There was an interesting article in today’s Telegraph-Journal.

It looks like the City of Saint John won’t be turning down the lights for Earth Hour:

SAINT JOHN – As neighbouring communities turn off the lights for Earth Hour on Saturday, Saint John municipal buildings will keep the sky aglow.

Mayor Ivan Court says he hadn’t heard about any plans to shut off the lights for an hour in any city-owned buildings.

“We already save more than a million dollars a year. We got an award for that,” Court said Thursday.

But this is not stopping local businesses from doing their part to raise awareness:

Although Saint John’s municipal buildings won’t be powering down, there will be no shortage of romance in the Port City Saturday night, with a collection of restaurants offering candlelight dinners.

At the Hilton’s Brigantine Lounge, guests will be invited to a cold buffet of wine and cheese from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. by candlelight.

“The hotel will go down to minimal lighting in all areas,” said Dermot Collins, the hotel’s director of sales and marketing.

At the Saint John Ale House, chefs will use head lamps to cook dinner as the lights go out, said owner Peter Stoddard. There will also be a candlelight dinner during the official Earth Hour, from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.

It will be the same scene at the Market Square boardwalk at Lemongrass and Pepper’s Pub, said Matt Driscoll, the general manager. Along with the candles, patrons will enjoy acoustic music.

“It’s good for the planet, good for the environment and good for the community,” he said.

The Opera Bistro will black out with candles and earthy meal specials, said owner Margret Begner.

The lights will go out at the Fortis Properties Buildings, including Brunswick Square, the Delta Brunswick hotel and adjoining office tower, said general manager Paulette Hicks.

There will be a candlelight cocktails at Shuckers Restaurant, she said.

McDonald’s Restaurants will dim the exterior roof lights and road signs for the hour.

Jane Barry, executive director of the Saint John Community Foundation, said she was surprised to hear the city had no official plans to participate. Last year, the foundation invited people to log their activity online, with around 300 people signing up. This year, Barry said the foundation is directing people to www.earthhour.org.

“I think it’d be a wonderful symbolic gesture,” she said, adding it’s pretty simple to ask municipal building operators to turn off the lights.

“In fact, I’ll send an email to the mayor right now.”

Anyone interested in signing themselves up, should visit the Earth Hour website!

After reading the “Two councillors set sights on legislature seats” article in the Telegraph-Journal earlier this week, I decided to write a letter to my local Ward 4 Councillor, Bruce Court, to let him know what I thought.  On a side note, all of the comments for this article were deleted and commenting was disabled after the public started voicing their concerns as well.

I also submitted my letter to the Telegraph-Journal and it was printed in today’s issue, where it is starting a bit of a discussion.

Below is the full letter that I originally sent off:

Councillor Court,

I am writing this letter to express my concerns with you, an elected Councillor in the City of Saint John, declaring your intentions to run in the upcoming provincial election.

As an elected Councillor, you have a responsibility to the citizens in the city, especially our ward, to represent our concerns and champion our issues at Common Council.
Running for provincial office takes an incredible amount of time and energy. It is not something that can be done “on the side”. I don’t see how it will be possible to properly represent the people in the city while you are out knocking on doors and campaigning for months at a time this fall.

To me there is only one fair option to ensure the citizens in this city, and our ward, continue to be represented to the level they deserve – resign first, then run in the provincial election.

Everyone wins in this situation.

You will be provided with plenty of free time to spend campaigning, and the open Council position can be filled as part of a by-election, where the citizens in our ward can elect someone to represent them for the remainder of this Council’s term.

I believe in the democratic systems that we have in place; but, by manipulating them for personal gain, you are only destroying what trust remains. If you want to be an MLA – be an MLA. If you want to be a Councillor – be a Councillor. You cannot be both.

I urge you to do the right thing – for our city and our ward!

Thanks,
Shawn Peterson
Saint John – Ward 4 Resident

As an update to the story, Councillor Court did email me back (very quickly) with the following response:

I am retired so I have time to run for MLA as council is only a part time job.

So that is what I think – what is your opinion on the matter?

Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase had a great article in this weekends Telegraph-Journal on property taxes, check it out:

This week homeowners in New Brunswick were delivered their pre-Easter presents – only it wasn’t the Easter Bunny bringing colorful and tasty delights, but rather the tax man and his grim property tax bills. This certainly has made many people grumpy. Saint John Common Council decided to hold the tax rate despite a growing chorus of discontent from the citizens that their property taxes are too high, and despite the tax accountability measure issued by the provincial government, which recommended that the tax rate be dropped by about 5 cents.

Stephen Chase walks uptown with the Saint John Arts Centre in the background. Deputy Mayor Chase dismisses the idea that Saint John homeowners carry a lower tax burden than residents of municipalities where property values are higher. He says the city’s high tax rate and rising property tax assessments are putting pressure on families in a community where the average household income is relatively low.
I did not support holding the tax rate because I believe the tax rate is too high and that combined with rising property tax assessments, the tax bill is becoming unwieldy for many homeowners. One argument used to support not lowering the tax rate is that Saint John’s tax burden is the lowest in the province. The argument is meant to say that on a household basis, the tax bill is lower than elsewhere because of lower property assessment values.

This is a false argument.

I offer two points that support my assertion.

While historically Saint John’s property assessments may have been low, the times are changing. Property assessments are increasing and mostly evident in newer construction. To illustrate, I will compare two similar properties in Saint John and Fredericton.

A newly built semi-detached home on Downsview Drive in Saint John is currently on the market for $188,000. It is assessed at $173,600 and has a tax bill of $3,098.

In a comparable neighbourhood in Fredericton, a newly built semi-detached on Canada Street is on the market for $189,900. It is assessed at $156,700 and has a tax bill of $2,265.

The difference in the tax bill between the two properties is $833 in favour of the Fredericton property.

The Saint John property, with only a marginal edge on property assessment of 10 per cent over the Fredericton property, pays a tax bill 27 per cent higher. Hardly a lower tax burden.

Secondly, the tax burden must be considered relative to the individual household wealth in the community. Based on the latest census data, let’s consider the income levels in Saint John:

The medium household income for all family type households in Saint John is $51,042. In Fredericton, it is $60,705. In Moncton, it is $56,292. The medium household income for married couple households is $63,053 in Saint John, $72,382 in Fredericton and $67,281 in Moncton.

This data indicates that the City of Saint John has lower household income than either Fredericton or Moncton. What this means is that even though a property may have a lower tax bill than a comparable property in Moncton or Fredericton, the lower household income wipes out any notion of a lesser tax burden. In fact, with rising property assessments and weighed down by Saint John’s high tax rate, the tax burden on Saint John households could be the greatest in the province.

The argument that Saint John can justify a high tax rate because the overall tax burden is comparably lower than other cities in New Brunswick is no longer tenable. Growth and prosperity in Saint John will require a tax rate that is competitive to other municipalities. This will attract home buyers and new construction – both of which are required for sustainability.

Stephen Chase is deputy mayor of Saint John, elected at large by voters across the city’s ward constituencies.

Last week the Telegraph-Journal printed the following opinion on PlanSJ:

Council knows public’s priorities
There are a number of ways one could interpret the rush of applications to serve on Saint John’s municipal planning committee.

Clearly, many citizens want to have their say in how the city will develop over the next 25 years. The question is, how much of the interest stems from the perception that council is not achieving enough progress on the city’s priorities?

This year and next, council will invest approximately $1 million on devising a new municipal plan. Such a plan is badly needed, since the city’s zoning and development strategy hasn’t been overhauled since the 1970s. But the magnitude of the investment is disappointing in a city where basic services such as reliable drinking water, well-paved streets and recreation facilities require significant capital investment.

Does City Hall really need a new storefront office to communicate with the public about planning issues? Does council really need an elaborate process to understand what residents want in terms of facilities and community development?

If so, there’s something wrong.

Citizens have been telling councillors what their priorities are since before the last municipal election. Veteran council members, such as Mayor Ivan Court, Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase, Chris Titus, Bill Farren and Peter McGuire, have heard the same concerns raised year after year. New councillors don’t have the same depth of experience, but they must be noticing certain common threads in the conversations they have with their constituents.

Council members should not need to muse about what kind of city people want to live in. One where the water is treated to national standards, and people can drive on the roads without losing hubcaps, bending struts or wrecking their cars. A place where their children can play hockey and soccer and baseball, and not need to walk in the street in winter because the sidewalks are impassable. A city where rainfall is collected and diverted before it floods streets and houses; where phone calls to municipal departments are answered or returned; a city whose administration is focused on improvement and which tracks quality control because it is proud to serve a public of neighbours.

Perhaps council should spend $1 million more on these priorities, which it already knows about and has made a public commitment to, and direct the city’s planning department to handle planning issues at a minimum of additional expense.

Today, local artist Sarah Jones had a great response printed:

PlanSJ seems like dynamic initiative

Sure, everybody wants clean water and passable roads, but these demands do not amount to a sound, effective or long-term urban plan. Contrary to what you suggest in your editorial, it is not necessary to sacrifice a long-term plan for short-term necessities.

And when your newspaper calls so frequently for governmental transparency and public consultation, I find this editorial critique of PlanSJ odd. After meeting the Citizens Advisory Group, attending the launch last week and checking out the great storefront in Brunswick Square, PlanSJ strikes me as one of the most dynamic initiatives and extensive community engagement projects we have seen in this city. Too bad you can’t see past the potholes.

SARAH JONES

Saint John

If we have all learned one thing from the recent NB Power controversy, it’s that citizens want to be engaged from day one. They want to have their thoughts and opinions heard.

PlanSJ is a process that will ensure the people in this city have a voice in the new municipal plan.

I believe in this process.

Join in the conversation on Saint John’s Municipal Plan online using: Twitter (via the hashtag #plansj) or the Facebook Group!

Some very exciting news in the TJ this morning.

Saint John’s Municipal Plan is official kicked-off and underway, read on for the details.

This column previously appeared in the Telegraph-Journal on January 28th, 2010:

SAINT JOHN – Mayor Ivan Court calls it the city’s newest hub.

A storefront location for Saint John’s municipal plan opened Wednesday in Brunswick Square.

“Actually it’s an extension of my office,” the mayor joked before a crowd of about 50 people, as he revealed a logo with the plan’s new official slogan: PlanSJ.

Onlookers sipped coffee in the mall walkway, where Court said he likes to hang out.

“It’s their city. They pay the bills,” Court said, gesturing to the people sitting nearby. “We have to listen. What do they want for their city, their children and their grandchildren?”

The city is undertaking a two-year process to rewrite the municipal plan – something that hasn’t been done since the early 1970s.

Public consultation is a huge part of the process, with a citizen advisory committee and the storefront as key pillars.

The plan will act as a legal document to direct the city’s growth, development and land use for the next 25 years.

The Brunswick Square location will be open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and a couple Saturdays per month.

The smell of fresh paint lingered in the bright, white space. Maps and panels explain the process and plan, and a room at the back of the store has a white projector screen, several chairs and a table that could be used for children’s activities.

Cyndi Rottenberg-Walker of Urban Strategies Inc. said she hasn’t seen a city take such strides to involve the public in its municipal plan.

“This storefront will be the energy centre – the brain centre – of this plan,” she said. The Toronto-based consultants, along with Saint John-based ADI, will help city staff and the citizen advisory committee with the nuts and bolts of the plan.

Councillors Carl Killen and Peter McGuire, who sit on the advisory committee, were also on hand for the announcement.

“This will be council’s legacy as we move into the future,” McGuire told the crowd.

Council has earmarked $750,000 in the 2010 budget to create the new plan. Next year, that amount is expected to go down to about $250,000.

Dave Drinnan, who owns a communications company and will sit on the citizen advisory committee for the next two years, also attended the storefront opening.

“I’ve had a long-term interest in the city, both as a resident and in its economics, where it’s going,” Drinnan said.

“When they invited participation, I jumped at it.”

The city received 90 applications for nine citizen spots on the committee, Court said.

The way planners are reaching out to the community is encouraging, said Steve Carson, the chief executive of Enterprise Saint John.

“I think that’s really critical,” he said in an interview at the storefront.

“If it’s a Saturday morning, they’ll be able to come in and feel a real comfort. Some people aren’t comfortable with big office buildings and going to a floor at City Hall. This will really make it friendly, especially for the young people.”

Carson said creating a new municipal plan will be important for attracting new investment to the city.

On Wednesday night, the city held a public launch at the Market Square atrium. Planners and staff answered questions as residents wandered through the displays. There was also a public presentation.

Join in the conversation on Saint John’s Municipal Plan online using: Twitter (via the hashtag #plansj) or the Facebook Group!

Last week, I was asked to join a panel on CBC Radio in Saint John to discuss who we thought was a local newsmaker of the year, and this morning, I was on CBC Information Morning to talk about it.

I spent a lot of time last week speaking with people throughout the city, and I heard many different opinions; however, several events kept coming up with everyone I talked to.

This helped guide me in my selection for local newsmaker of the year.

I have chosen: Irving Oil.

While Irving Oil seems to be in the news quite often, I felt that there were several major events that took place in 2009 that justify Irving Oil as being the top local newsmaker of the year.

1) Decision to not move ahead with a second refinery

This was major news across Greater Saint John.  It was something that many residents felt was a “sure thing”.  Because of this, many people were shocked that it wasn’t going ahead after so much “energy hub” talk.

This massive development that would have: employed thousands of workers for extended periods of time,  caused many spin-off developments, and driven up property prices.

2) Irving Oil Headquarters

The headquarters plan was announced last year; however, this year has been full of discussions and debate over land sales, transfers, and construction.

Most recently, pre-construction work at the site began with 350 steel beams being driven into the ground to anchor the weight of the proposed building.

3) Canaport begins receiving liquefied natural gas (LNG)

There has been plenty of controversy with Canaport LNG over the years; however, no matter where you stand on the issue, the fact that it is now operational is big news.

• This is the first LNG terminal built on the east coast of North America in 30 years, and the first LNG receiving and regassification terminal in Canada.
• The LNG facility has a nominal capacity of 1.2 Bcf/day, enough to heat 5 million homes.

Local Trends

In addition to selecting a local newsmaker of the year, I’ve also been thinking about local trends, and there has been one that comes to my mind right away – condos in Saint John!

I think that this is an area that Saint John seems to be lacking in; however, this year, there has been an explosion in both the interest and availability of condos.

The best part is that much of the availability is in the uptown area.  Besides the obvious benefit of being an affordable option to many people, ownership also brings a lot of pride, which directly improves the neighborhood.

Predictions for 2010

I also have a prediction for 2010:

• If the decision on Peel Plaza goes ahead, the municipal tax rate will skyrocket, and the population will decrease.

People don’t live in a city because it has a fancy police station.  They live there because it provides the services that they want and need at a fair price (tax rate).

As a taxpayer, I feel that there is much work that must be done on the infrastructure side before any new building can go up!

I read a great article in Opinion section of today’s TJ:

Instead of the mayor and councillors looking into the ownership of Saint John Energy, maybe it should be the other way around. Let Saint John Energy determine the ownership of old Saint John, acquire it and get us into the black for a change.

Don’t think for one minute that the city fathers have any intention of doing any favours. They just want to destroy something that appears to be working too well in order to pay off some of their ever-increasing debt. Let’s not let this happen.

There are too many horror stories from places that have “sold off” their electrical providers only to be shafted by the new buyer with exorbitant energy rates and poor service.

Let’s fall back and regroup on this one. And while you and your provincial counterparts are tramping around in the same market, selling off electrical independence, get them on board with the proper decision too.

JOHN MacDONALD

Saint John

Mayor McCheese Ivan Court and his brother Bruce are back at it again – trying to ban bottled water in city owned buildings.

The Telegraph-Journal had a good article on the topic; unforgivably, they give these two guys way too much credibility.

Common Council should not have the ability to take away our right to choose which products to purchase and consume.

Thank goodness we have some common sense on Council – Duputy Mayor Stephen Chase says it best:

But Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase said consumers should have the right to choose what they drink, whether it comes in a bottle or from a tap.

“To ban bottled water, all you are doing is taking away the right of people to choose a drink.”

I also wish that the TJ would properly report that the Council of Canadians group is just a front for CUPE – who only have one thing in their interests (it’s not the environment) – their jobs.

Don’t accept the stupid personal opinions of Ivan and Bruce Court – they were elected to represent us – not themselves.

It’s time they started doing it!

I’m still on Vacation; but, I just had to write about this article in the newspaper today:

SAINT JOHN – Common council is scheduled to hold special meetings on Friday and Saturday at the Granite Inn in St. George.

The politicians wanted to leave the city, and get away from distractions, to discuss their priorities for their four-year mandate and hold preliminary budget discussions, said deputy city manager Andrew Beckett,

“They wanted to have the opportunity to get together off-site, to avoid the distractions that come with holding a meeting in town,” Beckett said.

“This was an opportunity for them to not only have some work time but to have some social time together as well.”

Council’s accommodation costs will be covered by taxpayers, although Beckett could not say how many politicians will stay overnight and what it might cost.

On Friday evening, in a public session, council is expected to revisit the 10 priorities it set last fall and pledged to accomplish by the time of the next election. At the top of the list was the construction of a new water treatment plant by 2012.

On Saturday, council is scheduled to discuss budget matters, but Beckett said most of those meetings will likely be held in private session.

That’s because the politicians will discuss personnel concerns related to potential budget cuts, a topic generally debated behind closed doors, Beckett said.

If Council wants to meet somewhere outside Saint John, no problem. Just don’t make the taxpayers pay for it!

I didn’t vote for people to have “social time” together, I voted for them to work on the problems in this city.

I’d love to see a grand total for this trip, as I am betting it will be a lot more then I can stomach.

As for the budget, stop spending so much money on big projects and spend it where it is needed.

Ask the public to help define that, it can’t be done behind closed doors in St. George.

Today’s  Telegraph-Journal had a great chart that detailed the number of meetings each Councillor has missed:

** Councillor Higgins missed more meetings than indicated on the graph. She was sworn in on July 21, 2008, more than a month after council took office because she’d taken part in a run-off vote.

Another article went into a little more detail on the stats – it was titled: Wherefor art thou Carl?

Killen reacted with surprise to the findings, but insisted he had a good excuse for all the no-shows.

“Every single council meeting I’ve missed has either been a reason associated with work, volunteer stuff or, in the case of the summer, two council meetings missed because I was away on vacation.”

Despite being apprised of his absenteeism, the councillor said he wouldn’t do anything to improve future attendance.

While Killen’s attendance isn’t very impressive, I do believe that there are too many meetings for all of the Councillors.

They shouldn’t be spending all of their time in meetings.

I think the bulk of their time should be dealing with their constituents – listening to concerns, following up on inquiries, and working with the local people to solve problems.

We have a city manager and a large staff at city hall – they should be doing the work, and Council should be providing direction and making the final approvals.

What do you think?