Increased Slot Request Public Hearing Tonight

Monday, July 09, 2007 04:14 AM

The public hearing for the Treasure Cove Casino is before Prince George City Council this evening.

There were only two written submissions given to the City by the Tuesday deadline. One was from Councilor Brian Skakun who is not able to physically attend this evening’s session. In his letter he expresses displeasure with the application to increase the number of slot machine to 575, and says he is concerned about the timing of the application. He says the process is taking place in a time frame that is much shorter than what has been the norm. Skakun also has an application before Council to attend the session “electronically”. That is the first item on the Council Agenda.

The other Casino related submission is from one of the neighbours of the operation. The resident says he represents a group of people who live next door to Treasure Cove, and they have no issues that would prohibit the expansion of slots.

It is not clear if there is more written material that will be provided to Council as a hand-out at the meeting.

Also on this evening’s agenda, an update on Initiatives Prince George’s 2007 plan and its audited financial statements.

There will also be an update on the Prince George Community Forest .

Council will also be asked to approve moving dollars from reserve funds to the Capital Plan fund for a variety of projects.

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Posted on Monday, July 09, 2007 04:14 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: YamaDooPolCat on July 9 2007 7:13 AM

Usually Brian is unable to mentally attend the council meeting, so this is a double whammy for his fans! Yikes!

I'm annoyed Brian and I are on the same side on this one, but oh well. You can't win them all.

Posted by: jonnypg on July 9 2007 8:41 AM

Maybe soon we will all have them in our homes......I should be quiet,better not give then any ideas.

Posted by: Jigga on July 9 2007 9:14 AM

but people have to either make a submission or show up at the meeting tonite to voice their displeasure. if nobody does...then why not approve it??

so far the only submission from anyone in the public was positive! if it stays like that you cant really fault council for putting it through (even though I am against it).

Posted by: Palopu on July 9 2007 3:32 PM

Is putting money into a reserve fund and then moving it to fund Capital Projects legal under the Municipal Act.

Seems to me that if the City wants money for Capital Projects that part of the process is to get the OK from taxpayers to borrow the money. If they can direct money from say Terasen, and BC Lotteries , etc; into reserve funds, and then move it over to fund Capital Projects it circumvents the system, and allows them to spend money without oversite.

I suspect that there are a number of things happening with the movement of money within the City that should perhaps be looked at more closely. Not the least of which is the purchasing of property and then at a later date selling this property to developers. On the service it looks like it is a good idea, however in fact the City has the means at their disposal to pick up the property fairly cheap, (or expensive) if they wish, and then sell it to a developer of their choice.

Seems to me this is not the business of the City. Developers are big boys and should be able to buy and develop their own property.

A couple of cases in point, would be the property on 5th and Quebec, and 2nd and Quebec that the City is prepared to sell for the Ghia (Metropolis) development, and the property on Seventh Avenue that is presently being developed for the Gaming Centre.

The property at 4th and Victoria that will eventually be used to build the (unnecessary) new Police Station was purchased by the City in 2005 for $2,700,000.00. Who was the recepeint of this piece of change????

It seems to me that City Hall is getting further and further removed from the business of the City and more and more into the business of business.

Is there some process under the Municipal Act that would allow an independent audit of the Citys spending over the last 10 years???