Adopts financial plan
Directors of the Powell River Regional District (PRRD) board adopted its financial plan during its March meeting.
Annually PRRD prepares an updated five-year financial plan and is required to pass the bylaw by the end of March each year.
Based on the 2016 completed assessment roll, PRRD property owners will see an approximate $10 increase in the mill rate. At the time of the financial plan, only the 2016 completed assessment roll numbers had been released, but actual taxes will be based on 2016 revised assessment roll expected soon, said Linda Greenan, PRRD manager of financial services.
Depending on where rural residents live, they may see larger increases in parcel taxes. Those who pay for the Lund sewer will see their parcel taxes increase by $73 and those who pay for the Myrtle Pond water system will see a $324.50 increase.
Supports herring protection
PRRD board voted unanimously to follow Tla’amin Nation chief Clint William’s request to send a letter of support to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and fisheries and oceans minister Hunter Tootoo citing local concerns regarding the opening of a commercial herring fishery in the first nation’s traditional fishing territory.
“We do understand that many Powell River and area residents are also in support of our views, as they recall the commercial fishery that devastated our local seasonal herring spawn,” wrote Williams in his request.
The directors also voted in favour of supporting the City of Powell River’s draft motion to place a moratorium on commercial herring fisheries on the BC coast. That motion will be presented at the upcoming Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities conference held in mid-April.
Aids bus service application
PRRD board passed a motion to draft a letter to BC Passenger Transportation Board to support in principle a private bus service on the Lower Sunshine Coast. Sunshine Coast Connector Ltd. requested PRRD provide the support to help speed up the company’s application for provincial approval.
Details on the service were not provided in the request, but director Patrick Brabazon said it was a good idea to send the provincial government the letter anyways, because whether or not this company is the one to provide the service, it is urgently needed.
Approves Texada recycling plan
PRRD directors approved unanimously a recommendation from committee of the whole that the regional district provide a satellite recycling depot in Van Anda open two days per week.
Multi-Material BC, the provincial non-profit organization overseeing paper and package recycling in the province, had said the Van Anda depot provided a higher level of service to the island than other communities and requested the regional district shut it down. Residents upset with that petitioned the PRRD to maintain the depot with operating funds from the regional district.
Receives transit expansion notice
BC transportation minister Todd Stone sent a letter informing the PRRD board that there would be money made available to look at expanding Powell River transit service. PRRD chief administrative officer Al Radke confirmed that BC Transit will be starting to look at implementing some of the service expansion proposals that were put forward in last year’s transit review.
Funds community resource centre
PRRD board approved a recommendation from the committee of the whole to provide $25,000 to Powell River Employment Program Society to assist with the 2016 operations of its Community Resource Centre. Funds will be granted from the general grants in aid fund.
