String of Loans Need Electoral Approval
Prince George, B.C.- Council for the City of Prince George will be asked to put the gears in motion for the alternate approval process to get underway so the City can borrow funds for a number of projects.The amounts to be borrowed for each of the five projects are not the issues, but the term of the loans is. Each loan would take longer than 5 years, so that means the City needs approval from taxpayers to go ahead with the borrowing plan.
The projects, and their values, are listed below:
Hart Industrial Storm Drainage $1.47 million term-20 years
Mobile Equipment Financing $4.222 million term – 10 years
Public Works Yard Development $1.45 million term – 20 years
Nechako Riverside Park $630 thousand term – 20 years
Snow Disposal, West Bowl $2.93 million term – 20 years
TOTAL $10.702 million
Under the alternate approval process, 10% of all eligible municipal voters have to sign a petition saying they do not approve of the borrowing in order to prevent the City from securing a loan for each project.
Also on the agenda for this evening’s regular meeting, the subject of illuminated signs. Council will be asked to approve a variance to allow illuminated signage on a building in the BCR industrial site. The signage is larger than currently allowed, and Council recently denied a similar request from another business in the BCR. There are concerns the animated signage could be distracting to drivers and pose a safety hazard.
Comments
All things that should be financed by regular operations budgets and not debt financing IMO. Signs that the city can not manage a budget.
Another sign the city can not manage its budget is if one goes to any major park in PG and looks for an accessible garbage container… nearly impossible to find, yet we pay hundreds of people at city hall six figure incomes to make these decisions. They nickel and dime us on the essentials, but we have all the money in the world for top pay and borrowing for a wish list of projects.
BTW I noticed along the Fraser at Fort George Park they removed the wire mesh that use to protect the trees from beavers along the river and low and behold a Loy of trees along the river have recently been half cut through by beavers… Next will be the million dollar project needed to shore up the bank from slippage because the trees are gone… We will borrow more money for that too I am sure.
Just what park are you referring to the the RDFFG has removed wire mesh from trees on? The only park within City limits that the RD has is on the cutbanks on the north side of the Nechako River.
More money for the Public Works yard? Did thy ever get rid of the old yard on 4th Ave like they said they would when they purchased the yard on 18th Ave?
Must need to build some more $100,000 garages for Garbage trucks?
Didn’t we elect a Mayor and council to make some of these decisions on their own, and pay the consequences if they make the wrong decision. Why are the mayor and council not taking on the responsibility of their duties, instead of trying to hide behind polls, and being able to find scapegoats.
Yes, I here by decree you with this responsibility to make these decisions on your own. We trust your judgement.
No more petty referendums. Your wasting money, that could be spent on the projects. So if it gets voted down, what does it mean, The staff wastes another 6 months coming up with another plan, and how much money is wasted on employing staff. and another vote, I don’t ask for much ” Just do your job”.
its not a referendum, it should be though, one referendum with all the questions on it and put it on the next election ballot, that would be the fair thing to do.
That’s how projects don’t get approved Bent. The alternate method has a better chance for approval.
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