the town crier

THE TOWN CRIER
January 2015
Greetings from the CAO
POLICY ON OUTSTANDING CHARGES
The Town has recently transferred 80 unpaid utility
accounts to the individual tax accounts. We have
previously informed ratepayers that failure to pay
garbage billings will result in a transfer of the
outstanding amount to taxes. Once this is done,
residents could lose their ability to obtain the Home
Ownership Grant. The Municipal Act and two Town
bylaws instruct us to initiate this transfer, a practice we
have been doing for at least 12 years, so please do not
place yourself in jeopardy.
ZONING BYLAW
We provide an update to residents on the zoning bylaw
which has received 1st reading. The Municipal Act now
requires that we have a Public Hearing prior to 2nd
reading yet before doing so, Council has decided to
discuss the bylaw at the Town Hall meeting scheduled
for Tuesday, January 27 and to then submit the
findings to Administration for amendments. We are
obliged under the Municipal Act to provide you 21
days' notice of the Public Hearing and will be
advertising that meeting once the amendments are
completed.
MARKETING PROPOSAL
Council recently met with a group of residents to
discuss marketing the town and development of a
vision for branding. The group decided to continue the
work and to solicit help from a facilitator.
INSURANCE POLICIES
The town is in the process of changing insurance
carriers for two of its major policies. The first involves
benefits for employees, the other insured the Town
from liability, crime, vehicle, and director's liability.
Employees are covered, in part, for dental, short and
long term disability, prescription drugs, and life
insurance. With the exception of short term disability,
premiums are cost-shared 60% by the Town and 40%
by the employee. Proposed premium increases
resulted in the Association of Yukon Municipalities
going out to bids and a new policy has been endorsed
whereby employees receive slightly less in benefits but
enjoy decreased premiums. The major benefits lost are
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dental coverage and pharmaceutical products.
Whereas the previous policy covered 100%, employees
will now be obliged to pay 10% of costs.
The insurance coverage for liability also resulted in
proposed premium increases and again, the Town
went out to solicit alternate bids. The Town pays
roughly $127,000 a year in premiums whereas the new
policy will see a 9% savings to $119,000.
COUNCIL MEETINGS AND POPCORN!
Our live stream of Council meetings will resume on
January 20 at 7:00 and thereafter on the 1st and 3rd
Tuesdays of each month.
BINS ... WHERE ART THOU?
We would like to request that resident’s place their
garbage bins close to the road so that it is obvious to us
that they should be emptied. Some residents leave
their bins on the porch or on the side of their house,
and we are often unsure if they should be emptied.
Thank you for your cooperation.
TOWN HALL MEETING
There will be a Town Hall meeting on Tuesday, January
27 at 6:30 in the Rec Plex. Council wishes to have your
ideas on the zoning bylaw prior to the public hearing
and we will entertain any issue you may wish to raise.
If you require backup information for your questions,
please contact the office and we will try to assist in any
way we can.
GARBAGE BILLING
We remind homeowners that you will no longer
receive monthly garbage billings. An annual garbage
fee will be issued on your tax notice in April. You can
pay in increments or all at once but you will be
expected to have the full amount paid by year end.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR WABBIT RESEARCH !!!!!
(SNOWSHOE HARES)
I am hoping to find 1-2 volunteer "citizen scientists" to
help collect snowshoe hare fecal pellets near Watson
Lake during the last week of February 2015. I am
testing hormone levels in these samples as part of my
PhD research, to obtain a non-invasive index of stress
in the population. This will require a commitment of a
few hours' work. You will be provided with
approximate GPS locations, instructions, and all
collection materials required. If you or anyone you
know might be interested and willing to help(or would
like
more
information),
please
email
[email protected].
WINTER SNOW REMOVAL
As winter has arrived we would like to remind
all residents of the Town of Watson Lake
Snow Removal policies.
During snow removal from public roadways
the Town will attempt to use the ‘driveway
trap’ on the grader to clear the windrows of
snow at the edge of the traveled portion of the
road and the driveway or road approach to a
property”. If the plow truck removes snow from
public roadways, the windrows of snow cannot
be “trapped” and therefore the removal of the
windrow will be the responsibility of the
property owner.
The location and snow depth in the driveways
affect the use of the driveway trap therefore
the success of each trapping is dependent on
circumstances.
“Snow removal between the traveled portion of
the road and the property line, together with
the driveway and any other entrances is the
responsibility of the property owner.”
“Any snow from private property may not be
piled within 15’ of any fire hydrant. “
“Snow removed from private property may not
be placed on the traveled portion of any
highway. When conditions warrant, the Town
may limit the area of highway right-of-way
available for placement of snow removed from
private property. “
Please ensure that vehicles are not parked or
stored on the right-of-way. The Town will not
be responsible for any vehicle damage
incurred.
The Traffic Bylaw and the Snow Removal
Policy may be read at the Town Office.
Watson Lake Fire Department
the surface of the flue. Any deposit over onequarter-inch-thick is a potential fire hazard and
should be cleaned professionally.
Creosote residue accumulates on relatively cool
chimney linings and, when ignited, causes an
extremely dangerous fire. To prevent creosote
build-up, home-owners should maintain a moderate
fire hot enough to prevent a cool flue liner, but not
hot enough to ignite creosote already formed.
Burning unseasoned or green wood creates a
‘cooler’ fire, which increases the chance of
creosote build-up. To lessen this problem use aged,
seasoned wood, which will burn hotter.
It is also that time of year to check your smoke
detectors.
Watson Lake Fire Department responded to six calls so
far in January
 2 motor vehicle incidents
 1 EMS assist
 2 false alarms
About Fire Safety & Prevention
Did you know that if a fire starts in your home, you
may have just two minutes to escape?
The most effective way to protect yourself and
your home from fire is to identify and remove fire
hazards. 60 percent of house fire deaths occur in
homes with no working smoke alarms. During a
home fire, working smoke alarms and a fire escape
plan that has been practiced regularly can save
lives.
Fire Safety Tips
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WOOD BURNING STOVES & FIREPLACES
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With the chill of winter approaching, the thought of
warming up by a crackling, toasty fire is enticing.
Before lighting the match, experts advise ensuring
that your fireplace or wood-burning stove is
operating properly in order to maintain the safety
of family members and your home. Any woodburning device should be checked periodically and
cleaned according to usage.
The most important consideration when it comes to
fire is safety. Homeowners should conduct their
own yearly inspection to ensure that their units
perform properly. Before using your fireplace for
the first time each season, it is suggested to check
the visible areas of the chimney for any blockages
or creosote (a highly flammable, gummy deposit)
build-up on the interior of the chimney walls and
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If a fire occurs in your home, GET OUT, STAY
OUT and CALL for help.
Install smoke alarms on every level of your
home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping
areas.
Test smoke alarms once a month, if they’re not
working, change the batteries.
Talk with all household members about a fire
escape plan and practice the plan twice a year.
Members of the fire department also participated in
our regular training nights with great turn out we are
working on completing our Job Performance
Requirements set out in the Yukon governments OH&S
regulations.
The fire dept. will have a limited number of
smoke/carbon monoxide detectors available free of
charge for the general public along with some info on
how and where to install them for more information
please contact me at the hall.
Scott MacLean
Fire Chief
WLVFD
536-8008
The Town of Watson Lake is required to set
property tax rates on or before April 15th. Please
review your assessment notice for any
discrepancies, as your 2015 taxes will be based on
the information provided.
How to make a home fire
escape plan
2014 HOME OWNER GRANTS
This is a reminder to all property owners. If you
have not applied for or received your 2014 Yukon
Government Home Owner Grant, the deadline to
claim your grant is February 15th. If you have any
questions, please contact Property Assessment
and Taxation at 667-5118.
 Draw a map of your home. Show all doors
and windows.
 Visit each room. Find two ways out.
 All windows and doors should open easily.
You should be able to use them
 to get outside.
 Make sure your home has smoke alarms.
Push the test button to make sure
 each alarm is working.
 Pick a meeting place outside. It should be in
front of your home.
 Everyone will meet at the meeting place.
 Make sure your house or building number
can be seen from the street.
 Talk about your plan with everyone in your
home.
 Learn the emergency phone number for
your fire department.
 Practice your home fire escape drill!
 Make your own home fire escape plan on
the back of this paper.
PUBLIC NOTICE
WASTE MANAGEMENT /GARBAGE BILLING
In January, 2014 Council passed a bylaw to
provide for the collection, storage, transportation
and disposal of solid waste for the Town of Watson
Lake. Due to new YG regulations that prohibited
the Town from burning garbage, the Town had a
recycling/landfill facility built to accommodate and
monitor the waste. As a result, the Town
implemented a waste management fee of
$20.00/month for all property owners.
Many
residents chose to prepay their accounts while
others expressed annoyance with monthly billings.
Why all the envelopes? Why all the stamps? Why
all the administrative time?
We listened! Effective January, 2015, the $20.00
monthly waste management charge will be
incorporated with your annual property taxes.
Property owners will no longer receive a monthly
invoice. You will now see a separate charge on
your property tax notice of $240.00 ($120.00 for
seniors) in addition to your annual property tax.
OUTSTANDING PROPERTY TAXES
Council reviewed the list of outstanding taxpayers
who do not already have liens imposed upon their
property. There is a requirement under the
Property & Assessment Act that a list of delinquent
properties be published in a Yukon Newspaper.
The next step is for the Town to apply for title
should the account remain delinquent. The lien
protects the municipality and has precedent over
all other parties with the exception of the Crown.
Residents will notice that this list is published on
the last page of the Town Crier. A similar ad will
appear in the Yukon News prior to February 15th.
Utility account arrears have recently been
transferred to tax accounts, these balances are
now considered and treated as unpaid taxes and
could result in a tax lien being registered against
the property.
2015 Property Assessment Notices
The 2015 YTG property assessment notices were
sent out to property owners in December. If you
disagree with the assessed value of your property,
please contact YG Property Assessment and
Taxation directly at 667-5268. An assessor will
review all the facts and answer any questions that
you may have.
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Any outstanding balance or credit on your waste
management account at the end of 2014 will be
transferred to the applicable tax account in the
New Year. This authority is contained in the
Municipal Act and in two Town bylaws. We have
previously cautioned those reluctant to pay that
they risk eligibility for the Homeowner's Grant so
please ensure your taxes are paid.
Reminder
2015 Business licences and dog tags expired on
December 31, 2014.
Please contact the Town Office to renew licenses
for 2015.
Business License Fees
The annual Business License Fee shall be one
hundred ($100.00) for each business. Where
multiple businesses are operated from one
location by one individual or company, the fee for
the first business license shall be one hundred
dollars ($100.00) and the fee for each additional
business license shall be fifty dollars ($50.00).
For a Non-Resident business, the annual Business
License shall be two hundred ($200.00).
Dog tag fees
$5.00 neutered/spayed annual animal tag
$20.00 unneutered male annual animal tag
$25.00 unspayed female annual animal tag
$25.00 neutered/spayed lifetime animal tag
What to Do If the Outside Drop-off Bags
are Full:
We try our best to keep the outside drop-off area in
good condition, but sometimes it’s going to happen
that you’re out there and the bag you need to use is
full. Please, don’t just balance your stuff on top of
an obviously full bag, or dump it in the bag next to
it or leave your stuff on the ground.
TOWN OFFICE CLOSURE
The Town Office will be closed on Friday, February
20th for Heritage Day. We will reopen on Monday,
February 23rd at 8:30 am.
These options are preferred:
-
Watson Lake Recycling Centre
536-7104
Email: [email protected]
HOURS OF OPERATION:
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Check down at the end. On a busy day we
will usually set up overflow bags to help in
this situation. They may not have signs
above them, but by looking in them you
should be able to find the correct bag.
Bring your recycling into the Depot and use
the inside sorting bags
Let us know the bag needs changing.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and
Saturday
Landfill
10AM – 5 PM
Recycling 10 AM – 5:30 PM
We close for all statutory holidays and if a
holiday falls on a Monday, we will be
closed the following Tuesday.
SHARE SHED: “We still do not have the Share
Shed moved out to our new location. We are going
to temporarily start using the small shed along the
fence to the right of the Depot….one shed is for
automotive batteries, the one on the left will be the
temporary share shed. We will be monitoring this
area closely for the next while.
We will no longer be accepting appliances in the
share shed. If you feel that the appliance you want
to get rid of is still in good enough working
condition for passing on to someone else, you will
have to make arrangements yourself. Some
suggestions are Facebook, Kijjji, Trader Time or a
sign downtown. “
No Clothes... We are not set up to handle clothing.
Please take usable clothing to the Thrift Shop.
Although they are presently closed they do
frequently check their drop box.
Any items for the share shed must be
checked thru the Depot first.
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TOWN HALL MEETING
Please be advised an open Town Hall meeting will
be held in the Mezzanine at the Watson Lake
Recreation Complex on Tuesday, January 27,2015
at 6:30 p.m. All members of the public are invited
to attend.
Items for discussion include:
 The Zoning By-law
 Provisional 2015 O+M Budget
This is your opportunity to share ideas, concerns
and questions with Mayor & Council.
Happy Valentine’s Day!!!
Our annual hockey camp took place in early January
with 23 people registering this year. Robin is an
amazing coach.
The 2nd annual Watson Lakes Biggest Loser will start on
February 2nd. For more information you can contact
Meaghen @ 536-8023
The Yukon’s longest running outdoor Bonspeil will take
place on February 20-22 at Wye Lake Park. It is the 33rd
year for this event as Watson Lakers you should be
proud, this event is absolutely amazing. There will be a
theme so keep your eyes open for more info.
PROCEDURES WITH RESPECT TO
DELGATIONS AT COUNCIL MEETINGS
Delegations are welcome before Council at any
regularly scheduled Council meeting.
Delegations must advise the Municipal Clerk in
writing prior to the scheduled Council meeting
about the nature of the delegation and the issue
the delegation is speaking to. Council will
therefore have time to review the item at hand
and gather any information they need prior to the
meeting.
Only one person from the delegation may address
Council. The normal time frame allocated will be
limited to fifteen minutes. Due to the nature of
the topic at hand, Council may establish a
separate meeting to deal with the issue.
Decisions of Council may require a motion.
Under the Municipal Act, once a decision of
Council has been made, depending on the matter
at hand, there may be further action required,
such as the passing of a By-Law to enact that
decision. When Council hears a delegation,
Council is not required to make a decision at that
time on the matter at hand. They will listen and
then thank the delegation for their presentation.
Council then has time to consider the matter
before them and make a decision afterwards.
Council will not entertain discussion from the
gallery. This would not be fair to Council as they
are now being put on the spot and have not had
time to research the topic. Also this disrupts the
Council
meeting. An
agenda
is
prepared specifically to discuss certain items. The
agenda, once approved, is then posted within the
community and the meetings are conducted in
relationship to the agenda.
The public has the opportunity to share ideas,
concerns and questions openly with Council at
the Town Hall meetings.
Any questions, ideas or concerns you know where to
find me  It takes all of us to make our community the
awesome place that it is and I love to hear all of your
ideas.
Meaghen Kimmitt
Recreation Programmer/
Personal Fitness Trainer
Town of Watson Lake
[email protected]
Work: (867)536-8023 Cell: (867)334-1253
“Be the change you want to see in the
world” -Mahatma Gandhi
The Northern Lights Centre
The hours of operation
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Wednesday 11am to 6:30pm
Thursday 11am to 6:30pm
Friday 2:30pm to 10pm
Saturday 2pm to 10pm
Sunday 11am to 5:30pm
CLOSED Monday and Tuesday
We have the following to offer you;
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Birthday parties w/gaming, 3D movies etc…
Public computers w/Internet
A Friday night movie
A Saturday night movie
gaming on Sundays
Rental space, hourly or daily
Drop in anytime and check it out!!
Please call Chad at 536-7827
For more information and costs
Greetings from Recreation!
After an extremely busy year we look forward to
January, it is our quiet planning month.
Meaghen has been away on some much needed R & R.
However that hasn’t stopped her from getting Kiki
Karnival planned and ready to go. The dates are
February 13 to 15, 2015. We have everything from
Hockey, children’s activities, good food and everything
in between. Pamphlets will be out as soon as the
hockey schedule is firmed up.
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The Recreation Centre will be closed February
20th for the Heritage Day. We will reopen on
Saturday, February 21st @ 10am
MEMBERS OF COUNCIL
Mayor Richard Durocher
Councillors
Brenda Leach
Thomas Slager
Tim O’Brien
Cynthia Kearns
TOWN COUNCIL MEETINGS
Council Meetings are held the first & third Tuesday
of every month. The next scheduled Council
meeting is Tuesday, February 3rd at 7:00 pm.
Please approach members of Council on any
agenda item that you wish to bring forward.
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