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Mayor's Inaugural Address |
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I ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE MEMBERS OF THE 2011-2014 COUNCIL AT THEIR RECENT ELECTION. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS. IT IS CLEAR FROM THE ELECTION RESULTS THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS A MANDATE TO CONTINUE IN THE DIRECTIONS SET BY THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THOSE WHO RAN FOR OFFICE IN THE RECENT ELECTION BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THEY MADE A CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. IROQUOIS PARK RENOVATIONS WILL BE FINISHED IN THE SPRING OF 2012. THE ALL PURPOSE PLAYING COURT, THE PUTTING GREEN, THE WATER SPRAY PARK, THE NEW CHANGE/WASHROOM FACILITY AND UPGRADED WALKWAYS AND GARDENS WILL GREATLY ENHANCE PUBLIC AMENITIES FOR ALL RESIDENTS IN THE TOWN. THE OCEAN AVENUE/5TH STREET ROUNDABOUT WILL COMMENCE IN THE SPRING OF 2012 OR IN THE FALL IF NECESSARY. THE SEISMIC UPGRADES AND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE WORKSYARD, ENSURING THAT OUR WORKERS AND EQUIPMENT WE DEPEND UPON IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY ARE AVAILABLE, WILL ALSO COMMENCE IN 2012. THE NORTH PART OF TOWN AND WEST SIDNEY IN THE COMING TERM WILL BE A FOCUS OF COUNCIL - FOR PARKS, TRAFFIC AND IMPROVEMENTS. THE UPDATED ZONING BY-LAW WIL BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE NEW YEAR. THERE WILL BE A FULL PUBLIC PROCESS FOR RESIDENTS TO BECOME INVOLVED IN DEVELOPING THE BYLAWS FINAL FORM. THE NEW BY-LAW WILL COME TO COUNCIL FOR ADOPTION IN THE SPRING OF 2012. EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE DELIVERY OF SERVICES TO OUR RESIDENTS WILL BE PARAMOUNT. THE FIRST PHASE -A REVIEW OF ADMISTRATIVE AND CORPORATE SERVICES HAS BEEN COMPLETED. THE NEXT PHASE WILL INVOLVE REVIEWING OUR DEVELOPMENT SERVICE AND OUR ENGINEERING, WORKS AND PARKS DIVISION. THIS REVIEW WILL COME TO COUNCIL PRIOR TO THE PASSAGE OF OUR 2012 BUDGET SO THAT RECOMMENDATIONS MAY BE CONSIDERED AS PART OF OUR BUDGET DELIBERATIONS. A TRAFFIC AND PARKING REVIEW WILL BE AN IMPORTANT PROJECT FOR COUNCIL. THIS REVIEW WILL INVOLVE BOTH STAKEHOLDERS AND RESIDENTS AS WE LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS TO THESE LONG-TERM PROBLEMS. THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL STRENGTH OF OUR COMMUNITY IS CRITICAL TO THE LIFE OF OUR TOWN. COUNCIL IN THE COMING TERM WILL WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS, STAKEHOLDERS AND RESIDENTS TO ENSURE SIDNEY CONTINUES TO BE AN ACTIVE, VIBRANT TOWN. TO THIS END THE TOWN WILL NEED TO UNDERTAKE THE FOLLOWING: SIGN BY-LAW REVIEW: THIS NEEDS TO BE DONE TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL BUSINESS AND TO ENHANCE THE PHYSICAL APPEARANCE OF THE TOWN. REFRESHING OF OUR DOWNTOWN: IT IS TIME WE LOOK TO BRINGING A RENEWED LOOK TO THE MAINSTREET AND CORE AREAS. SUPPORT OUR LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS: A NEW GROUP - THE MERCHANTS OF SIDNEY - HAS FORMED TO PROMOTE OUR DOWNTOWN MERCHANTS AND RESTAURANTEURS. THEY ARE SHOWING AN EXCITING ENERGY AND WE NEED TO SUPPORT THEM IN THEIR ENDEAVOURS. CREATE AFFORDABLE WORKFORCE HOUSING: THE LACK OF THIS TYPE OF HOUSING IS ONE OF THE MOST SERIOUS OF THE LONG-TERM THREATS TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS OF OUR TOWN. THIS WILL REMAIN A PRIORITY OF MINE AND, I AM SURE, ALL OF COUNCIL. ENSURE COMMUNITY EVENTS, CELEBRATIONS AND PUBLIC AMENITIES REMAIN VIBRANT. THESE ARE CRITICAL IN PROVIDING THE ENERGY AND EXCITEMENT THAT MAKE SIDNEY SUCH A WONDERFUL PLACE TO LIVE AND VISIT. IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THE ABOVE, WE WILL CONTINUE WITH THE FOLLOWING: HIGHWAY 17 AND BEACON AVENUE OVERPASS. WE WILL BE MEETING WITH MINISTER LECHSTROM IN JANUARY. THE ANACORTES FERRY SERVICE: THE LEASE DOCUMENT WITH WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES IS CURRENTLY IN THE HANDS OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE FERRY SERVICE FOR FINAL SIGNING. ONCE DONE, WE WILL LOOK TO SOME UPGRADES TO THE TERMINAL AND PROMOTION OF THE SERVICE TO ENSURE ITS SUCCESS INTO THE FUTURE. A REVIEW OF GOALS AND NEW INITIATIVES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN BY COUNCIL IN A STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION IN EARLY FEBRUARY. ALWAYS THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF RESIDENTS OF MUNICIPAL EXPENDITURES MUST BE CAREFULLY AND SENSITIVELY CONSIDERED. THIS MEANS THAT WE MUST SEEK AS MANY SAVINGS AS POSSIBLE WITH THE CURRENT ORGANIZATION. A CHALLENGE FOR COUNCIL BUT ONE THAT MUST BE FACED. IN CONCLUSION, I AGAIN WANT TO EXTEND MY CONGRATULATIONS TO COUNCILLORS. I LOOK FORWARD TO A VERY SUCCESSFUL THREE YEAR TERM WORKING WITH YOU. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE HERE THIS EVENING FOR ATTENDING OUR 2012 INAUGURAL MEETING. THANK YOU.
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