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| Mayor Brain from the lawn of the Legislature after taking in almost a week of provincial politics |
Almost a week of politicking down in Victoria has Mayor Lee Brain returning to the North Coast seeming quite energetic, that from the notes from the Mayor delivered through his Social media platform on Thursday.
In his dispatch from the pre flight area, Mr. Brain provided a synopsis of some of the events of the week, which included his attendance in the Legislature for the BC Budget speech, with the Mayor right in the heart of the Chamber, three deep on the Liberal side of the House for the day.
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| Mayor Brain (seated behind Skeena Liberal MLA Ellis Ross) was on hand for Tuesday's BC Government Budget Speech |
From his Facebook page Mr. Brain recounts a round of meetings he had with a number of ministers and provincial ministries, noting how over his five years in office now the City has worked to build positive relationships with both politicians and bureaucrats.
As the Mayor tells it in his post, many of the Deputy Ministers in the Horgan government have read through the City's ambitious 2030 vision document, with Mr. Brain noting that an inter-ministerial team is coming together to discuss how to support Prince Rupert's development plans.
The Mayor also takes a moment from his Victoria review, to make note as to how the new Vision plan will require the work of a Vision Stewardship Council of local partners that will oversee the next decade of development , a private sector/municipal arrangement that City Council has not dedicated much public discussion time towards while in Council chambers.
That apparent new and somewhat unelected level of governance is really a topic that the Council membership should bring to the public forum, in order to clarify what each partner brings to their roles and what accountability the public may see from the new arrangement.
Beyond the new era for development, the Mayor makes note of the upcoming City Budget process and the reworking of the City's official Community Plan.
As well he offers up a check list for where residents can expect to see progress this year.
The Mayor wraps up his latest Facebook notes with very much a clarion call to action for the community and those who as he puts it "believe in this community" to rally to the Council plans for the years ahead.
Though it does leave one to wonder, if anyone who may have a few questions when it comes to some of the plans and decisions by Council, has any kind of role to fill in the new Prince Rupert of the vision plan.
"Folks, this is Rupert’s time and I hope that all those who believe in this community will come together to make it happen with us. I’m looking forward to seeing a brand new community emerge over the next few years in partnership with all the amazing people of this place we call home." -- Mayor Lee Brain from his Facebook notes of Thursday
The Victoria trip this week is just the latest of out of town travel for the mayor in what has been a very busy six weeks so far.
You can review his Facebook page talking points here.
For more items of note on Council Discussion themes see our archive page.
How about working on cleaning up city. The big project you promoted when you started was a big park on Kooteney and McKay. You were going to partner with Northern Health. Pie in the sky. You had nice drawings done and lots of consultation. Projected to cost 3 plus million. Right now forgotten and a dog park with no drainage.
ReplyDeleteAnother big project was all the sidewalks along third street. Mayor Brain on record it has to be done as they are unsafe. Especially in front of city hall. They started on the best sidewalks then quit. The unsafe sidewalk in front off city hall not touched. Approximately 35 to 40% on project complete. 67 % of the money spent. Never an explanation as to why job not completed. Just because stuff put on facebook does not make it so. Stop the pie in sky stuff and fix a road, clean up some of the junk in the city
Back to the basics please Like explaining the way forward with costing at council meetings.
I would like to point out two of the mayor's projects last year and ask do you trust his choices. Seventh Avenue East road construction rebuild. Job should of taken outside around 3 months. Ended up with city forces taking over completion of job which is still not finished. The taxpayers are owed an explanation of what happened and cost overruns. This should not be done on Facebook.
ReplyDeleteMcBride Street water replacement. Job started was making progress then for many days in a no work being preformed. This is not acceptable. If you rip up a main thoroughfare ensure you have the manpower to complete on a continuous bases.
Increasing paving budget by 100% is not enough. If you have a low budget and double it you still don't have much. Show me an estimate of what it will cost to fix every pothole and tooth rattling hump of road in the city then inform me of how much you are budgeting. Let the people decide with facts on mayors performance.
The mayor also has community-wide recruitment and retention initiative. Is this the double speak for more pension top up for city administration.