Saturday, July 31, 2010
sign story july,31
The sign pic that had to be removed was a sasquatch warning done like the Parks Canada bear warnings......there might still be some up at Chesterman's Beach...it was pretty funny....
Monday, July 26, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
District Website July 20, 2010
Met with district staff today and they assured me there was no scandal with the request for proposals regarding the district website.If you are interested in the project you should contact the district asap.....
Monday, July 19, 2010
affordable housing
Many years ago there was a problem with housing for the fish plant workers....the District of Tofino made available a property to private enterprise with the covenant that they would provide rental apartments.....hence Sin City ( Tonquin Apartments) was born and has provided affordable housing for 30 years at little or no cost to the taxpayer.....while the District of Tofino didn't get a high price for the land it has benefited from the taxation on the property and lots of people call it home....all without government subsidies....
Tofino Housing Corporation July 19,2010
The Tofino Housing Corporation is seeking board members !! Please consider applying....check out www.tofinohousing.ca
Currently there is only one board member from Tofino so they could use more local input...I have applied in the past and been rejected but I will apply again....you should too.....
Many years ago the original idea was to have a dormitory style building to house seasonal workers but it has ballooned into a 40 acre subdivision located by the Community Center.....many hundreds of thousands of tax dollars have been spent on consultants and planning over the past six years but so far no housing has been provided...
Please volunteer and have a say in how your tax dollars are spent !! Contact information is available at the website shown above. The project as proposed now has a budget of over ten million dollars......
Currently there is only one board member from Tofino so they could use more local input...I have applied in the past and been rejected but I will apply again....you should too.....
Many years ago the original idea was to have a dormitory style building to house seasonal workers but it has ballooned into a 40 acre subdivision located by the Community Center.....many hundreds of thousands of tax dollars have been spent on consultants and planning over the past six years but so far no housing has been provided...
Please volunteer and have a say in how your tax dollars are spent !! Contact information is available at the website shown above. The project as proposed now has a budget of over ten million dollars......
Friday, July 16, 2010
Sharp Rd, Water Treatment Plant July 16 ,2010
From the Westerly News Oct 16,2008
"Coun. Kendal Kelly wondered if the proposed plant is "over-engineered" and too complicated to run.
MacKinnon agreed the district will require highly trained staff to run the system. He also noted there will be a start-up and shut down period of roughly two weeks before and after the water is used. The contract for designing the plant was tendered by the district's engineering firm, Koers and Associates."
"Coun. Kendal Kelly wondered if the proposed plant is "over-engineered" and too complicated to run.
MacKinnon agreed the district will require highly trained staff to run the system. He also noted there will be a start-up and shut down period of roughly two weeks before and after the water is used. The contract for designing the plant was tendered by the district's engineering firm, Koers and Associates."
Sharp Rd. water treatment plant July 16 2010
Does anyone know what the deal is with the Sharp rd. water treatment plant ? Sources have informed TOFINONEWS that there are no members of the Public Works staff qualified to operate and maintain the plant so an independent contractor has been hired and is staying in a local waterfront hotel at the taxpayer's expense ! I really hope I'm wrong on this one.....please write in if you know......thanks,Ralph
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
grant money available !!
If we had a shovel-ready plan in place we could still get some stimulus grant money !
OTTAWA - Ottawa has decided to allow municipal governments to add some last-minute projects to their stimulus list, since some bids for the federal government's massive infrastructure plan are coming in well under budget.
"We are monitoring projects on a regular basis with the provinces. Where tender prices have come in under budget, we have recycled that money to create even more jobs," said James Kusie, spokesman for Transport and Infrastructure Minister John Baird.
But there's a hitch in the effort to recycle funds.
The new projects won't get any extra time to come to completion. Like all the projects funded by the $16-billion federal stimulus money, Ottawa will pay the bills only up until March 31, 2011.
So it's not clear how many cities will actually take advantage of the flexibility.
OTTAWA - Ottawa has decided to allow municipal governments to add some last-minute projects to their stimulus list, since some bids for the federal government's massive infrastructure plan are coming in well under budget.
"We are monitoring projects on a regular basis with the provinces. Where tender prices have come in under budget, we have recycled that money to create even more jobs," said James Kusie, spokesman for Transport and Infrastructure Minister John Baird.
But there's a hitch in the effort to recycle funds.
The new projects won't get any extra time to come to completion. Like all the projects funded by the $16-billion federal stimulus money, Ottawa will pay the bills only up until March 31, 2011.
So it's not clear how many cities will actually take advantage of the flexibility.
District Website Scandal !
What's the deal with the Request for Proposals for the District website ? why was there only a few days given for proposals ? does anybody know the deal ? please write in.....thanks
even more sewer grant stuff July 14,2010
from the sewer grant application:
"Phase 2 of the project will include Integrated Resource Management to generate heat and electricity from wastewater treatment,will consider anaerobic digestion of wet ,organic waste in combination with biosolids(to generate biodiesel/biogas) and will consider reduction/gasification of solid wastes (including digested biosolid residue and wood residue from logging and land clearing(hog fuel) to generate energy and heat."
"Phase 1 of this project will recover heat from a proposed sewer lift station and will use this heat to offset heating costs in proposed Fire Hall and RCMP public buildings. Solar hot water heating will be explored to offset some of the remaining energy costs. Although only considered in preliminary form at this time, the opportunity to generate energy from a future turbine installed in the outfall pipe of the proposed Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) will be considered together with opportunities to generate heat,biofuels and electricity from the Phase 2 of the project that will include design,construction and commissioning of the future STP."
"Phase 2 of the project will include Integrated Resource Management to generate heat and electricity from wastewater treatment,will consider anaerobic digestion of wet ,organic waste in combination with biosolids(to generate biodiesel/biogas) and will consider reduction/gasification of solid wastes (including digested biosolid residue and wood residue from logging and land clearing(hog fuel) to generate energy and heat."
"Phase 1 of this project will recover heat from a proposed sewer lift station and will use this heat to offset heating costs in proposed Fire Hall and RCMP public buildings. Solar hot water heating will be explored to offset some of the remaining energy costs. Although only considered in preliminary form at this time, the opportunity to generate energy from a future turbine installed in the outfall pipe of the proposed Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) will be considered together with opportunities to generate heat,biofuels and electricity from the Phase 2 of the project that will include design,construction and commissioning of the future STP."
even more sewer grant info July 14,2010
From a letter dated March 16, 2009 regarding the the sewer grant application: " I have,however not completed a construction cost estimate (yet) based on the alignment proposed in our Project # 23010 Feasibility Assessment (please refer to Appendix A of initial submission), and cannot complete it in time to meet the March 16,2009 deadline. We respectfully request that you factor our challenges into your evaluation criteria and do not penalize our community because we have staff time and budget challenges."
I guess these challenges were overcome with regards to the traffic roundabout that became a beautification project at the North Chesterman's Beach parking lot as the District of Tofino was successful in securing a grant for that project.
I guess these challenges were overcome with regards to the traffic roundabout that became a beautification project at the North Chesterman's Beach parking lot as the District of Tofino was successful in securing a grant for that project.
more sewer grant info July 14,2010
from the Westerly News : "The utility corridor is directed through undeveloped land owned by the District of Tofino," MacKinnon said, "how the province interpreted we were building the corridor to access new development lands is beyond me, based on all the information placed into the grant application."
from the Sept.2008 Utility Corridor Feasibility Study:" Construction costs for that portion of the revised Arnet Road Utility Corridor through DL122,are anticipated to be paid for by the property owners.These costs will include the proposed intersection and highway widening at future Arnet Road and Campbell Street,the proposed Sewer Lift Station, the proposed Water Pump Station,the 200mm diameter watermain,the 200mm diameter Sewer Forcemain and the Arnet Road (Utility Corridor),all constructed as DCC projects.Following the construction,District of Tofino would then offer a DCC rebate for the incremental portion of the costs beyond the local requirement, as described in the Development Cost Charge Bylaw Amendment 2008.
from an obtained document "Project Benefits District of Tofino Sewage Treatment Phase 1-Arnet Road Utility Corridor" : page 2. "Facilitates future development of more than 100 ha or (sic) land presently inaccessible and undeveloped (Dl 114,117,118 and 121 ).
It should be noted that DL 121 is being considered for development by local First Nations.
from the Sept.2008 Utility Corridor Feasibility Study:" Construction costs for that portion of the revised Arnet Road Utility Corridor through DL122,are anticipated to be paid for by the property owners.These costs will include the proposed intersection and highway widening at future Arnet Road and Campbell Street,the proposed Sewer Lift Station, the proposed Water Pump Station,the 200mm diameter watermain,the 200mm diameter Sewer Forcemain and the Arnet Road (Utility Corridor),all constructed as DCC projects.Following the construction,District of Tofino would then offer a DCC rebate for the incremental portion of the costs beyond the local requirement, as described in the Development Cost Charge Bylaw Amendment 2008.
from an obtained document "Project Benefits District of Tofino Sewage Treatment Phase 1-Arnet Road Utility Corridor" : page 2. "Facilitates future development of more than 100 ha or (sic) land presently inaccessible and undeveloped (Dl 114,117,118 and 121 ).
It should be noted that DL 121 is being considered for development by local First Nations.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Sewer Grant information July 13,2010
Here's an excerpt from a July 8,2010 interview with the Tofino Public Works Superintendent as it appeared in the Westerly News:
"The utility corridor is directed through undeveloped land owned by the District of Tofino," MacKinnon said, "how the province interpreted we were building the corridor to access new development lands is beyond me, based on all the information placed into the grant application."
However documents obtained by TofinoNews show the proposed utility corridor passing through private lands;DL 122 !!
"Where the revised alignment of the Utility Corridor may terminate at Campbell Street is shown on attached Figure 7.This alignment shows a conceptual layout of turning lanes,acceleration lanes for southbound traffic, a left-turn lane for northbound traffic with sufficient area to accommodate an estimated 18 to 20 vehicles (130 lineal metres), all adjacent to DL122 frontage,which is currently at rezoning,OCP amendment and imminent subdivision stages." The attached figure 7 shows the utility corridor intersecting with Campbell Street over private lands just south of the ambulance station.
The original plan for the utility corridor had it connecting to Campbell Street by means of the existing Industrial Way.
"The utility corridor is directed through undeveloped land owned by the District of Tofino," MacKinnon said, "how the province interpreted we were building the corridor to access new development lands is beyond me, based on all the information placed into the grant application."
However documents obtained by TofinoNews show the proposed utility corridor passing through private lands;DL 122 !!
"Where the revised alignment of the Utility Corridor may terminate at Campbell Street is shown on attached Figure 7.This alignment shows a conceptual layout of turning lanes,acceleration lanes for southbound traffic, a left-turn lane for northbound traffic with sufficient area to accommodate an estimated 18 to 20 vehicles (130 lineal metres), all adjacent to DL122 frontage,which is currently at rezoning,OCP amendment and imminent subdivision stages." The attached figure 7 shows the utility corridor intersecting with Campbell Street over private lands just south of the ambulance station.
The original plan for the utility corridor had it connecting to Campbell Street by means of the existing Industrial Way.
july 13,2010 FOI results
Pleased to announce that all councilors and the mayor have filed very reasonable expense claims regarding the Olympic Party.....what the Freedom of Information request revealed is that there seemed to be a "culture of entitlement" that existed with some former staff....It might seem like small change if you are getting paid in excess of $100,000.00 a year but is it fair to ask the taxpayer to pay for "lunch meetings " at trendy restaurants ??
Still trying to sort out what went wrong with the grant application for the sewer system.....didn't get all the info I need yet.....
Perhaps council could form an audit committee to oversee spending issues....much like the Auditor-General at the federal level.....
Still trying to sort out what went wrong with the grant application for the sewer system.....didn't get all the info I need yet.....
Perhaps council could form an audit committee to oversee spending issues....much like the Auditor-General at the federal level.....
Thursday, July 8, 2010
July 8,2010
With regards to staff turnover.....we had a good treasurer and she was forced to resign as she was unable to compromise her ethics....I don't enjoy seeing competent staff leave but most often we have people that don't want to stay in the first place or don't even want to live here.....there are many good people on staff at the district that have been there for decades and are fully committed to the community.....I think the District should be more careful with their hiring and then we'll have staff that want to be here....there is often friction between staff and the public but that's true in any jurisdiction.....
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
july 7 2010
Mckinnon has resigned.....gave 2 months notice......will have access to some requested documents on Friday.....will post immediately afterwards......
July 7 2010
Sorry for the lack of posts.....out fishing for a couple of days.....work going on at Cox Bay rock walls......will have an update later....persistent rumors of another high level defection in the district staff.....don't know if Tofino has tried to re-hire the former Treasurer....will have some info on the info requests with the District later today....
Friday, July 2, 2010
July 2,2010
Good morning, glad to see a good turnout for the Canada Day festivities...thanks to all the volunteers.......still nothing back from the District on the requests for information.....lots of comments about a proposed raspberry patch....could someone please send in the details of this controversy ? thanks
