City surplus
Coun. Larry Samson wants council to be more diligent when it comes to monitoring the city’s surplus.
Samson made a motion (passed by council) at the Dec. 17 council meeting to have city staff prepare a report on the accumulated operating surplus fund, with a list of revenue expenditures over the last three years.
“I asked for over the last three years so we can try to track how this fund is revenue generated and what are we seeing as the expenditures coming out,” Samson said.
Coun. Claire Moglove said she’d also like the report to address whether the fund should be used for ongoing operating expenses or limited to one-time financial expenditures.
Fitness for seniors
The city is applying for a $5,000 grant from the Union of British Columbia Municipalities to start a fitness program for older adults with medical issues.
Ross Milnthorp, the city’s general manager of parks, culture and recreation, said the proposed fitness program aims to help seniors who live with limitations to be active and socially engaged.
“Currently there is a gap between fitness classes geared to clients with multiple health issues and the regular fitness classes geared to the older adult,” Milnthorp said in a report to council.
“There is a need for a program that offers a more personal and supported approach to fitness which also includes a social component.”
The total cost of the program is $6,850 but if the city is successful in its grant application, that leaves the city with a $1,850 shortfall.
The city’s recreation and culture financial plan currently has $2,000 allocated to the project in 2014.
Contract awarded
Superior City Contracting Services Ltd. is the lucky bidder of the city’s sewer joint project.
The company was awarded the contract at a cost of $152,162.
The only other bidder was Mar-Tech Underground with a bid of $166,141. The project involves testing and sealing mainline sewer joints and laterals through chemical grouting and six trenchless point repairs.
“This work is to help the life of the pipe and reduce infiltration of ground water into the sanitary system,” said Clinton Crook, the city’s senior buyer, in a report to council. “This reduction will result in fewer costs by reducing the need to pump and treat ground water.”
Funding for the project has already been approved in the city’s 2013 capital plan.