Quesnel Council Highlights - Aug 25th

Present - Mayor Sjostrom and Councillors Brisco, Cave, Coleman, Elliot, Roodenburg and Thapar

Staff:

Byron Johnson - City Manager
Gina Albers - Deputy Corporate Administrator
Kari Bolton - Director of Corporate/Financial Services
Ken Combs - Director of Public Works/Engineering
Teann Ingram - Communications Clerk

Meeting called to order at 7pm
Meeting Agenda with late items approved

Mayor Sjostrom relinquished the Chair to Councillor Coleman to chair Committee of the Whole

In the Committee:

Delegations

a) Ed Kent - Steelworkers Union appeared before the Committee to discuss their "Stop the Killing - Enforce the Law" campaign

A Question/Answer period ensued

The Chair, on behalf of the Committee thanked Mr. Kent for his presentation

Resolved - That the Committee recommend to Council that the proposed Resolution, as presented by Mr. Kent, be considered for adoption (Draft Resolution here)

b) Dennis Girodat from the local WildSafeBC branch appeared before the Committee to discuss their local activities - report here

A Question/Answer period ensued

The Chair, on behalf of the Committee, thanked Mr. Girodat for his time/information

Business

1) 2015 Permissive Tax Exemptions

The Director of Corporate/Financial Services presented her report to the Committee
Discussion ensued thereon

Resolved - That the Committee recommend to Council:

a) THAT Council approve a 100% permissive tax exemption for Quesnel Community and Economic Development Corporation at 410 Kinchant Street.

b) THAT Council provide a 50% permissive tax exemption for the Quesnel Tillicum Society for 375 North Fraser Road.

c) That Council provide a permissive tax exemption minus provincial funding for North Cariboo Aboriginal Program Society’s property at 324 Hoy Street and the adjacent lot

Councillor Coleman then relinquished the Chair back to Mayor Sjostrom to chair the remainder of the Council meeting

In Quesnel Council:

1) Council adopted a July 28th Committee of the Whole recommendation as follows:

The Committee recommends to Council that Council changes the
Election Period Communications Policy (COMM-3) by allowing all
Council communications until the close of Nomination Period, which is
4:00 p.m. on the 36th day prior to General Voting Day, prior to each
Local Government Election;

AND THAT this change is effective for the pre-election period for the
2014 November Local Government Election.

Approved by the following vote:

Affirmative - Mayor Sjostrom and Councillors Brisco, Cave, Coleman and Roodenburg
Negative - Councillors Scott Elliot and Sushil Thapar

2) Council adopted the July 28th CoW and Regular Council Meeting Minutes

3) Council received the "Miss Quesnel" Royalty - 2013 and 2014

4) Council received a report from Mayor Sjostrom concerning the Aug 22nd Cariboo RD Board meeting

5) Council gave 1st, 2nd and 3rd Readings to Bylaws 1741/1742 (Appointment of Officers Bylaw and Indemnification Bylaw)

6) Council appointed Ken Coombs as the Approving Officer for the City of Quesnel

7) Council approved the following in relation to the Canada Winter Games - local Torch Relay celebration:

THAT COUNCIL receives Administration Report #69/14, regarding the update to the 2015 Canada Winter Games Torch Relay update, for information;

AND THAT if Quesnel is a successful applicant for a 2015 Canada Winter Games Regional Community Torch Celebration that COUNCIL approves allocating $6,500 from the 2015 budget toward facilitating this event;

AND THAT if Quesnel is a successful applicant for the 2015 Canada Winter Games Regional Community Torch Celebration that COUNCIL recommend to the North Cariboo Joint Planning Committee and the North Cariboo Recreation and Parks Commission that user fees for local facilities such as the Arena, Recreation Centre and Museum be waived during the event.

8) Council approved the proposed lease between QCEDC/City of Quesnel for 4th Floor - 410 Kinchant St

9) Council approved the proposed appointments to the Quesnel Accessibility Advisory Committee, as contained in the report from the City Manager

10) Council received the Accounts Payable Report

11) Council received Issue #35 - Council Information Package

12) Council referred a letter from BC Hydro on Electric Beautification Funding to Staff for possible projects to pursue including the new Arena 1 replacement project

13) Council agreed to a request of the Quesnel Curling Club for a letter of support to NDIT for their chiller replacement project

14) Council proclaimed the month of Sept 2014 as Big Brothers/Big Sisters' month in the City of Quesnel

15) Council gave 3rd Reading to Bylaw 1740 - Airport Revitalization Tax Exemption Bylaw.

Members of Council gave oral reports on their recent activities

Meeting adjourned at 8:55pm