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!