Then at the Feb 2nd Committee of the Whole Meeting, Councillor Surinder Rathor asked the Committee to endorse a "Wood First Resolution", similar to what Quesnel Council passed in November of 2009. As an aside, PG Council recently passed a "Wood First Resolution" as well.
However, Councillors Zacharias & Montoya and Mayor Cook refused to endorse it that night, but agreed it needed further research. Concerns expressed include:
- Resolution may violate bidding rules
- Concern it might invite a lawsuit upon the City
- Concern it might be used to build a 20 story wood building (currently prohibited by the BC Building Code)
To this, I say shame on them. All 3 concerns are completely invalid because if they were anywhere near truthful, Quesnel and PG Councils' would never pass the language contained in a "Wood First Resolution" but because these 2 City Councils' passed a "Wood First Resolution" in similar language, the concerns of Mayor Cook Councillors Zacharias and Montoya can not be identified as being true. Instead, I believe that Councillor Zacharias is allowing her thoughts on this file to be heavily influenced by her association with the BC Construction Association, which is well on record as being opposed to the Wood First Act (the instigator of the Wood First Resolution)
I should note that Councillor Barr stated Mayor Cook and Councillors Zacharias & Montoya's concerns with the proposed Williams Lake "Wood First Resolution" as being "much ado about nothing"
I would strongly urge Mayor Cook and Councillors Zacharias, Bourdon, and Montoya to pass the Wood First Resolution, as proposed by Councillor Rathor, as it is the right thing to do and shows great respect for one of the three major industries in the Central Cariboo Region
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