A small selection of the emails received over the past few days. Public engagement does not end with the August 10th feedback deadline – the Mayor and pro-replacement Councillors still must convince a majority of voters to support borrowing an historical amount of money in the November referendum. [...]
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Anyone confused yet? Council plans to decide on August 12th for a $77 or $80 million replacement or rehabilitation of the Blue Bridge – that is what has been sent out to the public for survey feedback. Or they could choose to include rail, which most councillors want, but which jacks up the cost to $89 million for replacement and $103 million for rehabilitation – that without any guarantee of regional funding. The timeline is tight as a borrowing bylaw must be set by August 20th in time for a planned referendum in late November. [...] The City must receive responses by August 3. Please complete the City’s survey, and the supplementary survey, put them together in the same envelope, and get them in the mail right away! [...] johnsonstreetbridge.org and concerned citizens felt it imperative to address council as this would be the final opportunity to speak directly to all City Councillors and the Mayor before a Blue Bridge report on June 14th, and a potential decision on refurbishment options on June 17th. [...] Residents are also open minded about bridge options, and feel the City should take in a wide assessment of variables to determine the best options. That is somewhat at variance with the need to ‘get on with the job’, but clearly suggests the public is concerned City Engineering, and the bridge consultants, have not thoroughly explored all possibilities. Rail and historical consideration were also low on the list of priority considerations. [...] During the committee meeting Katie Josephson, the City of Victoria Director of Communications, outlined an engagement plan, which included a baseline survey of Victoria residents. That appears to be in action, with a phone survey by Ipsos Reid, with a caller ID from Quebec [...] Victoria City Council met in a special meeting at 12pm on January 7th 2010 to receive the results of the Alternative Approval Process (counter-petition) against the majority vote to borrow $42 million to replace the Johnson Street Bridge. [...] Rob Woodland, manager of Legislative Services for the City of Victoria, presented a report to Council on the final petition count, and the details on a referendum should they choose to go ahead with the $42 million borrowing bylaw – No. 09-057. A referendum must be held by March 20th 2010, and he indicated a possible date of March 6th. Mr Woodland also noted that should council choose to introduce another borrowing bylaw, for either replacement or refurbishment, it will require the approval of the Provincial Inspector of Municipalities and the assent of the electors through a referendum. [...] Council will meet in a special session to receive the report from city staff (Legislative Services) on the results of the Alternative Approval Process. It is expected the report will conclude the total amount of petitions received against the bylaw to borrow $42 million to replace Victoria’s Johnson Street Bridge, and the number deemed valid under the petition guidelines. [...] It is a testament to the volunteers who canvassed for signatures over the Christmas and New Year holiday season, and in all weathers, that the number of signatures far exceeded the requirement. [...] |
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