There are plans to distribute the 2018 City of Powell River annual report to the majority of households in Powell River.
At the Tuesday, June 18, committee of the whole meeting, director of economic development and communications Scott Randolph outlined recommendations to broadly disseminate the information contained in the annual report through distribution in the Powell River Peak’s midweek publication.
Randolph said the Community Charter requires a municipal government to prepare an annual report, make it available for public inspection, and provide an opportunity for public submissions and questions. He said it was recommended that at the City of Powell River council meeting on Thursday, July 4, an opportunity be made available on the agenda for the public to make submissions.
He said a change was suggested this year in the compilation and distribution of the document. He said that ordinarily, the annual reports are prepared and include all of the legislative requirements, which include:
· The audited financial statements for the previous year
· Details of each tax exemption provided by city council
· A report respecting municipal services and operations for the previous year
· A progress report regarding objectives and measures established for the previous year
· Any declaration of disqualification of a person elected on council
· A statement of municipal objectives and measures that will be used to determine progress for the current and next year
· Any other information council considers advisable
Randolph said this year, the intention is to get the annual report out to as many people as possible, excluding the 44-page financial summary.
“We are recommending the creation of a professionally published version that would be distributed through the Powell River Peak Midweek, so 8,000 copies would be published and distributed to pretty well every household in the community,” said Randolph. “They would get the main body of the report, which includes all of the legislative requirements, so people have in their hands a copy that they can look at, read and understand exactly what the city is doing.”
The cost, including the layout and distribution, is $4,300, plus taxes, and Randolph said he was asking council to consider paying from city council’s general account.
“The past annual reports produced hide on the website; maybe someone comes along and picks up a hard copy, but they don’t generally get distributed very widely,” said Randolph. “We would like to change that up and communicate as clearly and transparently as possible.”
Committee of the whole endorsed the draft City of Powell River 2018 annual report, to make it available for public inspection, and refer it to the July 4, 2019, council meeting where public submissions and questions will be considered. The committee also endorsed recommending an allocation of up to $4,300 from the mayor and council general account to produce the approved 2018 annual report for distribution through the Powell River Peak.
