Steve Rant - May 18th Committee of Whole Council Meeting

Having reviewed the Williams Lake Council "Committee of the Whole" Agenda for Tuesday, the following items stand out:

1) Update on Traffic Study for Prosperity Ridge

I hope that Council is able to make use of this information and move forward as the developer for the site, I'm sure, would like to maximize use of this site. But we'll have to see what the next steps are

2) False Alarm Bylaw - Public Education & Implementation

City of WL Staff envision the following timeline:

May 25th - approval of educational plan and timeline

May 26th - Begin Notification of primary groups/ businesses impacted via mail-out

a) Alarm companies
b) Required users of alarm monitoring
c) Insurance companies
d) RCMP / WLFD
e) Business Improvement Association
f) Chamber of Commerce

June 18th - False Alarm information session for invitation only / collect data from meeting

July 5th - Development of False Alarm Bylaw with input considered from invitation meeting

July 2009 - Open House for those previously invited and open to the public for consultation

August 2009 - Draft Bylaw for Councils review, including costs of implementation

September 2009 - Second Public Consultation session to display final draft before Council Vote

Other then the fact that the 1st Public Consultation Meeting on a False Alarm Bylaw in July (which I personally deplore as consultation on subjects as serious as this should take place in the months of January - June & September - December only and let's use the summer months to relax and enjoy the Cariboo-Chilcotin and not worry about local government business.)

Otherwise, if the public/invitation-only consultation sessions go well, then I think the False Alarm Bylaw could be a good news story for the City as it'll allow more appropriate use of RCMP resources.

3) Draft Motion on "Letter of Support - Provincial Health Minister's Report "Public Health Approach to Alcohol Policy"

Here's what Councillor Montoya's Portfolio has recommended on this topic:

"That Council receive the letter from the BC Coalition for Action on Alcohol Reform dated March 23, 2010 for information and a letter of support be provided recommending that the BC government exercise social responsibility by proposing new legislation to reduce the health and social harms caused by alcohol abuse in our communities be submitted by the Mayor on behalf of Council"

Now, if that looks to you "as clear as mud" then you're right however I think the motion should have read:

"That Council receive the letter from the BC Coalition for Action on Alcohol Reform dated March 23, 2010 for information and the Mayor provide a letter of support, on behalf of Council, recommending that the BC government exercise social responsibility by proposing new legislation to reduce the health and social harms caused by alcohol abuse in our communities"

However, I will say that the motion regardless should identify where the letter of support is going and hopefully at the Committee of the Whole, this will be rectified