Tuesday, November 19, 2013

WL Council Highlights - Nov 19th mtg

Present - Mayor Cook and Councillors Bonnell, Bourdon, Hughes, Rathor and Zacharias

Absent - Councillor Laurie Walters

Staff present:

Darrell Garceau - City Manager (CAO)
Cindy Bouchard - Manager of Legislative Services
Geoff Goodall - GM of Planning/Ops
Ken MacInnis - Communications Coordinator
Alan Madrigga - Manager of Economic Development

Meeting called to order at 6pm

At the request of Councillor Rathor - a moment of silence was observed to note the passing of former IWA Union Leader Jack Munro

Agenda approved and WL Council meeting minutes of Nov 5th approved

Delegations:

1) WL Community Arts Council appeared before Council to discuss the Branding the City with Art' and to conduct the Banner Presentations to Selected Artists

2) RCMP Update - Council received an update on activities from the local RCMP from Staff Sgt Ken Brissard and local Safer Community Coordinator Dave Dickson

Business:

1) Council received for information the cheque runs for the period of November 7 and 14, 2013

2) Council approved the 2014 Fee for Service contracts and funding levels proposed for 2014 as follows:

NOOPA (Boys & Girls Club) - $15,000
Williams Lake Stampede Association (Queens) - $5,000
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Williams Lake - $15,000
Cariboo Chilcotin Hospice Palliative Care Society - $16,900
Scout Island Nature Centre - $12,500
Social Planning Council - $5,000
Youth for Christ - $5,000
Williams Lake Stampede Association - $25,000
Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society (Water) - $38,600
Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society (Solid Waste) - $24,500
Community Policing Committee - $15,000
Tourism Discovery Centre - $155,000

TOTAL = $332,500

3) Council approved travel, accommodations and associated expenses for Mayor Cook to attend the Northern Crime Reduction Strategy Meeting on November 28, 2013 in Prince George, BC, as per Council policy

4) Council approved use of the place brand concept and logo as per the attachment for use by the City by the following vote:

Affirmative - Mayor Cook and Councillors Bonnell, Bourdon, Rathor and Zacharias
Negative - Councillor Hughes

Meeting recessed at 7pm for Public Hearing on Bylaw #2193
Meeting resumed at 7:03pm

5) Council approved the First Renewal Term Agreement for the Senior’s Activity Centre Society Lease and authorized Mayor Cook & the City's Mgr of Legislative Services to sign the renewal lease on behalf of the City

6) Council received and referred to the Dec 3rd, 2013 meeting Development Permit #6/2013 (1324 Broadway Avenue - McDonald's Exterior upgrade)

7) Council gave 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Reading to City of Williams Lake Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2196 of 2013

8) Council authorized Staff to request BC Transit to complete a review of transit fares and operations and report back to Council with recommendations based on the review findings.

9) Council adopted Borrowing in Anticipation of Revenue Bylaw No. 2197, 2013

10) After a public hearing, Council gave 3rd Reading/Adoption to Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 2193 (327 Oliver St)

11) Council received a news release from Interior Health re: the award of the planning contract for the Cariboo Memorial Hospital redevelopment project

12) Council received a letter from BC's Attorney-General (Hon. Suzanne Anton) regarding their meeting at the 2013 UBCM Convention

13) Late Item - Council agreed to provide a letter of support for the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Cariboo Chilcotin Branch's Community Gaming Grant application through the Province's Gaming Policy & Enforcement Branch for their multiculturalism program and events.

14) Council received the "Council Information Package" as follows:

• November 2013 - NCLGA Connector No. 122;
• November 4, 2013 - UNBC Release re Appointment of Interim President;
• November 4, 2013 - Letter from Honourable Stephanie Cadieux re Adoption Awareness Month;
• November 5, 2013 - NDIT Release re Small Town Love pilot program success;
• November 7, 2013 - CRD Board Highlights;
• November 7, 2013 - BC Food Systems Network re Proposed Changes to ALR and ALC.

15) Council received a report from Mayor Cook regarding her activities on behalf of WL Council

Members of Council commented on their recent activities throughout the City

Meeting adjourned at 7:45pm and after a 5 minute break, Council had a private (non In-Camera) meeting

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

What is a private (non In-Camera) meeting? Where is that covered under the Community Charter? What would Council have to discuss in a private meeting that the citizens are not privy to??

Steve Forseth said...

A private meeting is not officially recognized by the Community Charter. As for what was discussed - your guess is as good as mine. Personally - if you need to meet behind closed doors, then use the 'In Camera' provision of the Community Charter

Abdullah said...

of course,if the meeting were bring held under the Community Charter then there would be a record of it,something this Council wants to avoid...nuff said.

Anonymous said...

It is disconcerting that there are things that need to be discussed by this council that can't be done under the Community Charter! What needs to be talked about that shouldn't be part of the record?? As a citizen of Williams Lake, this concerns me!

Anonymous said...

So who was part of this private meeting? All councillors plus all the staff that attended the council meeting? Is it even legal for them to do this, Steve, or must they use the 'In Camera' provision of the Community Charter? What does this mean as far as our level of trust of this council? When the city employees were on strike there was misinformation being put out. It makes me wonder if there is more coming. So, what's actually legal for council to do and not do?

Steve Forseth said...

As far as I'm aware - Mayor Cook and Councillors Ivan Bonnell, Geoff Bourdon, Danica Hughes, Surinderpal Rathor and Sue Zacharias were part of the "private" gathering of WL Council. I can't say with certainty if Staff were part of this meeting

As far as legalities go - any meeting, in my view, regardless of purpose, that seeks to exclude the public should be done via Sections 92 and 90 (1) of the Community Charter.

We can only hope any decision(s) arrived at in this "private meeting" will be publicly reported at the next meeting of Council which is set for Dec 3

Anonymous said...

"When the city employees were on strike there was misinformation being put out."

Care to enlighten us? And please not your personal "opinion". Just facts.

Tom Barr said...

Seems strange to have this type of meeting and to advertise it as such. As it was not " in camera" those in attendance are free to talk about the content without fear of breaking confidence!, Why not ask,Surinder? Tom

Anonymous said...

Get George Cuff to help

Steve Forseth said...

Anonymous at 9:59pm

Thanks for your comment. Council recently had a session with famed parliamentarian Eli Mina.