Quesnel Mayor Bello Reports To Council

By 250 News

Quesnel Mayor Nate Bello Presents Caribou Regional District Report

This is the statement the mayor will make to council Monday Night December 17th-2007

One of things that have been most disheartening for me is how the fact that we have to work through issues with the Cariboo Regional District Northern Directors has been characterized as a big humongous problem.  It has unfortunately given our citizens a sense that we have ‘irreconcilable differences’.   I do believe that the relationship needs to be renewed and this year, in particular, we have made real advances in this regard.  Let’s not wring our hands; let’s clasp them with our northern neighbours and remember, we are proud member of the Cariboo District and, whether rural or a municipal, we are equally important in the organization.

Now let’s look at some of our achievements:

1.   Library.  What can I say?  A big success.  Opening date:  September 2008!

2.   Sub-regional recreation.  As soon as we get an agreement on a progressive, active  Recreation Commission, we will drop our service review.  As a city, we will have achieved CRD support for a greater scope of service and a new way of governance which will serve all our citizens much better.

3.   Governance.  Besides recreation, I have put forward a proposal to add a representative to both the Williams Lake and Quesnel contingent.  This would add a better balance to CRD deliberations.  It would give both municipalities two    corporate votes while retaining current stakeholder votes.  The municipality-rural            directors meeting this fall was a good platform for discussing our issues

4  Regional Strategy.  A workshop will be held in the New Year to discuss the Regional Strategy presented to the Minister that I attended in Victoria in the fall.  For the first time, CRD has acknowledged that there is a problem if people live outside the benefiting area but are actually enjoying the services do not pay.  It is patently unfair for city residents to pay the whole shot, plain and simple. 

 5  Memorandum of Understanding.  As a council, we have agreed that services we provide to CRD residents should be on a true cost recovery basis.  We do not want a profit; we do not want a loss.  I believe that this message is finally starting to get through to the CRD as is evidenced by their recent increased commitment in two areas.  However, council needs to stay firm on this policy.

6 Referendum.  On January 26, the CRD has agreed to hold a referendum on joint services, outside the MOU, which will relieve the burden on city taxpayers.  Although the alternative approval process didn’t work, I believe that most people outside the city boundary will want to pay $10 per year on $100 000 of assessment to share in the cost of soccer, the airport, highway rescue, search and rescue and handi-dart.  I congratulate Electoral Area A for already agreeing to the conventional bus service in that area. 

 7           Multi-Centre.  The Multi-Centre Task Force is doing a fantastic job of creating a clear plan for our community to review and vote on, hopefully in May. We know the main challenge is getting senior funding but, if this does happen, the members of this committee, including Councilor Craigmyle and Director Glassford, have laid our a good foundation.

8   Health facilities.  The Cariboo Chilcotin Regional Health Board has supported major, major improvements in Quesnel’s Health Care.  Baker Lodge and the Palliative Care support is the most example of this good partnership.

There are other achievements but what I want to impress on Council, the community and CRD Northern and other Directors is that dealing issues can lead to success.  As I said, let’s stop the hand wringing and start the hand clapping!

Respectfully submitted,

Nate Bello

Mayor and CRD Representative.

Email | Print | Facebook | Twitter | Digg | Del.icio.us