By David F. Rooney
Got a problem with the city’s proposal to create new fees and charges and raise some of the existing one? If that describes you, the City wants to hear about it — soon.
Last month Council gave the changes proposed in Bylaw No. 2008 first and second reading. It then asked for public comment on the changes until February 8. They were to be presented to on February 14 with third and final reading of the bylaw expected sometime after that.
However, with only four or five comments from the public, City Councillors decided to act on the urging of Councillor Tony Scarcella and rescind its original second reading, give it second reading again and then send it back out for more public comment. (Click here to to read the proposed bylaw.)
The new fees and charges contemplated by the City, push Revelstoke further down the path towards a user-pay system.
Councillor Gary Starlinjg said it was unfair for the City to “move so quickly to a user-pay system.”
Other councillors agreed with Mayor David Raven saying he’d like to take a second look at at the proposed bylaw.
“I don’t want the City to provide a disincentive to developers, he said.
Planning Director John Guenther said the proposed bylaw “is not full-out cost recovery..”
“We’ve given you the best (proposals) we can,” he said, adding that he and other staff “need more Council direction” and suggested a workshop to help determine what more can be done.
Starling welcomed that suggestion and said the workshop should also be open to members of the public by the end of March.
Click here to read the first story about this issue.
https://legacy.revelstokecurrent.com//2012/01/25/city-plans-increases-some-of-them-major-to-user-fees-and-charges/
