Tonight's city council meeting begins at 6 p.m. with a focus on finding funds.
-- The core services review select committee presents its report on the first phase of the project. Consulting firm KPMG has held its first round of community discussions and workshops with residents, as well as city staff and councillors. It also put forward data collection proposals to the city and identified nine comparable jurisdictions. The second phase will focus on data collection and analysis, as well as interviews with the executive of local trade unions. So far, nearly $35,000 has been spent on the review.
-- Coun. Cameron Stolz is recommending council negotiate a natural resource revenue sharing agreement with the provincial government. In his notice of motion to council, Stolz outlines the fact that many natural resource industries conduct their work outside of municipal boundaries, but that the city is a service centre and expected to provide infrastructure and other services to support their work.
This resolution and strategy would be in keeping with the Fair Share Agreement the Peace River Regional District has with the province, which garnered them more than $32 million in provincial revenues for 2011.
-- Support for new technology and engineering programs at local post-secondary institutions is necessary, according to a motion by councillor Albert Koehler. He is proposing the city send a clear message that the municipality is behind any efforts to increase the availability of engineers and technologists for the region to deal with a skills shortage.
"The City of Prince George is fully aware of the fact that all education matters are provincial matters, but intends to express the demand, considering its intention of growing the tax base and building a stronger and more resilient economy," Koehler wrote.
-- Council will consider the options presented by the manager of the Pine Valley Recreational Complex to extend their service agreement which sees the operator, GNR Property Management Ltd., pay the city a base commission based on sales revenue. The current agreement expires at the end of December and administration is recommending council approve a one-year extension for the 18-hole, par 3 golf facility. This would provide council time to consider any recommendations stemming from the core services review and also allow the operator to plan for the 2013 golf season. The city pays the cost of utilities at the site, but did not receive any commission for the 2011 season due to a drop in revenues from the loss of the driving range, mature pine trees and fewer golfers.
