(PHOTO: Council meets Nov. 24, 2015. Sarah Anderson. REPORTER. Copyright Rogers Media)
Council has a busy agenda ahead for its meeting Tuesday night including another look at proposed financial support for the homeowners affected by sewer backups in Timberlea in connection with a storm on July 12.
Administration will present a report that recommends against the municiapality providing any financial support because it has found zero negligence on the part of the municipality or its contractor leading to the flooding and damages suffered by the residents.
Administration’s conclusion, according to the report, is that the engineering investigation and analysis has not uncovered or identified any negligence of the Municipality, or of its contractor, that is causally linked to the damages suffered by residents. The Municipality’s insurer has not yet formally advised the Municipality of its own conclusions with respect to liability, but the report indicates it is highly likely that the insurer will agree with the conclusions documented in the report.
“Administration therefore cannot recommend the payment of any financial compensation to affected residents in Timberlea who suffered loss and damages as a result of the storm event of July 12, 2015,” the report reads.
Council had directed staff to look into the feasibility of some kind of support for homeowners on September 22, prompting this report.
By-laws
The agenda also includes the first reading of two by-laws. The first proposes the closure of Grayling Terrace Road to allow for construction to replace the outdated Grayling Terrace.
The second looks at re-zoning the land where the Waterways Community Centre sits to a Public Service District so that when the building is sold it must be repurposed for public use.
Dates will be set for public consultations and second and third readings.
Council will also consider all three readings of a by-law amendment for the Communities in Bloom Committee that looks at reducing the number of councillors sitting on the committee.
Right now two councillors sit on the 10 member committee. The move would change that to one councillor on a nine member committee.
Reports
Council will later review a proposed amendment to the boundaries for the urban service area with the intention of stimulating commercial and industrial development.
The extension would mean land around the airport would officially become part of the urban portion of the municipality.
Another report to council will show that staff at the RMWB have done everything they can to collect tax arrears on 50 properties and now the municipality will have to move forward with a public sale of those properties.
That move is mandated by the Municipal Government Act and will be brought forward to council.
Later, a report from the rural committee will recommend that council budget $500,000 for the Saprae Creek Community Hall and move the project from unfunded to funded in 2016.
Council will also look at an update on all of the 2015 capital projects during what promises to be a busy meeting.
