Council update, 12 February 2011
Hello everyone:
What a gorgeous, snowy day! It's probably got you thinking about ...
SNOW REMOVAL PRIORITIES
I hear from people fairly regularly with questions about the Town's snow removal. There's a helpful page on the website: http://www.banff.ca/locals-residents/streets-parking/snow-removal.htm that gives you lots of information about how the Town deals with snow. It includes a link to the "snow management map" -- click on that to see where your street sits in the priorities for clearning. If you disagree with how council has set the snow priorities, let us know -- the map comes up for review around the end of every snow season.
ACTION REQUEST REMINDER
I know that I've mentioned this before, but a reminder won't hurt. On the town's website, at the very top of every page, you'll see a white band with a string of words in black. Among those words is "Action Request". If you want to let the town know about a backed-up storm sewer or a burnt-out street-lamp or a broken Stop sign or your neighbour's dog that never stops barking, the Action Request is a great feature. Clicking on those words takes you to a quick and simple online form, so that you can let the town know what the problem is. If you request a callback, town staff will call you to let you know what action was taken. Using the Action Request is a quick and easy way to make your concerns known. It also lets us easily track complaints over time, so that we can identify areas that need more attention.
BISON RE-INTRODUCTION -- YOUR HELP, PLEASE!
Next Friday, February 18, I'm part of a public round-table discussion about bison re-introduction to Banff National Park. I've been asked to be part of the panel to represent the "typical resident". (Yes, I know, I'm waaaay older than the typical resident!) I want to be able to raise the comments and/or concerns that residents may be thinking about. Can you please take a couple of moments to let me know what you think about bison re-introduction and what questions you may have? A quick email from you would help me be better prepared for this discussion. Please click Reply on this email to send me your thoughts!
COUNCIL ON MONDAY
How will Council celebrate Valentine's Day? You can find out by taking a look at the council package, which you can see at this link:
Highlights include ...
A request for exemption of charities from waste collection fees
The YWCA will be making a presentation to request exemption from garbage collection and recycling fees for all charities. You can see the letter making their case, starting on page 4 of the package. They're also suggesting that all town departments have their waste and diversion billed for in the budget, as a way of encouraging accountability.
Community Art Committee appointments
Five great candidates have put their names forward for the three vacancies on the Community Art Committee. This is the group that has done such a super job of picking Banff's well-loved and popular public art, such as the Thunderbird and Eagle sculpture in front of Nesters, and the Mountain Camp sculptures near Safeway.
Community Services Fund-raising
Every year or so, Community Services gives us a list of all the grants they have successfully applied for to support town priorities. You can see the report and the list, starting on page 36 of the package. The department raised an impressive $271,618 in 2010, for everything from youth programs to seniors' fitness equipment. This list also highlights the support and generosity of service clubs, businesses and other organizations in town.
A request for more enforcement of sidewalk clearing
A letter to council, on page 40 of the package, asks council to be tougher with penalties for those who don't clear their sidewalks.