How does our fine city stay running while the mayor and council are down at their little convention. Glad we sent them all because we have so much extra cash around to afford these waste of time luxuries.

I am not sure what communicating with a teenager at home has to do with city governance.

I understand that the name change is a very important item. Not having the proper name for an organization really puts a damper on things.

Speaking of communication, the name change is being promoted by graphics companies who produce paper, electronic and other forms of communication so that they can make some more money from taxpayers who have not been using their services as much in the recent economic slowdown …. ;-)
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On another note, UBCM has a searchable resolutions database on their site which follows through the results to a limited extent.
http://www.ubcm.ca/resolutions/ResolutionDetail.aspx?id=861&index=0&year=&no=&resTitle=&spons=prince george&res=&prov=&fed=&other=&conv=&exec=&comm=&sortCol=year&sortDir=asc

I love the one in 1990 that PG and Burnaby sponsored dealing with standards of maintenance of buildings.

“UBCM petition the provincial government to amend the Municipal Act to facilitate an amendment similar to Section 323(u) of the Vancouver Charter, which would provide municipalities with the authority to enact a Standards of Maintenance Bylaw, similar to that enacted by the City of Vancouver.”

Provincial Response – Ministry of Municipal Affairs, Recreation and Culture

The Ministry is unaware of specific problems which would require enabling legislation such as that requested. However, the Ministry is prepared to discuss this matter with UBCM to determine what the particular issues are and whether or not legislation is required.

And that is where it stops. Nothing about whether a discussion was ever held.

Since this is the year when they will learn how to communicate with teenagers at home, I wonder if they will also learn how to provide complete information on the database and how to write resolutions with appropriate backgrounders so that Ministers of the Crown can understand them.

BTW …. I think we need an infrastructure maintenance bylaw/standard for which the City will take compliance responsibility.

Prince George, you might be interested in this one.

It deals with removal of fluoride from municipal water. 1992 resolution with Minister response. Requires a 3/5 majority of voting electors to remove the fluoride.

If you have not already done so, you might want to lobby to get it on the 2014 election ballot.

http://www.ubcm.ca/resolutions/ResolutionDetail.aspx?id=46&index=0&year=&no=&resTitle=&spons=&res=fluoridation&prov=&fed=&other=&conv=&exec=&comm=&sortCol=year&sortDir=asc

It appears that the last time that PG put a resolution forward was in 2007 the time when they were trying to access provincial gas tax funds as mentioned above.

Here is the Minister’s response, which I find very appropriate.

Gas and diesel fuel tax revenues provide significant funding for the provincial transportation system that benefits all communities. Typically, the Province of British Columbia spends more on the transportation system than it collects in gasoline tax. In the 2007/08 fiscal year, the provincial government will collect an estimated $919 million in total fuel tax revenue and reinvest $1.4 billion in highways and transportation. As such, unlike the situation with the federal government, there is little room to transfer provincial fuel tax revenues to local government.

They must be dreaming in technicolour to think that the response is going to be any different.

Wasn’t fluoride on the do not touch list from KPMG?

Such an important meeting this UBCM that our now-mayor left early last year to start campaigning

“Wasn’t fluoride on the do not touch list from KPMG?”

Yes, so what? I am relatively sure that the things that were on the “do not touch list” were put there by the Committee of 4 who are running the show.

KPMG is not running the show. I hope people understand they are just facilitators, not professional consultants who know how to run a city.

You know, like an engineer who knows how to design a bridge and will take responsibility for that design.

Dumb and dumber and they are responsible for runing our City.
Cheers

BTW, the priorities and the do not touch type of categorization is fair to receive comments on by people and organizations as well.

I want to know what the next steps are with all the suggestions once KPMG leaves town. Will there be hearings as there were in Toronto?

“Dumb and dumber and they are responsible for runing our City”

Sorry, Retired 02, KPMG is not allowed to touch that.

Gus, have you ever thought of running for mayor?
It just seems to me that you have a lot of good ideas and are really good at researching. Perhaps you are good at directing and motivating people as well. Give it some thought for us.

I think Gus should run for City Manager. As a Mayor he would probably spend to much time consulting with the taxpayer. And we would also get a PAC. But what the hell we need some class.
Cheers

PAC ≠ class
PAC = Grandiose Exclusionary hoity toity for the few that can.

Class is Social rank or caste, especially apparent high rank.

Here I thought Canada was a Commonwealth dominion with a democratic parliament, rather than a feudal caste system as still exists in the third world.

“Here I thought Canada was a Commonwealth dominion”

Boy, you sure are an old Monarchist!!!! T.talk about class system!!!

Time we became a republic!!

CN Centre = CCR, Fogarty, Willie Nelson, Ice Capades ……

Not so hoity toity for the many who can afford higher priced tickets and love audeince participation ….. ;-)

You want to keep playing this game of one upmanship?

I am not sure of the purpose.

Some drive $60,000 crew cabs and others drive $60,000 BMW ….. each is one of the many living in Prince George with low housing costs and higher average income than any other comparable sized city in BC ….

And your reason for denying one group something that is subsidized by the city while not another group that is also subsidized is??????

No, I am not a monarchist, but I am a proud Canadian, which is a parliamentarian democracy, formerly a British dominion (1982). The queen is still the ultimate head of state, so in fact still a monarchy.

Ahh, the republic system such as the U.S of A., or the democratic republic of Congo, or the the United Soviet Socialist Republic.

Good times, eh?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_republics

You will notice that the majority of the republics listed are in turmoil and strife.

Does any one know of any republic that is peaceful and prosperous?

Not playing oneupmanship my boy.
I just keep feeling the pinch of economic hardship.
I personally live an austere life style. I go to work every day and pay my 1/3 personal taxes on my modest wages. That’s it, no quad, no cell, no big flat screen, nothing. Yet I see kids running around with cell phones riding quads and taking annual vacations, et el. Daddy and mommy sure carry a lot of debt for that life style.
Yet I have none of that. Sure, I am pissed and jealous.

But, more than that I keep hearing the have’s whining that they don’t have a special jewel to go smanchied up to because the gov won’t dole out the dough. Boo fricken hoo.

If those that can want it, then pay out of your own jeans not the public purse. The public purse is for those that need it.

Now, “if”, big if, the PAC committee were to say add on the support of infrastructure for some public service like a low-income support facility (low-income housing maybe), as part of the hoity toity, then there may be better common person support. Let’s say 10% of revenues would go towards {blank}.

Every body wants some, if you deny them, then they will deny you. If you live the dream live of vacations, recreational vehicles, and cars that cost more than my home, then you really should give something significant back. Not just token tithing, but something real. Very much like Brent & Kali Marshall of Northland auto group. Now that is giving back to the community.
I would bet that if Brent were involved with the PAC, there WOULD BE better public support due to how he is perceived by Joe Q. Public.

Loki … we have a special jewel for the RCMP. We have another one a little less pretentious under construction for the hockey players.

I totally agree that we cannot afford any more like that at this time or maybe ever.

Then again, if we don’t build a PAC, someone may figure out soon after the winter games that given the design of the RCMP building, City Hall may wish to tear down their building and rebuild. After all, it is getting pretty old as well.

Wouldn’t it be nice to add an iconic Council Chamber and public foyer out of that “wonderful” wood like the RCMP station? Just imagine it facing George Street surrounded by those majestic trees and overlooking the new WIC.

And that tired looking 60’s and 70’s brick cladding could be covered with modern glass and be sold as raising the energy efficiency of the buidling.

We actually would not need a PAC any longer. The PGSO would be able to perform chamber music in the foyers of all these new buildings. Bring the music to the people. We would not only have “music in the park” events in the summer, we could have “music in the foyers” events in the winter.