FRIDAY APRIL 13, 2012
www.pqbnews.com
MUGGERS STEAL EVENT
RAIL GETS A-ROLLIN’
Premier Men’s hockey event in Parksville
Federal and provincial money will help get the old E&N steaming
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A5
CITY OF PARKSVILLE
City taxes going up Three per cent tax hike part of city’s 2012 constrained budget, says mayor Chris Burger AUREN RUVINSKY writer@pqbnews.com
Parksville council completed their 2012 budget deliberations, raising property taxes three per cent as expected and freezing spending on 40 per cent of the budget. The draft bylaw has to be presented to council for public feedback and three votes, but mayor and council appear happy, at least with the process if not every tough decision they had to make. “The process was done very well, they broke everything down to a very basic level,” said Coun. Sue Powell of the new approach staff took to give council a better sense of the FILE PHOTO big picture. Mayor Chris Burger. Each department listed around 200 specific service areas, dividing them into seven prioritized categories from the most urgent down: health and safety, legislated requirements, infrastructure, organizational welfare, protection of private property and community economic and social welfare For example, the human resources department listed four services under health and safety. See BUDGET BALANCES, page A4
BRENDA GOUGH PHOTO
CHOWING DOWN: Peter MacLeod of Chameleons Osteria samples some sweet’n’sticky ribs prepared by chef Alexis Gorgona. They will be one of the many local foodies at this weekend’s Taste of Oceanside. See page A29 for the story.
Economy, fees limit growth Qualicum Beach developers survey results are in; will be on the table April 16 STEVEN HEYWOOD
ed a finger at town hall, its policies and fees and political leadership. Land owners, developers and other professionals who The 16-question survey (not including comment secresponded to a Town of Qualicum Beach development tions) stems from town council’s plan to poll the developbarriers survey, say market conditions ment community with an eye to sparkAdd your COMMENTS at and a lack of commercial tenants are ing growth in the downtown core. It’s www.pqbnews.com limiting the potential for development part of the council’s latest approach to in the municipality. the official community plan — specifiThe survey, issued by the town last month, is now com- cally downtown infill. The survey will go before town counplete. While the main barrier noted to growth in Qualicum cil on April 16 at their next public meeting. Beach appears to be the economy, respondents also point- See COST CHARGES, page A7 editor@pqbnews.com
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