Burnaby Now - June 12, 2013

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Meet new Burnaby Hospital Foundation CEO, Cheryl Carline PAGE 11

Delivery 604-942-3081 • Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Battling cancer and riding for their son PAGE 19

Your source for local sports, news, weather and entertainment! >> www.burnabynow.com THE CHANGING CITY

Bolstering tree bylaw

Proposed changes would close some loopholes Stefania Seccia

staff reporter

After waiting a couple of years for changes to tighten up the tree bylaw, Donna Polos said she had almost given up hope. Polos appeared before council about two years ago, calling on the city to strengthen its tree bylaw. At its June 10 meeting, amendments to the tree bylaw were presented to council, which aim to give it more bite. “I am glad to see that the report stated that trees would be protected during construction and protected not during construction,” she said. “Our existing bylaw is one of the weakest in the Lower Mainland and it has a loophole in it.” Polos said the city’s current bylaw allows developers who purchased property to immediately clear cut the land and then apply for a building permit – in order to avoid a review. Polos noted that some of her concerns Tree Page 4

Larry Wright/burnaby now

Protecting trees: Burnaby resident Donna Polos has waited two years for changes to the city’s tree bylaw,

For the

full and at council’s Monday night meeting she got what she asked for. The new tree bylaw aims to strengthen report, enforcement and protect trees to a greater extent. The new amendments are up for public consultation this scan with summer.

Council expenses up – China trip the big item Stefania Seccia staff reporter

Mayor Derek Corrigan had his usual three per cent wage increase last year, but travel expenses were particularly high due to the sister city visit to China in September. Corrigan received a total of $163,406, including wages, benefits and travel allowance last year – up from the $144,569 he received in 2011, according to the city’s

2012 remuneration and expense report. Corrigan’s base salary was $120,928.60. He also received $11,150.03 for his retiring allowance, $10,030.71 for his transportation allowance, $2,349.15 for cellphones, telephones, fax and Internet costs, and an $8,247.54 taxable benefit. Corrigan claimed $10,700.31 in travel expenses for 2012, up from $4,220.46 in 2011 – due to a sister-city visit to China and Taiwan in September, which cost $7,332.72 The other travel costs for last year

include his sister-city visit to Arizona in March ($1,549.09); a conference in Whistler ($1,009.86); and the B.C. Mayors’ Caucus meeting in Penticton ($768.64). Corrigan also went to Victoria twice for a Municipal Finance Authority meeting and a Metro Vancouver conference, but was reimbursed for both costs. Burnaby councillors received a $9,049.40 increase to their base salary for 2012, which was $54,417.48. They also received $5,348.24 for a retiring allowance, $3,600 for a trans-

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portation allowance and varying amounts of acting mayor pay. The councillor who claimed the most on travel expenses last year was Coun. Sav Dhaliwal. He received a total of $77,757.10, which includes the $11,377.46 claimed for travel expenses – despite passing on the trip to China and Taiwan. Dhaliwal attended six other meetings and conferences in Harrison, Whistler, Expenses Page 5


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