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The Problems When Kamloops City Council Rescinds Certain Donations...

 

 photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/treenaks/3304518306/

I sat in the gallery at the first Kamloops city council meeting of 2011 today. As usual, lots of interesting issues discussed, debated, and decided.

One decision that concerned me a bit was the decision by council to rescind a donation of a tractor to the Thompson Agriplex Society. From time to time, council donates surplus equipment to various community groups. The value of these pieces of equipment is typically in the $5000 range. In early 2010, city staff determined the value of a the tractor to question to be in the same range and asked city council to approve this donation to the Thompson Agriplex Society. In April 2010, council gave this approval.

The society, I understand, undertakes to promote agriculture in our region and has started to hold events and activities at the old correctional camp site in Raleigh. After they got news of the donation, society president Bernie Jensen writes:

The tractor and the loader attachment were both key to several activities that we had planned for this past year at the former Raleigh Corrections property. (letter to council from the society)

Unfortunately, after council approved the donation, city staff was offered a trade-in-value of $22 000 for the tractor. And, because of the $17 000 difference from the previously estimated value, city staff felt they should not donate the tractor and, today, city council agreed.

The Thompson Agriplex Society seems to have no fault in this situation. This seems to be a matter of city staff getting new information. City staff might have even made an error in the sense that the trade-in-value was not examined at the time of the original donation recommendation. Mistakes happen. And I understand, I think, city staff's hesitation to move forward with the donation.

I wonder, though, where this leaves the Agriplex Society. They thought they had a firm deal. They have made plans around the tractor and now do not have it available. It is certainly important for the city to be financially prudent but there is also this niggling feeling that a community group has been left high and dry. I wonder how this will impact the perception of city hall's trustiworthiness and fairness with community groups. Councillors Nancy Bepple and Marg Spina seemed to be concerned about this as well -  and both Nancy voted against rescinding the donation I believe.

(Updated Jan 16th 2010: after reading media reports and watching the Council recording from the meeting, I have corrected the above: Nancy Bepple was the only council member to vote agains rescinding the donation.)

I would have also like to have seen city staff talk how about they may be able to avoid such a situation in the future - or at least talked about how situations like this are sometimes unavoidable.

 

 

Video Update and Thank You - Raising Funds for Kamloops Youth Outreach...

Less than three minute update and thank you. Project to raise $100 000 moving along well. Would love your help!

 

Achieving a Higher Youth Vote in the Next Civic Election...

photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pennstatelive/

My MA thesis involves exploring the relative effectiveness of various messages designed to encourage youth to vote. I started researching this topic back last May when my initial thesis proposal was due, but was not able to give it a great deal of time due to my coursework requirements (the other significant element of my MA). Now, the coursework is over for me and I get to concentrate on this one issue.

Although I am looking at a national perspective, I have perhaps found some interesting insights for people seeking to encourage youth to vote in our next civic election in Kamloops.

In 2008, I spent a few hundred dollars and a lot of my time campaigning for a council seat at TRU. Most people involved in my campaign think that effort was largely wasted and inefficient. I did meet some great young people, but not enough.

So what does my research so far suggest?

First, more youth might vote if it is made easier for them. If, for example, City Hall put a polling station or two at TRU or in other places youth congregate, more youth might participate in the election. Perhaps, we could look at providing free transit on election day.

Second, more youth might vote if government was more important to them and seemed more relevant to their lives. This sounds like a pretty obvious truth. The question becomes how can government assume more important and relevance. Non partisan education can help. Also, if the noble parts of government were given some prominence. The media often sees it's role as holding politicians to account, but if more attention was given to highlighting and praising good work, some of the research suggests young people ( and likely many adults) might be interested in paying more attention. There is too much emphasis on the bad things that happen in government.

Third, well organized outreach and mobilization campaigns may help. If a group of young people got together to encourage and, in fact, organize their friends and colleagues to go vote, it could have real impact.

My research is in a preliminary stage. Hopefully, will have more to say.

What Residential Christmas Lights Say About Citizenship...

Photo Credit: pugetsoundphotowalks

I've been pondering some of the reasons why some people go crazy with Christmas lights on their homes. Almost every year, my wife and I drive around an evening or two and just enjoy all the different displays. These lights seem to be about more than showing off - and even more than simple beautification. Over the past years, I've heard a lot of people talk about the importance they place on having privacy in their homes. I think that is a really important need. Christmas lights, however, seem to send the exact opposite message. This is the one time of the year where many folks actually invite people to slow down and have a look. Putting up Christmas lights, in my humble opinion, is an act of invitation, an act of community and citizenship.  This is indeed a most wonderful thing.

A Love / Hate Relationship with Long City Council Meetings...

From my vantage point, by the end, very smart people started to babble on and forget their place. Taken as a whole, however, it was a very interesting Kamloops City Council meeting to watch live. I saw discussions today on:

• Pubs in residential buildings
• Parkades in or on the edge of (depending on your own often passionately held point of view) parks
• A community driven initiative to raise funds to create a statue of a pioneering Priest, Father LeJeunw.
• Gender Neutral Washrooms.

Quite an afternoon. And sometimes very hard to watch the nerves fray around the Council table.

Hopefully, will have more details in the days ahead. Have a strong feeling that, from this one meeting, there will be blog post material for months to come

In Praise of the Hands On Apartment Manager...

Haven't been blogging much this week. My family owns apartment buildings and our manager has been on his summer holiday.  I've been covering for him. He'll be back on the job Monday.

While I've been more hands on in the buildings, I've been thinking about how much work managing well actually involves. We pride ourselves on offering a quiet and well maintained building. A good manager is key in this effort.

We don't always get it right but it gives me great personal satisfaction to see happy tenants and former tenants who are applying again for apartments.

I've been reminded of the good work our manager does for us, and look forward to seeing him back next week.

Information on Wildfire Safety for your Home and Neighbourhood...

photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/striatic/33595045/

We're all over the provincial and national news websites today. Residents in Barnhartvale have been allowed back to their mobile homes, but the area remains on evacuation alert. Thought it might be a good time to point to some really important locally put together information.

Chris Sunquist on Designing Green Homes...

Local green building pioneer Chris Sundquist was good enough to sit down with me at the 2010 Kamloops Energy Fair and share some of his knowledge and wisdom about this exciting new practice:

Watch live streaming video from yourkamloops at livestream.com

Podcast: Rob Purdy on the Big Picture of Sustainability...

 

photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pagedooley/4370352638/

One of the organizers of the Kamloops Energy Fair, and former BC Wildlife Park manager Rob Purdy, spoke to me about some big picture sustainability issues. Recorded at the 2010 Kamloops Energy Fair on June 19th 2010. Almost 7 minutes.

Audio Map

00:00  - big picture of sustainability
00:22 - problems with oil based economy
01:03 - contribution of the Kamloops Energy Fair
02:06 - momentum towards transitioning to a cleaner energy society - key number is 13%.
03:55 - women another potential driver to greener world
          - green economy huge potential.
 

Hard Questions for Kamloops City Hall Staff...

 

Kamloops This Week article on City Hall staff salaries.

The question, in my mind, is not why do you make so much money? The question is how will citizens actually believe you are worth it. I know city staffers are worth the money. I've had first hand experience. Council members often contort themselves every which way, vying for the opportunity to compliment city staff in meetings. But, I am not sure that works in inspiring public confidence in city staff. It seems too cozy to me when I watch on tv or am sitting in the public gallery of council chambers.

Councillors often feel sheepish asking tough questions of senior city staff at council meetings. I know I often did when I was on council. But, this may be the best opportunity for city staff to really show their stuff. 

I also think part of the role of a councillor is to ask tough questions on behalf of the public. Early on in my council term, we were given the opportunity to choose a piece of City of Kamloops clothing. A rationale given by one staffer was that we were now representing city hall in the community. I think it's the other way around.