The March 4 Quesnel council meeting followed mayor Ron Paull's legal victory in a case where he challenged the city in court over sanctions and censures placed on him. There was no mention of the court case, possible future sanctions and censures placed on Paull following the proper channels or anything else relating to controversy in the open meeting.
Council started with a presentation from the city's director of financial and corporate services, Kari Bolton, on the 2025 draft budget. She started the presentation by explain that taxes in Quesnel fund emergency services, garbage pickup, snow removal, city activities and much much more.
Bolton explained the breakdown of taxes people receive will be 45 per cent from the city, 28 per cent from the province, 18 per cent from the CRD, nine per cent from the Cariboo-Chilcotin Regional Hospital District and less than one per cent from the municipal finance corporation.
The city's draft budget has an increase of 7.5 per cent for its portion of taxes for the average property owner. The numbers from the other taxing authorities will be given to the city in April. Bolton said that represents around an $88.97 increase for the average home.
She went on to compare Quesnel's property tax rate to 100 Mile House, Williams Lake, Smithers and Prince George. That comparison showed that the average property owner in Quesnel pays less in taxes compared to all of those except for 100 Mile House.
Some of the challenges faced by the budget include the looming on again off again tariff threat from the U.S., contractor availability, inflation, infrastructure needs and costs from higher level of governments being put on municipalities. Mayor Ron Paull said the 2025 budget was one of the most challenging he's seen worked on due to some of those challenges.
Coun. Martin Runge asked how flexible the budget can be to any large-scale economic changes, especially because of tariff threats. Bolton said the financial sustainability and audit committee (FSAC) has begun discussing what can be done in the event something drastic does change in the economic conditions.
Council was then briefed on the active transportation plan, which focuses on ways people can move around the city safely without vehicles. This includes bike lanes, sidewalks and safety improvements for pedestrians. There are 13 recommendations for improvements around downtown Quesnel, including a multi-use pathway to cross the Quesnel River. Eight recommendations for west Quesnel, nine for Johnson Subdivision and six for south Quesnel.
The next item was from Coun. Mitch Vik for the report from the FSAC committee. Vik explained the budget presented to council was looked through several times. He said while council may not have had many questions about the budget at the meeting, council had worked on fine-tuning it beforehand and a lot of time went into that.
Council moved on to a report about a remedial action order council approved in January for a property deemed unsafe and requiring demolition. The property owner explained to council that she is in litigation with an insurance company for a claim denial after the home burnt down in 2023. Council extended the date required for the building to be demolished to June 30.
They moved onto a proposed letter from council to the school district asking them to transfer the Quesnel Junior School lands to the provincial government so the city can work with First Nations to develop the 11.7 acre plot of vacant land. Runge asked Coun. Tony Goulet, who is also a school board trustee, if any conversations have been had about the lands at the board. Runge retracted the question after it was pointed out commenting on school board business as a councillor would put Goulet in a difficult situation. Council voted in favour of sending the letter.
The final item was correspondence from Nazko First Nation asking to meet with the city council to council. Nazko's letter also asks for Quesnel to recognize all Southern Dakelh Nations at the opening of council meetings and city-run events, begin negotiations of a protocol agreement and renaming Baker Creek Park and working together to revitalize it. Council agreed to have that meeting.
After the open meeting ended, council went into a meeting closed to the public. The next meeting is scheduled for March 18.
