Special Post - More Election Issues

Ward 2 Voter Issues - Part 2

Having visited every residential address, and most of the businesses, as well as delivered 1767 flyers in Ward 2, I can now address the remaining concerns that were raised.
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Nordale Potholes - Patch 1, Leave 2
The explanations for why this happens are that time constraints on the crew sometimes prevent all the potholes from getting filled, and locations of potholes are usually identified by an address, rather than by city blocks that need attention. The current roads manager (who started early this year) has instructions to identify clumps of potholes that need repair, and schedule repairs to larger accumulations of potholes where patches are most appropriate. Direction to repair potholes is also being done by block, in many instances. “Cold mix” is used as a temporary fix in the spring, when the average daily temperature warms to over zero; “hot mix” is used for potholes and larger patches. In the fall, hot mix can be used as long as the average daily temperature is above minus 5.

Riverside Drive Speeding & Heavy Truck Traffic, Speeding in School Zones and on River St. West
Speeding vehicles, especially during times when school buses are picking up or dropping off children, are reduced during the (infrequent) appearances by police radar. Speed patrols - at any location in the city - do not follow a pre-determined schedule; it was suggested that they should. Speed bumps on Riverside Drive were suggested two years ago by the current councillor, but no follow-up on this suggestion is evident. I think they’re worth careful examination. [La Ronge (on Riese Drive) and Air Ronge (at Gordon Denny School) both installed rubber speed bumps in summer 2009 - the same type as those installed on the 13th St. West access to Zellers’ north parking lot in PA.] One constituent suggested a cul de sac at the city limit on Riverside Drive. This is not possible, but restricting the permitted vehicle weight on this street would make a difference. Vehicle weight restrictions on city streets are found in the Traffic Bylaw - see pages 28 to 30 at http://citypa.ca/Portals/0/PDF2/Bylaws/Bylaw%20No.%2016%20of%202005%20-%20Traffic%20Bylaw.pdf City council could be asked to change this bylaw to restrict heavy vehicles from operating on Riverside Drive.

Police Foot Patrols Downtown
Though it seems otherwise, police spokespeople assert that the schedule for foot patrols downtown during the summer months has not changed in the past two years. Many people have remarked about the diminished police presence in the mall, on Central Avenue, and in the downtown generally since the substation on the west side of Central (just south of 11th St.) was closed early in 2009. It was suggested that evening patrols be implemented - something I favour - and a schedule that makes officers more visible to workers in the downtown be instituted. (The complaint was that they may be there, but police aren't seen by people who work downtown.) The lease for the substation property was simply not renewed. The police service has moved some of its staff into the former Pandila law office building (beside the viaduct - purchased for $600,000), and has acquired new parking spaces by taking over the former city parking lot adjacent to Marquis Audio-Video. Police “visibility” downtown is not expensive; these three changes do not enhance it.

Police Response to Snowmobiles and Break-and-enter in Nordale
A constituent noted how quick city police were to respond to snowmobiles in Nordale, and how slow they were in responding to a break-and-enter where the would-be perpetrator was scared off by the family dog. Remembering that there are normally five marked patrol cars in service at any given time, and that different types of calls result in two or more being dispatched to an incident (I have seen five marked cars at a location where a firearm was discharged), response time is also directly related to how busy they are. For example, a Sunday afternoon snowmobiler in January in the city is likely to get ticketed because not much else is probably going on that requires a police presence. A break-and-enter in progress is a high priority call; but a response to a break-and-enter that happened over a hot summer weekend, but isn’t reported until it’s discovered late Sunday evening, usually waits a long time because more urgent calls require a police presence.

Rationalization of police resource allocation is a difficult task (and it quickly becomes tiresome to hear the same mantras repeated over and over about how uniquely busy our police service is . . .), but it is relevant that intoxication-related incidents take up an extraordinary amount of patrol officers’ time. The detoxification centre that opened up adjacent to the Victoria Hospital on October 19 will alleviate some of the issues with detaining these people at the 15th St. West cells.

Dangerous Left Turn from Highway 55 onto Birch Lane
Eastbound traffic trying to turn north onto Birch Lane must constantly be aware of vehicles coming from behind them that are passing on both sides, creating very dangerous situations. The centre paint marking on the road surface is dashed-yellow, “passing permitted” marking. The simple solution - changing the paint marking to two solid “no passing” yellow lines - would help the school buses that have to turn in here. The city could paint these solid lines, after consulting with Sask. Highways. The ideal solution - a dedicated left-turn lane, with a flashing yellow light - is a cost that should be seriously considered.

Snow-shovelling for Seniors and the Disabled
It was suggested that such a service be offered by organizations such as young offenders. In North Battleford, Territorial Youth Services and the local Canadian Mental Health Association offer this service to seniors. Snow clearing is usually $10 to $20 per visit. Grass cutting is also offered there, for $30. Implementing this type of service in Prince Albert would require an agency to initiate it.

City Not “Neat and Clean”
The “Neat and Clean” program was a temporary venture, one that included regular maintenance items and $28,700 in alterations to the mayor’s office and city council chamber. Fire hydrants were painted, flower pots appeared, and the bottom eight feet of light poles were painted. Picking up garbage was NOT expanded: there’s a cleanup week coordinated by the PA Downtown Improvement District in May, and there used to be fine-option garbage picking (as well as a few volunteers who did it for exercise in the 2nd Avenue West corridor). Property owners and tenants are responsible for picking up whatever lands on the property where they live. (This was a time-consuming endeavour when I lived less than a block from a 7-11, the Co-op gas station, and a donut shop.) We could hire students to pick garbage from May to August, and also engage the young offenders in such work. Trying to educate people to use a garbage can is extremely difficult . . . .

Lack of Enforcement - Spitting, Urinating, Bikes on Sidewalks
The concern was that, while city council passed bylaws dealing with these, bylaw officers and the police do not enforce them. “Selective,” or “arbitrary” enforcement of the various laws is one aspect of a larger concern that the local police service is sensitive about. Aside from the explanation given above (see Police Response to Snowmobiles and Break-and-enter in Nordale), keep in mind that police and bylaw officers have to assess every situation they encounter in terms of 1) the ultimate benefit to the public; 2) the time the officer needs to allocate to the event; 3) the likelihood of achieving a successful “penalty” for the infraction; and 4) the potential for a positive impact on the behaviour of the offender. These are valid considerations, but they do not excuse a police officer who doesn’t follow up on a theft because the perpetrator was under 16.

Minimum Standards for Rental Properties
Councillor Atkinson, following up on discussion at the Housing Committee (which he chairs), suggested several years ago that council direct administration to prepare such standards, then have bylaw officers enforce them. Council “received and filed” his request. We desperately need such standards, and I support spending money to create and enforce them.

Programs for Youth
The real problem is not that there aren’t programs for youth, but that the sports-related ones outside of school are usually too expensive for a large number of city residents. I’m talking about hockey, baseball, soccer, gymnastics, figure skating, speed skating, downhill skiing, bike racing, and lacrosse. We have a skateboard park that gets a lot of use, but it’s located on the edge of town, rather than in the city centre. There are programs at the West Flat Community Centre and Margo Fournier Centre, but sustaining them over time has become difficult. Community schools also have after-school programs. Addressing this issue starts at home; schools and city-funded agencies can only offer what children might (or, better yet, do) want to get involved in, and it’s more difficult for them than it is for parents to get kids involved in “constructive” activities.

Diversity among City Employees
There is no employment equity program at the city, so the numbers of First Nations, Métis, and visible minority employees are unlikely to reflect the city’s population. The police service has made great progress in this area; the fire department, through its mentorship program, is headed in that direction. A formal personnel policy on this issue is desirable.

Parking Space Scarcity at Sherman Towers, Northcote Manor, and Carment Court
This issue came up at a Sherman Towers monthly meeting: vehicles left parked on the north side of 9th St. East for more than 48 hours were being ticketed by bylaw officers. On October 5, the current councillor told the tenants’ association executive that he had brought a pile of 3-day parking passes to Sherman Towers a few years ago. The problem is, no one at Sherman Towers could remember ever seeing these passes. (In fact, the city’s yellow-and-black “top hat” courtesy parking passes are stamped with only ONE day’s date on them . . . .) A suggestion was made that land on the side of the building be bought for additional parking. Before the meters were removed a few years ago, there were 9 metered spaces on 9th St. East adjacent to Sherman Towers. With a request to city council, perhaps 5 or 6 of these could be designated as “residential permit parking only” - similar to the 200 block of 14th St. West, and the spaces on 10th St. East by Ecole Valois. However, this is a short-term solution.

PA Housing Authority staff told me Sherman Towers has 19 resident parking spaces, and 8 waiting for a space. Carment Court has 33 resident parking spaces, with 5 on a waiting list; Northcote, with 21 spaces, also has 5 waiting. The total number now waiting for a parking space (18) in this area is the highest number they have ever experienced. But this is actually a transportation problem, not a “parking” problem. To address it, there needs to be an attempt to ensure that vehicles are being used (not merely re-insured and registered each year), and that vehicles not driven in the winter (a common practice) are moved elsewhere, before a Transportation Co-op can be implemented for the three buildings. One space could be allocated to the co-op at each building, and the cars could be purchased from three residents who decide they don’t need to own a vehicle. Transportation co-ops are common in larger cities, and there’s financial assistance from the Saskatchewan government to help set up co-operative organizations.

Unruly Bus Patrons
The comment was that bus drivers were not refusing to allow drunk, drugged, or fighting people to get on the bus. Urinating and defecating on the buses were also noted. The bus drivers now allow such individuals on the bus, but police are called to meet the bus and deal with them. Bus drivers do not sit in a protected (cordoned off) area of the vehicle. A policy for these situations is being developed, and should be implemented in the new contract with the bus service provider. (The contract with First Bus expires on December 31, 2009.) The 14th St. East transfer station should be completed by mid-November - if the weather stays warm and the daily rains cease.