Focus on Faro, May 2023

FOCUSED ON FARO

MAY, 2023

Crane & Sheep Festival Facebook Photograph Contest Winners

Council Meeting

Council Chamber is open to the public. The Next Regular Meetings are:

May 23, 2023

June 6, 2023

June 20, 2023

Copies of meeting agendas are posted at the Town Office, Post Office, CIBC Bank, and at faro.ca.

The Public Package will be available on the Town’s Website at the time of the meeting at: http://faro.ca/p/councilmeetings

Remote Attendance is available with the Zoom App.

To Join a Zoom Meeting go to :

https://zoom.us/join

Meeting ID: 506 321 8045

Passcode: 641202

Melena Austring Third Place Winner

Stephanie Austring First Place Winner

Amanda O’Brien Second Place Winner

COUNCIL UP-DATES

MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR

Jack Bowers

Much has happened in the last month that’s worth noting, I’ll try to hit the highlights but I’m sure to miss some things. First, we are all excited to soon receive our “new to us” hydro excavator-flusher truck. Having this capability will greatly improve our crew’s efficiency in doing in-ground utility repairs and provide the town public works crews with the means to start tackling the much-needed curb stop installations that have been delayed for some time. The new handicap accessible bus will arrive in Faro in the next few weeks making travel to other communities for town sponsored activities so much nicer. We’re getting a new rubberized floor covering in the Recreation Center gym too, sometime this summer. We will be building a new animal shelter this summer together with outside holding kennels. Perhaps it could be used by visiting veterinarians for clinics as well. The list goes on.

A significant community issue that is lurking in the background and needs to be talked about is what is perceived to be an increase in illegal drug activities going on within the community. It’s not just Faro either, two weeks ago another 4 young Yukoners died from illegal drug overdoses within a matter of just a few days. The annual total for Yukon drug overdose deaths is staggering. What can be done?

I NSIDE T HIS I SSUE

While living in Fort Nelson some years back, the residents there took it upon themselves to do something. Large signs were posted in various locations throughout the community saying, “Drug Dealers not Welcome”. There were even signs posted by residents on their own properties pointing out where the dealers lived next door. It worked. At least for a while.

A few years ago, the Village of Carmacks did much the same thing. I don’t know how successful their efforts were, but at least they did something. My worry is that Faro too could soon experience an unnecessary and tragic loss like so many of our sister communities have. We can begin by asking for public meetings with the RCMP, Ministry of Health and Yukon Department of Justice to determine what we can and cannot do towards developing a plan for addressing this issue. Please share your thoughts with a member of Council or, better yet, come to a council meeting and let’s get the conversation started.

ADMINISTRATION NEWS

MESSAGE FROM THE CAO Larry Baran

As Mayor Jack Bowers and Operations Manager, Mark Vainio, mention in their reports, the Town has a lot of work planned for 2023. Top of my priority list for May includes recruiting a Manager of Recreation & Culture. I am grateful for Tina Freake who has agreed to take time from her position with the Yukon Government to fill the Acting Rec. Manager role until we can recruit the right candidate. She will also be assisting us in recruiting a Pool Coordinator.

Our Official Community Plan (OCP) is getting closer to being a completed project. As intimidating as this year-long project can be, we appreciate how our contractor is assisting us and leading us through the process. It was important to Mayor & Council that the finished product NOT be a foregone conclusion set by Council, but something that was the result of community consultation from the beginning. For an OCP to be truly useful, it needs to be community-based and Mayor & Council appreciates everyone’s involvement on how you would like to see the community move forward over the next 7 to 10 years.

Along with the Mayor and some Councillors, I will be attending the

Association of Yukon Communities Annual General Meeting in Watson Lake, as well as attending a separate meeting for Yukon Administrators. These will be important meetings because, among other topics, we will be discussing the funding support provided to the municipalities at a time when costs are escalating so quickly. While the natural reaction for most community councils in Canada is simply to raise property taxes to meet the increased cost of operations, I am pleased that Faro Council has held the line this year and we are looking at raising revenue from other sources.

Finally, I want to note that Council has arranged for a visit by CIRNAC (Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada). These folks are the federal agency controlling the mine reclamation project up the hill and the reporting entity for Parsons and other companies working there. While the CIRNAC visitors will have a separate meeting with Mayor & Council, they will be hosting a public open house on June 7th. We encourage Faro residents to attend and express any concerns that you have with the project.

PARKING ON THE STREET

Just a reminder to all those folks who are parking on the street. Not all of our streets lend themselves to having on-street parking on both sides. In fact, in some situations, emergency vehicles would have a difficult time squeezing through.

All licensed Guest Houses and accommodation businesses are required to provide adequate offstreet parking for their guests. In fact, application approvals are based on the ability of guests to park off-street. In other words, if guests need to park on the street, that means the business may not have adequate parking for the number of guests approved, and the Town of Faro will need to review business license & development permit applications.

For the last few years now, Faro has been busting at the seams with people needing accommodation, and Town Council wants to support those businesses who can help meet that demand. However, if businesses cannot do that safely, the Town may need to require a reapplication with a reduced occupancy level.

Please, Guest House operators, encourage your clients NOT to park on the street.

TOWN OF FARO OFFICIAL COMMUNITY PLAN PROCESS WHAT WE HEARD FROM RESIDENTS IN APRIL

The Town of Faro's consultant team is completing a draft OCP with some key draft policy directions.

In April, we asked residents and staff to help guide us and Council on a few key questions that will shape the direction of the OCP, and therefore the future of Faro and the experiences of residents. We had 16 responses to our online survey and about 20 residents joined us for various in-person discussions in the Sportsman's Lounge. When asked, residents chose to participate because there is a passion for Faro, there was a common interest in sharing, listening, and learning, and there is a strong desire to maintain the community feel with an open-

prove the quality of life of current and future Faro residents.

We framed our discussion with the following assumption in mind: all communities change (and some grow, as is the current case of Faro) due to internal and external factors. The OCP is the Town's best tool to shape HOW (not if) Faro wants to change (and probably continue to grow) in a way that reflects residents' values and aspirations in a way that builds resilience over the next decade

Change and growth can be a polarizing conversation for any community. Town CAO, Larry Baran shared: "Growth doesn't always happen but change does. Our role is to prepare for that change". The OCP is the best tool the Town has to shape that change in a purposeful way by expressing the values and aspirations of residents while building in strategic and sustainable resilience for the future.

Details of what we heard is available on the Town of Faro Website at faro.ca/p/ocp

WATER/SEWER/REFUES RATES

For Specific rates to your commercial property, please contact GM of Finance, Lenka Kazda at finance@faroyukon.ca

The Consultant team will be developing the Draft OCP which will come back to the Town Council this summer, where there will be further opportunities for citizens to share their perspectives. However, as the OCP unfolds, a few things remain clear for the consultant-team (if we may). The residents of Faro love their town. Faro has some unique challenges to be sure, but it also has some incredible opportunities. The right OCP that reflects resident values and aspirations coupled with strategic priority directions can help maintain the ‘Faro Feel’ while planning for a sustainable, vibrant, and prosperous future.

Respectfully,

Jordan Stackhouse, John GlynnMorris, and Dennis Shewfelt

LAND LOTTERY IN TINTINA

The Yukon Government is holding a land lottery in Yukon communities for 16 residential lots and 9 country residential lots Including 1 Faro – 1 country residential lot in Faro’s Tintina Subdivision. For More information visit: yukon.ca/community-lots

DUE JULY 4, 2023

10% penalty and interest as of July 5, 2023.

Payment Options:

 E-Transfer to finance@faroyukon.ca

 Cheques dropped in the Drop box at the Town Office or Mailed to: Town of Faro, Box 580 Faro, YT Y0B 1K0

 Cash and Debit available in Person at the Town Office

Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Credit Cards are not accepted for Property Tax Payments

*Community Program/not organized by Rec. Staff Recreation Centre/Arena Closed on Sundays

Questions or comments? Please contact the Faro Recreation Centre at 867-994-2375 or e-mail recreation@faroyukon.ca Schedule is subject to change

POOL INFORMATION

The Faro Pool 2023 Season: Planning and preparations are underway; both the Public Works and Rec. Department are working very hard and we are hoping to be open to the public around the end of May/Beginning of June!

Stay tuned for exciting announcements!

OUTSTANDING YOUTH ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Congratulations to our Rec Centre student, Shanine Villaver who has been awarded the Outstanding Youth Achievement Award. We appreciate all of Shanine’s great ideas that she offers to our Rec Centre programming as well as her strong work ethic! Congratulations Shanine, we are very proud of you!

PUBLIC WORKS & OPERATIONS UP-DATES

OPERATIONS REPORT

PLANNING FOR BUSY SUMMER

As the snow melts and the streets are being swept, residents will notice that crews are patching potholes and getting ready for a number of beautification and utility projects.

Portable planters are being repaired and readied for distribution around the community. We still don’t have all of the gardening staff that we need, so we are keeping the posting open a bit longer in hopes that we will get a sufficient number of workers to assist Marissa in making our community green and colourful again this year.

Last year, because of issues with staffing and lawn equipment, we got behind on maintenance and weren’t able to properly fertilize at the right times. This year, because the unused fertilizer is still in storage and equipment maintenance started earlier Spring, the applications should happen on time making everything greener.

Along with the gardening improvements for 2023, Public Works will be spending more time on some of our legislated requirements, like landfill maintenance. We’ve hired a new Landfill Operator, who will work to get his certification during the next few months. That person will also have part-time Bylaw Enforcement Officer duties, which he will also get certified to do. That means, issues like property clean-up, storage of vehicles & goods on public property, and dogs running at large are going to get more attention and enforcement in 2023.

Some new equipment will be arriving that will help the Public Works Department start addressing some problems that we have had for a few years. The Fire Siren on the pumphouse at the Lorna Blvd and Douglass Drive will be fixed. We need to put another pole in behind the building, string a new telephone line, and then we will have both sirens work again.

Finally, I am pleased to advise everyone that we have a new Public Works Foreperson, Adam Minder. That means that we will be able to split our crews more effectively and work on multiple projects at the same time. As Adam moves into that position, we will start advertising his old position of Utility Operator so, if you know of a candidate, have them get their resume in for consideration.

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RECYCLING CENTER INFORMATION

FARO BOTTLE DEPOT: Located at the corner of McQuesten Rd. and Ross Rd.

Hours: Tuesday to Thursday 5:00 pm to 8:80 pm Phone Number 994-3022

YUKON RECYCLING CLUB

REGISTRATION FOR THE 2023 RECYCLING CLUB IS OPEN. Remember these important dates! They cannot be extended!

FIRST DAY TO COLLECT POINTS: Saturday, May 6, 2023

LAST DAY TO COLLECT POINTS: Friday, November 10, 2023

LAST DAY TO ORDER PRIZE CERTIFICATES: Wednesday, December 13, 2023

LAST DAY TO REDEEM PRIZE CERTIFICATES AT PARTICIPATING SUPPLIERS IS JANUARY 13, 2024

COMMUNITY NOTICES

TOWN OFFICE

Public hours are Monday to Friday 9:00am to 4:00pm.

a.m. -

TOWN CONTACT INFO & STAFF DIRECTORY: Chief Administrative Officer Larry Baran 994-2728 ext 4 faro@faroyukon.ca operations@faroyukon.ca

GM of Recreation & Culture 2375 recreation@faroyukon.ca

faro@faroyukon.ca

mayor.bowers@faroyukon.ca councillor.nyland@faroyukon.ca councillor.medvid@faroyukon.ca councillor.fetterly@faroyukon.ca councillor.mchugh@faroyukon.ca

The Source of official Town information and notices: www.faro.ca