Sechelt council is looking for more information about the Canadian European Trade Agreement (CETA) and the ability to opt out if it's best for Sechelt.
The resolution to "request the B.C. government to disclose what it is putting on the table regarding procurement, services and investment as part of the CETA discussions, explain the impacts CETA would have on municipal governance and give local governments the freedom to decide whether or not they will be bound by the agreement," was passed May 2.
Mayor John Henderson wondered if CETA would prevent companies like IKEA from selling their wares in Canada.
"I don't know and that's my dilemma, so having more information is important, which this achieves," Henderson said during the April 25 committee meeting where the matter was discussed. "It's not about preventing them from taking our jobs or our resources. It may well, if we're not careful, put up the walls that they can't come in and do stuff that we actually want them to,"
On May 2 council also decided to send a copy of the resolution to the Union of B.C. Municipalities, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and local members of parliament and the legislative assembly to request they also adopt it.
Asset management
The District of Sechelt will spend a total of $85,000 on records and asset management this year.
The idea was supported at the committee of the whole meeting April 25 and two motions were passed at the May 2 regular council meeting to that effect.
The first motion was to spend $25,000 to implement an asset management plan in 2012 and the second was to allocate $60,000 ($30,000 from reserves and $30,000 from unrestricted surplus reserves) for document and records management in the District.
It was noted that asset management is a key priority in the overall corporate strategy of council this year.
While most councillors were in favour of the expenditures councillors Alice Lutes and Mike Shanks voted against the motion to allocate $60,000 to records management.
"It's another half a percent to the taxpayers and we haven't even gotten to the completion of the budget yet. So for that reason alone I don't think the necessity is there for 2012. I think that we can plan towards it and be ready for it in 2013. So I'll vote against it," Lutes said at the committee meeting.
Airport anniversary
Henderson announced May 5 as the 50th anniversary of the airport in Wilson Creek.
The District will hold a celebration at the airport starting at 10 a.m. this Saturday.
"Then for those who are interested in a fly market, not to be confused with a flea market, on May 18, 19, 20 they're hosting an event where people mostly with airplanes fly in, bring stuff and sell it," Henderson said. "So somebody said 'if you want an old airplane piston turned into an ashtray, the airport will be where you can find it on May 18, 19 and 20th.'"
