4 - North Shore News - Friday, December 15, 2000 Liberal Catherine Barr Contributing Writer TWO North Shore MLAs are critical of North Vancouver City council’s recent TransLink flip-flop. “Somebody didn’t keep his eves on the switch,” said West Vancouver-Garibaldi MILA and Municipal Affairs Critic Ted LAS Nebbeliag. “Council members must have voted unanimously in faveur of having (the issue) put back on the table. The sec- ond motion should not have been allowed,” he said. The main issue surrounds a change in the city’s position regarding =a) controversial ‘TransLink levy that could see drivers pay anywhere between $40 and $120 annually. It was an issue that city councillors voted unanimously against.on Oct. 18, and debat- ed publicly in tront of a large council chamber audience on Oct. 16. At that time council- lors voted that “the proposed levy not be supported.” Then, on Nov. 20, just days before a crucial “TransLink board vote on the levy, city council reversed its decision. In a close 4-3 vote, a new metion by Coun. Darrell Mussarto was We have moved: and expanded The ophthalmology practice of Dr’s, Goldberg, Maerov, Godinho, Tischler and Chen can now be found at ____._FyeWest Vision Center... 3rd Floor, 1343 Lonsdale Avenue North Vancouver (THE SCOTIA BANK BUILDING) Our telephone number is 985-0405 We look forward to continuing our care of your vision needs in our new premises. supported: — “failing other (funding options), council sup- ports the implementation of a levy to support the objectives of the Strategic “fransportation Pian.” Said Mussatto on Thursday: “1 really truly believe that the automobile owner is going to have to realize the consequences of their actions. If we include the environment, we're going to have to pay for it. } feel the gas tax was the best. The automobile had a free run for the last hundred years, now it’s time to start paying the cost of its effect on the envi- ronment. [mi trying to: give them (the public) alternatives by putting money inte transit.” Mussatto’s successful notion paved the way for the North Shore's TransLink rep resentative fo cast a vote in favour of the levy. North Vancouver District Mayor Don Bell (the ‘TransLink rep) said his vote “was the summary of what | heard from the munici- palities on the North Shore.” The decision passed by a 7-5 vote, The parliamentary prece- dures used in bringing this issue back to a vote at the city level has been called into ques- tion by Nebbeling. Initially city clerk Bruce Hawkshaw said the vote was allowed under section 219 of the Local Government Act. Now, in an attempt to fur- ther clarify the — matter, ‘A fitness club so exclusive, you’re the only member HAMMER STRENGTH Rely on us to bring the health club home to you this Christmas re 4560 Dawson Street, Burnaby BC | ph: 299-8222 | WEST Vancouver- Capilano MLA Jeremy Dalton watched the city’s Oct. 16 debate on the vehicle levy. Hawkshaw says this is not the case. “In essence what hap- pened was a brand new motion had come forward whereby. Mayor Bell and Mayor Sharp were seeking clarity on the intent of the original motion,” said Hawkshaw. “Section 219 is of no effect here.” ” According to Robert's Rules of Order, the chair must rule out of order any motion that conflicts with an already adopted motion. Hawkshaw says this simply isn’t the case here. “Council provided a new, different resolution. The origi- nal moticn still stands,” he said. But West Vancouver- Capilano MLA Jeremy Dalton, who was present for the Oct. 16 debate, has his doubts. “Those two things are diamet- rically opposed,” he said. “And I'm also puzzled as to what the council thought: they were doing.” Nebbeling agreed. “You hire people to make sure things are done in the proper order because this is a democracy,” he said. “The intent is the same, WEST Vancouver- Garibaldi MLA and Municipal Affairs Critic Ted Nebbeling questions city move on levy. where (one motion) denies to go with the motion and ‘one goes with it.” Nebbeling said that even under section 219 of the Local Government Act, the council was in error, Their one month time period had expired because, quoting directly from the Interpretation Act: “a month means a period catculat- ed from a day in one month to day numerically corresponding to the day in the following month fess one day.” The only way this item could have been brought back for discussion, he said, was for the mayor to seek unanimously council approval. This did not happen. Meanwhile on Dec. 1 Bell, Sharp and Bowen ead Lisa - Barrett supported the levy at a GVRD. meeting. The decision : passed by a margin of 56-50. Don Bell's vote was worth five points. Sharp's was worth three and Barrett’s was worth one. West Vancouver Coun. Victor Durman and Lions Bay Mayor Brenda - Broughton rejected the levy. ct ee oe me “AM servic «fully wasranty * 3G) ol, Lube & : Fitter : mols 21 pt. Safety check, 15 minutes - FAST! Includes up to 5 titres of 10w30 Qutakerstate 1362 Marine Drive 986-9715 Mon-Sat 8:00am-6:00¢n,' Sun. 9:00am-5:00pm , Expires Dee. 27/2000 North Vancouver ma East Esplanade (cust of onsdeta) 7474 |. (east as Oak). 51-1604 a Pera te ea Every Sunday featuring Great” health for ggod fiving.’, :. Receive 10% off Brentwood Riall Gift Certificates. Available at the Customer Service Centre { located on the upper level outside Sears. One purchase per customer. Maximum $100 purchase. 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