Focused on Faro June 16, 2023

FOCUSED ON FARO

On June 8th, after both CIRNAC and Parsons attended an Open House in Faro, Parsons arranged for Town Councillors Taylor Fetterly and Sarah McHugh to have a tour of the mine site. Both Sarah and Taylor noted that they have lived in Faro for years, but never had the opportunity to actually see the site and the scale of the original project. On the tour, they were given the opportunity to see where the new Water Treatment Plant is going to be built and some of the challenges that the contractors will need to address. Both Councillors extend their thanks and appreciation to Parsons for making the tour possible because it has helped them understand the scope and challenges that the Faro Mine Remediation Project entails.

Council Meeting

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

June 20, 2023

July Regular Meetings TBD

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

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

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

OFFICE & ADMINISTRATION NEWS

MESSAGE FROM THE CAO Larry Baran

As we drive around the community, we can see the signs of the annual beautification program underway. Flowers in hanging baskets & planters are now out for everyone to see. That is a compliment to Town Staff & volunteers who helped get things prepared. Thank you to everyone who take pride in our community.

Several things are happening right now that I want to share. The Federal Government has announced a special funding program called the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), which has the potential to make millions of dollars available to municipal governments to address the national housing shortage. To make things happen quickly, the program has a tight application window of 45 days, so it means that Town Staff will be focusing on getting our application together soon. The benefit will mean that we will be able to assist people in renovating their homes to create a ‘mother-in-law’ suite, add a tiny home on their existing residential property, creating a new residential or rural subdivision, or purchasing their first home. The more we research the program, the more options we find out. We will be advising the community as we move this project forward.

With the grant funding for the Recreation Centre renovations approved, we have been able to have the new Gym Floor installed. Now, all we need to do is install special baseboards, and the project will be completed. The new LED lighting project will be revisited this Fall. We will also be putting out a tender to design a new kitchen for the Recreation Centre. All of these projects

are gratefully funded by the Canada CommunityBuilding Fund.

Speaking of funding approvals, the Community Development Fund approved our grant application to build a new Animal Shelter. New Animal Shelters need to be built to higher standards, & we can no longer provide a simple garden shed solution, so we appreciate this funding support.

Although Mark will probably mention it in his report, I am pleased that our next shipment of road-patch will be arriving this week. I want to thank the Public Works crews who have a losing battle in keeping our dying roads alive a little bit longer. Our old paved and chipsealed roads are truly on their last legs and all we need to do is make them last for another year or two. We are already planning for some chipseal work during the summer of 2024, and Council is planning for an extensive road resurfacing program after the last bit of underground work is completed. There is an old joke that normal municipal planning involves paving a street one year, then digging it up the next. As many people know, Mayor Bowers and I visited with Skookum Paving last year to develop a plan for resurfacing the roads in Faro. We want to get as much done as possible at one time, which will reduce the mobilization costs for Skookum and keep our budget down. So, as the Public Works staff plug holes and re-grade our gravel patches this summer, give them the ‘thumbs up’ for doing the best that they can until more serious chipseal and paving takes place.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

WATER/SEWER/REFUES RATES

as of July 1, 2023

Residential Water $ 146.29 Sewer $ 43.88

Refuse $ 63.44 Total Quarterly Fees $ 253.61 Basic Commercial Water $ 146.29

Sewer $ 43.88

Refuse $ 132.17 Total Quarterly Fees $ 322.34

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

PUBLIC DRINKING IN FARO?

The Town Office received a bit of a shock a few weeks ago when we were initially advised that public drinking in Faro was no longer allowed. Turns out that deep within the legal halls of some Yukon Government Department, someone seriously misinterpreted a legislative clause and thought our approval for public drinking was cancelled. They were wrong. It was NOT cancelled. The tradition of allowing Public Drinking in Faro, something that has been a norm for decades, STILL continues.

Can you be drunk and disorderly?

Nope. That has always been against the law.

Can you drink and drive?

Nope. That has always been against the law.

Can minors drink alcohol

Nope. That has always been against the law.

Can you have an open beer with you on the Golf Course? Yup. Same as last year.

Can you have a beer with you during the ball tournament? Yup. Same as last year.

Responsibility is the key here. Just be respectful and polite like Faro residents normally are … and enjoy the summer.

NEW STAFF IN PUBLIC WORKS

By combining two part-time positions into one position, the Town successfully recruited a Landfill Operator & Bylaw Enforcement Officer.

Harold (Tiny) Meers is well-known in the community and has agreed to get the environmental certification for landfill operations, as well as take the necessary training for bylaw enforcement certification so don’t call him for bylaw issues just yet.

Like many other companies, the Town of Faro has had difficulty in recruiting staff for part-time positions, so Council has agreed to look at combining part-time positions to create a full-time position where it makes sense. Mayor Bowers mentioned that, in the past when the mine was shutting down, the Town had no problem in recruiting talented and skilled people. But this is a different time, when every business seems to be competing with one another for quality staff. So, when Council can be creative and find new ways to recruit good people for Town full-time positions, it benefits everyone.

Last year, the Town submitted a Solid Waste Management Plan for 2023-2033 for environmental approval, which included the new management requirements and controls for landfill operations. The Town is required to add more

controls for access and monitoring, which the public will see this summer. New monitoring wells will be drilled, a cross-arm gate added, as well as video monitoring. All this means that Town Staff will be spending more hours maintaining the facility and more time personally greeting users of the landfill. So, remember to smile when you drive through.

SLOW AMBULANCE RIDE

Under normal circumstances, Ted Baker would not be smiling when he is driving an ambulance, but he & Shelley Scott had an ear-to-ear grins when they SLOWLY drove the ambulance to school June 1 with all lights flashing and sirens blaring. This was a reward for the achievement in reading that was completed by young Ms. Vivian Bento, who is one of a few kids at the Del Van Gorder School who will receive a ride to school in an emergency vehicle.

This sort of thing wouldn’t happen in Red Deer, Prince George, or even Whitehorse, but it does happen in Faro. Our emergency responders are to be complimented for their support of the academic reading programs and helping to make some kids dreams come true. Students also received rides by the RCMP and Fire Department. It’s just another example where Faro is a wonderful community to raise a family.

RECREATION & EVENTS

MESSAGE FROM THE ACTING G.M. OF REC. & CULTURE Tina Freake Town Clean-up

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Town’s clean-up day! We had over 30 people show up and everyone’s efforts were greatly appreciated! Thank you for helping us make Faro beautiful!

Seniors Programs - Trip to Dawson City

A trip to Dawson City is planned for our local Seniors’ group at the end of July watch for posters for a planning meeting and sign-up to be scheduled very soon! We have lots of fun activities planned for Faro Seniors this summer, thanks to funding from New Horizon’s for Seniors.

Faro Pool

Our Faro Pool is open and our summer schedule is in full swing! Swimming Lessons and swim team have started and courses for lifeguard training will start soon! Having a birthday party or an upcoming event? You can book a private pool rental phone the Rec for further details.

We’d like to welcome Nadia Loder and Simon Teong to Faro for the summer as our new Pool Coordinators. We’re very happy to have their skills and expertise and have a full schedule with a variety of swims and training. We’d also like to welcome Charlotte Brooker to the team as Junior Lifeguard, and Cavan Went as our casual - on-call Junior Lifeguard.

Youth Group

Our next Youth Group Meeting with be Tuesday, June 27th from 57 pm. Join us for a pizza and pool party! We will also discuss our summer trip and other youth group plans and fundraisers. Don’t forget to bring your bathing suit and towel.

Campbell Region Interpretive Centre (CRIC) Market

The CRIC market is up and running for the season and takes place every Wednesday from 3-5 p.m. Come check our Faro’s talented artists and amazing vendors!

Canada Day 2023

Saturday, July 1st we will be celebrating Canada Day! If you would like to be involved in planning, or have something you would like to lead or host on this day please let us know! Posters and a detailed schedule of events will be released soon!

Annual Effy Croft Memorial Ball Tournament

The Ball Tournament will be taking place in Faro on June 30 - July 2. If you would like to volunteer, sponsor or sign up a ball team please contact Yvonne Benoit at yvonnecbeniot@icloud.com or Blaine at mrbdem44@yahoo.com.

Rec Centre Gymnasium

Renovations are complete, the gymnasium lines had the necessary drying time, and now our gym is back to regular programming! A big thank you to Titan Sport Systems for their fast, efficient and high quality work! If you haven't seen our new gymnasium floor yet make sure you stop by and check it out!

Thank you so much to Brian & Cyndy Bekk, and Ms. Dana Bekk’s high school gym class for coming in to do a deep clean of the pool to get it all ready to be filled for the season! We really appreciated all of your hard work and enthusiasm for the pool season!

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AMP INFO TO BE RELEASED SOON!

Posters and sign up information will be advertised very soon watch for posters!

Rec Staff have been working hard planning day camp dates and have a fun-filled schedule of events, with lots of creative and active games, activities and field trips. There will be limited capacity for each session, so watch for posters and be sure to register as soon as you can!

SWIMMING LESSONS

5 sessions of the Swim for Life program from the Lifesaving Society will be offered this year Tuesdays to Fridays from 9 to 11 am. Parent and Tot for littles 4 months to 3 years old, Preschool for kids 3 to 5 years old, and Swimmer for kids over the age of 6. More information about the Swim for Life Program is available from the BC/ Yukon Lifesaving Society website, or by contacting the Pool Coordinator at pool@faroyukon.ca

*NEW* After-work-hours Swimming lessons

For those that are unable to make it to our traditional swimming lesson times, check out our after-hours swimming lessons. They will be taking place beginning on June 24. They will be from 9-11am on Saturdays and 4-6pm on Tuesday and Thursdays.

YOUTH PROGRAMS Swim Team

Faro Flying Dolphins Swim team is currently looking for new members. If you are interested in joining our swim team and can swim one length of the pool, we would love to see you swimming with us. Our practices take place on Tuesdays from 12-1 and Wednesday & Fridays from 1 2. The team is cur-

Lifesaving Courses

We are super excited to be offering lifesaving and lifeguarding courses this summer! If you are interested in becoming a lifeguard in the future or educating yourself more about water safety, we encourage you to sign up for our courses!

Bronze Star Course Fee: $55.00

Dates: June 17, 20, 22 & 24

Time: 4:00-6:30pm

Bronze Medallion

Prerequisite: 13 years old or Completion of Bronze Star

Course Fee: TBD

Time & Dates:

Fri. July 7 & 14, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Sat. July 8 & 15, 1:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Bronze Cross

Pool and Rec. Staff are currently arranging for this course and hope to have more information soon.

Junior Lifeguard Club is a new club where participants will train together to learn lifesaving skills, develop swimming skills, and learn more about lifesaving sport. The club will meet on Thursdays from 12-1. There is no cost associated with the Junior Lifeguard Club.

Drop-in Fees

Child (3 yrs and under) No Charge

Child (4-12 years) $ 4.00

Youth (13-18 years) $ 5.00

Adult (19-49 years) $ 6.00

Senior (50+ years) $ 5.00

Family (*) $ 15.00

Seasons Pass

Child (4-12 years) $ 64.00

Youth (13-18 years) $ 64.00

Adult (19-49 years) $ 89.00

Senior (50+ Years) $ 64.00

Family* $ 126.00

**If you would like any further information about courses or lessons, please email pool@faroyukon.ca or call the Rec. Centre.

Swim Lessons & Aquafit

8 lessons/classes $ 50.00

1 lesson/class $ 8.00

Private lesson/class $ 20.00

Facility Room Rentals

Pool (1-20 swimmers) $ 38.00

Pool (21-50 swimmers) $ 63.00

FARO SWIMMING POOL FEES

PUBLIC W

& OPERATIONS UP - DATES

MESSAGE FROM THE OPERATIONS MANAGER

Mark Vainio

Gardening Crew

 Hiring for the Student positions and Assistant Gardening positions is underway now and we’ll be in good shape this year with a full crew. They will be hard at it starting June 12th.

Projects

 2023 Grad Class did the Landfill cleanup this year. They did a great job!

rity, heat and air handling and controls, vehicle exhaust are the primary concerns along with Tower installation.

Phase 2 Construction

 Norcope should be finished sewer work behind Ogilvie very soon. Then proceeding to our sewer force-main and Lagoon section of the work. Should be back on Douglass Dr. late July.

Purchasing – Gas Tax Funded

 Our Combination Vactor Truck will be ready for delivery soon. Delayed by some work Vimar wanted to do to make us very, very happy. Primarily, the Accumulator, while still within specifications, was on the low end, so they replaced that. This will greatly increase the service life on the truck without issue for us. We have a long list of jobs for this truck when it arrives.

 The Bus Centre has delivering our Handi-bus to Whitehorse and was picked up yesterday.

 The Scissor-lift for maintenance inside the Rec. Centre Gym, Curling Rink, Arena and new Community Services Building (PWFH) has been received

COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN

By Larry Baran, CAO

As we look at the wildland fires happening in British Columbia, Alberta, NWT, Quebec, and Nova Scotia, we ‘knock on wood’ that we won’t follow suit in the Yukon.

In March, Administration advised Council that the Town of Faro’s current Wildfire Protection Plan was drafted in the year 2000, and more than a few things have changed in the last 23 years. We contacted the YG Wildland Fire Management Branch, and they were in the awkward situation of being overbooked with projects and understaffed. To meet our needs, however, they proposed that they develop an agreement wherein they would transfer funds to the Town, and we would use those funds to issue a contract to update our 23 year-old Community Wildfire Protection Plan.

We have contracted Ember Research Services Ltd to assist us. Because they were currently completing plans for Mayo and Watson Lake, we agreed to start our work in July, with the goal to have the Town of Faro-Wildfire Protection Plan completed before the end of 2023.

 Hydrant flushing and maintenance over the next few weeks. If you notice dirty water, please just let the tap run until it clears.

The Public Works & Fire Hall Building (Community Services Building)

 Hasn’t been much movement here regarding our concerns with deficiencies. Building secu-

As for Fire Smart work around Faro, work was postponed each of the previous 2 years because of a lack of worker applications. Our Operations Manager, Mark Vainio, hopes that, by starting the Fire Smart program earlier in 2023, we will have greater success in recruiting so that people won’t have to work in the snow.

Left to right: Rachel (Arien’s Mom), Max. Arien, Ms. Lefebvre Shanine

Flowers in our newly refurbished planter boxes

YIELD means let other road users go first. According to the Yukon Drivers Handbook, drivers must slow down and “give the right of-way to other vehicles and crossing pedestrians”. Unlike with stop signs, drivers aren't required to come to a complete stop at a yield sign and may proceed without stopping -- provided that it is safe to do so!

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The Town is planning on completing a FireSmart program this fall, but as a homeowner you should look at what you can do to mitigate the risk of a Wild Fire spreading though Town. Your House

 Consider the materiel you use to build your house

 Keep your Gutters Clean

 Close Vents Windows if/ when Wild Fire risks are high

 Don’t pile wood or other combustible material next to your house.

AIR QUALITY IN FARO

by Larry Baran, CAO

Ever wonder if, one day particular day, the air seems better than the other? Guess what I found out last week?

Back in 2020, a YG Environmental Protection Analyst installed an air quality sensor on the back of the municipal building. It appears that only the Town Staff at that time knew about the sensor being in stalled, but the sensor recently stopped working so as YG Technician came to swap it out with a new sensor. That found out that no one here seemed to even know about the sensor.

The Technician installed a sensor that monitors levels of fine particu-

late matter, also referred to as PM2.5; which refers to very fine dust in the air. In Faro specifically, sources of PM2.5 could include wildfires, windblown soil and dust, pollen, burning of fossil fuels, and residential woodstoves. PM2.5 is a commonly monitored contaminant because it is very small, can be inhaled and enter the bloodstream which can have a variety of health

Zone One (1.5-10m around your home)

 Insure all leaves and debre around your home are regularly removed.

 Choose landscaping and plants that are less likely to catch fire

 Keep Grass mowed

 Keep Firewood piles 10+ meters away from your house.

 Keep the ground clear of branches.

 All trees in this Zone should be 3 meters apart.

A link to YG’s Complete Manual to FireSmart your home is available at faro.ca/ p/FireSmart

what capacity can they use them.

The impressive thing about these sensors is that they report real time data to an online map at: cyclone.unbc.ca/aqmap/#6/62.492/129.375

So, anyone (including YG Environment) can go to that website anytime and check the sensor to monitor the air quality in Faro. Have a

COMMUNITY NOTICES

PROPERTY TAX PAYMENTS 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

TAT HOLIDAY CLOSERS

Wednesday,June21 National Indigenous Day All Town Departments and Facilities

Saturday, July 1 Canada Day Landfill will be Closed Watch for Special Rec. Events & Programs

Monday, July 3 in lieu of Canada Day Town Office & Public Works will be Closed

SUMMER LANDFILL HOURS

Tuesday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Wednesday 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Thursday Collection Day Friday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

TOWN OFFICE

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

TOWN CONTACT INFO & STAFF DIRECTORY:

Chief Administrative Officer

Larry Baran 994-2728 ext 4 cao-faro@faroyukon.ca

Operations Manger Mark Vainio 994-2728 ext 7 Town Shop: 994-2758 operations@faroyukon.ca

GM of Recreation & Culture Rec. Centre: 994-2375 recreation@faroyukon.ca

GM of Finance Lenka Kazda 994-2728 ext 3 finance@faroyukon.ca

Executive Assistant Jennifer Brooker 994-2728 ext 5 admin-faro@faroyukon.ca

Finance Clerk

Glenda Power 994-2728 ext 2 finclk@faroyukon.ca

If you are an able bodied individual, please consider joining the Fire Department and Protecting our Community.

The Faro Volunteer Fire Department also accepts Fire Explores aged 16+.

Contact the Town Office or Fire Chief for more information.

16, 2023

Correspondence to Mayor & Council: mayor.bowers@faroyukon.ca councillor.nyland@faroyukon.ca councillor.medvid@faroyukon.ca councillor.fetterly@faroyukon.ca councillor.mchugh@faroyukon.ca

FARO’S VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING FOR NEW MEMBERS!