At the regular meeting of January 12, 2015 Council gave direction to “initiate a boundary extension process to increase the supply of service commercial and light industrial land in the City to include the remainder of, or a portion of the remainder of the area designated UE- Urban Expansion by Schedule D of the Elk Valley Official Community Plan situated north of Brenners Road subsequent to the owners completing two lot subdivisions of their respective properties”. This information was publicized in the Council Connection along with a request for “Council to commit to including in the related boundary extension proposal to the Provincial Government a request that the supplementary letters patent associated with the boundary extension include a tax rate limitation whereby property taxes in the subject area would continue to be levied at a rate equivalent to the RDEK rate until the earliest of the 2026 taxation year, the taxation year following the connection of the property to municipal water service or municipal sewer service, or year following the adoption of a bylaw to amend the zoning of that property, or the year following the registration in the Land Title Office etc. It’s a year later, much discussion and work has been done however this still has a long way to go before it is accomplished.

But much was accomplished in 2015 and the following is a sample.

The updating of Subdivision and Development Servicing and Zoning bylaws were initiated, the Fernie Trails Master Plan was adopted, a new playground for Ridgemont Park and Crossing Arms at 13 Street Rail crossing were implemented, Council lobbied for a replacement light system for 9th Street and Highway 3 that was finally agreed to by Ministry of Highways and several surveys were conducted including the Citizen Satisfaction Survey and Tax Talk.

It has been commented several times that the City doesn’t do enough to engage the public. There are several current committees that have citizen participation including Leisure Services, Greenhouse Gas, Beautification, Design Review Panel, RMI and others like the OCP, Quality of Life, Cemetery, Vendors, have all had active citizen participation as well all meeting minutes are on the website and available to read at City Hall as are all reports. City staff will respond to inquiries, meet with any citizen to answer questions and respond to email. As Mayor I am available at any time I am not in meetings either at City Hall or out of town. I respond to email while away and any member of Council will tell you we stop and respond to inquiries made while grocery shopping, at restaurants with family or at any function we attend. This is part of our job and we do it gladly. Council is interviewed regularly on radio stations, there is weekly Council Connection in the Free Press giving important information to the public, and there is twitter and Facebook and the website for information. Info is also sent out with the annual tax notices. However, I know that for some people coming to City Hall is intimidating but please let me reassure you that all you have to do is come to the front desk and ask for assistance and the ladies at the counter will do their best to help with finding whatever information you need or speak to whom you need to. Council members are your representatives. Our email is public and easy to remember it has our first name, a period, our last.name@fernie.ca. A message asking questions can be sent to anyone of us at any time.

A Spring Cleanup is held annually where City crews will pick up lawn and garden waste and for Seniors 65 and over will dispose of large household items or recyclable goods but you must register in advance by calling City Hall.

Last July the City accepted an offer from BC Hydro to purchase land adjacent to the BC Hydro substation for the expansion. The 2014 Annual Municipal Report was approved, Station Square was designated as the permanent place for Mobile Street vendors and a very successful National Western Regional Mine Rescue Competition was held with competitors that came from Ontario, all western Provinces, Yukon and NWT and US States.

The 2015-2017 Resort Development Strategy was approved with the Province agreeing to extend it till 2017. The changes to the Development Cost Charge Bylaw were approved , the Sewage Treatment Plant Upgrade project was tendered, a $50,000 grant was received from the Ministry to help facilitate with the West Fernie restructuring project, the Facility Lighting Review and Upgrade contract was awarded, new tables and chairs were purchased for the Community Center. Council made a decision to have permanent public washrooms installed downtown, a social media policy was approved, as was the Fernie Rural Fire Protection Services Authorization bylaw #2203 to extend service coverage to Kubinec Road, approved a partnering agreement with the Chamber for the Ambassador Training Program funded by RMI , held a very successful public volunteer luncheon to thank our amazing volunteers, got through an intense bear problem issue, attended classes at FSS to interact with students, held a toboggan /bonfire /Christmas Tree pick up event, thanks to our wonderful fire department volunteers for all their work to make this event one to remember. Awarded the George Majic Spiritus award to a trail blazing pioneer Pat Gilmar who still works on trails today. The Leisure Center department held a fantastic Halloween party at the Court House that drew over 700 kids and many parents. Council participated in the Remembrance Day ceremonies, agreed to assist in Physician Recruitment for Elk Valley Hospital OR service and agreed to a funding request towards the Cranbrook and District Community Foundation for a program to serve Fernie and surrounding area. The City has a grant program that assists small requests but also it provides funding to keep facilities like the Art Station, Museum, Library and Fernie Chamber of Commerce viable and offering the services they do. A new one may be added soon and that is the Senior’s Centre group that would like assistance to operate as the others do. At present the facility is kept open by volunteers. The chair of the Senior’s group believe that with assistance a manager could be hired to facilitate programming for the seniors to add to what is presently offered and to ensure that the Centre continues to operate and serve the people. This is something I support for several reasons. One being that our seniors are the ones that helped build this town, they are to be honored and respected as much as the arts, the literary, the businesses or the history, in fact they are part of that History that gave Fernie the incredible quality of life that most of us enjoy here.

On January 26, the Elk Valley Hospice held their grand opening of the kiosk in the Elk Valley Hospital. This kiosk was managed for many years by the hospital ladies auxiliary however when the group folded the kiosk closed.

For the past decade or more this kiosk has sat empty but the Hospice group had a vision to reopen it and today their vision became a reality when Sarah Parry, the chair of Elk Valley Hospice, announced that Carol Holder and Pat Moore, nurses and original members of Hospice were to cut the ribbon to finally reopen the kiosk, Congratulations, this will surely be a hit as the hospital cafeteria has been shut down by IH and now individuals will be able to access a coffee or tea and a snack at the kiosk. Thanks to all of the members of Hospice for making this happen and for volunteering their time to keeping it open on a daily basis.