The Ambleside and Dundarave Residents Association (ADRA) is urging the District of West Vancouver council to recognize the financial impact COVID-19 will have on citizens and small businesses in the community.
ADRA has written a letter to the District of West Vancouver council asking them to change, adapt and even reverse some decisions so the community can better brace itself for the economic, social, and financial challenges the epidemic will leave in its wake.
Below is the whole letter:
Dear Mayor and Council
The ADRA Directors convened a special board meeting on March 22nd, through video conferencing, to respond to the drastically changing physical and economic situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic and in response to the State of Local Emergency declared in the District of West Vancouver on March 20th.
The ADRA Directors are in unanimous agreement with the efforts of our Mayor, Council and District staff in dealing with COVID-19 and will support the edict in any way we can, as well as encouraging our members and residents to fully adhere to the guidelines.
We anticipate the DWV will recognize the financial constraints being experienced by its residents, small businesses and respond accordingly. This is a challenging time of physical and financial well being for all. It is worth reading the comments from the Organization for Economic Co-operationn and Development:
www.bbc.com/news/business-52000219
The ADRA Directors respectfully submit the following points for you to consider in relation to the 2020 Budget, currently listed on the agenda for the March 30th Regular Council Meeting:
1) That many residents and small business owners are under the stress of reduced or no income for the foreseeable future.
2) There is a real need to support our small businesses, which we highly value, by way of reduced taxes, deferred taxes or similar economic stimulus.
3) Consideration of tax deferrals for residents that have lost their employment. Ensure seniors and others that qualify, are aware of the BC Government loan and tax deferral program.
4) To immediately cancel the Climate Emergency 0.5% tax. We are now in an immediate health and economic emergency. Our primary focus must be on the problems and concerns that will make a real difference to those in our community.
5) Consider holding the Asset Levy at 2019 level for 2020. No increase.
6) That there be no new staff hires as had been presented in the proposed 2020 Budget. Now is not the time to be adding staff and increasing expenses. We may well be going in the opposite direction.
7) There should be a reassignment of existing staff if and where necessary, to meet shortfalls within key priority departments.
8) Given the current emergency, to take a hard look at the 2020 Budget as presented and identify other areas of savings. The impact of this emergency may well last 12 to 18 months or beyond. We are facing a long term issue.
9) All non-essential projects should be deferred until such a time as the DWV has the funds to successfully finance them. For example, the 2195 Gordon Avenue project, the proposed Arts Facility, etc. Such projects are not a priority at this time.
10) Staff work on the new Arts Facility should cease. Volunteers can still continue with their fund raising processes should they wish to do so.
11) No development proposals or public hearings related thereto should proceed unless there is a way for them to be fully open and representative.
We are in the throes of a very real and existential emergency. When we come out of this, hopefully in 12 to 18 months, the world as we know it will likely to have irrevocably changed. All organizations including Municipalities will have the challenge of comprehending the psychological and economic impacts in our poplation in a post Coronavirus world. We will all need to adapt. This will not be easy.
Thank you for all your efforts in responding to what is the most challenging societal crisis most of us have experienced in our lifetimes. ADRA is prepared to continuing working with DWV and doing what we can to help deal with COVID-19 in our community.
Yours truly,
Heather Mersey, President
Ambleside & Dundarave Residents Association
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