Council Notebook for December 16, 2019
Ladysmith Council held its final meeting of 2019 - and the current decade - on Monday, December 16, 2019 with street and parking closures for an upcoming television series shoot and early budget approval of select capital projects among the agenda highlights.
Council approved the recommendations from last Monday's Municipal Services Committee, which included directing staff to negotiate an agreement with the Arts Council of Ladysmith and District to manage a proposed Poet Laureate Program.
Watch for more details to come back to Council in 2020.
Ladysmith's downtown will once again welcome actors and a production company, this time for the filming of the Resident Alien sci-fi series.
Mary Jo Beirnes and Ken Brooker, co-location managers for the series, attended Monday night's meeting and spoke about the impact of filming on parking and street closures.
Council approved requests for closures with a few conditions to help minimize the impact on residents and downtown customers. These conditions include the appropriate signage communicating to motorists which streets are closed, and a traffic management plan and highway use permit when Roberts Street is closed at times for filming.
Resident Alien has also agreed to have production staff present during filming to assist customers needing to access businesses, as well as offer delivery of prescription medications as required.
Council then switched gears to the 2020 Financial Plan and gave early budget approval for a list of capital projects. This allows staff to start work on time-sensitive projects and purchases in January, before final adoption of the budget.
Council also approved a cost savings of $68,821 in 2020 by directing staff to reduce the amount budgeted for RCMP members in 2020 from 8 to 7.5 members.
The Town's website is getting a makeover and will become more accessible for anyone using a smartphone or tablet device.
Council approved waiving the purchasing policy and awarding the contract to Graphically Speaking.
The Vancouver-based company designed the Town's website in 2011 and holds the current contract for its maintenance.
Council received a letter from the Ladysmith and District Historical Society asking to support a request for the return of the Plymouth Gas Locomotive No. 107 from the Western Vancouver Island Industrial Heritage Society in Port Alberni.
According to information contained in the correspondence, the locie is needed to move rolling stock for refurbishment, display and storage purposes at the Arts and Heritage Hub.
Council approved supporting, in principle, the request from the historical society and asked for more information about the long-term costs to the Town of maintaining the locie.
Council will discuss the matter further once a response is received from the Port Alberni group.
The next regular Council meeting is on January 7, 2020 at 7 p.m. - remember that in the New Year, all Council meetings will be on Tuesday nights.
Season's Greetings to all!