Week ahead heralds start for 2024 for City Council

This first week of 2024 is still a rather low key affair when it comes to the workings of municipal government in Prince Rupert.  

That as Council members and civic officials ease their way back into the work week following the two week break from duties over the Christmas/New Year's period.

So far the City's information stream is one that has focused on the achievements of 2023, over any notes towards what's to come for the year ahead.

The City posted its wide ranging account of the year that was, through its social media stream on New Year's Eve.

Ringing in the New Year publicly, was mostly it seems a private thing for the members of elected council over the holidays.  

Mayor Herb Pond's last contribution to his social media stream came in November, while the majority of City Council members are for the most part,  infrequent visitors to their social media conduits through the year.

The list of those portals of occasional contribution can be accessed through our Council Meeting archive page.

The last official bit of commentary from the group coming at the final Council session for 2023 in early December.

The exception being that of Councillor Reid Skelton-Morven, who posted a New Year's Greeting for community members two days ago, his commentary through his social medias stream one which noted of challenges and the promise of 'many exciting announcements' to come.

In his commentary, Mr. Skelton-Morven does not indicate if his plans include a return to In Council participation for January. He has been participating mainly through long distance video means since October, that while attending to a family health challenge in Vancouver.

The last time that the Councillor participated in person at a City Hall council session was on October 23rd.

Mr. Skelton-Morven also would seem to have some unfinished business to attend to with his former employer the Northern View, with there yet to be any follow up to their story from November related to concerning accusations made against the Council member and the news organizations unsuccessful attempts to receive a comment from him.

The first opportunity to hear more from the Council membership and their plans for 2024 comes on Monday with the first of the twenty Scheduled Regular City Council sessions to take place in the year ahead.

As they come back to the council chamber on January 8th, hopefully they will call on senior city staff for some updates on the range of infrastructure work that has created some challenges for residents of a number of neighbourhoods.

Among the areas of note for residents, the status of the work on the Sixth Avenue East Bridge and the ongoing work at Kootenay and McKay that has left that area without a key surface route.

As well, residents of the Crestview area may be hoping for some positive news as to when the now more than a year long work underway at Applewaite and Crestview may conclude and return full access to their neighbourhood.

Monday's session will also offer up an opportunity for Mayor Pond to chart the path forward on the large scale infrastructure plans for the city's waterlines.  

Hopefully, the first moments for 2024 will deliver some indication as to when the City anticipates word from Ottawa towards their massive 82 million dollar grant funding application towards that required work.

You can follow the path of Council through the year by way of our City Council Discussion archive page.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review.