting one scroll down to item 14 …. And click on Councillor Fareham who starts speaking at 3 hours, 36 minutes into the session.

The topic starts off with the notion that members (Councillors)write policies based on officers (administrators) input, but they are often not actually implemented … then about getting progress reports from staff as an automatic part of the process of decision making to implementation …. The plans sit on the shelf .. and nothing is done …. Members are not kept in touch with developments ….

A “mismatch of what members propose and officers dispose” … wonderfully put words.

Nice to hear people on a City Council who can actually debate and speak openly about conditions as they find them.

If a similar system were instituted here, on a prorated basis, would see 14 1/4 members of council. Sorry, the 1/4 position has already be filled(a few times over:)

The UK has a long tradition of great orators in politics, but when looking at the crux of the matter does not sound that different than here…top administrators doing little more than keeping a chair warm. Luckily the $15m water warmer is up and running and these folks can be “made redundant”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItPra2Y0M7Q&feature=youtube_gdata_player

The ticking time bomb!

Noticed that the MYPG link has been removed from the main page of the city website. Comments earlier this week on this site made it painfully obvious how poorly designed it was and the amount of outdated info and dead links it contained.

Did someone from the city take notice or has this project been put on the back shelf where it will have a slow and painful death like so many city proposals before it? An example of this is the “City Center Prospectus” rolled out a year or two ago…try to find evidence that it ever existed on the city’s site…you will have to dress up like Indiana Jones to dig that deep!

Gotta love them caterpillars!

I live just outside city limits and I can`t walk 20 feet in any direction without stepping on one.

why do we have Initiatives Prince George with wages and building paid by taxpayers to promote the city? how can you promote a city with potholes, crumbling sidewalks, unpainted roads, and dandelion fields?? why does the mayor go on trips when she said the city cant afford to fix anything? like those of us who cant afford a holiday cuase our house needs fixing, the mayor needs to stay home and pay her bills. Fix the city or step down.

I can’t seem to get over the idea that city administration and the councillors seem to be living in another reality that isn’t even remotely associated with ours.

What does it take to bring them back? Is there any recall legislation for the Mayor and councillors that we could pick up on and run with? Why do the best people for the job always stay away from politics?

Elucidation comes to those who wait.

It seems that the Cities Energy System will go ahead as planned. In fact they should be supplying the hot water as we speak.

Lakeland will source **hog fuel** from Canfor, in a trade off for logs and chips. This will allow Lakeland to run the Energy System, as it was not damaged by the fire.

The article that I read did not specify where the Hog Fuel would come from, however the nearest Canfor mill would be PG Sawmill at Northwood, then Isle Pierre.

In any event that is the present status.

This of course means, in the short term at least, there will not be a reduction in truck emissions because they will be trucking in the hog fuel, rather that eliminating the need to truck it out.

Fewer motorcyclists die in states that require helmets, and the costs to society are lower too, according to a new federal study released Thursday.

Read more: http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Health/20120614/Motorcyclist-deaths-helmet-laws-120614/#ixzz1xsOqwmml

Give more, I think good people stay away from politics because they know ,you can,t please everyone. I think the actual control over what happens in the city is small, there are alot of buraucrats in the middle. These are not the days where the mayor can go out on monday morning and say: John, Pete and Harry, you guys go and fix potholes untill they are all gone

I was just told something today by a small business owner that really shocked me now of course I have no proof or previous knowledge of this but apparently the big box stores that have popped up in recent years were given ten years tax free

You should be able to check that in the city’s financial reports ….

It sounds like a typical small business rumour … but one never knows these days ….

The lack of money for infrastructure in Prince George is a direct result of this City borrowing money over the years for various capital projects.

Its interesting that the City is not allowed to borrow money for infrastructure (this must come out of taxes) however it can (and does) borrow money for Capital projects. So as a result we borrow money for:

1. Cameron St., Bridge(6/7M)
2. CN Centre (?)
3. Community Energy System (6M)
4. Police Station (37M)
5. Office Buildings at 18th and Ospika (3M)
6. Upgrade to River Road (3M)

Plus many more.

Usually borrowed over a 20 year period.

We then get into paying back the borrowed money plus interest, and this is where we get it in the ear. The principle and interest has to be paid back with tax dollars. We pay $13.32% of our tax dollars to Fiscal Services & Debt Charges,every year. This would be in excess of $15 Million per year.

This is why we are broke. This is why we cannot afford to fix our roads, sewers, etc; This is a direct result of fiscal mismanagement of past administrations and councils, mainly the last 10/15 years.

To blame other levels of Government is malarkey. We are in this situation because we have been hornswoggled, by local politicians, and administration.

Even though everyone at City Hall knew we were broke, they still went ahead and applied for the Winter Games. This resulted in a tax increase of over $15 Million dollars that would be more than sufficient to make huge inroads in our infrastructure deficit. So in effect we chose games over infrastructure. Nero fiddles while Rome burns.

We created this problem, and it is our responsibility to get out of it. That means some **real** creative accounting, along with fiscal responsibility, and a closing of the purse strings, for at least 10 years.

This problem has to be solved without any increase in taxes. Increasing taxes is the easy way out for politicians and administration and allows them to carry on with their bad habits. We need them to look inward and solve these problems.

Are the present council and staff up for it, I guess we will see, if not we will have to get rid of them in the next election.

I suspect that the tax payers of Prince George could (might) tolerate an increase in taxes for the short term. (With a built in gaurantee that the tax would be eliminated at a certain date) for infrastructure (Roads) if this increase was accompanied by a dollar for dollar reduction in the cost of administration of the City. That means no department gets a free ride, everything is on the table, and all (EVERY DEPARTMENT) makes a contribution to reducing our costs. NO MORE capital projects for the short term.

This way we take control of our situation and we solve the problem. We could start right away and get the job done. The altervative is to continue to stand hat in hand like a beggar, and try and get other levels of Government to bail us out.

Time to grow up.

Have a nice day.

A warning to all motorcyclists; when you are participating in “Ride for Dad” remember them tent caterpillers crossing the roads are mighty slick when you run over them, and the smell of them frying on the exhaust pipes would gag a maggot.
metalman.

Palopu,

Seldom do I agree with you, but this morning I do, it is a rare day. The city has borrowed and borrowed with no foresight. Now they have to pay the piper.

The problem is were looking for well thought out solutions, but to get that we need a well thought out city council. Maybe I have my binders on, but I dont think this group has that ability.

“To blame other levels of Government is malarkey. We are in this situation because we have been hornswoggled, by local politicians, and administration.”

With a big horn and a giant swoggle!

You keep forgetting about Terasen …. $60 million or whatever ….. that has to be figured into the limit to borrowing and it has to be figured into the cost of borrowing as well, I believe.

One cannot just look at one side of the ledger woithout looking at the whole picture …..

It is probably good that we got into the Terasen deal because otherwise we would have been building more “stuff”.

BTW, I wonder why the rebuild of a bridge would not be considered “maintenance”. In essence we just fixed the bridge in the same sense that we fixed the road ….. same with river road …..

I think that the policy of not borrowning money to fix roads is an internal one and may have come about after the fiasco when the population found out that we were borrowing money for pothole repair or some such thing under Kinsley …..

I am starting to get tired of not having clear information about all such things that the population should be aware of …. I should not have to make these kinds of guesses … the information should be clearly available in a perpetual database accessible by the public ……

But hey, we know this city in particular has a background of not helpinig out in that area …… high time for a municipal auditor to set some standards …. It is cities like ours that require that kind of oversight

“Maybe I have my binders on, but I dont think this group has that ability.”

I can see quite clearly that this group does not have the ability. The indicators are all there – infighting, pot shots, holier than thou attitudes. I feel sorry for the two or three who have the ability but are surrounded by those who do not have those abilities. They can’t get their foot in the door. This is June. Honeymoon time is over.

The only excuse I am giving them is that they are between a rock and a hard place because the KPMG report will speak to some of the issues ….. at least it is supposed to.

AND LEARN HOW NOT TO MICRO MANAGE!!!!

Give the operational responsibility to administration and let them fall on their own swords.

Sorry to hear MEISNER is leaving us in the fall.
Why Ben Why ?

Unless we work together and appear at council meetings and force them to do the things that need to be done council and admin will keep on going thier way and living in fairy land.

We need a taxpayer revolt but who is wiling to start, We have to stop complainig and tell council what needs to be done. Step up to the plate Pal and start the game.
Cheers

“I was just told something today by a small business owner that really shocked me now of course I have no proof or previous knowledge of this but apparently the big box stores that have popped up in recent years were given ten years tax free”

Complete bunk and BS….not only would this be highly, highly illegal, it could simply never happen. Nothing bugs me more than completely unfounded rumors spread by folks with no idea what they are talking about.

Starting in Edmonton last night it seems money is now more important than some ones life. Thin edge of the wedge? And the penalties will be? A trend? Just wait.

Catch them all? Nah! Just catch one person. Offer him 2 years probation and 100 hours of community service if he will just rat out his friends and then the cops just have to follow their noses. And they will.

“Unless we work together and appear at council meetings and force them to do the things that need to be done council and admin will keep on going thier way and living in fairy land.”

Sitting in the audience during a council meeting and not being allowed to speak is not going to accomplish anything.

Making a presentation (very time limited!) before a council will allow one to speak but it will also not accomplish anything!

A council prepares itself (of course) for what the presentation is all about – then one gets (after a polite listening) the predetermined majority verdict and either a polite smile or something resembling a silent treatment.

It’s like a routine.

Palopu “Even though everyone at City Hall knew we were broke, they still went ahead and applied for the Winter Games. This resulted in a tax increase of over $15 Million dollars that would be more than sufficient to make huge inroads in our infrastructure deficit. So in effect we chose games over infrastructure. Nero fiddles while Rome burns.”

EXACTLY!

My tax notice has my share of the Winter Games cost. I’m going to highlight it on my tax bill and write boldly that I “PAID UNDER PROTEST”. I have to get satisfaction on this however weakly I can. Made me feel better on my alimony cheques.

quick Poll – Where should the monies be spent on policing this city…

Downtown patrols on bicycles – public funded security for the few business that remain there

Drug / gang fights;

Traffic enforcement:

Or

Just wondering what effects most of us – or should we care with this 37 million dollar new police station being built

Get a load of this.

Talking with friends from my neighborhood the other day, the subject of parental responsibility and child safety came up.

The reason it came up was because of a recent item delivered to everyone living on “The Crescent”.

http://i339.photobucket.com/albums/n460/Pumpguy07/IMG-Copy.jpg

I’m sure everyone, (well most anyway) takes child safety very seriously. I know I do. I taught my children safety in all aspects of life throughout their growing years and it has served them well.

I didn’t allow them free reign to run all over the neighborhood doing as they pleased, (like many parents do on ‘The Crescent” and elsewhere) without adult supervision when required.

I taught them to respect others, their privacy, their right to peace and quiet and their personal property.
This virtue is sorely lacking in many so called adults living on “The Crescent”.

How does allowing your children to run free cruising the neighborhood on an unlicensed motor vehicle, trespassing on private property, driving that vehicle and bicycles down your and your neighbors driveways out into traffic, (I understand the issue has been going on for months) equate in anyway to caring for anyone’s safety, never mind your own children?

Delivering this message to your neighbors attacking them for what is truly your lack of attention and responsibility for your children’s safety and the safety of others is ludicrous!

Good on them for calling the police. I understand there has been a drive-by shooting and many grow ops around this Crescent over the past few years with many renters coming and going. Calling the police in any situation in this area seems the safest course of action to me. One never knows who will answer the door these days.

Instead of attacking your neighbors that do care about your children, why not do what you are responsible for as a parent and an adult and look after your own children?

Good job to those people that did the right thing in this case.
Boo to those that blame others for their own shortcomings.

With regards to motorcycles, I read a comment elsewhere this week that made me howl with laughter…

This is in regards to the on-going argument whether overly loud pipes on motorcycles are really there for safety or whether it’s nothing but an irritant…

“I’ll believe the argument that loud pipes are for riding safety the day I see Harley riders wearing bright orange safety vests”.

Loud pipes as a safety device is nothing more than a lie.

Anyone thats into motorized recreation loves the sound of loud rumbling exhaust.

Snowmobiles, quads, boats or cars it makes no difference. They sound awesome!

The problem is inconsiderate people running these things in residential neighborhoods like they do out on the hwy.

A total lack of respect for others.

One of the reason we do not get good people on council is that they would not be elected if they told the truth. Who would you elect – “I will lower your taxes and fix all the roads” or “Sorry your taxes will have to go up and we will have to cut services”?

With the recent stoopididy on sentencing people convicted under the motor vehicle act and giving them a prohibition from driving. They are going to drive anyhow. Here’s a possible solution.
If they (the convicted) recieve a 5yr ban for example and are caught driving during that ban, then the vehicle they are driving should be impounded until their driving ban is completed. If they continue to drive and get caught again then that vehicle is impounded also. This may stop other people from letting a banned driver from using their vehicle. If they continue then auction off the impounded vehicles.

On a side note:
Sorry to hear that Ben M. is leaving the air. Another sensible voice lost.

What I find frustrating today is the fact that I own a craftsman lawn mower and you have to call a 1 800 nujmber to get parts.
Sears doesn’t tell you that North Chainsaw down on First Ave. has all the parts for Briggs and Stratton. Oh, Sears has a place in town they send you to, but the parts are here in town. Wish they woulda told me.
Anyway, hope everyone drives safe this weekend and hope its fatal free.

right on PALOPU
1. Cameron St., Bridge(6/7M)
2. CN Centre (?)
3. Community Energy System (6M)
4. Police Station (37M)
5. Office Buildings at 18th and Ospika (3M)
6. Upgrade to River Road (3M)

don’t forget the city ran into a snag with the energy system and is now borrowing an additionl $4. million !!!!!

Like I said, stop building things we cannot afford, stop spending and repair and use what we have. And have a mayor with a transparent accounting, where we taxpayers can see what they are spending and how much without having to order a legal FOI. Most communities will give their financial information freely, except our mayor who forces FOI’s and then complains about the cost.

And while im ranting, maybe the mayor could answer some , instead of slamming people with letters to the editor. She needs to answer the people’s concerns instead of no comment.

We have a retirement project going on at Aberdeen Rd in the hart. The city originally had to dig up the road in the winter (broken water line?) Now that it is June they are working to fix it. Each day this week a ‘crew’ of from 3-6 workers comes; does a little bit of work, Curb setting, pouring etc. They cleaned out alot of the gravel fill and left it on a lawn! THEN WITHIN AN HOUR IS GONE!! The dug out hole is an axle breaker, and covers about 2/3 of the driving surface.
Everyone is playing dodge-em crossing into the other lane to avoid it.
Just spend a whole day; do a real job and get it done!!

Ben and Elaine.

How about doing a story as to what the total value in dollars is for the infrastructure deficit in Prince George, (Water lines, sewer lines, storm drains, roads, sidewalks, city buildings, and bridges).

Off all the topics here, but linked. Does anyone know why the Cariboo is closed? It was closed for almost a year last year. It was open and now???

New owners who cannot run a restaurant properly, providing lousy food and service … thus fewer customers?

The last time I ate at the Cariboo 4 or 5 years ago my microwaved prime rib was horrible!