The Residents are rumbling...

City council members perhaps were taken just a little aback at their most recent public forum on the topic of the Emergency Services Building.

If reports from the Northern View are any indication, the taxpaying population, or at least those that feel the need to attend such public forums, may be feeling just a little overburdened by the quest for their dollars.

On more than one occasion, the Fire Chief, City Manager, Chief Constable, city staff and councillors felt the wrath of the small, but apparently vocal group, a collective who don't seem to be buying into the need to add on to the tax dollar load with spending on aging infrastructure, or at least on infrastructure to be used by the Fire and Police services.

The outbursts of anger seemingly led to admonishments from councillor Thorkelson to show a bit more decorum towards the civic employees in question, trying to keep the discussion on track about the need to replace the two buildings currently housing the city's RCMP detachment and fire department.

The meeting is but the first of five, though if the process is as heated as this initial meeting suggests, a bit of consolidation might be required to bring the debate to a sense of order.

More importantly to that process might be better planning by members of city council itself, for this first meeting on what is clearly a controversial project, only four members of council were in attendance, the Mayor and two Councillors reported as absent by the Northern View.

Perhaps those in attendance can bring them up to speed on the reaction to the city's reconstruction plan and suggest that they share in some of the fire next time around.

To help those that missed out on this initial debate, the Mayor, councillors and citizens alike can catch up  when the City provides the video of the discussion courtesy of the City's archived video section.


CFTK-- Rupert Council held first public meeting about Emergency Buildings
CFTK -- Rupert Building Meeting (video)
CFTK-- Emergency Services Building (video)
Northern View-- More concern over tax increases than condition of emergency buildings...

Discussion begins on emergency services replacement building

With Prince Rupert on the clock when it comes to replacing the aging RCMP detachment, the city has begun the process of discussion into a combination emergency services building which would house both the city's police and fire services under one roof.

That process got underway on Monday night as the city hosted the first of what will be five meetings designed to inform the public as to the requirements of the city's emergency services.

The first session explored the theme of Why we should consider this?

The next session is set for April second, when the pros and cons of the project will be discussed.

Subsequent meetings take place on the following dates:

May 7 - The topic of when it needs to be addressed,

June 4th-- How would the building be financed

June 18th-- Where would the building be located

All of the meetings take place at 7 PM

The city may not in the end have much of a choice when it comes to the Police station, under the terms of the policing contract, the RCMP can initiate the construction of a new structure providing they make the proper documentation and initiate the process, which they have done over the last three years.

Over the time, the RCMP has sent an annual letter to the province advising the province as to the situation in the city and the requirement of a new building.  The RCMP are now in the position to have a new structure built and have the bill sent to the city.

With that hanging over the city's head, the push towards consultation and information is seemingly on, no doubt towards the goal of a new emergency services building that will provide new facilities for the city's services.

Originally the plan was to put such a project to referendum at the last election, however with short time to debate and inform, the city pulled back on that plan, leading up to the process that began on Monday.

The Northern View-- First public meeting on emergency building issue Monday night
CFTK TV 7-- Rupert Council held first Public Meeting about Emergency Buildings
CFTK TV7--  Emergency Building (video)
The Northern View-- Council reopens emergency building issue with four months of meetings
The Northern View-- (Sept 21 2011) City to seek voters' approval for new fire and police buildings
The Northern View-- (Oct 2011) Council scraps referendum on new emergency buildings for now