Dike debate
City council will consider proceeding with a proposed 3.3 kilometres dike along River Road on Monday.
On Jan. 24 the city received a $5.44 million grant for the project from the provincial and federal governments. City staff estimated the cost of the project at $11.5 million, of which $2.5 million could come from the city's Land Development Reserve fund.
The remaining $3.56 million would need to be borrowed, staff reported.
If approved, construction of the dike could begin as early as this fall.
Transparency motions
A pair of motions put forward by Coun. Brian Skakun and Garth Frizzell regarding financial reporting and transparency will come before council, Monday.
During the Oct. 17, 2011 meeting, Skakun moved that the City of Prince George report out expenses on a monthly basis. Frizzell called on the city to proactively disclose the results of Freedom of
Information requests.
The city's finance and audit committee reported the initiatives would require 26 more hours of staff time per year. However, they do advise staff to make financial information more readily available on the city's website for the general public.
Land use challenge averted
Developer Lee Sexsmith withdrew his challenge of a decision by the City of Prince George's planning and development department.
Sexsmith was seeking to develop a self storage facility on Crown land at the end of Piper Road. City staff ruled a geotechnical study would need to be done on the site before the matter could be
considered by council.
Sexsmith challenged the decision and was expected to appear before council on Monday to plea his case to council.
In an e-mail to city administration, Sexsmith said he was able to work out a satisfactory
compromise to the situation.
Committee changes
Changes are coming to three city committees.
City council is expected to sign off on new terms of reference, and new names, for the Prince George Advisory Design Panel, Prince George Accessibility Advisory Committee and Enhance Prince George.
The committees will be renamed the Advisory Committee on Development Design, Advisory Committee on Accessibility and the Advisory Committee on Enhancing
Prince George.
Report delayed
The Select Committee on Business will not be reporting to city council until Feb. 20.
In a letter to city council, committee co-chairs David Livingstone and Janine North said the committee has completed its report but wants to wait until Livingstone, North and Mayor Shari Green can attend council to present it.
Green created the 21-person committee on Dec. 12 to provide feedback on how to make City Hall more user-friendly to the business and development community.
The committee's mandate required it to report to council by the end of January.
