NANAIMO
NATION & WORLD
School district looks to lengthen spring break Calendar committee made various recommendations in March to change the school calendar. A3
Ukraine gets aid id for its military
Premiers want feds to act on climate change Some premiers note lack of leadership in Ottawa to co-ordinate strategies on reducing emissions. A7
Canada will join mission to train Ukraine troops Nation & World, A6
The newspaper of record for Nanaimo and region since 1874 || Wednesday, April 15, 2015
» City
CITY
Bid goes forward to stay provincial order on dams
Tax debt hits $50.9M after new water treatment project costs SPENCER ANDERSON DAILY NEWS
$3 million to $6 million cost build an alternate spillway. However, the city now finds itself facing a time crunch. The order issued by the province gives the city until May 1 to choose between the labyrinth and alternate spillway options, and until May 22 to submit design and construction plans. The city must also complete physical upgrades to the dam by Oct. 15. Coun. Diane Brennan was the sole council member to vote against the motion to begin an appeal, raising concerns about the potential cost of the process. The GSI option was originally proposed last year. McKay said he would have preferred that some of the work on the proposal had been done sooner, but said it was “positive” that council was taking steps to address the province’s order to remediate the dams.
Nanaimo residents’ share of the city’s debt inched up by the end of last year, but the city also ended the year with more money in reserves, according to annual financial statements. The city is required to produce a full account of its finances each year, including outstanding debt, revenue flows and operating and capital expenses. A city financial department report of the document says the city saw a net increase of $6.5 million in new debt as of the end of 2014, bringing the city’s total outstanding debt to $50.9 million. That brings the total share of city debt for every man, woman and child to $572, up from $515 in 2013. The increase is due to the $9.2 million the city borrowed last year to fund construction of the new water treatment plant project, said city accounting services manager Laura Mercer. Borrowing for the facility represents just over $22 million of the city’s total debt. However, some smaller pieces of that long-term debt are to be repaid within a few years. The remaining $3.5 million the city owes on borrowing for Nanaimo Aquatic Centre is to be repaid in 2020. Also to be retired is the city’s debt for upgrades to the Harbourfront Parkade. The remaining $1.05 million will be amortized in 2020. The city still has to pay off approximately $21.4 million for construction of the Vancouver Island Conference Centre. However, the city also closed 2014 with more cash in hand. The municipality now has a pool of $14.1 million in accumulated operating surplus funds, leftover money that is not set aside for any one specific project. The city added another $1.7 million to the pool from surplus tax revenues, as well as approximately $253,000 from water revenues, for a total increase of just less than $2 million. The city also beefed up its equipment reserve by $1 million and added approximately $2.8 million to reserves for infrastructure renewal and replacement. Mercer said the city is trying to build up reserves to pay for specific projects or unforeseen expenses. As for 2015 finances, city council has yet to pass a financial plan for this fiscal year. The municipality must pass a financial plan bylaw and tax rates by mid-May.
SAnderson@nanaimodailynews.com 250-729-4255
SAnderson@nanaimodailynews.com 250-729-4255
Dave Richardson fishes for trout in the lower Colliery dam Tuesday. City council decided Monday to appeal an order for work at the dam by the province last week. [SPENCER ANDERSON/DAILY NEWS]
New reinforcement technique to be studied cated to the City of Nanaimo technical committee, unless the technology has widely been used in dam remediation elsewhere in North America, the province would likely require that the proposal be reviewed by an independent dam safety expert acceptable to the province.” Coun. Jim Kipp put forward a concept drawing for modifications to the lower dam Monday that included hardening the dam’s edge and using concrete berms to raise the height of the spillway. A concrete berm that would also include public bench seating was also included in the drawing. Kipp has also proposed “beautification” measures to improve the area. Kipp said GSI informed him that they would be able to complete upgrades to both the lower and middle dam for $3 million — significantly less than the proposed $8.1 million for a new labyrinth spillway at the lower dam or the estimated
SPENCER ANDERSON DAILY NEWS
T
he City of Nanaimo will have its solicitor draft an appeal and a request to halt an order from the B.C. water comptroller to complete remediation work on the Colliery dams, following a decision by council Monday. Mayor Bill McKay called Monday’s decision a positive development. “There’s no doubt we’re under the wire here,” he said. “However, it’s always been my belief that the dam safety (section) wants us to do (remediation) for the dams and this takes a significant step forward.” Council voted 8-1 Monday to have city hall request to stay the order and launch an appeal so the city could pursue detailed designs from U.S. firm GeoStabilization International to reinforce the areas behind the lower and middle dams with a network of metal
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grids bolted in place and layered with cement to prevent erosion. The city, which now finds itself in contravention of the provincial Water Act, has been grappling over the question of how to address safety concerns with the dams since October 2012. City staff warned Monday that the technique proposed by GSI has, to their knowledge, not been applied to dam remediation in B.C. and would therefore require further review. The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations appeared to confirm the assertion in an email Tuesday. “The ministry has not received sufficient information to assess whether the GSI proposal is acceptable,” a spokesman said. “As previously indi-
Court strikes down mandatory gun terms
Fast food moves away from unhealthy food
Justice Minister Peter MacKay said in a statement that the federal government will review the decision ending mandatory sentences for gun crimes. » Nation & World, A6
New chains are capitalizing on giving vegetables and good-for-you grains top billing. But they’re careful not to label themselves as vegan or vegetarian. » Food, B1
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