OFFICE & ADMINISTRATION NEWS

MESSAGE FROM THE CAO Larry Baran

As we drive around the community, we can see the signs of the annual beautification program underway. Flowers in hanging baskets & planters are now out for everyone to see. That is a compliment to Town Staff & volunteers who helped get things prepared. Thank you to everyone who take pride in our community.

Several things are happening right now that I want to share. The Federal Government has announced a special funding program called the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), which has the potential to make millions of dollars available to municipal governments to address the national housing shortage. To make things happen quickly, the program has a tight application window of 45 days, so it means that Town Staff will be focusing on getting our application together soon. The benefit will mean that we will be able to assist people in renovating their homes to create a ‘mother-in-law’ suite, add a tiny home on their existing residential property, creating a new residential or rural subdivision, or purchasing their first home. The more we research the program, the more options we find out. We will be advising the community as we move this project forward.

With the grant funding for the Recreation Centre renovations approved, we have been able to have the new Gym Floor installed. Now, all we need to do is install special baseboards, and the project will be completed. The new LED lighting project will be revisited this Fall. We will also be putting out a tender to design a new kitchen for the Recreation Centre. All of these projects are gratefully funded by the Canada CommunityBuilding Fund.

Speaking of funding approvals, the Community Development Fund approved our grant application to build a new Animal Shelter. New Animal Shelters need to be built to higher standards, & we can no longer provide a simple garden shed solution, so we appreciate this funding support.

Although Mark will probably mention it in his report, I am pleased that our next shipment of road-patch will be arriving this week. I want to thank the Public Works crews who have a losing battle in keeping our dying roads alive a little bit longer. Our old paved and chipsealed roads are truly on their last legs and all we need to do is make them last for another year or two. We are already planning for some chipseal work during the summer of 2024, and Council is planning for an extensive road resurfacing program after the last bit of underground work is completed. There is an old joke that normal municipal planning involves paving a street one year, then digging it up the next. As many people know, Mayor Bowers and I visited with Skookum Paving last year to develop a plan for resurfacing the roads in Faro. We want to get as much done as possible at one time, which will reduce the mobilization costs for Skookum and keep our budget down. So, as the Public Works staff plug holes and re-grade our gravel patches this summer, give them the ‘thumbs up’ for doing the best that they can until more serious chipseal and paving takes place.

Inside This Issue

WATER/SEWER/REFUES RATES

as of July 1, 2023

Residential Water $ 146.29 Sewer $ 43.88

Refuse $ 63.44 Total Quarterly Fees $ 253.61 Basic Commercial Water $ 146.29

Sewer $ 43.88

Refuse $ 132.17 Total Quarterly Fees $ 322.34

For Specific rates to your commercial property, please contact GM of Finance, Lenka Kazda at finance@faroyukon.ca

PUBLIC DRINKING IN FARO?

The Town Office received a bit of a shock a few weeks ago when we were initially advised that public drinking in Faro was no longer allowed. Turns out that deep within the legal halls of some Yukon Government Department, someone seriously misinterpreted a legislative clause and thought our approval for public drinking was cancelled. They were wrong. It was NOT cancelled. The tradition of allowing Public Drinking in Faro, something that has been a norm for decades, STILL continues.

Can you be drunk and disorderly?

Nope. That has always been against the law.

Can you drink and drive?

Nope. That has always been against the law.

Can minors drink alcohol

Nope. That has always been against the law.

Can you have an open beer with you on the Golf Course? Yup. Same as last year.

Can you have a beer with you during the ball tournament? Yup. Same as last year.

Responsibility is the key here. Just be respectful and polite like Faro residents normally are … and enjoy the summer.

New Staff In Public Works

By combining two part-time positions into one position, the Town successfully recruited a Landfill Operator & Bylaw Enforcement Officer.

Harold (Tiny) Meers is well-known in the community and has agreed to get the environmental certification for landfill operations, as well as take the necessary training for bylaw enforcement certification so don’t call him for bylaw issues just yet.

Like many other companies, the Town of Faro has had difficulty in recruiting staff for part-time positions, so Council has agreed to look at combining part-time positions to create a full-time position where it makes sense. Mayor Bowers mentioned that, in the past when the mine was shutting down, the Town had no problem in recruiting talented and skilled people. But this is a different time, when every business seems to be competing with one another for quality staff. So, when Council can be creative and find new ways to recruit good people for Town full-time positions, it benefits everyone.

Last year, the Town submitted a Solid Waste Management Plan for 2023-2033 for environmental approval, which included the new management requirements and controls for landfill operations. The Town is required to add more controls for access and monitoring, which the public will see this summer. New monitoring wells will be drilled, a cross-arm gate added, as well as video monitoring. All this means that Town Staff will be spending more hours maintaining the facility and more time personally greeting users of the landfill. So, remember to smile when you drive through.

Slow Ambulance Ride

Under normal circumstances, Ted Baker would not be smiling when he is driving an ambulance, but he & Shelley Scott had an ear-to-ear grins when they SLOWLY drove the ambulance to school June 1 with all lights flashing and sirens blaring. This was a reward for the achievement in reading that was completed by young Ms. Vivian Bento, who is one of a few kids at the Del Van Gorder School who will receive a ride to school in an emergency vehicle.

This sort of thing wouldn’t happen in Red Deer, Prince George, or even Whitehorse, but it does happen in Faro. Our emergency responders are to be complimented for their support of the academic reading programs and helping to make some kids dreams come true. Students also received rides by the RCMP and Fire Department. It’s just another example where Faro is a wonderful community to raise a family.