In case you hadn't noticed, there's been a lot of talk about snow removal lately.
I thought I'd take some time to share some info on the subject and explore a few options. Councillor Kevin O'Toole also has a good post on the subject that you can find here.
To begin: this snow sucks...big time. My fellow Councillors and I, as well as administration, know quite well how terrible the residential roads are. I have dug out my fair share of vehicles, helped pull out a school bus, and have gotten my one ton dually stuck a few times. I admit that even I had a few choice words to say to the City as my bumper was dislocated from my car trying to get out of a snow rut. I get it.
So how did we get here?
The simple answer is that we got an ungodly amount of snow in a very short timespan. 140 cms in 3 weeks to be precise. That's 87% of the average snowfall we get in an ENTIRE winter. That's half of what the snowiest city in Canada (St. John's, Nfld) gets in an ENTIRE winter. That's a heck of a lot of snow by any measure.
What 's been even worse about this particular snowfall is that it has been continuous. This means that we have had to have most of our crews continuously on Priority I and II routes slowing down residential street removal.
What has the City's response been?
We have had every available piece of City equipment working round the clock to clear the roads. Our staff are tirelessly working as long as labour laws allow...and the overtime is stacking up. In addition to City crews, we have contracted as many private companies to help with removal as there are available. If there were more, we'd have them. We're now spending $40,000 a day on contracted services alone.
What's the problem then?
The problem is that there are an estimated 12,000 to 14,000 loads of snow left to be moved and there is just not the capacity in the region to deal with it in a timely fashion.
How can we speed things up?
1. GET PARKED CARS OFF THE STREET!! The thing that slows our crews down the most is having to deal with parked cars. If every street they came to had no parked cars, the whole city could be done in a fraction of the time.
How do we achieve this? The City can tow vehicles that are parked on the street...and they try. However, there has been a several hour wait for tow trucks over the last couple weeks, so it's faster to just ticket the vehicle and plow around it. You can help by ensuring your vehicle is off the road when asked and encouraging your neighbours to do the same.
Some cities put parking bans on entire neighbourhoods over a several day period to make it easier to know when to remove your vehicle. Or some have parking bans on the neighbourhood's garbage day. Some cities even have citywide parking bans (although I highly doubt that'd fly in GP!) Do you think there is a better method than just having a sign out 24 hrs in advance as we do now? Or in other words, why are people still leaving vehicles on the street and what can we do to fix that?
The real root of the problem is that we have many residents who have no place to park but the street. While we could talk for hours about decisions made in the past regarding parking available in new developments, I prefer to look to the future. The City has become much more cognizant of the issue and are now requiring additional parking stalls, particularly in regards to multi-family dwellings and secondary suites. We need to continue this practice.
2. Clearing out the entrance to residents' driveways takes up a considerable amount of time. If we didn't do this during these crazy freak storms, we could get to more streets faster. We could come back to finish them later or have residents responsible for them themselves. Would you be okay with this?
3. We currently don't do snow removal in residential areas at night between 10pm and 7am. Would you be okay with the noise associated with the graders/loaders in the middle of the night if it meant faster snow removal?
This option would be difficult to achieve as we get back to the parking issue. There are more vehicles parked on the road at night and it is harder to contact owners at 2am.
4. As we go into 2015-2018 budget planning, we will have to examine whether additional staff and/or equipment will be needed. This is always a tricky decision as there are some years where we get very little snow and we don't want to have a massive snow removal fleet just sitting around. There's definitely a balance that needs to be found.
So there you have it folks...the lowdown on the snowdown (my new word).
As always, feedback appreciated.
Cheers,
Rory
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Monday, November 25, 2013
AUMA Recap
Most of City Council attended the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) convention over the last few days.
The AUMA is an organization that represents 272 urban municipalities in the province and advocates the interests of its members to both the provincial and federal governments as well as other provincial and federal organizations.
AUMA holds a yearly convention where there are learning sessions, policy discussions, meetings with provincial officials and cabinet ministers, advocacy resolutions are passed and networking opportunities abound.
I thought I'd give a little recap of my experience this year:
Asset Management
I went to an informative session on Asset Management. There was an excellent presentation from the Town of Hinton, who leads Albertan municipalities in this field. In a nutshell, Asset Management is the process of analysing infrastructure to get an accurate accounting of lifespans, upgrades required, etc. While the City does do this to a certain extent now, there are a number of best practices that could be adopted to give Council and Admin a fuller picture of the health and longevity of our tangible capital assets.
MGA Review
The Municipal Government Act is the piece of legislation that governs almost everything that municipalities do in Alberta. The government announced last year that the MGA would be undergoing an extensive review that would culminate in an updated version going to the Legislature by Spring 2015. The City, through its involvement with AUMA, will be able to contribute to these discussions in a number of areas.
One of the sessions I went to on the review spoke about revenue streams. Some municipalities have asked for the power to diversify their revenue streams in the belief that there is an over-reliance on property taxes. The presentation examined all the possible revenue streams available and gave pros and cons on each one. I plan on doing a blog post on the topic in the future.
Municipal Governance
There was a fascinating panel discussion on different municipal governance models. Regional governments, regional planning boards, and multi-lateral partnerships were all discussed. There seemed to be a consensus in the room that much of the current system is imperfect, although there was less consensus on what the answers are.
Resolutions
Each year, members of AUMA debate and pass resolutions which direct AUMA's advocacy efforts. This year we talked about topics ranging from municipal funding to wetlands to amalgamations to pensions plans to the introduction of a provincial combative sports commission. The AUMA board will now take the policies that were passed and incorporate them into their advocacy efforts.
Dialogue with Ministers
There were a number of Q & A sessions with members of the provincial cabinet. While sometimes Ministers use this time to announce new policies or additional funding, there were no surprises from what I could tell. Everything seems pretty status-quo.
Trade Show
Every year the AUMA has a trade show which showcases everything from new street lighting systems to educational opportunities to paving equipment. It was great to see what types of products and services are out there for municipalities. I particularly enjoyed having the chance to test out some outdoor fitness equipment.
One of the great things about these conventions is the networking opportunities. I got to meet many people from around the province and was able to learn from their experiences on a number of topics.
Overall, the convention was of great value to me. I believe the AUMA provides tremendous value to Albertan municipalities and Grande Prairie is no exception. I look forward to working with them as they advance municipal objectives in the province, especially with Councillor Rice as the new President!
PS. This blog could have been a dozen pages if I expanded on everything...so if you want more details...just give me a shout!
The AUMA is an organization that represents 272 urban municipalities in the province and advocates the interests of its members to both the provincial and federal governments as well as other provincial and federal organizations.
AUMA holds a yearly convention where there are learning sessions, policy discussions, meetings with provincial officials and cabinet ministers, advocacy resolutions are passed and networking opportunities abound.
I thought I'd give a little recap of my experience this year:
Asset Management
I went to an informative session on Asset Management. There was an excellent presentation from the Town of Hinton, who leads Albertan municipalities in this field. In a nutshell, Asset Management is the process of analysing infrastructure to get an accurate accounting of lifespans, upgrades required, etc. While the City does do this to a certain extent now, there are a number of best practices that could be adopted to give Council and Admin a fuller picture of the health and longevity of our tangible capital assets.
MGA Review
The Municipal Government Act is the piece of legislation that governs almost everything that municipalities do in Alberta. The government announced last year that the MGA would be undergoing an extensive review that would culminate in an updated version going to the Legislature by Spring 2015. The City, through its involvement with AUMA, will be able to contribute to these discussions in a number of areas.
One of the sessions I went to on the review spoke about revenue streams. Some municipalities have asked for the power to diversify their revenue streams in the belief that there is an over-reliance on property taxes. The presentation examined all the possible revenue streams available and gave pros and cons on each one. I plan on doing a blog post on the topic in the future.
Municipal Governance
There was a fascinating panel discussion on different municipal governance models. Regional governments, regional planning boards, and multi-lateral partnerships were all discussed. There seemed to be a consensus in the room that much of the current system is imperfect, although there was less consensus on what the answers are.
Resolutions
Each year, members of AUMA debate and pass resolutions which direct AUMA's advocacy efforts. This year we talked about topics ranging from municipal funding to wetlands to amalgamations to pensions plans to the introduction of a provincial combative sports commission. The AUMA board will now take the policies that were passed and incorporate them into their advocacy efforts.
Dialogue with Ministers
There were a number of Q & A sessions with members of the provincial cabinet. While sometimes Ministers use this time to announce new policies or additional funding, there were no surprises from what I could tell. Everything seems pretty status-quo.
Trade Show
Every year the AUMA has a trade show which showcases everything from new street lighting systems to educational opportunities to paving equipment. It was great to see what types of products and services are out there for municipalities. I particularly enjoyed having the chance to test out some outdoor fitness equipment.
One of the great things about these conventions is the networking opportunities. I got to meet many people from around the province and was able to learn from their experiences on a number of topics.
Overall, the convention was of great value to me. I believe the AUMA provides tremendous value to Albertan municipalities and Grande Prairie is no exception. I look forward to working with them as they advance municipal objectives in the province, especially with Councillor Rice as the new President!
PS. This blog could have been a dozen pages if I expanded on everything...so if you want more details...just give me a shout!
Friday, November 15, 2013
Budget 2014: The Aftermath
The 2014 Budget has been set.
We had to make a lot of hard choices today, but I am pleased with the overall outcome of our budget.
Here is a list of the funding we approved:
After the dust settled, we were looking at a 2.4% tax increase. Not ideal in my mind, but less than the 3.3% increase that was originally budgeted for and a far cry from the 7-10% increases we saw a few years ago.
I am very pleased with the projects that have gone ahead. I believe they will have a very positive impact on the future of our city and will help ensure our residents thrive!
We had to make a lot of hard choices today, but I am pleased with the overall outcome of our budget.
Here is a list of the funding we approved:
- Crystal Centre Truss & Rigging upgrades - $2.66 million
- Leisure Centre upgrades - $2 million (brings total amount to $6 million)
- Northern Alberta Youth Entrepreneur Camp - $10,000
- 100th Anniversary Funding - $250,000
- Grande Prairie Boys Choir - $11,000
- Grande Prairie Sports Council -$75,000
- New Off Leash Dog Areas -$68,000
- Hillside Social Housing demolition project - $300,000
- Eastlink/Gymniks parking - $2.03 million
- Football field beside new high school - $2.74 million
- Odyssey House Second stage shelter - $700,000 (over two years)
- GP and Area Safe Communities - $10,000
- 101 Ave Extension (98st to 97 a St.) & Lights - $850,000
- 124 St. Paving - $2.5 million
- Intersection upgrades $300,000
- Manhole & Catch basin replacement - $100,000
- Replacement of old bridge on Muskoseepi Trails - $300,000
- 92 St. Twinning design - $200,000
- Pedestrian trail along 108th St.. (between 68th and 76th ave.) - $300,000
After the dust settled, we were looking at a 2.4% tax increase. Not ideal in my mind, but less than the 3.3% increase that was originally budgeted for and a far cry from the 7-10% increases we saw a few years ago.
I am very pleased with the projects that have gone ahead. I believe they will have a very positive impact on the future of our city and will help ensure our residents thrive!
Thursday, November 14, 2013
2014 Budget Review
Tomorrow (Friday, Nov. 15th) morning City Council finalizes the budget for next year. Keep in mind this is just a smaller review. The previous Council set out a three-year budget beginning in 2012 and culminating in 2014. However, each year Council is able to tweak the budget. So without further ado, here is what we face tomorrow:
I'm going to try to make this as clear as I can without getting into too many details. I'm also still learning about the finer points, so bear with me.
Council has been presented with a number of spending proposals from administration and community groups. I've listed several of the larger ones ($500K+) below:
Artificial turf football field at CKC: $2.74 million
Eastlink Centre parking: $2.03 million
CGA Truss & Rigging upgrades: $2.66 million
Odyssey House Supportive Housing project: $700,000
Community Space at Isabel Campbell school: $500,000
City Hall First Floor redesign: $500,000
Other projects (< 500K): $1.5 million
Additionally, we are going to find out tomorrow the capital costs associated with the Leisure Centre and the Bear Creek pool renos as well as a list of road/storm water/traffic signal/trail projects.
So we are going to be faced with between $10-$20 million in new expenditure proposals.
Let's look where we're at on the revenue side:
The core operational and capital budgets have been set, but there is a small amount available to us that has not been allocated yet. These budgeted amounts are $3.4 million in operating and $3.7 million in capital. These amounts were originally budgeted for with a 3.3% tax rate increase, but due to a number of factors, these amounts now equate to a 1.8% increase.
In addition, there is a $3.4 million surplus from this year that could be used for expenditures. We'll have to discuss whether we would want to use that entire surplus up, or have it go into our Financial Stabilization Reserve for future expenditures. So in sum, there is about $10.5 million we have to work with (at a 1.8% tax rate increase). Of course, we could choose to higher/lower the tax rate. A 1% increase/decrease equates to a $900,000 change in revenues.
So there's the scoop. Tough decisions will have to be made; but that's what we were elected to do. Thank you to everyone who has shared their thoughts on the budget and/or specific proposals. If you have additional comments, let me know by 9am tomorrow! Feel free to watch us online starting at 9am or come on by City Hall to watch the action in person!
I'm going to try to make this as clear as I can without getting into too many details. I'm also still learning about the finer points, so bear with me.
Council has been presented with a number of spending proposals from administration and community groups. I've listed several of the larger ones ($500K+) below:
Artificial turf football field at CKC: $2.74 million
Eastlink Centre parking: $2.03 million
CGA Truss & Rigging upgrades: $2.66 million
Odyssey House Supportive Housing project: $700,000
Community Space at Isabel Campbell school: $500,000
City Hall First Floor redesign: $500,000
Other projects (< 500K): $1.5 million
Additionally, we are going to find out tomorrow the capital costs associated with the Leisure Centre and the Bear Creek pool renos as well as a list of road/storm water/traffic signal/trail projects.
So we are going to be faced with between $10-$20 million in new expenditure proposals.
Let's look where we're at on the revenue side:
The core operational and capital budgets have been set, but there is a small amount available to us that has not been allocated yet. These budgeted amounts are $3.4 million in operating and $3.7 million in capital. These amounts were originally budgeted for with a 3.3% tax rate increase, but due to a number of factors, these amounts now equate to a 1.8% increase.
In addition, there is a $3.4 million surplus from this year that could be used for expenditures. We'll have to discuss whether we would want to use that entire surplus up, or have it go into our Financial Stabilization Reserve for future expenditures. So in sum, there is about $10.5 million we have to work with (at a 1.8% tax rate increase). Of course, we could choose to higher/lower the tax rate. A 1% increase/decrease equates to a $900,000 change in revenues.
So there's the scoop. Tough decisions will have to be made; but that's what we were elected to do. Thank you to everyone who has shared their thoughts on the budget and/or specific proposals. If you have additional comments, let me know by 9am tomorrow! Feel free to watch us online starting at 9am or come on by City Hall to watch the action in person!
Monday, October 28, 2013
Committee Appointments
I was officially sworn-in as a Councillor today. The work begins now and I'm very much looking forward to the challenges that lie before me!
One of my goals over the next four years is to be as open and transparent as possible. Throughout the election, I received numerous positive comments on my blog posts whether people agreed with them or not. I plan on continuing to keep everyone updated and informed through these posts, as well as through my Facebook and Twitter accounts. What better time to start than Day 1:
I was also appointed to a number of committees today which I will serve on for at least the next two years. I've included the list below with a brief description of each.
Community Living Committee
Standing committee of Council that works with the following City departments: Parks, Aquatics & Wellness, Transit, Culture & Heritage, Recreation & Sport, and Community Social Development.
Corporate Services Committee
Standing committee of Council that works with Finance, Purchasing, Legislative Services, ITS, Fleet, Facility Maintenance, and everyone's favourite, Assessment & Taxation.
Arts Development Committee
I will chair this committee which provides funding to arts groups in the community as well as looking for opportunities to grow Grande Prairie's arts scene.
City/County Joint Recreation Committee
Will get to work with the County in planning recreational infrastructure and programming in the region.
Grande Prairie Airport Commission
Planning for the future of our airport while providing oversight to current operations.
Subdivision & Development Appeal Board (SDAB)
The SDAB is a quasi-judicial board that hears appeals regarding decisions made by the City's subdivision and development authorities and renders decisions based on the evidence presented.
In addition to my role on these committees, I will also serve as a Council representative on three external boards: the Centre for Research and Innovation (GPRC), the South Peace Regional Archives Society Board, and the Wapiti Corridor Planning Group Steering Committee.
I look forward to sharing more details with you as the term progresses. Please feel free to contact me at any time with your thoughts or any questions you may have.
One of my goals over the next four years is to be as open and transparent as possible. Throughout the election, I received numerous positive comments on my blog posts whether people agreed with them or not. I plan on continuing to keep everyone updated and informed through these posts, as well as through my Facebook and Twitter accounts. What better time to start than Day 1:
I was also appointed to a number of committees today which I will serve on for at least the next two years. I've included the list below with a brief description of each.
Community Living Committee
Standing committee of Council that works with the following City departments: Parks, Aquatics & Wellness, Transit, Culture & Heritage, Recreation & Sport, and Community Social Development.
Corporate Services Committee
Standing committee of Council that works with Finance, Purchasing, Legislative Services, ITS, Fleet, Facility Maintenance, and everyone's favourite, Assessment & Taxation.
Arts Development Committee
I will chair this committee which provides funding to arts groups in the community as well as looking for opportunities to grow Grande Prairie's arts scene.
City/County Joint Recreation Committee
Will get to work with the County in planning recreational infrastructure and programming in the region.
Grande Prairie Airport Commission
Planning for the future of our airport while providing oversight to current operations.
Subdivision & Development Appeal Board (SDAB)
The SDAB is a quasi-judicial board that hears appeals regarding decisions made by the City's subdivision and development authorities and renders decisions based on the evidence presented.
In addition to my role on these committees, I will also serve as a Council representative on three external boards: the Centre for Research and Innovation (GPRC), the South Peace Regional Archives Society Board, and the Wapiti Corridor Planning Group Steering Committee.
I look forward to sharing more details with you as the term progresses. Please feel free to contact me at any time with your thoughts or any questions you may have.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
A Humbling Encounter
I had a very humbling experience today while doorknocking.
I knocked on a door and was greeted by a lady in her 50s of Middle Eastern descent. After introducing myself, tears welled in the lady's eyes.
She went on to tell me that she had recently become a Canadian citizen and that this election was the first time in her life that she was allowed to vote.
Wow.
Impact.
The next few moments consisted of no words, just solemn silence as our tearful eyes met each other in a respectful gaze. My heart and soul were shaken beyond belief. I thanked the lady for sharing her story and went on my way, reflecting on the encounter.
I think that sometimes the humanity of elections can be lost in the flashy signs and catchy slogans, the speeches and smear campaigns, and debates and twitter feeds. Beneath it all, we are incredibly privileged to live in a country in which we have a legitimate right to select who governs us.
So vote.
Vote for a Council that will represent you. Vote for all those who have perished to protect our right to choose our government. Vote for those who cannot vote and live in oppression waiting for their time to come. Vote.
I don't know if this lady will vote for me and that doesn't bother me one bit. Today she gave me much more than a vote will ever be worth.
I don't know what voter turnout will be as the votes come in on Monday. But I do know of someone who will be there for the first time, with a tear in her eye and a smile on her face.
Vote.
I knocked on a door and was greeted by a lady in her 50s of Middle Eastern descent. After introducing myself, tears welled in the lady's eyes.
She went on to tell me that she had recently become a Canadian citizen and that this election was the first time in her life that she was allowed to vote.
Wow.
Impact.
The next few moments consisted of no words, just solemn silence as our tearful eyes met each other in a respectful gaze. My heart and soul were shaken beyond belief. I thanked the lady for sharing her story and went on my way, reflecting on the encounter.
I think that sometimes the humanity of elections can be lost in the flashy signs and catchy slogans, the speeches and smear campaigns, and debates and twitter feeds. Beneath it all, we are incredibly privileged to live in a country in which we have a legitimate right to select who governs us.
So vote.
Vote for a Council that will represent you. Vote for all those who have perished to protect our right to choose our government. Vote for those who cannot vote and live in oppression waiting for their time to come. Vote.
I don't know if this lady will vote for me and that doesn't bother me one bit. Today she gave me much more than a vote will ever be worth.
I don't know what voter turnout will be as the votes come in on Monday. But I do know of someone who will be there for the first time, with a tear in her eye and a smile on her face.
Vote.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
A Critique: The Unfunctional 132nd Ave
I have been fairly supportive of this past Council. I believe they have made a number of great forward-thinking decisions while keeping tax increases at the lowest they've been in years. I know as a newcomer, it's not politically in my interests to say that, but I'm not one to go negative just for political gain. I like to speak my mind.
With that said, I do have one major critique of this past Council. It has to do with how the 132nd Ave. Functional Study was handled.
132nd Ave. and 100 St. has become one of the busiest intersections in town. It has also become the intersection with one of the highest collision rates. Much of this has to do with the design.
A Functional Study of 132nd Ave. was completed in October 2012. The study proposed three stages of road expansion once City populations reached 65,000, 78,000, and 90,000. The study also proposed several changes that could be implemented right away within existing conditions to improve traffic flow and to make the 132nd Ave/100 St. intersection safer.
These changes included either cutting off the 100 St. service roads from 132 Ave or making them right in/right out. A raised median extending from 99th St. to 101 St. was also proposed.
All these proposals obviously upset business owners in the area as they would hinder access to and from their businesses. Without getting into too much detail, the previous Council decided not to accept any of the study's proposals and asked for another report taking into account more consultation with business owners. The report came back in September and now there is going to be another one-day facilitated "Charrette" to consult with businesses again and come up with possible solutions.
My thoughts:
This process has taken way too long. There are serious safety and traffic flow issues that needed to be addressed yesterday. I would have like to have seen Council adopt one or more of the immediate fixes. I understand that there are access concerns. As a regular customer of several of the businesses affected, I get how accessing them would be a little more difficult.
However, these changes are to be expected when located next to a major arterial road. We are not a one-horse town anymore. We need to make decisions recognizing that we cannot retain the same traffic designs when intersection traffic flows have doubled over the past 20 years to 22,000+ vehicles per day.
And customers adapt. The changes will be annoying at first, but over time you get used to them. I also don't believe that they would adversely affect business viability.
Let's put safety first and get this intersection fixed.
With that said, I do have one major critique of this past Council. It has to do with how the 132nd Ave. Functional Study was handled.
132nd Ave. and 100 St. has become one of the busiest intersections in town. It has also become the intersection with one of the highest collision rates. Much of this has to do with the design.
A Functional Study of 132nd Ave. was completed in October 2012. The study proposed three stages of road expansion once City populations reached 65,000, 78,000, and 90,000. The study also proposed several changes that could be implemented right away within existing conditions to improve traffic flow and to make the 132nd Ave/100 St. intersection safer.
These changes included either cutting off the 100 St. service roads from 132 Ave or making them right in/right out. A raised median extending from 99th St. to 101 St. was also proposed.
All these proposals obviously upset business owners in the area as they would hinder access to and from their businesses. Without getting into too much detail, the previous Council decided not to accept any of the study's proposals and asked for another report taking into account more consultation with business owners. The report came back in September and now there is going to be another one-day facilitated "Charrette" to consult with businesses again and come up with possible solutions.
My thoughts:
This process has taken way too long. There are serious safety and traffic flow issues that needed to be addressed yesterday. I would have like to have seen Council adopt one or more of the immediate fixes. I understand that there are access concerns. As a regular customer of several of the businesses affected, I get how accessing them would be a little more difficult.
However, these changes are to be expected when located next to a major arterial road. We are not a one-horse town anymore. We need to make decisions recognizing that we cannot retain the same traffic designs when intersection traffic flows have doubled over the past 20 years to 22,000+ vehicles per day.
And customers adapt. The changes will be annoying at first, but over time you get used to them. I also don't believe that they would adversely affect business viability.
Let's put safety first and get this intersection fixed.
In Support of the Annexation Proposal
I am in complete favour of the City's annexation proposal.
Here's why:
We need land for industrial development. Plain and simple. We need to rebalance the ratio of our residential to industrial tax base. In order to begin work on our Industrial Attraction Strategy, we need to secure the land for where all the magic will happen.
I haven't heard many people question the need to annex land, but some have questioned how much land we're taking. Here's a couple reasons why I believe Council made a good decision in proposing to annex the full 6500 hectares:
My reply:
Throughout the annexation negotiations, it was determined that it will cost about $1 million to service the area. We will also be generating $1 million more in revenue from the annexed lands, thus making the annexation cost neutral. These numbers were developed and reviewed by professional City and County staff as well as independent consultants. I have faith in these numbers and nothing has caused me to question their validity.
Some people are saying that the service costs are much more than $1 million. If this is the case, I am all ears. Show me some facts and analysis to back up your theory and I will diligently review them. Until then, I don't want to hear empty rhetoric.
In conclusion, I believe Council made a good decision in annexing the full 6500 hectares. I just hope the Municipal Government Board finds our proposal acceptable and processes it quickly.
Let's Thrive, Grande Prairie!
Here's why:
We need land for industrial development. Plain and simple. We need to rebalance the ratio of our residential to industrial tax base. In order to begin work on our Industrial Attraction Strategy, we need to secure the land for where all the magic will happen.
I haven't heard many people question the need to annex land, but some have questioned how much land we're taking. Here's a couple reasons why I believe Council made a good decision in proposing to annex the full 6500 hectares:
- The new highway bypass will be going right through the annexed area. Industry likes to develop near high traffic corridors. Just look to the north to see this in action. We need to be in a position to capitalize on lands surrounding the new bypass when it comes through.
- Annexations cost time, money, and political capital. I do not believe it's in our interests to continually annex small chunks of land. Annexation negotiations take a considerable amount of the time of our City staff and our elected officials. To go through the process every decade would not be cost effective and detracts from efforts elsewhere.
- It will help with long-term planning. If we want to have future-focused planning in place, it is desirable to have land supply for quite a few decades.
My reply:
Throughout the annexation negotiations, it was determined that it will cost about $1 million to service the area. We will also be generating $1 million more in revenue from the annexed lands, thus making the annexation cost neutral. These numbers were developed and reviewed by professional City and County staff as well as independent consultants. I have faith in these numbers and nothing has caused me to question their validity.
Some people are saying that the service costs are much more than $1 million. If this is the case, I am all ears. Show me some facts and analysis to back up your theory and I will diligently review them. Until then, I don't want to hear empty rhetoric.
In conclusion, I believe Council made a good decision in annexing the full 6500 hectares. I just hope the Municipal Government Board finds our proposal acceptable and processes it quickly.
Let's Thrive, Grande Prairie!
Monday, October 14, 2013
The Elephant in the Room
I've felt that there hasn't been as much discussion as there should be about a major decision that will face the next Council. It's an elephant in the room if you will...and a large elephant at that!
I'm talking about the Crystal Centre expansion of course.
The latest expansion study proposed a $44 million upgrade to the facility. The project would see the CGA seat count increase to 5000. It also included a retrofit of the north side of the building to be made into a conference centre. The intent of the project is to attract more shows to GP, open possibilities for a WHL team, and provide an avenue for economic stimulus with conferences.
The next Council will have to decide what to do with this study.
To expand or not to expand...
To be completely blunt, I am not in favour of expansion, at least for the next few years. I feel there are other priorities that need to be addressed first, such as the twinning of 92nd St. and 68th Ave. A project of this magnitude, which would have to be largely financed, would push us near if not over our debt limit and I don't want to move in that direction.
When the city is in a more favourable financial position, I would reconsider my stance. However, there are a number of concerns I have regarding the expansion at any rate.
First, I am unsure of whether there is enough public support for the project to warrant the expenditure. I believe people do want more entertainment opportunities in the city, as do I, but is the Crystal Centre the best option for this? Many people have suggested that a Performing Arts centre would provide better value for residents as it could bring in a greater number of smaller acts and provide a facility to be used for youth programs and arts groups throughout the year.
Others have suggested that building a new arena would be more cost effective in the long-run as it would address many of the deficiencies of the Crystal Centre. I'm not definitively saying that the Crystal Centre isn't the best option, I'm saying there needs to be a lot more thought and consultation as we proceed.
Second, I am not sold on the value of the conference centre addition. We would be going head to head with the Entrac (TEC) Centre and a number of private facilities, thus splitting the market putting into question the economic viability of the project. It has been suggested that we could grow the market with a premier facility like this. I realize that the conference hosting market is lucrative and could be a huge economic stimulus for the city, especially the downtown core. Let's just say that at this point I'm not convinced we could grow the market big enough to justify the expenditure.
Third, there's the issue of ongoing costs. In Dawson Creek they guarantee shows meaning that taxpayers are on the hook if a show flops. The EnCana Centre is also subsidized at four times the rate per capita as the Crystal Centre. In order to compete with EnCana, it will take a lot more than a big fancy building. There would have to be significant operational dollars added. The city would have to have a serious discussion on whether these costs are justifiable.
With all this said, there may be a "third option" I would entertain in the short-term. The Crystal Centre has lost shows just because it cannot structurally support the light and sound equipment that the bigger acts are using. I've been told that the promoters of the Carrie Underwood show came to us first, but had to go EnCana after finding out we couldn't support their equipment. For a $1 million dollar upgrade, I've been told we could address this deficiency. This would be a cost-effective solution that I would consider in the short-term.
In conclusion, I am not in favour of a large-scale Crystal Centre expansion for the immediate future. As we plan for the future, I believe a larger performing venue should be in our minds. There are a number of options for what this venue should be. I would love to hear your thoughts!
I'm talking about the Crystal Centre expansion of course.
The latest expansion study proposed a $44 million upgrade to the facility. The project would see the CGA seat count increase to 5000. It also included a retrofit of the north side of the building to be made into a conference centre. The intent of the project is to attract more shows to GP, open possibilities for a WHL team, and provide an avenue for economic stimulus with conferences.
The next Council will have to decide what to do with this study.
To expand or not to expand...
To be completely blunt, I am not in favour of expansion, at least for the next few years. I feel there are other priorities that need to be addressed first, such as the twinning of 92nd St. and 68th Ave. A project of this magnitude, which would have to be largely financed, would push us near if not over our debt limit and I don't want to move in that direction.
When the city is in a more favourable financial position, I would reconsider my stance. However, there are a number of concerns I have regarding the expansion at any rate.
First, I am unsure of whether there is enough public support for the project to warrant the expenditure. I believe people do want more entertainment opportunities in the city, as do I, but is the Crystal Centre the best option for this? Many people have suggested that a Performing Arts centre would provide better value for residents as it could bring in a greater number of smaller acts and provide a facility to be used for youth programs and arts groups throughout the year.
Others have suggested that building a new arena would be more cost effective in the long-run as it would address many of the deficiencies of the Crystal Centre. I'm not definitively saying that the Crystal Centre isn't the best option, I'm saying there needs to be a lot more thought and consultation as we proceed.
Second, I am not sold on the value of the conference centre addition. We would be going head to head with the Entrac (TEC) Centre and a number of private facilities, thus splitting the market putting into question the economic viability of the project. It has been suggested that we could grow the market with a premier facility like this. I realize that the conference hosting market is lucrative and could be a huge economic stimulus for the city, especially the downtown core. Let's just say that at this point I'm not convinced we could grow the market big enough to justify the expenditure.
Third, there's the issue of ongoing costs. In Dawson Creek they guarantee shows meaning that taxpayers are on the hook if a show flops. The EnCana Centre is also subsidized at four times the rate per capita as the Crystal Centre. In order to compete with EnCana, it will take a lot more than a big fancy building. There would have to be significant operational dollars added. The city would have to have a serious discussion on whether these costs are justifiable.
With all this said, there may be a "third option" I would entertain in the short-term. The Crystal Centre has lost shows just because it cannot structurally support the light and sound equipment that the bigger acts are using. I've been told that the promoters of the Carrie Underwood show came to us first, but had to go EnCana after finding out we couldn't support their equipment. For a $1 million dollar upgrade, I've been told we could address this deficiency. This would be a cost-effective solution that I would consider in the short-term.
In conclusion, I am not in favour of a large-scale Crystal Centre expansion for the immediate future. As we plan for the future, I believe a larger performing venue should be in our minds. There are a number of options for what this venue should be. I would love to hear your thoughts!
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Do True Leaders Follow No One?
I heard a radio ad the other day that said, "A leader follows no one."
I believe nothing can be farther from the truth. A true leader should not only follow other leaders, but should model themselves after the leaders they most respect and admire.
I have been fortunate in my life to have had numerous people who have taught and modeled invaluable leadership skills to me. There are several individuals in particular who have a great influence on the type of leader I am and who I aspire to be.
When I was President of the GPRC Students' Association, I had the privilege of working with GPRC President, Don Gnatiuk, on a regular basis. Don introduced me to the concept of the triple bottom line: money, people and environment. And Don walked the talk. Every decision that I saw him make, he ensured that it was financially responsible, people-centred, and addressed the impact to the College and community environment. I also appreciated Don's openness. He ALWAYS made time to hear my thoughts and concerns and would pro-actively seek me out to hear what I was hearing from fellow students.
During my time at the University of Lethbridge, I had the privilege of being taught a Local Government course by Jeffrey Coffman, a former Alderman with the City of Lethbridge. He taught me to always look beyond conventional wisdom in politics, to challenge the status-quo, and to seek innovative solutions to issues.
Jeff went on to run again and was successful in a by-election. While on Council I got to see him put these words of wisdom into practice. I also greatly appreciated how open and transparent he was with citizens as he would blog his perspective on every major issue. You always knew where Jeff stood on an issue and he would give well reasoned arguments for his stance.
Throughout my internship with the City of Grande Prairie I had the opportunity to attend many committee and Council meetings. This gave me to chance to observe the conduct of our previous Council on a regular basis. While I appreciated the dedication of each Councillor and what they brought to the table, there were two in particular who I found really went over and above in their commitment.
Lorne Radbourne and Dan Wong are leaders on steroids. Each one was always prepared for meetings, coming armed with marked up agenda packages and a quiver full of questions. They would always steer conversations to the larger picture, thinking of the long-term effect a decision would have on our community. Lorne and Dan would question the financial impact of projects and explore additional options to ensure the maximum benefit for taxpayers. They pressed for decisions not to be made unless all affected parties were consulted. In sum, I can strongly attest to Lorne's "Proven Leadership" and would suggest the label fits Dan very nicely as well.
These individuals have been sources of inspiration and wisdom to me. Whether on Council or in other aspects of my life, it is always my intent to aspire to the ideals laid out here.
True leaders do follow other leaders.
I believe nothing can be farther from the truth. A true leader should not only follow other leaders, but should model themselves after the leaders they most respect and admire.
I have been fortunate in my life to have had numerous people who have taught and modeled invaluable leadership skills to me. There are several individuals in particular who have a great influence on the type of leader I am and who I aspire to be.
When I was President of the GPRC Students' Association, I had the privilege of working with GPRC President, Don Gnatiuk, on a regular basis. Don introduced me to the concept of the triple bottom line: money, people and environment. And Don walked the talk. Every decision that I saw him make, he ensured that it was financially responsible, people-centred, and addressed the impact to the College and community environment. I also appreciated Don's openness. He ALWAYS made time to hear my thoughts and concerns and would pro-actively seek me out to hear what I was hearing from fellow students.
During my time at the University of Lethbridge, I had the privilege of being taught a Local Government course by Jeffrey Coffman, a former Alderman with the City of Lethbridge. He taught me to always look beyond conventional wisdom in politics, to challenge the status-quo, and to seek innovative solutions to issues.
Jeff went on to run again and was successful in a by-election. While on Council I got to see him put these words of wisdom into practice. I also greatly appreciated how open and transparent he was with citizens as he would blog his perspective on every major issue. You always knew where Jeff stood on an issue and he would give well reasoned arguments for his stance.
Throughout my internship with the City of Grande Prairie I had the opportunity to attend many committee and Council meetings. This gave me to chance to observe the conduct of our previous Council on a regular basis. While I appreciated the dedication of each Councillor and what they brought to the table, there were two in particular who I found really went over and above in their commitment.
Lorne Radbourne and Dan Wong are leaders on steroids. Each one was always prepared for meetings, coming armed with marked up agenda packages and a quiver full of questions. They would always steer conversations to the larger picture, thinking of the long-term effect a decision would have on our community. Lorne and Dan would question the financial impact of projects and explore additional options to ensure the maximum benefit for taxpayers. They pressed for decisions not to be made unless all affected parties were consulted. In sum, I can strongly attest to Lorne's "Proven Leadership" and would suggest the label fits Dan very nicely as well.
These individuals have been sources of inspiration and wisdom to me. Whether on Council or in other aspects of my life, it is always my intent to aspire to the ideals laid out here.
True leaders do follow other leaders.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
City Budget Deliberations: WHO, WHAT, WHY!
I've had a number of people and organizations ask which projects I would support in the November budget deliberations. I have not given an outright commitment of funding support
to any particular project as I believe budget deliberations need to be looked at
holistically, taking into account all the funding requests as well as having a
clearer picture of our financial situation as the numbers become available.
The first set is for core City infrastructure such as roads, bridges, street lights, sidewalks, stormwater management, etc.:
Of course, these are just the broad questions that would guide my decision making. Every project is different and more detailed questions would have to be asked.
Now's the time for your thoughts. Which questions would you ask? Which projects are priorities for you?
The first set is for core City infrastructure such as roads, bridges, street lights, sidewalks, stormwater management, etc.:
- Are there significant community safety concerns that the project would address?
- Have the proper engineering reports/traffic impact studies/etc. been carried out?
- Does our population warrant the project going ahead at this time?
- Will the infrastructure assist the City in attracting industrial development?
- Will the funding help the city thrive socially or economically?
- Is there significant public support for the project in terms of volunteers, general awareness, and private funding?
- Are other municipal governments in the region supporting the project? Or is there a willingness to if the City does?
- Is there a commitment from other levels of government to fund the project?
- Has a sustainable operational plan been developed?
- Have similar projects had success (outcomes achieved, financial sustainability, etc.)?
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
The Truth About Wind in Grande Prairie
I grew up thinking that
Grande Prairie was one of the windiest places on earth. Then I moved to Lethbridge. Upon returning to GP, my perspective has changed
dramatically! Now, when I hear people
talk about how windy it is here, I get a little perturbed. So I thought I'd do a little digging to see
how windy Grande Prairie really is...empirically. Here's what I've found:
When you look at
Environment Canada's data on the windiest cities in Canada (out of the 82 most
populous cities), Grande Prairie is ranked 67th with an average daily wind
speed of only 11.25 km/h. Every other
city in Alberta, other than Fort MacMurray, is windier than us according to
this measure. Average wind speed is only
one measure though, so let's look at another.
If you look at the number
of days a city gets with wind speeds of 5 km/h or less, Grande Prairie ranks
11th with an astounding 318 days (87% of the year!) Out of Alberta cities, only Fort Mac gets
more of these peaceful days (only 0.63 of a day more though!) Lethbridge only gets 243 of these days (67%
of year) while poor old Gander, Nfld gets a measly 124 (34% of year).
So by these two measures
Grande Prairie is looking pretty good.
So where does this idea come from that Grande Prairie is so windy? I think the answer lies in one final stat:
Looking at the number of
days with wind speeds of over 40 km/h, Grande Prairie ranks 31st with an
average of 33 days per year. So while GP
is generally a pretty calm place, when the wind does blow, it blows hard. As an aside, I've heard that this is one of the
reasons that we don't have any commercial wind farms up here. Wind farms operate best with constant, steady
winds and Grande Prairie's wind spikes are not conducive to their operations.
In any case, I guess you could say
GP is windy in the sense that we get bouts of really windy days. However, in comparing to other places in
Alberta, we aren't quite that bad. While
we double Edmonton's 15 days of 40+ km/h winds, we have only half as many as
Calgary (66 days) and pale in comparison to Lethbridge who has a whopping 115
days.
In sum, I think we can safely
say that Grande Prairie is not the wind magnet it's often made out to be. Personally, I would rather have lots of calm
days with a few really windy ones than to have windy days all year long.
I hope this was somewhat
informative, even if it just informed you that Rory is a major nerd who has no
qualms with blogging about the weather.
I would appreciate any comments you may have!
All stats can be found on
Environment Canada's site here: http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/winners/intro_e.html.
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