City residents who gathered with city counsellors, city administrative staff, social agency staff and the heads of the local fire department and RCMP detachment at an April 22 town hall meeting to discuss community safety, particularly in the downtown core, might have started a trend.
Usually held only in the fall to discuss budget items for the coming year, the city will now be hosting two open house/town hall meetings each year in a policy change approved at Monday’s council meeting at city hall.
The fall meeting will continue to be set aside for budget deliberations, while the spring town hall will be focused on a contentious topic chosen by city staff, who will also choose the format.
Staff were directed at the July 22 council meeting to come up with a plan for regular town hall events to engage the public in discussions with local government officials.
The budget for each of those meetings will be increased to $25,000, from $20,000. The money will be used for advertising, venue rental and the cost of facilitating the meetings. The April town hall, which drew about 150 people, cost the city $21,172.
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Council also received a report from Kris Dalio, the director of finance and IT services, to show where money has been spent from a contingency fund as of the third quarter of 2024.
Three events was made possible by the contingency fund, including:
Feb. 26 - Carrier and Sekani Family Services’ Pillars of Hope and Strength Project ($5,000);
April 22 - Town hall meeting on public safety and the downtown area at Prince George Conference and Civic Centre ($20,000);
May 27 – Inspiring Women Among Us at UNBC ($7,500)
The $75,000 fund was set aside during the budget process and it shows a current balance of $42,500. Any unspent funds do not carry forward and will be absorbed as a surplus at year-end.
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A proposal for Telus Communications to construct a wireless cell tower at 2527 Redfield Pl. was approved.
Councilors also passed first and second reading of a covenant application from Stantec Consulting Ltd. to develop a 7-lot light industrial subdivision at 3737 Highway 16 East.
