Notes from the Ashcroft council meeting of June 27.
Council addresses Mesa Vista Park controversy
The decision to cut down several trees in Mesa Vista Park in Ashcroft was an operations decision, not a council decision, according to Mayor Barbara Roden.
Roden was responding to a question from resident Rob Benedict, who asked council who made the decision after an independent arborist reported the trees were diseased and a danger to the public.
“If we get a report from an outside agency and it’s a policy recommendation that council has to develop it comes to our table,” Roden said. “If the report is on something operational, like the trees in Mesa Park being all diseased and a hazard, that would not come to council. It would go to the director of public works.”
Roden added that the council does not interfere in operations decisions any more than public works interfere in council decisions.
Chief financial officer Yoginder Bhalla admitted, however, that the felling of the trees did happen abruptly and that the village would try to communicate with the public better going forward. Bhalla said the village has plans to upgrade the park in the near future.
“Some of the trees had to come out so we could look at re-landscaping that park,” he said. “It’s been neglected for many years and now we can actually start looking at putting in new trees and continuously replenishing them as they age rather than waiting to the point there is a danger.”
Roden said that when it’s time to refurbish the park, council will ask for the public’s input and vote on the plan at a regular meeting.
New Emergency Response Plan adopted
The Village of Ashcroft has revised its Emergency Response and Evacuation Plan.
Roden said that revising the plan has been in the works since the 2017 wildfire season. Ashcroft and other municipalities have held off on committing to a plan as they await the passing of provincial legislation that will affect municipalities. That legislation, which was announced in 2018, is now expected to be passed in 2023.
Barn Dance gets go-ahead
Council has agreed to close off Railway Avenue between 6th and 7th Streets on Aug. 19 for a Barn Dance.
Organizers asked for the closure for safety reasons, as the dance will take place at the Heritage Park and could spill over onto Railway. Mayor Barbra Roden agreed it would be appropriate, especially if children are in attendance.
Coun. Nadine Davenport, who is helping organize the event, recused herself from the debate.
Ashcroft’s finances stable despite ongoing inflation
The Village of Ashcroft’s reserve balance currently sits at $1.6-million, and Bhalla said that other municipalities are losing money as inflation increases the cost of their loan interest.
“I’m always called the glass half full guy here but it’s important to be that way,” Bhalla said. “I took over when we were in a loss position with our reserve values and we’ve recovered that loss. We paid off our debts and our timing was absolutely right.”
Bhalla expects the current inflation rate of 7.7 per cent to increase in the coming months. As a result, he said the village will have to dip into its reserves more to pay for ongoing programs and supplies they need for projects.
Bhalla has already noticed a 10 to 15 per cent increase in the price of certain goods, and said the inflation will impact average citizens as well. He compared the situation to inflation in the 1980s, though admitted it’s less extreme.
“There were people out there saying it was transitional and it was a supply chain issue. In my mind it wasn’t and has been proven to not be,” Bhalla said. “For a lot of people it’s hard to face and I think it’s impacting the average person quite significantly.
“As a municipality, I think we’re in pretty decent shape.”
editorial@accjournal.ca
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