The Hope Standard ‘sat down’ with district Mayor Peter Robb and put your questions on COVID-19 to him. A transcript of our conversation is included below.
Emelie Peacock (EP):I’m going to start off with a question from one of our readers who wants to know, if you and your family are doing well?
Peter Robb (PR): Yes, we are. Yeah. We spoke to our grandchildren yesterday by Facebook, to wish them all a happy Easter. It was a strange one this year, just the two of us at home here. But everyone’s well, thank you for asking.
EP: One question for me, what do you miss most about life before the pandemic?
PR: Family. Being with the grandkids, chasing them around. Just being close to family. This is very difficult.
EP: We’re fresh off of a long weekend and I was kind of checking out the highways and seeing how we were doing. Definitely busier than during the week. And I know AdvantageHOPE has previously called for people to not visit Hope. So I’m wondering if you could tell us what the district has done and what more can be done to encourage non-residents from not visiting our community?
PR: That’s a difficult one to answer because the province controls what’s going on in our communities right now, across the province. We don’t have control of people coming in and out of our community, just like Chilliwack can’t control Hope residents coming in to shop or visit family and friends.
I would think, depending on what the government saw this weekend, they might tighten things down. But we’ve done what we can do, which is through AdvantageHOPE, get on Facebook and other social media and tell them not to come. We’ve helped the regional district close parks. They put up barriers for the parkades. Basically, that’s all we can do and what we we have the authority to do.
EP: I had one reader who was wondering why there’s no signage around Kawkawa Lake as they said ‘the caution tape is not deterring anyone.’ Are there plans to put up some signage there?
PR: I mean as far as actual closure and social distancing? Yeah, there’s barriers at the bottom and there’s tape and barricades at the top. And there’s tape across the trail to go down. But a sign would be good, just to reinforce.
EP: Another reader said he’s got several AirBnB properties around him, within blocks of his home, and he’s just wondering if the district has put any restrictions on AirBnBs to prevent them from renting to non-residents?
PR: No, we have not. No, I don’t know if we have the authority to do that or not. I’d have to get back to you on that. We have not dealt with AirBnBs.
EP: I’m wondering what the district is thinking and communicating with people who have a second home or a vacation home in Hope?
PR: There again, we do not have the authority to stop them from coming into our community and using their vacation home. It’s their civic responsibility to follow the rules and not come to our community. And unfortunately, they’re not doing it.
There again, I just have to keep saying it, we do not have the authority. And these are things that we’ve been pressuring the government to look at. All communities want help with this. How do we stop this from happening without major clampdown and shutdown the province? And they were hoping for more compliance, just on a personal level, from the residents from traveling to different communities.
EP: And just to clarify, so what is the message that you’d like to send to people who have a second home here or a vacation home here?
PR: It’s pretty basic. Follow the protocol, stay at home. We don’t need you to visit right now. We’re dealing with our own issues in our community. We don’t need to make things worse. So just stay at home.
Unfortunately, that did not happen a lot this weekend. I was out and about as well, after receiving phone calls. Even in my own neighborhood there was family visiting from outside the community, and it makes it difficult for those that are trying to comply and don’t understand why we can’t stop it.
EP: I sense some frustration there in your voice.
PR: There is.
EP: So in terms of your powers, what you can do, it’s basically just trying to reinforce that message of people to stay home?
PR: Yes.
EP: Moving on to property taxes. So I had one reader who is asking if the council will be announcing deferrals for payment of property taxes and utilities and if so, when?
PR: We have a council meeting tomorrow night. We’re back in the swing of things. What’s on the agenda is the utility bill, which we are hoping to pass that defer to up to December 31, for payment without penalties. As far as the property tax there, again, the government controls that date. We cannot change it without their approval and we would need bridge financing from the government if we did change it because we have our day-to-day operation. We need that cash flow coming in in July to operate.
And we’re hoping the province will have a good look…all of us are in the same boat throughout the province, especially the smaller communities. We need that cash flow in July. So I’d love to defer and then get a bridge financing from the province.
EP: And how likely is that? I know Vancouver’s mayor has recently talked about trying to get some funding from the province and basically being told that’s not a possibility.
PR: They do operate under their own charter. That’s different than the community charter. As you know, we cannot have a deficit. The province and the federal governments can have deficits and we cannot. So this is important to us that we get this financing, if they’re going to allow us to delay…change the tax date deadline without penalties.
If not, we’re going to have to rely on our taxpayers that can afford to to please step up and pay their taxes if it doesn’t get changed. And we’ll deal with the other ones as we get a handle on who can and who can’t pay pay their taxes this year. I have no sense of if it’s 25 per cent, 10 per cent, I have no sense right now as far as how many of our tax payers would be stuck for contributing this year. I don’t know.
EP: And does the municipality have any powers, for those who don’t pay those taxes, to avoid certain penalties or to allow them to to delay or is that all provincial?
PR: No, we could do something there. We could delay the penalties. Yes. If council chose to, to approve that, of course.
EP: One resident said they were worried about being ‘slapped with interest’ if they paid their property taxes at a later date. So we just talked about that. Is this something that homeowners and property owners should be worried about?
PR: I wouldn’t add that to their list of worries right now. I would say we’ll know within the next two weeks what the province is going to do with that. And then we will deal with it on a separate issue on what we can do through our community charter to to help the residents.
EP: So Council is continuing their work, including an April 14 public hearing, budget consultations, and as you mentioned, talking about property taxes and deferrals. So how can people participate in these sessions, given that we can’t actually be there?
PR: Yeah, right. Right now we’re doing a Facebook livestream and the council’s calling in. It will be myself and two other staff members in the council chambers only. It’s not a public meeting. So it’s a committee of the whole. If we were to have a public meeting, they would get lots of notice, they would have to submit by email, letters, drop it off. We may be able to do a phone in session. Staff’s looking at all the different options if we move forward with more meetings.
EP: So in terms of people participating, the April 14 and April 20 meetings, there’s no need for public participation, but they can watch it online, right?
PR: Yes.
EP: We’ll go on to businesses. One reader is asking why are non-essential stores still open?
PR: Because the province has not done anything with that. You’re allowed to stay open, whether it’s the dollar store that people complained to me about, it’s non-essential, Rona - all those businesses can still operate. It’s the ones that were deemed personal care if you will. No haircuts, nails and the restaurants of course, that cannot do takeout have to close. But non-essential businesses can still operate if they choose to. Now less and less are operating and they really cut back their hours in town.
EP: I think it was two weeks ago you said the district was working with businesses on voluntary closures and restricted hours. Could you tell me how that’s working out?
PR: I think it’s working well, if you wander the streets as I do to check and read the signs on the doors and many businesses have cut back their hours. Whether it’s Starbucks or Lordco, or whoever in town, they’ve all cut back their hours. So it’s working.
EP: Another reader is asking if the district could offer more support to local businesses, to help them identify and implement relevant provincial guidelines. For example, the BC Centre for Disease Control guidelines on on limiting people in grocery stores?
PR: Well, that’s where AdvantageHOPE has stepped up to the plate for the district. They’ve been doing that with Shannon Jones and our new EDO (economic development officer) Lyle Downey. They have reached out to over 100 businesses in the community to tell them which links they could go to for financial help, for help in operating their business, what signage they need. So that help is there and they’re working with the district, closely with us, to make sure we give the businesses the support that they need at this time.
EP: I had one resident who said he didn’t have any questions for you as “most Hopesters seem to get it now and are keeping their distance with each other.” Do you agree that people now “get it” and are following the provincial health directives?
PR: I would say the majority of our community gets it. There’s still still some out there, that, still don’t think are taking this as serious as they should. And when you’re wandering around and going to the different communities and driving through, there’s still some people that aren’t getting it. But overall, I am pleased with how the community stepped up.
It’s not just a good neighbor thing, it’s a civic responsibility to do what we’ve asked you to do to help stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus. I mean, this is what we all need to do. And I know it’s difficult, they have to be more patient and continue to be patient, if you will. This is going to be a while yet. And who knows what the new normal is going to be, so to speak, no one knows. This is all new to all of us.
EP: So another reader question for those who are still socializing with people other than who they live with, and hence aren’t practicing social distancing with those people. They’re wondering what you would say to them.
PR: Well, I will be as blunt as I can be, at times. They are risking, that they could cause another person’s death. That’s how important this is. By not following the basic rules of social distancing, washing your hands, (avoiding) large groups, you could actually cause someone else’s death in your family or a neighbor. It’s that simple. I don’t know how else I can put it to the public. They must follow what we’re asking them to do. We all need to, everyone.
EP: Well, I didn’t want to end on a on a on a negative note. But I guess the flip side of that is if you are doing what you’re asked to do, you could save a life.
PR: You’re absolutely correct, that is the flip side. And I don’t mean to be doom and gloom, but but that is the reality of it. If you follow it, you’re not gonna have a problem. Follow it and don’t worry about your neighbor having it or not having it. I get a lot of calls on that. How many do we have in the community? Where are they? You should be telling us? No, worry about yourself and your family, and everything else will take care of itself.
EP: Do you have anything else to share with our community?
PR: Well, you need to know that the staff continue to work day to day at district hall. Council’s engaged, they’re all up to speed on what’s going on in the community. And we are re-prioritizing each day, as we get new information.
We’ve lost some grants because they’re redistributing funds to different locations. So for the public this year, already we know we won’t be redoing Othello Road or widening and repairing Richmond Hill. We’ve already been told those grants, the funding has been redirected.
So we’re looking at our capital plan. We’re looking at our staffing. We still have to function day-to-day, but we’re prioritizing pretty much on a daily basis working with the staff for the future.
It’s a difficult time, but we’ll get through it. I’m very confident, our businesses will gradually slowly reopen. I don’t think it’s going to be a fast uptake. Some will survive and some will not, unfortunately, survive. But we will give them the help wherever we can.
And please just practice what we’re asking you to do, the basic protocol. And thank you to all our local frontline workers.
emelie.peacock@hopestandard.com
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