Brandon City Council Briefs (Sept. 04)

Highlights of the September 4, 2012 Regular Meeting of Council

• City Council received a report from Assiniboine Ward Councillor Jeff Fawcett on behalf of the Audit and Finance Committee regarding the soon-to-be completed 2010 and 2011 financial statements. Fawcett reported that it is expected the submission of the 2010 Financial Statements by the September 30 deadline will be met, with the 2011 statements to follow shortly thereafter. A surplus in both 2010 and 2011 is expected. An update on the 2013 budget preparations was also provided, with Sept.14th being the deadline for Departments to submit their 2013 Capital and Operating budgets.

   

• City Council gave approval for the process to begin to designate two privately-owned properties within the City of Brandon as local municipal heritage sites: 339 Victoria Avenue, owned by Greg and Valerie Hutsal; and 1037 Lorne Avenue (former First Baptist Church), owned by Randal Kurtenbach and Calvin Doherty. Both properties have been recommended for designation by Brandon’s Municipal Heritage Advisory Committee and will now be required to go through a public hearing process before being given final approval.

   

• City Council approved the bid from Otis Canada Inc. of $88,464.39 (excluding GST) for the elevator upgrade at City Hall. City Hall’s current elevator is over 40 years old and requires an upgrade to to ensure safe operations for all visitors and staff.

   

• City Council gave authorization to the Canadian Radiocommunications Information and Notification Service (CRINS-SINRC) and its staff to act as the authorized representative for the City of Brandon. As such, the group will receive and act upon all applications for radiocommunications facilities and the CRINS-SINRC Antenna System Siting Review and Consultant Protocol, at no cost to the City. The non-profit organization, which currently has approximately 75 member municipalities across Canada, keeps a database of radiocommunications facilities or sites across the country and regulates where such new facilities can be located.

   

• City Council accepted the proposal from Planning Alliance and Associated Engineering for preparation of a Secondary Plan for the 160-acres of city-owned land on the City’s North Hill known as the “Black Farm”, as well as other land south of the Trans-Canada Highway between First and 18 th Streets, at a cost to the City of $115,395.00 (excluding GST). The intent is that once complete, the plan will create a comprehensive development framework/vision for the North Hill area.

   

• City Council agreed to move forward with a public hearing on a Local Improvement Plan for the infrastructure work (the installation of domestic sewer, storm sewer, water services, road building, asphalt paving of the roadways, curb and gutter installation, street lighting and utility installation, including hydro, telephone, gas and cable) which has been undertaken along 14 th Street East, south of Richmond Avenue in the now-subdivided Richmond Industrial Park. The local improvement levy, proportionally valued at $385,000, would be levied against the owner of the property at 1550 Richmond Avenue East.

   

• City Council approved the low bid from River East Construction Ltd. of $241,097.56 (excluding GST) to carry out the contract for work to the Eastview Landfill Cell 14 Liner. The work will include the supply and installation a water proof liner within a newly constructed cell to accommodate the planned expansion to the existing landfill area.

   

• City Council gave 2 nd Reading to amendments to the Zoning By-law and the Temporary Sign Bylaw for the purpose of regulating electronic signs, applications for which are currently dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Third reading was then held in abeyance to allow for objectors of the by-law to file any further objections.

   

• City Council gave first readings to two by-laws: one to close and convey a portion of the public lane at 620-34 th Street to the property owner, Calvary Temple, at their expense of $680.00 (plus GST), and open an east/west lane through a portion of land located south of McTavish Avenue and east of 35 th Street; and one to amend the City of Brandon’s Fee Schedule to add a Radio Communications Facilities Fee for 2012.

   

Archived video from the meeting