The Scope

And the winner is…

Did you ever wonder how much money was donated to candidates during the 2009 St. John’s municipal election? I’d say around… $303,098.

Just a guess.

Let’s say you are like me, and you wondered exactly how much was donated. How do you find something like that out? Let me tell you how easy it is! Piece of cake!

All you have to do is call the city, then you get referred to the city clerk’s office, ask them for the information, wait two weeks, receive the single-sided photocopied original forms, add them up, and there you have it!

Could there be a simpler way for the public to access this information?

Uh, well… Yeah.

But is this important information, really?

Umm, yeah.

Anyway. Lucky for you, like in those cooking shows on TV, The Scope and good old yours truly already did the dirty work and have a candidate donation information casserole in the oven.

Right now I’m staring at a stack of paper with campaign contributions higher than $250 listed.

One thing I’ve learned is elections are expensive. Mayor Dennis O’Keefe won the Who Can Spend the Most Money award, claimed $46,650 in contributions. His former competitor Ron Ellsworth came close with $33,800.

Keith Coombs, who lost the deputy-mayor race to Shannie Duff by less than 3,000 votes (he received 46 per cent of the vote), claimed $36,955 in contributions while Duff gathered $24,411, earning him the Most Money, Least Return prize.

The Tight Ship Award goes to Ward 5 incumbent Wally Collins, who claimed just $4,500—the lowest amount of any elected councillor.

The Most Generous Donor Award goes to Fairview Investments, who contributed $9,700 between nine different candidates (six of whom are currently on council). The website of Fairview Investments says that the “main focus of our family owned business has always been subdivision development, but for the past fifteen years, we have also diversified into waterworks contracting and commercial property leasing.”

The city has taken some steps to include more public opinion in the planning process—such as having pre-budget public consultation for the first time ever—but still has a long way to go.

I’m preparing a special Your City report on campaign funding, with the raw data in Excel, and more in-depth analysis will be available on www.thescope.ca next Tuesday, March 16th.

St. John’s City Council Live Blog

4:30:06 PM: Andrew Harvey here in council chambers waiting for the meeting to start and the mayhem begin.

4:37:54 PM: Council is starting to trickle in. They come from a meeting they have immediately before this one together.

4:38:55 PM: Apparently that is where all the really exciting stuff happens, behind closed doors.

4:40:57 PM: My idea is to have an hour long Q&A with council before the regular meeting. Then people could give their opinion before decisions are made.

4:43:38 PM: Here’s O’Keefe, announced by a uniformed Commissionare bearing a gold mace.

4:44:42 PM: There is a delegation from the Terra Nova sea cadets.

4:46:18 PM: 2010 is the 60th anniversary of the Sea Cadets Corps in Newfoundland. That’s a long time.

4:48:04 PM: Slow night here at council, only Collins, Tilley, Galgay, Breen, Hickman, Duff, and O’Keefe are here.

4:50:45 PM: Proposal for a dog grooming buisness on Topsail rd recommended to be approved.

4:53:11 PM: Momorandum to recommend approval to change municipal boundary with Petty Hbr/Maddox cove. (Land going to them)

4:54:20 PM: It seems like a small amount of land, and they are currently zoned as Open Space and Rural.

4:55:53 PM: An application for a speech pathology clinic on Parliament Street was approved.

4:56:29 PM: Police and Traffic committee report.

4:57:39 PM: Committee recommends to defer a public meeting on traffic in Quidi Vidi until the completion of the Traffic Calming Study.

4:58:45 PM: Speed limit to be raised from 50 to 60 km/hr on E Whitehills Rd.

4:59:54 PM: Breen: “Kenmount road has become quite a busy road… Should be alleviated with the completion of the E-W arterial.”

5:01:10 PM: Breen says they are going to continue to monitor traffic accident statistics on Kenmount and act accordingly.

5:02:22 PM: Galgay spoke to group of concerned citizens from Quidi Vidi who are concerned about impact of Plesantville development.

5:03:24 PM: There was supposed to be a public meeting on traffic, but that was just deferred. Guess they will have to wait.

5:06:59 PM: Tilley is concerned about speeding, but says that he wants to thank the RNC for the job they are doing. He says we need more tickets given.

5:12:03 PM: Most of the reccommendations of the report are to deffer them until after the traffic calming study. The draft will be 4-6 weeks.

5:14:03 PM: The city is going to cost share the preliminary study for expanding the convention centre with Province, ACOA, and Destination St. John’s.

5:16:11 PM: Report will cost $100k and be equally shared. Equally shared between the 4. Even though Destination St. John’s is a part of the city.

5:17:39 PM: Thank you letter from Festival 500, who last week recieved multi-year funding from city.

5:19:02 PM: Tilley says Public works recieved 66 flooding complaints because of rain.

5:20:31 PM: Galgay is reading a letter which is talking about how good the new Federal budget was.

5:21:33 PM: He says we benifit from Gas Tax funding and protection of funding for infastructure in budget.

5:23:14 PM: I can’t say I agree with him, but I can say I disagree. I think the budget was a terrible cop-out of a document from Steve-oh.

5:24:26 PM: Breen raising concerns about flooding in future developments in Plesantville. Wants to make sure we are aware if this.

5:25:14 PM: Paul Mackey from city says snow clearing crews are getting a jump on spring work.

5:25:54 PM: Hickman encourages people to call 311 if they see a pothole.

5:27:13 PM: The city has filled 1600 potholes since Jan 1st!!! Holy snikies. Mackey says the answer is more money for public works.

5:25:14 PM: Paul Mackey from city says snow clearing crews are getting a jump on spring work.

5:25:54 PM: Hickman encourages people to call 311 if they see a pothole.

5:27:13 PM: The city has filled 1600 potholes since Jan 1st!!! Holy snikies. Mackey says the answer is more money for public works.

5:27:53 PM: Let’s hope they remember this when budget time comes around.

5:29:11 PM: Duff wants to know if we will have “sufficient retention so that there will be no additional runoff into Quidi Vidi”.

5:30:38 PM: She is reffering to the Plesantville development, and wants strict regulations on runoff from this development to protect Quidi Vidi.

5:32:28 PM: That’s it people. See you back next week, and be sure to check out my article in the Scope this Thursday. It will be controversial!

St. John’s City Council Live Blog

4:33:07 PM: St. John’s city council liveblog

4:35:31 PM: Andrew Harvey here waiting for council to arrive.

4:37:27 PM: Galgay says “It’s a mugs game”, talking about politics. I am unsure what he means by this.

4:38:18 PM: He also said he reads my article every two weeks, and that I need a whole page. I agree.

4:40:34 PM: Here’s O’Keefe. Now the real excitement begins.

4:41:53 PM: Proclamation for National nutrition month (March).

4:43:19 PM: So make sure you all eat right this month, after that, feel free to go back to your unhealthy habits.

4:44:29 PM: The theme for the month is “From field to table”, and they encourage people to involve kids.

4:48:37 PM: This is also Social Workers month. There is a delegation from the NL association of Social Workers.

4:49:51 PM: So make sure you work socially this month too. I always do.

4:50:52 PM: Theme for month is “Social workers speaking up, the costs of poverty”.

4:51:59 PM: I enjoy how social workers work in a wide variety of settings, and approach things very proactively.

4:58:05 PM: Finance committee report with some reccommendations regarding the management of pensions.

5:02:58 PM: Hann is asking questions about a 50/50 cost sharing program that 2 schools recieved money under. He wants criteria looked at.

5:03:58 PM: Collins thinks the program is a good one, as it encourages organizations to raise money.

5:05:21 PM: Hanlon tried to talk about this more, but O’Keefe stopped her saying it has been referred back to committee.

5:06:24 PM: O’Keefe doesn’t like any monkey buisness with discussion on items that are not explicitly in order.

5:07:40 PM: Hatian contribution has been reccommended to be fifty cents per capital, or about $50k. They will look for a specific project.

5:09:01 PM: In addition to the money, the city will contribute experts time to project in Haiti.

5:10:23 PM: Duff says we need to lay out a “transparet and fair” way to choose a project.

5:11:21 PM: Arts Jury report outlining funding given out.

5:12:26 PM: $103k was given out this year to organizations and individuals.

5:14:07 PM: Multi-year funding given to A1C gallery, St. Michael’s printshop, Eastern Edge, and Wonderbolt Circus.

5:15:50 PM: Economic update looks good. Development permits, institutional permits, and residential permits all up from last year.

5:18:53 PM: Hann wants to clarify that the Metrobus building is expected to be $26 million, not the $35mil in the economic update, rest is for land cost

5:20:18 PM: Snowclearing report shows that we are up $151k to this point. Galgay cautions that we might not be “out of the woods yet”.

5:21:23 PM: Apparently the biggest potential savings will be in salt. Who knew?

5:22:22 PM: O’Keefe: “We all know where we live, we could get 40cm overnight”.

5:24:16 PM: Duff speaking about the supposed “flare up” the Telegram reported on.

5:25:43 PM: She checked on whatever the issue was, and she says Simms will not be double billed for household hazardous waste disposal.

5:27:24 PM: Hann had to swerve around a plastic container on the Outer ring road. He wants to know if people are fined for uncovered trucks with garbage

5:28:50 PM: Ron Penney says we work with Highway enforcement to setup spot checks at the dump.

5:29:35 PM: Sorry, that was Paul Mackey, not Ron Penney.

5:30:29 PM: Hann thinks “harder, stricter enforcement” is needed.

5:31:52 PM: O’Keefe says nothing will be done until we “crackdown” on the offender.

5:33:05 PM: I find it interesting how much support there is for enforcement of uncovered loads, and how litte support there is for enforcing recycling.

5:34:29 PM: Breen mentioning the upcoming anniversary of the cougar crash, and a memorial scholarship which has been established.

5:36:41 PM: Hanlon is like me, and she doesn’t miss a chance to self-promote, check out her site ward4report.com

5:39:17 PM: Hann asks for the minutes of a meeting with the Downtown Development Commisson on the Parking study until he returns in 2 weeks.

5:39:53 PM: That’s it people. See you next week.

Integrated Community SustainabZzzzzzz…

The city of St. John’s is accepting feedback until March 5th on a draft of an Integrated Community Sustainability Plan (ICSP). If you are like most people, you might ask: What in the hell is an Integrated Community Sustainability Plan?

Well, the ICSP (Ick-Sup?) is one of those road map documents intended to help city government plan a St. John’s that survives and thrives in the long term. It’s a plan based around five pillars: environment, culture, social, economy and government. And it’s supposed to be developed “in consultation with community members.”

Really though, as it says on the first page of the draft document, it seems like we’re doing it just because we signed the provincial Gas Tax Agreement and we’re going to get cash. For St. John’s, the ICSP means almost four and a half million bucks.

The city of St. John’s chose to base its ICSP on the existing Municipal Plan—another road map for the future of the city—feeling that it already addressed these pillars, and was already drafted with what they said was “extensive” public consultation. You can take a look at it yourself at the city website at tinyurl.com/yhug82b.

I’ve got lots of problems with the draft ICSP prepared by the city. For one, the argument that an amendment to the Municipal Plan constitutes public consultation does not hold water with me. That “extensive” consultation took place during the drafting of the Municipal Plan way back in 2002 and 2003. And how thorough it was is questionable…

Speaking of which, our present Municipal Plan is almost two years overdue for a review, and at the February 22 meeting of city council, a motion by Shannie Duff to open the possibility of reviewing the Municipal Plan before the completion of the provinces NE Avalon Regional Plan was defeated. The current round of public consultation on the ICSP (which includes a website with “Comments” written at the bottom) is cursory at best, considering it must be submitted to the Department of Municipal Affairs by March 31st.

The draft ICSP also fails to meet several other vital components required by the province, including identifying “goals and specific actions”, “fiscal requirements and realities related to the implementation of the plan”, “collaboration with neighbouring municipalities, communities, or regional entities,” and most importantly, “some kind of monitoring and evaluation process to ensure the document is always relevant”.

For the ICSP to succeed in guiding the city to becoming a greener, more sustainable place to live, it needs explicit goals. It also must lay out a path to achieve these goals, and have provisions to review the plan to ensure it is succeeding. Otherwise the ICSP will be just another document for the city to ignore when it chooses. Like the Municipal Plan… or the Municipal Arts Plan.

A plan is only as good as the change it creates.

Make sure you take a look at the draft document at tinyurl.com/yhug82b and send your feedback to the city planning department (planning@stjohns.ca) by March 5th.

St. John’s City Council Live Blog

Follow Andrew Harvey live every Monday on Twitter at www.twitter.com/thescopeNL

4:21:58 PM: Andrew Harvey here in council chambers, awaiting the arrival of council.

4:23:31 PM: I am excited for Shannie Duff’s motion to recind a previous decision to delay the review of the Municipal Plan.

4:26:20 PM: The decison was made in 2008 to defer review of the Plan to wait for the province’s regional plan for the NE Avalon.

4:27:40 PM: Guess what? Two years later and we are still waiting. Now have a municipal plan that is two years past due for review.

4:28:57 PM: This review cannot come too soon, and hopefully will involve real public input.

4:32:03 PM: Frank Galgay just asked me if I am a fair reporter or not. I told him to read it and tell me. I hope he does. What do you think? Am I fair?

4:34:26 PM: Here is O’Keefe! Let’s get this show on the go.

4:35:59 PM: We have a delegation from the Bowring Park Foundation.

4:37:35 PM: They have a donation for $835,531! This will help implement the plan they have for the park.

4:39:33 PM: The Bowring Park Foundation is paying half the costs of the upgrades to the park. Donations came from Husky energy, United Way, and VOCM cares.

4:40:59 PM: There is another delegation from the CTV Olympic celebration.

4:42:38 PM: The celebration is at Mile One this Friday. It is free from 1-5:30pm.

4:44:43 PM: In the evening is the free concert with The Joel Plaskett Emergency and Sam Roberts. You gotta get a ticket beforehand.

4:47:24 PM: Hann has questions about minutes from last week. Wants to know why there will only be one councillor on the Art Procurement jury.

4:49:51 PM: Gerry Colbert is speaking about small changes to the conflict of interest by-law.

4:52:20 PM: Shannie Duff is discussing why she is moving to recind previous motion about Municipal Plan review. “We are under tremendous pressure.”

4:53:26 PM: Breen: “I have a couple concerns about this motion.” Municipal Plan has to dovetail with the regional plan.

4:54:46 PM: Breen is concerned because staff are already involved in Regional Plan, and also worried about budget. There was no money for this in the budget

4:56:09 PM: Cliff Johnson says regional plan was originally to be done in first part of 2011.

4:56:35 PM: Regional plan is behind schedule now.

4:58:10 PM: Hann previously asked about a review for the Plan. Says when we scramble over each proposal it sends a mixed message to developers.

4:59:09 PM: Hann, To Duff: “Why now, and where is the money going to come from?”

5:00:24 PM: Hickman wants to wait for next year for financial reasons. He says we can start looking at some development issues downtown now, to start.

5:01:43 PM: Galgay: “We are at a watershed moment to determine the future ambience of the downtown.” Wants plan to be reviewed now for public.

5:02:19 PM: Tilley is speaking against motion.

5:03:25 PM: Colbert originally supported this motion two years ago, but never thought it would take this long. “I’m tired of waiting.”

5:04:28 PM: Colbert says we owe it to the people, especially for “sensitive” areas such as DT.

5:05:41 PM: O’Leary also supports the motion. Review is long overdue, and we are at a critical moment.

5:06:55 PM: O’Keefe speaking against motion. Says it is important to see what the regional plan does first. Planning staff already involved in regional plan.

5:08:27 PM: Duff says there has been little movement on the regional plan, and they are probably a year behind.

5:09:32 PM: This could be another two years, and by then, Duff says we could be “locking the door after the horse is gone.”

5:10:38 PM: This motion only allows us to do this on our own timeline, it does not commit us to any specific dates.

5:12:27 PM: Motion defeated. Duff, O’Leary, Colbert, and Galgay voted for. The rest against.

5:13:20 PM: Dissapointing. Our council just refused to even open the possibility of reviewing the Municipal Plan.

5:15:54 PM: Newfoundland Chocolate Company removed their application for Quidi Vidi.

5:17:37 PM: There is an application for a seniors care complex on Old Petty Harbour Rd. There have been previous applications which have been modified.

5:19:06 PM: There will have to be a land use assessment for the property, and a public meeting. Duff wants a traffic impact analysis also.

5:20:06 PM: Hanlon speaking about complaints she has recieved about posters on poles. …Issue has to do with freedom of speech.

5:22:08 PM: Colbert points out that poles are owned by NL power. City soliciter says they could control what went on them.

5:23:39 PM: Colbert: “I don’t think they are going to set up a pole pornography police” but if you are concerned, call NL power.

5:26:35 PM: This is all about what is considered pornography. In the past the city has sent letters to bar owners requesting they remove them.

5:27:48 PM: There is a application in for a pet grooming business. Application defferred to allow for parking study.

5:29:33 PM: Finance committee report. Reccommendation to give $100,000/year for 2 years to Festival 500.

5:30:41 PM: Hann suggests they try to find more private funds, they get over $300,000 from government and only raise $10k from buisness.

5:32:39 PM: Animal care committee report. City currently pays for euthanasia for residents. Will now only pay 50% of cost.

5:34:43 PM: 1000 pets were euthanasied last year. Committee recommends looking at making licensing cats mandatory (it already is for dogs).

5:36:52 PM: It has been recommended to continue to allow dogs at the Regatta.

5:39:56 PM: Hanlon wondering why the city is paying for putting down pets at all.

5:44:29 PM: There is a lively debate about the whole pet euthanasia issue. Most councillors didn’t know the city used to be paying for 100% of this.

5:45:51 PM: The pet euthanasia program changes will be deffered back to Animal Control Committee.

5:49:31 PM: Duff draws attention to two plans the city is looking for input on. Integrated Community Sustainibility plan and the Corporate Strategic Plan.

5:50:33 PM: Find both these plans on the city’s website www.stjohns.ca and make sure to get your feedback in.

5:53:24 PM: O’Leary speaking about meeting regarding the flyer bag which is distributed. Will now be in recyclable bags, and you can opt out by calling.

5:55:38 PM: Hickman asks for the next planning meeting discuss development in the DT.

5:56:51 PM: Hickman voted against the motion to allow review of the Municipal Plan, so I am not sure what he wants to happen exactly.

5:59:14 PM: Tilley is drawing attention to terrible road conditions on a part of Empire Ave West. Crews are down there every day but it is still bad.

6:00:18 PM: They are going to try to patch it with concrete, see if that works.

6:01:32 PM: Hanlon is congratulating Jason Oakely for winning a national entreprenuer award.

6:04:05 PM: Collins said he saw a pothole on Old Bay Bulls Road that had “three black ducks” in it.

6:05:37 PM: O’Keefe says the Atlantic Accord was one of the most important documents for this province ever.

6:06:20 PM: That’s it people. See you next week.

St. John’s City Council Live Blog

Live from city council chambers via Twitter @thescopeNL

Andrew Harvey here in council chambers awaiting the arrival of our fine councillors.

We have an exciting proposal in the agenda for the old Woolworths building! I can hardly contain my exuberance. How about you?

Still awaiting council an hour later.

Danny Breen is the first one out to chambers. Apparently they were in a meeting of some sort.

(My supper is going to be late because of this. It had better be good.)

Dennis arrives. Let’s get it on!

Delegation for Heritage day on Feb. 15th.

Proclamation recognizing heritage day to reflect on our heritage and to protect our diverse heritage.

(Will O’Keefe remember what he just read when it comes time to vote on protecting our heritage?)

Proposed text ammendment to development regulations to include food processing operation to definition of “converted building” uses.

(This will be to allow the Newfoundland Chocolate company to use a property in Quidi Vidi)

Duff has a question about consultant fees for projects. The fees are tied to real costs, not the proposed ones. Real costs are often higher.

Hann is speaking about the Ocean Ranger disaster, and how pleased he is that coming from the cougar crash we will finally see dedicated S&R service here.

Galgay is asking for application for Nfld. Chocolate Company to be deferred to allow planning dept to investigate traffic concerns of residents.

Development Committee report…

One crown land grant denied for a R/V sales buisness.

Planning and Housing Committee report…

Galgay brings up the proposal for old Woolworths building. Lots of support for it on The Telegram poll. Recommends changes to regulations to allow extra height in this case.

Changes would also remove the block of the Woolworths building from the downtown heritage area.

Duff: The block was only included into the heritage area in 2003. The report at time emphasized this should be a buffer area to real heritage.

Duff: Buildings themselves have no heritage value. Wants seperate land use assesment for different scenarios.

There is some talk of a public parking structure (funded by the city it sounds like).

Developer had asked for six stories, city had suggested potential extra height by partnering with developer to add 280 parking spots, five stories.

Colbert: Potential of pedway to Mile One Centre…

O’Keefe: This development could add a lot of parking and class A office space.

O’Keefe: “I don’t know if you know, but the vacancy rate for class A office space is something like 0.2%”

(I don’t know where O’Keefe, or anyone gets these supposed vacancy rate stats. I have never seen them written anywhere.)

Audit Committee report…

Breen: Committee looking at maintaince of roads and sidewalks. Looking for citizen representative for audit committee.

Arts Advisiory committee report…

Suggestion for city to create (reinstate, really) poet laureate position.

Breen asked for defferal of city expropriating some land to finance committee.

(They had already voted to take the land by he time his defferal was made. It is scary how quick these decisions are made.)

(Breen wanted this to go to Finance Committee because we are in a budget crunch. Good idea! We need to watch where our money is going.)

Galgay is recommending expropriating a 9 ft piece of land to allow it to be sold for potential development on Bell Street.

O’Leary is showing art made by students through Clean and Beautiful schools committee. (Great stuff, some nice collage from Grade 3 at St Matthews)

O’Leary says meeting for Farmer’s Market will be held this Sat at Gower Street United Church 2-4 Feb 20th.

Tilley is delighted that funds were found for the traffic calming study.

Hanlon suggests looking at alternatives for crossing guards. Have used high school students elsewhere…

(Tilley was one of these crossing guards back in the day.)

Collins: “I won’t be supporting banning snowmobiles in town” (Hanlon mentioned concerns of residents)

That’s it folks. Tweet ya next week.

Should curbside recycling be mandatory?

Put it in the books folks, Monday, May 17th, 2010 will be the start date for the curbside recycling program for St. John’s.

And only a dozen or so years behind the rest of Canada.

For the first phase there will be bi-weekly pickup of recyclable containers (plastic, aluminum, tin), and paper. In 2011, they’ll be carting away your compostables.

But when the start date for the new program was announced in a council meeting earlier this month, it was not all applause and cheers. Who could possibly be raining on this eco-parade?

Ward 5 councillor Wally Collins said that he’s not sure about the whole [recycling] thing. The cost of shipping our recyclables off the island will prove costly, he says, and he also questioned any potential environmental benefits gained by shipping recyclables away—some going as far as Boston.

Deputy-mayor Shannie Duff admitted the CO2-cutting benefits are debatable if the recyclables are shipped off the island, but “there is great benefit in making people aware of their waste,” she says.

Duff is right about this. The recycling program is arguably as much about preventing, and diverting waste from the landfills and getting people to think about garbage as it is about actual recycling.

So, now that we finally have this fantastic recycling program all of St. John’s will be recycling, right? Probably not. There is no provision in the waste diversion plan to enforce the new recycling program. This means that in theory, on May 17th, we could send out a whole slew of recycling trucks, and they could come back empty.

The issue came up at the January 26th meeting of the Public Works standing committee. Ward 1 councillor Danny Breen said no changes were proposed because the committee felt it would be too difficult to enforce any necessary by-laws.

“We can’t enforce the ones we have on the books now,” he says.

Breen is hopeful though that with the huge public education campaign that will be launched—to the tune of $750,000 no less—we should see a big uptake on the new program. He thinks we will see 50-60 per cent participation right off the bat, with more coming as a result of good communication from the city and from continued public education.

There is no denying that the city should be proud of its recent massive improvements to waste management in the last several years, but although these improvements are decades overdue, they are huge steps in the right direction.

As far as enforcement, I think we should do the whole thing like a band-aid, off in one go, and before you know it, the pain is gone.

That way we could have spent our $750,000 to let people know they are going to have to recycle May 17th, instead of telling people they can recycle May 17th. If they want. Maybe. Kinda.

Catch Andrew live-blogging city council meetings every Monday on Twitter @thescopeNL

St. John’s City Council Live Blog

4:33:38 PM: Andrew Harvey here in council chambers… Here’s O’Keefe!

4:34:57 PM: Delegation for International Development Week.

4:38:14 PM: Looking for pledges of action from people from around the province this International Development Week.

4:40:14 PM: Non-conforming use application for 13 Rickets Road, turning a Bingo plaza into a place of worship. Approved.

4:40:57 PM: (That’s all fine and well, but where am I supposed to play Bingo??)

4:43:00 PM: There was a public meeting about a redevelopment on Blackmarsh Road to build eight condos.

4:45:21 PM: Tilley: There will be hundreds of people working on this and it will be good for the city. Concerns at meeting were mainly traffic-related.

4:46:59 PM: Hickman has petition from nearby residents. Not opposed to developing the property, but want the proposal changed. This proposal is for the old Gulliver’s Farm.

4:49:31 PM: Hickman wants different notification procedures for large developments such as this. Current practice sends notices to residents within 150m.

4:50:50 PM: About 240 people were notified of this development.

4:51:52 PM: Hann: “I think it’s a good development.” Feels that city staff have done a good job of alleviating concerns about traffic in the area.

4:53:53 PM: Hanlon: Supports proposal and wants to make sure city is involved in keeping construction zones safe.

4:54:55 PM: East-West arterial will be done in 2012, “no thanks to Mt. Pearl,” says O’Keefe.

4:57:06 PM: Galgay: City staff reccommend change to zoning to allow this development. Has heard complaints from middle-income people looking to downsize

4:59:28 PM: Proposal will bring 340 condo units, and 22 detached houses, phased in over a couple years.

5:00:22 PM: O’Keefe: This is probably the last farm in the original city centre.

5:00:50 PM: Proposal and rezoning passed.

5:01:35 PM: Planning/Housing committee report

5:02:34 PM: Draft for Integrated Community Sustainability Plan. Required by province to get gas tax.

5:03:50 PM: Galgay: Wants draft to be placed on city’s website, and to get feedback on plan until March 3rd.

5:05:35 PM: Duff: One of the requirements of the plan is public input. She encourages people to give input.

5:07:49 PM: Colbert: Tourism standing committee report. National Gorgraphic interested in GeoTourism project. Cost to city “minimal” around $13k

5:09:22 PM: Economic development and Tourism committees will be merged. Hanlon will be chair.

5:11:53 PM: Galgay: Letter/Petition from residents of Cairo st to have sidewalks installed.

5:13:38 PM: Hanlon: In 2009 142 new buisnesses in St. John’s.

5:19:19 PM: Hanlon: Heard back from Metrobus about a request for a bus shelter. The street that requested it meets the criteria, and it will be built soon.

5:20:42 PM: (There you go people, the squeaky wheel gets the oil. Don’t hesitate to contact your representation to get something done!)

5:22:52 PM: Bruce Tilley has Olympic fever. He is wearing a team Canada hat. Wants council to write a letter to the torch relay committee.

5:24:02 PM: Galgay: The storm on the wekend caused a great deal of damage in Quidi Vidi and the outer Battery. These are icons which attract people…

5:26:25 PM: Community group will be formed in the Battery to promote it as a tourist destination, and protect the area…

5:27:24 PM: Breen: Has concerns about bikes sharing trails with pedestrians. Would rather see two seperate trails.

5:28:12 PM: Breen: Wants councillors to be informed when funding is going to their areas.

5:30:16 PM: Hann: Speaking to need of new West End high school. Letter from students in West End schools. Asked O’Keefe to write another letter to province.

5:33:57 PM: It usually takes 7-8 days from a snow to clear sidewalks, they’re saying. It could be longer for a big storm like this.

5:35:18 PM: This year they have started clearing sidewalks as soon as the snow stops falling. Even if they have to go back over the sidewalk again.

5:36:41 PM: O’leary: Will be council’s representation on a crime prevention committee.

5:38:37 PM: O’Leary rebutted something Hanlon wrote in Telegram on weekend. It is about the pictures O’Leary took of garbage.

5:39:38 PM: O’Leary is mentioning the councillors pension plan. Asks that it be added to next finance committee meeting.

5:40:39 PM: (Right now councillors do not pay into their pension while all other city staff do.)

5:42:04 PM: Duff: Does not know how many more winter storms the coastline of the Battery can take. Looks forward to see what comes from citizens group meeting.

5:45:33 PM: Duff: Virginia trail system will be used for bike trails as well as walking. Is also concerned about safety, but this has been looked at.

5:46:22 PM: Ohhhh, little row at end between Shannie and Dennis over 5 min time limit for speaking!

5:47:05 PM: That’s all folks. See ya next week.

Your City

Notes from city hall.

So! Fortis dropped the expected bomb of their formal proposal for the redevelopment of their Water street property last on January 19th. They want to build a 15-storey development in an area where buildings are limited to 4 storeys.

Before we can even think of if they should or should not, a larger question needs to be asked: What kind of city do we want St. John’s to be?

The Municipal Plan lays out a vision for St. John’s, which is what we want our city to become, as well as regulations, which are how we achieve that vision. Zoning laws and building regulations are quite possibly the most important tasks for any municipality. It’s what stops your neighbour from operating a plastics factory next to your house, or a company from opening a 24-hour strip club on your cul-du-sac… When exceptions are made, the whole reason for having regulations is tossed out the window.

Another part of the problem is that our present Municipal Plan was adopted in 2003, and was scheduled for review 5 years from then—meaning a review is almost two years overdue.

The Fortis proposal represents a breaking point for the city of St. John’s. If this proposal goes ahead, and the regulations are once again ignored for an individual development, property owners everywhere will realize that the regulations have become meaningless. The city will have set a precedent that they will entertain and approve proposals which fall outside of the regulations. We will then be voting on site-specific amendments to the municipal plan every week at council, passing any that can get 6 votes.

As it stands now, the Fortis proposal is in the hands of city staff, who are preparing recommendations to give to the Planning and Housing committee of council. What should happen is staff should recommend denying the proposal, citing the dozen or so ways it falls outside the regulations. Then council should immediately start the process of extensive public review to create a revised vision for the city, and set of regulations we can all agree on. After this, we’ll stand by the regulations, and we’ll make it clear to developers that the regulations are laws, not suggestions.

Only then can we guide this city to continue to grow into a place we all want to live, work, and play in. If the Fortis redevelopment goes ahead, you can expect me to be submitting my own proposal for a 40-storey plastics factory and strip club on Signal Hill.

City council live blog

Tune in every week at www.twitter.com/thescopeNL

Andrew Harvey here anxiously awaiting council. If you are hoping to hear something about Fortis, you will be disappointed.

The proposal is currently in city staff’s hands, before they make reccommendations to the Planning and Development committee.

Council assembling with massive amounts of excitement in the gallery (I am usually alone, and today there is 3 other people!)

Here’s O’Keefe. Let’s get it on.

Delegation about animal control measures.

(Like Bob Barker says, “have your pets spayed or neutered!”)

Last year had first ever free neutering clinic at the Avalon Animal Hospital. 40 cats were neutered.

The city is going to make neuter day an annual event. April 11th will be second day, go to Humane Services for application.

Colbert: Has considration been given to making animal liscenses mandatory at vet clinics?

Thus will be looked at during the next animal control meeting.

Small change to Accommodation Taxation act, simply wording referencing taxation act.

Galgay: Laying it down on O’Keefe who was trying to stop him talking about an application which was withdrawn.

There was a public meeting with over 60 people there about the rezoning of a church on Cornwall Cr. People opposed to this rezoning.

They don’t want it to be zoned institutional, but don’t mind a daycare.

@redgirl13 @johnrieti @spillyourlungs Applications for the Spay/Neuter Assistance Program are here: http://tinyurl.com/y8l7af3

Development committee report: Crown land lease for Country Ribbon. May or may not be used.

Finance and administration committee report…

Duff: Noting concerns about budgetary consultation throughout the year. Department budgets will go to relevant committees.

Duff: Will “try to get more meaningful public input on budget.” Will advertise more and earlier.

Grants to artists were supposed to be doubled this year, but weren’t. Will be discussed for 2011.

The traffic calming study cannot be done because money for it was not in budget.

Colbert: Must fall back to original motion of council which was passed 3 weeks ago. Was voted unamiously to do study.

This was the traffic calming study which was to cost $17,000.

It has to happen, because it was voted on, but it is not apparent where it will come from.

O’Keefe: “The study will be done”

Tilley: Had spoken to RNC about speeding in Ward 3, and they have been increasing patrols.

Duff: Moves for city to no longer sponsor fundraisers and golf tournaments.

Colbert: We had guidelines for sponsoring such events. Have sponsored such events in past. We will have to tell these people we cannot help?

Colbert voted against this motion because he thinks there is value in the city’s involvement.

Collins: We need to find the missing $4 million from the budget, so we need to start doing that now.

Hann: There were guidelines which were not followed which led to “vote by embarrasment” when requests come in the “back door”.

(The policy was for supporting organizations which worked “directly” with city.)

Hickman : maybe we need to find other ways to support these organizations.

Duff: “The best way to support them by direct grant.”

Motion to stop funding tables and golf tournament fundraisers passed 8-3, O’Keefe, Colbert, and Hickman against.

Heritage Advisory Committee report…

Proposed Duckworth/Bell St develoment. Committee defered decision and are waiting for revised streetfront for parking garage portion.

Collins: New signage for existing small dog park will be put in for park on Higgins line.

O’Leary: Neighbourhood Watch program will be advertising for program coordinator. Very happy about this.

Duff: Phase 1 of Cycling Plan study.

Company chosen to do this study to start the cycling plan.

Duff asking questions about the scheduled “demolition” of 95 Water St. Apparently it will be interior demolition only…?

Galgay: Bannerman Park revitalization committee had conceptual plan done. Has already been referred to the Parks and Rec department.

Hanlon: Let people know that Bowring Park is a great place to run, roads clear and scenic.

Hanlon: Refers people to www.ward4report.com for correct quoting of her from a recent interview.

(This is her website. A great idea, I wish all councillors had a website… very accessible)

Collins : “I forgot what I was going to say.” Oh yeah… Congrats to Under 12 Girls basketball team.

That’s it people. If you are worried about the Fortis proposal. I suggest contacting your members of council. See you next week.

St. John’s city council live blog

4:26:26 PM: St. John’s city council liveblog

4:30:36 PM: Andrew Harvey here in council chambers anxiously awaiting the arrival of council.

4:40:59 PM: There seems to have been some buzz created by the whole Fortis “concept” I wrote about last week. I hope we get some talk in council though.

4:41:43 PM: (Where this talk really needs to happen to get anything done.)

4:44:15 PM: Also, you might have noticed I was a day earlier in reporting on Fortis. That’s how on the ball I am.

4:44:43 PM: A day earlier then the Telegram.

4:46:09 PM: Go time. Delegation from St. John’s clean and beautiful. They are presenting an award to Shannie Duff, who was a founding member in 1991!

4:46:50 PM: (Good job Shannie!)

4:48:19 PM: Duff- Didn’t have a clue they were doing this. Greatly appreciative, and will still be out with her rubber gloves on cleanup days.

4:49:58 PM: Text ammendment to Development regulations to allow Office as a discretonary use allowance for Instutional-zoned land.

4:51:01 PM: Duff- has some reservations re. Whether or not property should just be rezoned when they use this allowance.

4:58:24 PM: Duff- Good to see development in this “dead area” for development. Parking should make this easier.

4:59:44 PM: Council approved motion to have company complete land use assessment. (Will have public meeting on this before proposal approved)

5:00:19 PM: Mayors advisiory committee on Seniors

5:01:07 PM: Hann- Seniors discoi

5:01:48 PM: Seniors discount for property tax increased from 15-20%

5:03:20 PM: Economic review for 2009 released by Dept of Economic Development, Tourism, and Culture

5:04:45 PM: 2009 saw small Hickup because of global recession, but did good in general, GDP down 6.9% in St. John’s CMA

5:06:12 PM: Hanlon- Hats off to Heather Mills Snow ( from dept) St. John’s one of the best places for immigrants to come.

5:07:30 PM: Hann- “despite the recession

5:08:12 PM: St. John’s is the place to come to do buisness”

5:10:35 PM: O’Keefe- We should be proud of our city, to see where we have come, from being a have-not province to being in top 6 cities to work/live

5:11:32 PM: We should expect 24 cruise ships coming through St. John’s this season.

5:12:18 PM: O’Keefe- Economic benifit to be tune of 3-4 million.

5:13:29 PM: (Everyone get your gear to hawk to tourists, and get down to the waterfront)

5:14:35 PM: Province has been pushing the Cruise the islands of the North Atlantic, should have huge benifit to city.

5:16:10 PM: (This is the longest I have heard O’Keefe talk about anything in a long time. He loves his cruise ships.)

5:19:11 PM: O’Keefe is getting sent on a sales mission to the states to pitch the city as a destination.

5:20:39 PM: (Bring ‘em in O’Keefe, I will personally take as many tourist dollars as I can, and I’m sure the whole city could use it.)

5:21:38 PM: (A moment of silence for the victims of Haitii)

5:23:00 PM: O’Keefe- Wants to see what we can do as a city that will be “long-term and meaningful”

5:25:07 PM: Duff- Glad to see our response will be long term and sustainable.

5:28:04 PM: Galgay- When we see in graphic detail what is happening around the world we see our own situiation isn’t that bad.

5:28:59 PM: Galgay- Wants to thank Harper and Williams and their gov’ts for their contributions.

5:30:23 PM: (Given the situiation I will personally wait to thank Harper until March 3rd when he is back doing his job. Hopefully that is on his way out

5:30:23 PM: (Given the situiation I will personally wait to thank Harper until March 3rd when he is back doing his job. Hopefully that is on his way out

5:30:23 PM: (Given the situiation I will personally wait to thank Harper until March 3rd when he is back doing his job. Hopefully that is on his way out

5:32:58 PM: O’Leary- Wants to make sure we don’t rest on laurels because of economic growth. There is always room for improvement.

5:34:00 PM: O’Leary has 89 letters from constituents saying the recycling program needs to be mandatory.

5:36:20 PM: Breen – Congratulating Erin Langdor on becoming a student reporter at olympics.

5:38:28 PM: Breen- Mile one will be testing a projection screen marquee in Feb. Rink should be good to go in Bowring park.

5:39:00 PM: Good to go for the weekend that is.

5:41:09 PM: Tilley- Excited to see née development in Ward 3 on Blackmarsh rd. Condos and detached homes.

5:41:42 PM: (see NEW development)

5:44:43 PM: Hanlon- “not one for fines and discipline to the point of being agressive” Says it is easy to be negative.

5:45:42 PM: (Ohhh, Hanlon is talking about a picture that O’Leary took that was on the cover of the Telegram)

5:46:49 PM: (O’Leary got called to order because she was standing to say something back.)

5:47:56 PM: (This is very mutedly excited for council. People taking contrary opinions hardly happens here for some reason.)

5:50:08 PM: O’Leary- Says she is a positive person, but actions speak louder then words. Accomplishments not to be discounted.

5:51:16 PM: Taking the pictures were direct action which is sometimes required.

5:52:24 PM: That’s all folks, tweet ya next week.

On the up and up

The St. John’s city budget for 2010 was decidedly status quo, but the year is shaping up to be anything but. This year will see the much-anticipated launch of the curbside recycling program (due in spring, although disappointingly slated to be optional), as well as the first full year of not dumping raw sewage into the harbour. The city is facing increased costs related to these massive undertakings, as well as in most other areas such as snow clearing, and road maintenance. This leaves council to look at their short list of ways they can generate revenue to make up this difference, while maintaining (or increasing) service levels. What inevitably comes up as a solution is new tax dollars coming from development. Higher (compared to residential) rates of business taxes make new business developments particularly appealing because of the increase to city revenues.

Development in St. John’s is controlled by the St. John’s Municipal Plan. The Municipal Plan contains all of the regulations which new developments in the city must conform to, including: the uses of properties, height, size, colour, and style of buildings. These regulations were all designed to maintain the vision for the city of St. John’s outlined in the plan, including preserving the heritage character of the city.

Current height restrictions for buildings in the downtown heritage area allow for buildings to be an absolute maximum of ten stories. For a building to be the full ten stories, it must meet several criteria, including “preserving harbour views from streets and public open spaces.”

I would bet my socks that before 2010 is out, these building regulations will have been challenged, if not changed. Fortis, the owner of one of the largest buildings in St. John’s, may be the first one to try and change these regulations. Councillors O’Leary, Colbert, Hann, Hickman, Breen and Hanlon have all confirmed that they have met with Fortis to discuss the concept for a redevelopment of the current Fortis Building on Water Street. There has been no formal proposal for this concept, but the idea is for two fifteen-story towers. It is likely that no proposal has been submitted because the Municipal Plan would not allow for buildings of such a height.

What really worries me, as a person who enjoys sunlight downtown, is that there is a very real chance this might happen. The challenge for council will be to balance the benefits of new revenue with the cost to citizens of this fine city. This is difficult because: it’s easy to point to the benefits of new development, which show up nicely as dollars on an accountant’s ledger. While it is impossible to quantify the feeling of waking up to the sun rising through the narrows, or the awe of a first time visitor seeing a fog-clad Signal Hill.

Catch Andrew live-blogging city council meetings every Monday at www.twitter.com/thescopeNL

St. John’s City Council Live Blog

4:25:05 PM: Andrew Harvey here, waiting for council to assemble.

4:26:10 PM: The atmosphere in council chambers is as exciting as it is cold outside: Somewhat, and at least you don’t hear anyone complaining about it.

4:33:35 PM: Go time. O’Keefe has arrived.

4:34:57 PM: O’Keefe welcomes Walt Mills as Director of Engineering (replacing Art Cheeseman).

4:36:41 PM: Looking to be a short meeting. No public hearings or committee meetings.

4:39:31 PM: They conducted a phone poll to accept the tender for the salt spreader trailers.

4:40:30 PM: Hanlon: Do we use LED street lights? Answer: We are replacing with LED as we go.

4:42:33 PM: Hanlon is launching a website called the Ward 4 Report. (Great idea. All councillors should have websites. Wouldn’t that be very modern?)

4:43:53 PM: Colbert: Residents on Southside Road were inadvertantly given tickets. Letters were sent to apologize.

4:45:27 PM: Colbert: Republic of Doyle will do for St. John’s what Magnum PI did for Hawaii.

4:46:29 PM: Hann: Hearing complaints about lights out on Majors Path and Stravanger Drive

4:47:03 PM: Hann: We are obviously not a priority for Newfoundland Light and Power. This has been a problem in the past.

4:48:57 PM: Colbert used to work with Newfoundland Power and has talked to them. They are having trouble juggling power needs with all of the new construction boom.

4:49:34 PM: O’Keefe: It’s a safety concern too.

4:50:47 PM: Hickman is wondering about regulations on lighting levels, especially in malls.

4:51:57 PM: Colbert: With new developments there have to be “acceptable lighting levels.”

4:53:28 PM: O’Leary: Congratulations to Engineers Without Borders for hosting their national conference. It was a great success.

4:55:04 PM: O’Leary: Documented litter in city before snowfall. Picture on cover of telegram. Buisness and individuals need to take accountability.

4:56:08 PM: O’Leary: We still have a ways to go on enforcement of litter. Also, she has recieved many letters thinking the upcoming recycling program should be mandatory.

4:57:26 PM: (I think it is ridiculous that we are starting a multiple-million dollar recycling program that could, in theory, not be used. )

4:58:18 PM: (Sometimes change needs to be mandatory.)

4:58:58 PM: See you next week folks!

Live Blogging St. John’s City Council

Tune in live every week at www.twitter.com/thescopeNL

4:26:47 PM: Andrew Harvey here for the first Council meeting of 2010. This year is sure to be a barn burner of a year, full of municipal excitement.

4:37:50 PM: Go time. Council assembled plus former mayor Andy Wells in attendance.

4:39:22 PM: O’Keefe talking about Art Cheesman retiring from city after 30 gets service. (He is director of planning)

4:42:40 PM: Art will leave big shoes to fill. Has seen much pass over the last 30 years.

4:44:17 PM: He has been to around 800 council meettings!

4:51:15 PM: Colbert says the only time things didn’t go right was when he didn’t listen to him.

4:52:48 PM: Tilley- Cheesman treats people fairly and honestly.

4:54:18 PM: Hann- Says Wells once told him you can’t go wrong when you listen to staff.

4:57:45 PM: (All of council speaks very highly of a man who clearly has helped them all and made a huge positive impact on this city)

5:01:26 PM: Cheesman- Gives a lot of credit to the politicans who have been here over the years to have to foresight to address the issues they did.

5:03:43 PM: Dedication for the show Republic of Doyle.

5:05:05 PM: Has brought a lot of talent, expertise, and money to the city. (Myself included! I was an extra for a day on it.)

5:05:56 PM: Show airs 9:30pm on CBC.

5:06:46 PM: On Wednesday that is. (Pretty important detail I guess)

5:07:17 PM: “St. John’s is a character in the show”

5:09:02 PM: The show thanks the city and council for all its help. Apparently they filmed the first high speed car chase scene ever in town.

5:10:04 PM: (I’m pumped for that scene. I’m pretty sure it was filmed by my house.)

5:11:20 PM: Galgay- Talking about proposed ammendment to development regulations. NL Housing asked for changes.

5:11:52 PM: Amendment forwarded to planning committee.

5:12:47 PM: Police and Traffic committee report by Gerry Colbert.

5:13:48 PM: Will be public hearing for residents of Quidi Vidi re. Plesantville redevelopment.

5:14:54 PM: Colbert- Different ideas to slow down traffic in some areas such as speed bumps.

5:17:17 PM: (These measures will not be done this year because budget is finalized. I wonder if the talk here will actually slow cars down. I doubt it)

5:18:26 PM: There will be a study done on ways to improve traffic in city, once approved.

5:19:22 PM: Hann- Study will cost $17k, which apparently is not in the budget.

5:20:42 PM: Hann- This is the first meeting of the year, and we are already spending outside of it. Hann wants to know where the money will come from.

5:22:23 PM: O’Keefe- We don’t have a crystal ball, and these things will come up.

5:23:30 PM: Hann wanted an answer where exactly the money will come from and O’Keefe would only say “the budget”

5:26:33 PM: Colbert- Doesn’t think it’s fair to ask exactly where the money will come from. The budget is more of a living document.

5:28:02 PM: Mayor’s advisiory committee on persons with disabilities…

5:29:22 PM: O’Leary- Snow clearing on sidewalks a big issue for those with disabilities.

5:30:29 PM: (How many commitees does it take to force council to clear sidewalks?)

5:32:19 PM: (It’s a trick question. Committees can’t force council to do anything. Council must change this and find money in the budget. )

5:33:31 PM: (As councillor Colbert mentoned, the budget is a living document, not set in stone.)

5:34:42 PM: Economic update. Some new flights to and from the city. Hanlon mentioned the jobs created by the Rep. Of Doyle

5:35:53 PM: Breen- Inspection fees increased, but this will be to hire more inspectors to improve response times.

5:39:17 PM: (There was a letter to the editor of The Gazette from the city defending the city’s snow clearing program.)

5:41:07 PM: (This letter was quickly passed and not discussed. If you want a laugh, ask your councillor for a copy of the letter.)

5:43:44 PM: Breen- Tenders announced on Pleasantville redevelopment on Christmas eve. (A $72 Million project)

5:45:10 PM: Breen- A lot of potential benefit and problems with Pleasantville.

5:47:20 PM: O’Leary- New year’s resolution is to look at enforcement of bylaws. Should recycling be mandatory?

5:48:01 PM: Wells- The meeting was a reminder of what he is not missing.

5:49:12 PM: That’s all folks! See ya next week.

Your City

The 2010 budget was tabled, and “debated” at the last St. John’s city council meeting of 2009, on Monday, December 14th. Really, though, there was no public debate. And there was no argument, disagreement, or fire at the meeting. That’s because most of the tough decisions had been made behind closed doors in the past few weeks.

A peek behind the curtain
So what was in the budget? Let’s take a look…

The mil rate, the rate used to calculate property taxes, probably the biggest issue for many homeowners, was reduced by 0.9 per cent to offset skyrocketing property values. For some, this wasn’t enough, and for others, it was too much.

The grand total for the budget was $203 million. This is an increase of 9.1 per cent over last year’s, but one that council assures is not a trend. This large increase, they say, can be attributed to major upgrades to the water treatment and waste management systems. Fingers crossed for curbside recycling this spring.

The budget passed by a vote of 8 to 3—councillors Breen, Hann, and Tilley voted nay. Fresh to council, Ward One councillor Danny Breen was especially critical of the whole thing, stating that he has “fundamental concerns” with the budgetary process. Breen felt that rather than approving or cutting whole programs, we should look to find efficiencies within the current system. “We have not turned over enough stones,” he said. He also said he will work to ensure we do so in coming years.

What effect will a cut to the mil rate have? Even some of the councillors who voted for the budget hinted at an ominous future. Deputy Mayor Shannie Duff said that the budget was “the best we could do,” and that she still felt it “cut a little too deep.” Fellow New Gower Street veteran and At Large Councillor Gerry Colbert echoed Duff’s concerns that the cut in the mil rate may see us running into trouble in coming years. “If [we] think this year is tough, wait until next year.”

My grade for this budget? 3.5 / 5 stars. Broad appeal, acceptable, but uninspired.

Ploughed through
One indication of how flawed the budget process was: the fifty-odd protesters who arrived bearing a petition for council to recognize sidewalk clearing as a priority. Seeing as the budget had already been printed and bound by the time they arrived, we are unlikely to see a change in the modest increase from the 2009 sidewalk clearing budget. You’re unlikely to notice that increase unless you happen to walk on the same 100 kilometres of select high-volume streets ploughed in 2009. If you do, you can expect “increased response times”—and salt! If you happen to walk on the other thousands of kilometres of sidewalk in St. John’s, good luck, and try not to get killed.

I sincerely hope that it doesn’t take someone dying for sidewalk clearing to become a priority in this city, and that next year the city conducts some real public input before spending all of our money.

St. John’s city council liveblog

4:24:16 PM: City council will discuss and vote on the 2010 budget today!

4:25:29 PM: (I hope for the spirit of Andy Wells to be summoned and to have some fireworks down here for a change.)

4:28:31 PM: (There is also a supposed march coming from Bannerman to protest the condition of sidewalks. Let’s hope council remembered their election promises.)

4:31:59 PM: (I have not been this excited about the mil rate since 5 months ago when I googled “what is a mil rate”)

4:34:40 PM: (There is a veriatble media frenzy occuring here. Rogers, NTV, CBC and VOCM at least.)

4:36:13 PM: (Most importantly of all, ME,  with the only LIVE coverage. The Scope rules 2.0.)

4:37:38 PM: Go time. O’Keefe has arrived!

4:38:50 PM: Dedication about unveiling of new signs coming into town. Apparently we got money from ACOA.

4:39:22 PM: Check out the new signs on a highway near you.

4:42:12 PM: Signs predictably show modern stylized row houses. Apparently colours of houses will be used in future for way finding signage.

4:43:40 PM: (All the cameras are almost tripping over each other here.)

4:45:04 PM: Budget document now being discussed, and will be voted on.

4:47:02 PM: O’Keefe – council went through every item with a fine-toothed comb.

4:48:15 PM: Group protesting sidewalk conditions just arrived. They are bringing a petition.

4:49:49 PM: Mil rate reduced by 0.9%

4:50:48 PM: Water tax also going up.

4:52:52 PM: Seniors tax break increase from 15% in 09 to 20% in 2010.

4:54:39 PM: Budget totals 203 million and change. (Holy scnikies!)

4:56:39 PM: In next 2 years city will get 90 mil from Feds.

4:59:56 PM: There are 8 resolutions, they are voting on first one to do with residential tax.

5:01:00 PM: Tilley, breen, and Hann voted nay on both tax resolutions residential and buisiness rates.

5:01:35 PM: Both property tax rates, that is.

5:03:34 PM: Water tax rate increased by $50 for residential.

5:05:36 PM: Accommodations tax set at 3%.

5:06:52 PM: Budget document moved by Duff, seconded by Galgay.

5:08:59 PM: Duff – “the best we could do,” “we may have cut ourselves too deep.”

5:09:50 PM: Hann – “wanted to be at a mil or a mil and a half” on reduction in mil rate.

5:10:59 PM: Hann- “we need to look for other sources of revenue, those sources are development”

5:13:03 PM: Hann wants complete review of how operating grants are distributed.
5:19:41 PM: Hanlon – will vote for it but thinks it is “too tight” and tax payers will see a lack of services bc of it.

5:22:37 PM: O’Leary-”we have a social responsibility for waste management increases”

5:23:20 PM: O’Leary- in need of review of municipal plan.

5:25:39 PM: Hickman- would have liked to see greater reduction in mil rate. Big jump bc of Recycling, water treatment, and clean harbour.

5:27:03 PM: Hickman- “sometimes I think we’re a city state” Saying we need more help from province and Feds.

5:28:52 PM: Tilley-Has struggled for this and will not vote for tax increase

5:30:10 PM: Breen- has “fundimental concerns with the budgetary process”

5:31:11 PM: Breen will not support budget and will work to fix process for next year.

5:32:34 PM: Collins-will support budget

5:33:29 PM: Colbet-”If you think this years budget is tough, wait until next year”

5:34:57 PM: O’Keefe – “This as not something that was pulled out of a hat in the last month”

5:35:56 PM: (Maybe not, but it was only put somewhere the public could see a month ago)

5:37:17 PM: O’Keefe- predicting deficits in next 2 years

5:40:34 PM: O’Keefe- must look to find increased revenue. By economic growth, payment in leu of tax from province, and increased funding from Feds

5:41:11 PM: Duff- “we wee late this year” with budget

5:42:06 PM: “We were late” that is

5:43:45 PM: (Lack of public input was not brought up.)

5:44:50 PM: Budget passed 8-3 Breen, Tilley, and Hann voted against.

5:45:39 PM: O’Leary reading petition re snowclearing.

5:47:22 PM: “People need to choose between safety and walking outside “

5:48:42 PM: Petition – snow clearing system is an embarrasmet. Caling on council to improve system. Snow clearing needs to be a priority.

5:49:49 PM: (outside of o’Leary reading petition, no discussion on this at all.)

5:51:58 PM: (I am dissappinted there was no yelling at all about budget. They were simply reading semi-prepared statements)

5:53:13 PM: (It would be nice to have had public involvement in discussion. Too late now.)

5:54:10 PM: Various committee reports and approvals of discretionary use applicatons.

5:57:27 PM: Colbert- Cities strongest link to students is Metrobus. Wants Metrobus involved when City is at MUN for welcome fair they sponsor.

5:59:05 PM: Hanlon- Economic development comm. to develop strategic economic roadmap.

6:00:56 PM: Hann- development strategy is the most important thing the economic dev’p committee can do.

6:04:37 PM: People should call 753-SNOW for info on snowclearing

6:06:14 PM: On street Parking ban not on yet, want to give people a break till after Christmas

6:07:58 PM: O’Keefe-Congratulate DT buisness community on patience with construction on water st.

6:07:58 PM: O’Keefe-Congratulate DT buisness community on patience with construction on water st.

6:08:28 PM: “Water street is open for buisness!”

6:09:05 PM: O’Keefe wishes entire world a merry Christmas

6:10:03 PM: Hanlon-Motion to make people buy permit to sell trees in Churchill square.

6:11:56 PM: Galgay- Congratulations to Hanlon who is getting married on the 23rd (he’s some sweet eh)

6:11:56 PM: Galgay- Congratulations to Hanlon who is getting married on the 23rd (he’s some sweet eh)

6:13:04 PM: Breen- Will be opening ourdoor rink on Bowring park when weather permits. As a pilot project.

6:14:09 PM: Colbert thanks volunteers and church groups who help the less fortunate over Christmas.

6:15:05 PM: Hann- Paratransit system will remain working over holidays.

6:16:45 PM: Hann- Notes Metrobus has won national awards for innovation, buisness excellence, and safety

6:18:14 PM: Hann – Metrobus only got 3.7% increase this year. Very justified he says.

6:21:19 PM: O’Leary thanks all people, even ones who don’t celebrate christmas.

6:22:16 PM: Duff- “I can feel the love here [in council])

6:22:16 PM: Duff- “I can feel the love here [in council])

6:26:19 PM: (That’s all folks. This is the last meeting for 2009. Thank you all for tuning in, see you in oh-ten!

Your City

How much is art worth to the city of St. John’s? Over the past few weeks city councilors have heard plenty of recommendations on how much money to spend, and now they have some decisions to make about arts funding for 2010. So what does this mean for the citizens of St. John’s, coming into a year of many tough economic questions? Let’s lay out the short and skinny of it.

WHAT THE ARTS ADVISORY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS
The Municipal Arts Plan, written by the Arts Advisory Committee, was released with little fanfare during the election, and remained a non-issue late with all of the hype about mil rates and water bans. That plan recommends increasing per capita funding for city arts grants like so:

This would increase with every new person St. John’s attracts. The numbers above assume the city’s population won’t grow from 2009 to 2011. Given that St. John’s is one of a few places in the province seeing an increase in population, we would be likely to see funding exceed what’s written here.

WHAT THE ART PROCUREMENT JURY RECOMMENDS
How much art should the city buy? The last increase for this program was way back in 2002, when it was doubled from $10,000 to $20,000. Now the Jury respectfully recommends the budget be again doubled to $40,000. An increase of $20,000 is a relative drop in the $200 million bucket that the city’s 2010 budget is sure to be.

NOW WHAT?
All of these recommendations have been given to the budget committee for 2010.

That committee is currently consulting with the city’s various departments and committees—who wants what and who needs what in 2010. Lucky for you, the city is also encouraging public input on the whole thing.

The biggest budget decision might be the amount to decrease the mil rate—the rate used to calculate property taxes. A decrease in the mil rate of 1 per cent would mean a loss of just over $9.4 million to city’s coffers. Reductions of as much as 3 per cent have been muttered about since the fall election.

St. John’s is entering what is going to be a very profitable few years for some. As a city we need to decide where our priorities lie. If art is truly a priority to this city, as its many documents and plans state, St. John’s needs to put its money where its mouth is and find a way to increase funding to the arts in the 2010 budget.

I encourage you all to send your own priorities and ideas for the 2010 budget to a representative of council. A presentation on the 2010 budget, past budgets, and contact information for council members are available on the city’s website at www.stjohns.ca.

What do you think about municipal funding for the arts? Leave a comment below.

O’Keefe drops the A-bomb

By Andrew Harvey

Amalgamation and regional cooperation has been on the back-burner of provincial and municipal politics for some time now, but at the November 16th St. John’s city council meeting, mayor Dennis O’Keefe and the gang turned up the heat. Council unanimously voted to conduct a feasibility study on establishing a toll booth on the currently under-construction extension of the Team Gushue highway—a road which would stretch from Kenmount Road to the Goulds. O’Keefe went as far as to say the toll would be for non-St. John’s residents.

This all has come from Mount Pearl’s refusal to share the maintenance costs on the new extension. But their decision isn’t much of a surprise, considering Mount Pearl also refused to share the cost of the construction of the highway in the first place.

Over the last few months, letters have been flying between O’Keefe and Mount Pearl mayor Randy Simms, with O’Keefe asking Simms to recognize the benefit to Mount Pearl in the highway, and to pay 25 per cent of the maintenance costs for the highway. He cited a study which estimated 35 to 50 per cent of traffic on the new highway would come from Mount Pearl residents. But despite any traffic relief Mount Pearl might experience from the extension, no part of the highway extension is actually in Mount Pearl.

Simms has maintained all along that the highway is provincial jurisdiction, and they want no part in it.

“Establishing the precedent whereby municipal governments accept responsibility for provincial obligations is not one that we can justifiably entertain,” mayor Simms wrote in one of his letters.

In order to get funding to construct the highway extension, St. John’s agreed to take ownership of the highway. This leaves city council—and St. John’s taxpayers—responsible for the maintenance of the highway. And it’s expected to run $712,000 a year.

Councilor Gerry Colbert may have said it best, though, when he said “from the get-go, the road should have been cost-shared” adding that, “They won. They got a road for nothing.”

My hope is that coming out of this David versus Goliath inter-city tiff, municipalities of the North-East Avalon and across the province learn not to take ownership of things they don’t want full responsibility over. Play nice.