Mayor's Report - December 1999

I wish to start by congratulating our Councillors on their re-election, and express my appreciation for the excellent job that they have done fulfilling their responsibilities over the past three years. Election of the whole Council by acclamation is an exceedingly unique situation, and a "first" for Belcarra. This I believe is a vote of confidence by the electorate, and I also want to express my continued confidence in our Councillors.

This inauguration is a milestone as Belcarra marks its 20th anniversary as a municipality and looks ahead to the new millennium. In looking ahead, I see our major challenge being the development and renewal of our municipal infrastructure with little or no assistance from senior levels of government.

The largest component of Belcarra's infrastructure is roads. Refurbishing our aging asphalt will be expensive. However, the problems of restricted revenue and the provincial deficit continue to mean a lack of funding for capital programs such as roads. To meet this challenge, we must take a long-term perspective, recognise the importance of re-investing in our community infrastructure, and plan for the fiscal reality of renewing our roads.

For most of the 1990s, Council has focused on the maintenance concerns of Bedwell Bay Road and has undertaken several sizeable projects with the generous support of the Ministry of Transportation & Highways. After expenditures of close to $900,000 we now are more than halfway toward our objective of re-furbishing and re-surfacing Bedwell Bay Road.

Last year I expressed hope that there might be funding for highways projects via another Federal / Provincial Infrastructure Program. Over the past year Public Works has been "at the ready" with the next Bedwell Bay Road project designed and cost-estimated to enable a fast response to new program funding. We are still waiting! The recent Federal government announcement that the coming budget will include provision for another Federal / Provincial Infrastructure Program means that we continue to be hopeful and will maintain our "readiness" to pursue funding opportunities.

Over the past two years Council has been actively enhancing the fire protection infrastructure within the Village. A 56,000 IG storage tank was installed on a Crown Land lease on the hillside at the south (top) end of Tatlow Road, and underground pipe installed from the tank site to fire hydrants at Main Avenue, Bedwell Bay Road and Marine Avenue. The first "branch line" was also installed along Bedwell Bay Road that locates fire hydrants at Watson and Senkler Roads. Council also installed a 56,000 IG storage tank on property leased from the GVRD adjacent to the Dutchman's Creek Water Users facilities, with the first fire hydrant located at Salish Road. Surveying and engineering design work is now proceeding to complete this system that will add fire hydrants at Whiskey Cove, Turtlehead Road, and the intersection of Belcarra Bay and Bedwell Bay Roads. These works have thus far cost $400,000 with another $350,000 anticipated to complete the two systems over the next three years, and is being funded on a "pay-as-you-go" basis!

The significance of the foregoing should be obvious and, accordingly, I am recommending that Councillor Carlsen be re-appointed as Chair of Public Works & Infrastructure to continue these works.

A critical issue that has gained prominence over the past year is that of treaty negotiations within the Lower Mainland. During 1999 Council held a series of public information meetings to solicit community thoughts and ideas, and also completed Belcarra's "Inventory of Interests" for input to the Lower Mainland Treaty Advisory Committee (LMTAC) and the Provincial negotiators. Belcarra also participated in the development of the LMTAC "First Principles" that will guide local governments as we proceed through the treaty process. To continue this work, I am again recommending that Councillor Ross be re-appointed to this important function. I am also recommending that Belcarra's Citizen Advisory Committee for treaty negotiations be re-appointed, consisting of Jim Chisholm, Mike Cotton and Joe Kecskes.

The Protective Services Committee has the most breadth of all Council functions. This committee is responsible for all matters relating to:

• Block Watch
• Family Court
• Emergency Preparedness (PEP)
• Policing (RCMP)
• Fire Protection (SVFD)
• District 43 Community Policing Committee

This year I am recommending that Councillor Bruce Drake assume the Protective Services Committee portfolio and focus on issues of Block Watch, Emergency Preparedness and Communications. To maintain momentum in this important area, and to also pursue new initiatives, I am recommending the re-appointment of Ted Bojanowski, Jim Chisholm, Mike Cotton, Walter Frith, Martin McGregor, Don Simkin, George Stewart, and Bob Wilson as citizen members of the Protective Services Committee. I am also recommending the re-appointment of Dave Warren as Belcarra's representative on the Family Court.

Environmental issues are also a priority for most Belcarra residents, and Council has continued to pursue initiatives in this area. Councillor Glover has been actively representing Council on the Northeast Sector Stream Stewardship Committee, work that has culminated in a draft bylaw presently being considered by the five northeast sector municipalities. This was a sizeable undertaking that now needs community involvement. To pursue this initiative, I am recommending the re-appointment of Denise Bougie, Eric Broberg, Corrine Goodman, Jillian Hull, Maureen Jamieson, Don Reid, Donna Smallpiece, Irene Turnbull, Jennifer Wilkie and Paul Wilson (Vancouver Water Ski Club) as members of the Environmental Affairs Committee. We will be looking to Councillor Glover, as committee Chair, to move us forward in this important area.

Over the past 16 years, the Finance Committee has successfully implemented fiscal strategies to minimise the impact of decreasing provincial grants, and to minimise borrowing costs through expenditure scheduling. It has also been Council's policy to pursue a "pay-as-you-go" strategy for both the municipality and the Sasamat Volunteer Fire Department by advocating a combined program of capital reserve funds and fiscal planning. Traditionally, the Mayor has chaired the Finance Committee, and it is my intention to maintain these strategies, and to focus on development of a multi-year financial plan to enable Belcarra to meet the capital expenditure challenges of infrastructure renewal during the coming decade.

To summarize, I am recommending the following appointments for the coming year:

• Councillor Carlsen be re-appointed as Chair of Public Works & Infrastructure;
• Councillor Drake be appointed as Chair of Protective Services, and also re-appointed as Belcarra's representative to the GVRD Parks Committee and Alternate Director to the GVRD Board;
• Councillor Glover be re-appointed as Chair of Environmental Affairs;
• Councillor Ross be re-appointed as Chair of Planning & Special Projects and Belcarra's representative to the Lower Mainland Treaty Advisory Committee;
• Councillors Carlsen and Glover be re-appointed along with the Mayor to the SVFD Board of Trustees; and that
• The Mayor be re-appointed as Chair of the Finance Committee, and also re-appointed as Belcarra's representative on the GVRD Board.

As can be seen, the coming year will be as busy as ever, and I am confident that both Council and its committees can meet the challenges and achieve their objectives!

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