THE City of North Vancouver had a year of accomplishments in 2012, according to the municipality's annual report.
The recently released document lists climate adaptation, local food production and alternative transportation as examples of continued achievements.
"We created 37 childcare spaces and 10,000 square feet of affordable housing," said Isabel Gordon, director of finance. She also cited trail construction in Heywood Park, car-sharing programs and a Green Can program to reduce landfill waste.
The annual report, presented before a public hearing, not only lists the city's previous year's achievements but also financial information and the city's goals for the current year.
"We want to enhance our relationship with the business community," said Gordon. "We will be working, particularly with the Lower Lonsdale business community on their Business Improvement Association initiative."
But the city's achievements were not enough to deter frustration from some of the public on how and where the money is being spent.
Kerry Morris, an East 14th Street resident, was unhappy with the Lonsdale Energy Corporation's more than $160,000 debt payment, the $3,000 it paid in interest and the approximately $2 million of total debt issued and outstanding as of the end of last year.
"I've been a business man for a lot of years. They call this a dog where I come from," said Kerry Morris. "These costs do not fully reflect the burden the city is incurring of cutting up road that isn't worn out."
Morris said he did not see it as a sustainable business unless rates were increased. "As a taxpayer, I'm unhappy," he said.
When asked by Mayor Darrell Mussatto if there was a schedule to pay back the debt acquired by LEC, Gordon said it was not uncommon for larger energy companies to repay debt over a long period of time.
"There is no schedule to repay debt that is as yet in place," said Gordon. "The road right of way is removed for all sorts of development and for many different types of utilities and it would be very difficult to assign a lifecycle cost to that."
For resident Ivan Leonard, construction costs were also an issue.
"I understand we rent a lot of the equipment. Why do we use our staff and not just contract the work out?" said Leonard, addressing council.
City engineer Douglas Pope said maintenance and utility installation are done by city crews for the most part.
"The city has done that for a long number of years and found that to be the most efficient use of city resources," said Pope. "All our paving is done by contractors, so it's typically a balance."
