Municipality of the Village of Lions Bay
March 1st, 2009

Lions Bay is an amazing community of vibrant, committed and creative people. We are enriched daily by the natural beauty of our surroundings; the Lions Mountains and the glistening waters of Howe Sound.As the Mayor of the Village of Lions Bay, I have been committed to working to ensure the best for Lions Bay along with a highly committed and talented Council.  Thank you to staff for your support.

In my Inaugural Address I said, “…this is an exciting time for Lions Bay, a time when we need to successfully manage the significant challenges which our community faces and create opportunities to bring in the necessary resources that may be available to us. “

February 20th, 2009 Lions Bay was awarded a $583,332 Building Canada Fund Grant for Lower Lions Bay Water Pipe Replacement.  Earlier in February we were also notified that we received a Tourism Grant of over $15,000. We have three other grants waiting and will be applying for additional grant funding.

As promised Council is consulting with citizens and neighbourhoods, to help in moving Lions Bay forward; while still preserving and protecting our unique Village spirit, beautiful natural environment, and low tax rate. Council has consulted with Brunswick Beach and Creekview Place re parking, on Filming in Kelvin Grove and Brunswick Beach with a general invitation to the community for input on Wednesday, March 18th from 7pm to 9pm. Council is just beginning community consultation re your opinion on enforcement of our Bylaws … please review the article at lionsbay.net.

Council is working together in a strong and friendly team environment, and ensuring a positive fiscal bottom line. The 2009 Provisional Budget has been passed at the 2008 property tax rate, and we are working towards keeping the average 2009 tax increase to a minimum. The Water Utility Rate has stayed unchanged, the Sewer Utility Tax is up $30 and the Waste Collection Rate has increased from $250 to $320 ( less $20 discount) for a single family residence. This rate is significantly less than projections due to a newly negotiated Waste Collection contract effective April 1st.  Waste Collection is a growing Metro issue. I am sitting on the Metro Waste Management Committee and learning a great deal.

Thank you to our Finance Committee, established January 7th, 2009. This committee is made up of three community members, Council and our Village Treasurer.  We have completed the 2009 budget and utility rates and are now working on the Village Five Year Financial Plan. The Public Meeting for the Five Year Financial Plan will be held Wednesday, April 15th from 7pm to 9pm.

Lions Bay Council developed a Strategic Plan in a facilitated meeting held on December 8th.  We committed to being guided by the Principles of Sustainability as a core value of the community, as identified in the Revised Official Community Plan (OCP). December 1st we passed a resolution to sign the BC Climate Action for Change Charter and on January 5th, Council passed an Addendum to the Charter that will help to guide Lions Bay’s Climate Action initiatives.

January 28th, Lions Bay hosted a Sustainability Panel with three leading experts in the field, locally, regionally and globally. Our Green Energy Task Force will hold its first meeting on Thursday, April 2nd from 7pm to 9pm  in Village Chambers. We invite all interested community members to attend. Council are attending many seminars and learning opportunities in this area. There are grants available for our citizens and our community to be pursued. ‘Go Green’ … tell us about your ideas or experience !

This year’s Mayor’s Levee February 1st was a great success, thank you to all who participated.

The Revised Official Community Plan will go before Metro Vancouver Board on March 27th for passage, Wednesday, April 1st 7pm to 9pm there will be a Public Meeting in Lions Bay, guided by legislation, for Council to receive any further input prior to final passage.

The principles of sustainability include ongoing community consultation and consensus building, while concurrently considering the social environment, the green environment and the economic environment. This Council is using the principles of sustainability to review new projects, acquisitions and policies.

Completion of projects in process:

•    The Official Community Plan. Public meeting for any final input prior to Lions Bay Council passage, Wednesday, April 1st from 7pm to 9pm.
•    The Sea to Sky Highway Improvement Project. Public meeting Monday, March 30th 7pm to 9pm. This project is predominantly ‘dormant’ until after March 31st, and is scheduled to be completed by September 30th, 2009. The Highway Advisory Committee will continue to ensure the Ministry of Highways completes the project to the standard agreed upon; and
•    The two Water Intake Upgrades. The UV Reactors have been ordered and the tendering process is beginning. The two Water Intake Upgrades are being done on both Harvey and Magnesia Creeks and will include both Ultra-Violet and Chlorination treatment to maintain a healthy water supply, using this multi-barrier system. Council will focus on ensuring that this project is on budget or less as current times call for.

Council is communicating through timely bulletins.   Council has a goal of increasing our communication effectiveness with the community and is working with our Village staff and lionsbay.net to this end. We are interested in broadening our spectrum of communication. Please refer to the Lions Bay website regularly at www.lionsbay.ca. We will meet further to determine ways lionsbay.net and Council can work together to improve our communications with the community as a whole.

Council has worked to:
 
•    Build, balance and re-engineering our budget to maintain a low tax rate and stabilize residential taxes.
•    Lobby and negotiate to obtain grants, contributions, and land. We have successfully lobbied for grants and received two, totalling $600,000. We are getting the right people to the table to be involved in discussions re: land negotiations with the Ministry of Transportation.
•    Achieve community enhancing projects from vision to completion, through community consensus building, with strong financial stewardship.  Council is active in using these principles.

Council will:

•    Explore Residential Options that work for the community, in the future, once the OCP is passed.

Task Forces for 2009:

•    The Official Community Plan, once it has been adopted in the spring
•    A Recreation Task Force, has begun, interested residents, please contact the office.
•    Vancouver 2010 Olympic Emergency Response Planning. Our new Fire Truck is soon to arrive. We have reapplied for two funding grants. December 10th, we brought together Emergency Responders representing local, provincial and VANOC interests. Subsequent meetings have led to strengthening our Sea to Sky Fire Rescue partnerships. The Lions Bay Emergency Team will meet as a whole on March 5th  
•    Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay Committee has created a mission statement along with over 25 creative committee members. The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay comes through Lions Bay on Thursday, February 4th, 2010 beginning at the north side of the Kelvin Grove overpass and ending at the “Centennial Trailway” at Alberta Creek Bridge. It will stop in front of the Village Hall for festivities. Lions Bay’s festivities will likely begin 2pm onward. Next meeting Wednesday, March 25th, 7pm to 9pm.
•    A Green Energy Task Force first meeting to be on Thursday, April 2nd from 7pm to 9pm.
•    Design and Public Art Task Force will work in concert with the Torch Relay Committee this year as we move forward. The first meeting has yet to be called as a number of interested parties are out of town ~ TBA.
•    Brunswick Beach Centennial Trail Task Force has yet to be called. We have been working with the Ministry of Highways to support our ‘LocalMotion’ grant re-application and to work with Surespan on pedestrian bridge footings. Surespan will be donating a pedestrian bridge for the Alberta Creek crossing. This is a significant donation. Many residents have signed up for this Task Force. An initial planning meeting will be called very soon. I am continuing to lobby for this grant. We are committed to interconnectivity of Trailways in Lions Bay. This project will be accomplished. Key people are not available until following mid-March ~ TBA.

The next three years are years of Celebration.

•    2009 marks Brunswick Beach 100 Year anniversary as a settlement area. We need to call upon the Historical Society and others to write articles.
•    2010 marks the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay passing through the Village of Lions Bay on February 4th. We encourage residents to sign up as potential torch bearers at www.Vancouver2010.com .
•    2011 marks the Village of Lions Bay’s 40th year Anniversary of Incorporation as a municipality.  Let’s celebrate together.

Thank you to our many and valued volunteers. Your efforts fuel the ‘spark’ in our Village !

In summary, “This Council is committed to enhancing community engagement, harnessing community energy in addressing strategic issues, building Village pride, separating the issue from the person, conducting themselves in a professionally respectful manner, the principles of transparency, accountability, working as a team rather than a hierarchy, and trust that each Councillor will be successful and provide open communication regarding what they want or need, and conduct ourselves in a respectful manner.”   (Mayor’s Inaugural Address)