Don Quixote's Questions to be answered Monday ??

Agenda Pkg 1 (P.85 on bottom or page 101 of Agenda package.) will show you the Finance Manager's replies to some of my questions that were given to Finance Committe and now to the full council. Below are links to my original questions and some of my rants about council's delay in debating them at an full open Council meeting.

Because I still felt that some of the more important questions had been missed I sent the following e-mail to the Finance Manager and the Finance chairman Sept 15.
EMAIL SEPT 15:

• Thanks for your answers to the questions and observations that I made. Although your answers were quite comprehensive and will serve as a great starting point at the full Council meeting, I felt that I should clarify a few points.
  My concern about the Airport getting monies in advance of actual need for capital projects and the difference between the $500,000 that should remain in the runway account and the $414,933 in the bank account at year end was finally answered by Mr Gous who stated that there had been approximately $90,000 in capital expenditures in 2005. (This must have been the net after amortization which actually saw a $95,026 increase in Property, Plant and equipment).
  However the majority of the spending in this category was in Equipment ($132,978), Automotive ($39,497) with lesser spending in Buildings ($1,427) and the Tarmac and Roads of only $16,336.
  $357,458 in 2004 broken down on the city’s books as 157,458 capital spending and $250,000 for SPECIAL PROJECTS and the $250,000 in 2005 listed as SPECIAL PROJECTS and the 2006 proposed amount of $250,000 is listed as SPECIAL PROJECTS. I was under the impression that this money was only to be used for the RUNWAY EXTENSION. Even conceding the $16,336 in Tarmac account could be the beginning of the runway extension that still leads a difference that I can not reconcile. Hopefully the Councillors will be satisfied with the explanation at the next meeting.
• The point that you missed responding to completely and I missed at the Finance meeting was my question of discussing with the DVA at your proposed retreat the possibility of raising the business tax exemption from $10,000 to a more realistic $50,000. I talked with one of the DVA directors and they were aware of the idea and would be opened to discussions. Hopefully this idea if approved can be on the agenda at the UBCM meetings with ministers etc. (WE both missed probably because it was on the bottom of the page after 2 boring tables of ratios etc.)
• The light industrial and utilities tax ratio report reevaluation was requested by council to be completed by Oct 1 2006 and I look forward to this report. In regards to these two ratios I have several excel spreadsheets analysis that I have given to council before. I would be only too happy to send to you if you wish.
• The heavy Industrial question and how Vernon will vote at UBCM will be the subject of much debate I expect.

Thanks for your responses and setting the plate for a frank debate at open Council.


A listing of my concerns and questions are found at:
http://vernonblog.blogspot.com/2006/08/will-don-quixote-meets-wall-of-silence.html
WILL DON QUIXOTE MEETS A WALL OF SILENCE TODAY??
http://vernonblog.blogspot.com/2006/07/will-dva-chamber-of-commerce-or-city.html
Will the D.V.A., Chamber of Commerce or City Council stand up for the small businessman ???
http://vernonblog.blogspot.com/2006/07/don-quixote-at-annual-report-public_25.html
DON QUIXOTE AT THE ANNUAL REPORT PUBLIC INPUT SESSION (PART 2 of 2)
http://vernonblog.blogspot.com/2006/07/don-quixote-at-annual-report-public.html
DON QUIXOTE AT THE ANNUAL REPORT PUBLIC INPUT SESSION (PART 1 of 2)