December 9, 2013 - The One with the Budgets and Business
Regular Council Meeting Highlights – December 9, 2013
In this update (Lots of things in this one – stick it out until the end!):
1.Years of Service pins
2.Re-Zoning – 105 Montgomery
3.Approval – General Operating Budget, Utility Operating Budget, General Capital, Utility Capital
4.Appointment of Town Clerk
5.By-law – Taxicabs
6.Grants
7.Approval of Tech Center – Boys & Girls Club
8.Cancel Committee of the Whole for December
9.Terms of Reference – Business Advisory Committee and appointment
10.Reappointment – PAC members
11.Authorization to proceed with Fire Truck purchase (2015)
1.Mayor Ann Seamans and CAO David Muir presented several employees with Years of Service pins.
2.Re-zoning – Presentation was made by Jamie Burke of planning department on a proposal to re-zone 105 Montgomery Ave to Suburban Commercial. The proposal was requesting Council to move forward with public hearing scheduled for January 13, 2014 and to request written views of the Planning Advisory Committee (PAC). You may remember that this proposal was previously voted down by Council until changes could be made by the developer. Due to the new zoning by-law being passed, the wording in the original motion has become null and void and thus the process must be started over again. Inconvenient to have to go through the process again, but it will allow residents to see some of the changes proposed by the developer to address the concerns of residents and a few Councillors.
3.Council approved all four of the operating and utility budgets. A few highlights to look forward to: Trites Rd extension to begin repairs (1st half – it’s been a long time coming!), phase 2 of the civic/wellness center – feasibility study, NO INCREASE IN TAX RATE, investment in playground upgrades, repairs to the Mill Creek Dam, Toboggan hill improvements, refurbishment on Lion’s Pool, sidewalk and road maintenance and much more. In the Utility bills, residents will see a $35 increase which amounts to less than $3.00 per month. Our rates are still the lowest in the area!
4.It’s official! Welcome Annette Crummey to the Town of Riverview as our Town Clerk. Annette will be a valued member of the team as the town continues to grow and we require additional support with things like RTIPPA requests and much more!
5.By-Law – taxicabs. Really simply, we added a by-law that states in order to operate in the Town of Riverview you must be licensed under the City of Moncton. No additional resources required from the town. It makes sense to me as taxis operate tri-community, thus we might as well all abide by the same regulations!
6.Grants – A few different grants came before Council this evening such as a request from the RHS band whose students are taking a trip to Ottawa and require some additional funding, IWK, Super Fiddle Show and a few others! I view the grants program as a sound investment in our community and our residents, supporting some of the great activities and initiatives taking place that make our town such a great place....to grow.
7.Boys & Girls Club Tech Center - Given that the Club is my employer, I vacated my seat during this portion of the meeting as there is a conflict of interest for me to be a part of any discussion. Council did pass a motion granting up to $15,000 to cover renovation costs for the Club on a new tech center being provided by Rogers! More information available from any other Councillor who was there or by contacting lyndacarey@bgcriverview.com with the Boys & Girls Club.
8.Council passed a motion to cancel the Committee of the Whole meeting scheduled for December 23, 2013. We have to prepare for Santa.
9.Council approved the terms of reference for the new Business Advisory Ad Hoc committee that is mandated to research the services and programs desired by local businesses and ways of promoting Riverview as a great place to....start a business, grow a business, be in business! Council has recently announced that it would not be approving the budget of the BIA (Business Improvement Area) that worked with businesses in the downtown core. There’s a great article in the Times and Transcript outlining some of the discussion that took place tonight. Parks and Recreation and Economic Development will assume some of the responsibilities formerly undertaken y the BIA as well as looking at the many other ways we can offer support to our local businesses. We appointed the members of the new Business Advisory Committee as well. The committee will be chaired by David Ford, owner of Ford’s Pharmacy in Downtown Riverview. A total of 11 people will sit on the business advisory committee struck by council. In addition to David Ford chairing the group, members include Jeff Zacharias, co-owner of Goji’s Frozen Yogurt; Jeff MacArthur, owner of Woodstone Properties who also helps Patmar Holdings in marketing much of the Findlay Park lands that remain vacant; John Joudrey of Inglis Jewelers; Mike Randall of Engage Atlantic; Kevin Steen of HappyFloors.ca and Brian LeBlanc, owner of the Point Park Petro-Can and the Pine Glen Mall.
10.Three members of the PAC we reappointed this evening as well. They are Bob Riley, Kelvin Martin, and Keith Whalen. Welcome back gentlemen!
11.Authorization to purchase a fire truck. We recently received news from the province that we would be receiving approximately $320,000 less from them as we had planned on. As a result we had to delay replacing engine 11 in the Fire Department. We did give authorization for it to be ordered later in 2014, meaning that it will arrive in 2015 which means the expense will be a part of the 2015 budget.
As always if you have any questions, please sing out! Thanks to all those who attended the meeting this evening!
