Welcome to Your Kamloops!

Interview with Dr Penny Powers, chair of the Thompson Rivers University Environmental Advisory Committee

37 minutes with Dr Penny Powers from the TRU Environmental Advisory Committee.  A wonderful opportunity to chat about:

 - Sustainability efforts at TRU
 - How Penny got interested in the Environment
 - The importance of paying attention to politics and the difficulty of talking
   passionately about issues.

2009 City Tax Increase at 1.94% - right now.

There is still one more stage in the process - the public forum on the city budget on March 10th, 7pm at the Henry Grube Centre. But, after three dedicated budget meetings, city council has whittled down the 2009 tax increase to 1.94%.

Mayor Pete Milobar highlighted, in today's council meeting, some bigger ticket items that are staying in the budget, and not being cut from the intial items list:

• added funds to the snow clearing budget to help city staff meet their goal timelines.
• funds to be put in reserve to incorporate the building, maintenance, and staffing of the Aberdeen firehall.
• $200 000 for beetle kill tree removal. (includes trees affected by the tussock moth and spruce bud worm as well although, as the Mayor says, I hope we don't have added pests to deal with)

The "Kamloops Culture Collective" and Freedom of Information Requests...

There is an interesting piece in the Tyee about governments claiming copyright on what is essentially public information. There's even a shout out to the apparently fictional "Kamloops Culture Collective".

I know the Kamloops media regularly makes freedom of information requests at city hall. And, having been the subject of a request, I know Kamloops City Hall staff do a really diligent job of collecting information for the requests.

If you are looking for information at Kamloops City Hall, the first step is just to ask - 250 828 3311. Probably the best person to ask for is Len Hrycan. Len, or one of his able staffers, can advise if a formal request might be better. There may be some fees attached, to cover staff time in collecting information.

Announcing A New Venture... Your Kamloops Citizen Media

Well, time for something a little bit new, based on things I have been doing for quite a while.

I have been heavily involved in community issues in Kamloops, my incredible home town, since I moved back home in 2000.  At the same time, I've been exploring this incredible world of online media. I think I was one of the first people to regularly blog about Kamloops, with Chunky Ji's journal in 2003. I launched this blog in 2005, as a candidate for City Council. And I think I was a better member of Council, by writing and getting community feedback here.

I love my community.

I feel online media is the future of media.

I'd like to take this blog to another level.

I want to be able to provide well presented, easy to access information about important issues in our community. I know we're all getting busier, so presenting information in a concise but meaningful manner will be a key goal. I am going to incorporate a weekly audio podcast, and regular short video pieces. I ask for your thoughts on what issues you think are important to cover.

I think this will fit in nicely between what comes from government and what comes from the mainstream media. The Kamloops media corps does a great job giving people day by day, blow by blow information. I'd like to focus more on trends and tips. Our elected officals oversee the production of lots of useful information. I want to take that info and provide accessible summaries.

I am offering people the opportunity to support this work and also to get access to some premium content. $5 a month buys a subscription. Right now, if you may be interested, please email me at [email protected].

Here's a bit more info,

Announcing Your Kamloops Citizen Media
   - New Media for Kamloops -
 - citizen driven, issues based blog, newsletters, and podcasts
 - creating information pieces that suit the lifestyles of busy people: short and comprehensive
 - allowing Kamloopsians to tell their own stories.
 - 2009 causes: ending homelessness, and developing a green economy in Kamloops

Subscribe: 5$ a month and:
 - fund the above initiatives
 - access subscriber only weekly podcast (radio show) series
   "lessons in life from leaders in Kamloops" and email newsletter every Friday "Kamloops: The Next Seven Days"

Electric Vehicle and Car Sharing News on in Kamloops

On facebook, my friend Trevor Dick has started a car sharing group to help start discussion and organizing to get a car sharing organization going locally. Way to go Trevor!

Also, Dr. Penny Powers, who chairs the TRU environmental advisory committee is on a waitlist for an electric vehicle from Phoenix Motorcars.

Kudos to City for Securing Provincial and Federal Funding for Sewage Treatment Plant...

 

Riverside Park size Kudos to City Hall for securing nearly 13% of the federal infrastructure money for BC. $14 million dollars will now help fund the construction of a new sewage treatment plant. Total cost of project is about $37 million. With $10 million dollars in a sewage treatment reserve fund, sewage utility rates will need be to raised to make up the difference of $13 millon over time. This will be done over time, and it will be interesting to see how the amount of the yearly increase.

An Informative Open Talk about What? Today's Council Workshop...

I really wanted to attend the council workshop today. The strategic plan discussed today is the blueprint for the next three years in Kamloops. Unfortunately, I had a conflict - a day long meeting with the provincial campaign manager for the Pro-BCSTV campaign.

Thankfully Mel Rothenburger and Kevin Skrepnek were there. Mel posted about the style of discussion.  But, since I was not there, I don't what was talked about - arrgh. Fortunately, Kevin recorded the discussions for me. Tomorrow, I expect the local media to have more info.

Thanking Matt Todd of White Rock BC - Upholding Critical Values

A thank you shout out to former City of White Rock Council member Matt Todd, who showed a lot of chutzpah in pursuing exposing dishonesty in his community (2 mins 37 seconds)

Additional Budget Requests for the 2009 City Budget...

These sheets generated by the city finance dept are likely the main items that Council has and will discuss to try to get the tax increase down to around 2%.

Operating Requests

       

Capital Requests

 

If all these items are added, tax hike would be almost 6%. You can click on the images above, and they will enlarge...would be curious to know if anyone has any thoughts on what is being proposed here.

I am especially curious about the items marked TCC, the Tournament Capital Centre, under the capital requests. With the newness of the TCC, there may be some question in the community as to why these requests are being made. On the other hand, new buildings usually have some tweaking, and the spending requests may be oriented towards increasing the revenues from the building.

Just a quick word on the priority/ category column. Prorities are scored 1 to 3, with 1 being high, 2 being medium, and 3 being low.

Categories: C=community driven, S= safety issue, M = maintain current level of service, E = enhanced level of service.

The City Budget Process (in 4 bullet points)

As city hall works it way through the 2009 tax setting budget process, here is roughly how it works:

1) City staff have many meetings refining proposed budget for Council consideration.

2) City Council then has a couple of meetings to look at the budget, typically focused on what are called supplementary or additional items.

3) There will be one public forum on the budget at Henry Grube Centre, held March 10th 2009 at 7pm.

4) Council approves the final tax rate sometime in late April.