1) Potato House (48 Proctor Street)
Mary Forbes from Dandelion Interpretation will discuss this item with Council the necessity to save this building. It will be interesting to see what Council decides to do with this item. It should be noted that this building is privately for sale and this is not the same situation with the Cariboo Lodge site, which was publicly owned and where there was a public outcry to get control of the Cariboo Lodge site from Interior Health. See here for Ms. Forbes's request to Council
2) "Memory Garden" - Community Farm Initiative
Ryan Veitch, from the local Food Policy Council, will discuss this initiative with Council. This proposal will see a plot of land used below the track at Williams Lake Secondary (bottom of Carson Drive) used as a "community garden" tendered by students and others' in our community. There are many partners' to this project. The City will be asked to partner, by way of providing water to the site. I hope that Council will agree to their request because this is a wonderful initiative for the City. See here for Mr. Veitch's presentation to Council on this matter
3) Parking at Big Mama's Steak House
Kim Judd (Owner - Big Mama's Steak House) will appear before Council to discuss the challenge around parking at this business. When this business was the "Bill-Nor", parking was and continues to be a challenge as you had and still have people parking in the designated area plus up and down Highway 97. Council will have to work with the Ministry of Transportation (if City of WL Staff have not yet engaged the Ministry) to see what options, if any, are available.
4) 2 Reports from Recreation Portfolio (Councillor Rathor)
Councillor Rathor's Recreation Portfolio will be reporting out on:
1) Opening the Cariboo Memorial Complex on Statutory Holidays (except September Maintenance Shutdown) - read the report here
2) Bid for 2013 or 2015 BC Winter Games - read the report here
I've discussed this with him and CRD Area 'D' Director Deb Bischoff but the City and CRD must find some method and process to have these items and Recreation-related matters discussed at Joint Committee first to ensure everyone can discuss this item at once (Recreation is a partnership between City and CRD), rather than the following process, which, I suggest, breeds a feeling of the City bringing an Agenda to Joint Committee:
1) Discuss at Portfolio
2) Portfolio makes a recommendation to Council - either Committee of the Whole or Regular/Special Open Council
3) Refer to Joint Committee for discussion
There is no indication that the CRD had input on either:
1) Opening the Cariboo Memorial Complex on Statutory Holidays (except September Maintenance Shutdown)
2) Bid for 2013 or 2015 BC Winter Games
The Recreation Portfolio should have formally engaged the CRD on these 2 items and their comments be included in the Portfolio Report (which it isn't). In addition, the local Recreation Advisory Committee hasn't been engaged on these two items as well which also leaves the discussion at the May 19th and June 9th Joint Committee meetings' on the Recreation Advisory Committee a little suspect
5) Letter from Jim Sinclair (President - BC Fed of Labour) re: Minimum Wage
Finance Portfolio has not provided a recommendation on this item so it will be interesting to see how Council deals with this item. At minimum, Council will agree to receive the letter. I am still not convinced that raising the minimum wage in the Province is the panacea to keeping families, who work for the minimum wage already, above the poverty line. Raising it could have an opposite effect. In the mean time, the provincial government should look at other measures that could mean the same thing as raising the minimum wage
You can read the letter from Mr. Sinclair here
2 comments:
STAT HOLIDAY REPORT-
"That the report from the Recreation Services Portfolio regarding closure of the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex on Statutory Holidays be received and referred to the Central Cariboo/City of Williams Lake Joint Committee for discussion".
NORTHERN BC WINTER GAMES REPORT-
"That this item be referred to Joint Committee for consideration and possible referral to the
Central Cariboo Recreation Advisory Committee.
"
It appears to me that they are doing exactly what you are suggesting. You know well that a request comes to City Council it MUST be addressed in some form by CITY COUNCIL even if that is only referring it to Joint (and then on to the Rec Advisory Committee) which is EXACTLY what is being reccomended. Nothing more.
I fail to see your point here. The process being followed is EXACTLY what is required and to do otherwise would be incorrect. You're always the first to point out incorrect process so this is very much like the pot calling the kettle black.
Thanks for your comment...
1) I don't agree with you that I'm calling the kettle black but I'm pointing a flaw in the process, which I would strongly suggest doesn't promote a good working relationship with the Regional District, having attended enough Joint Committee meetings'
2) Both parties can always sign a amendment to the current MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) which states that when either party (City or CRD) receives a item from the pubolic pertaining to Recreation or Arts/Culture - that either of their Staff shall place on a Joint Committee Agenda for consideration and not refer to Portfolio, Committee of the Whole Council or Rural Caucus/CRD Board. Doing it this way ensures that both parties see it the item at the same time and ensures that no one has an advantage over the other.
I'm sorry that you won't see it like I do but when you attend enough local government meetings', you see how one can improve the process without any stake
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