Tuesday, January 12, 2021

WL Council Highlights - January 12th mtg

Present: Mayor W. Cobb; Councillors Boehm, Bonnell, Nelson, Ryll, and Smith

Meeting called to order -- 6:03pm

Procedural Motion:

Resolved -- 

"That members of the public are not permitted to physically attend the January 12th, 2021 Williams Lake City Council meeting due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the December 2nd, 2020 Gathering and Events Public Health Officer Order, as per Ministerial Order No. M192 from the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, and, for the purposes of Division 3 of Part 4 of the Community Charter, the meeting is not to be considered closed to the public and will be livestreamed on the City of Williams Lake YouTube Channel to ensure openness and transparency"

Meeting Agenda adopted

Minutes of the Regular Meeting of City Council held December 15, 2020 and the Special Meeting of City Council held December 18, 2020 were both received/adopted

Delegation:

1) Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson appeared before Council, via Zoom, to provide an general update to City Council

A Question/Answer period ensued following MLA Doerkson's presentation.  Questions asked included:

* Local COVID-19 numbers for City of Williams Lake only from Interior Health
* COVID-19 Vaccine schedule
* Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA support for COVID-19 Grant Applications... 

Mayor Cobb, on behalf of Council, thanked MLA Doerkson for his time/information... 

Business:

1) Council received for information the accounts payable computer cheque and EFT listings dated December 14, 16, 17, 18, 23 and 24, 2020, and January 7, 2021

2) Council received the letter from Fox Mountain Brewing Co. requesting the 2020 late property tax penalty in the amount of $880 for the property located at 215 Donald Road in Williams Lake be waived and Council resolved to defer the matter until confirmation from BC Assessment is received that it erred in sending the property tax notice to the wrong location before City of Williams Lake property taxes were due in July 2020

3) Upon recommendation of Council's Finance Committee - Council authorized the following

a) Establish ten grants in the amount of $2,500 each, totalling $25,000, from the City's COVID-19 Safe Restart Grant for non-profit community organizations located within or directly benefiting Williams Lake demonstrating hardship as a result of the pandemic

b) Reduce all Williams Lake business license fees for 2021 by 50%, at an approximate cost of $75,000, to be allocated from the City's COVID-19 Safe Restart Grant funding, and any associated staff costs be paid from this fund

4) Council ratified an email poll authorizing the allocation of $15,000 from the City’s portion of the COVID-19 Safe Restart Grant for Local Governments to be divided equally between the Williams Lake Stampede Association and the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 139

5) Council authorized 2 Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) ‘COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream’ Grant Applications, as follows:

a) $650,000 for the establishment of the trail between the RC Cotton Trail and the River Valley Recreation Trail through a boardwalk along the Williams Creek area; and further, that $50,000 be allocated from the general revenue account toward this project

b) $796,000 toward River Valley Flood Mitigation projects

6) Council agreed to provide a letter of support to the Williams Lake Stampede Association for their application to the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) ‘COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream’

7) Council received the Minutes of the Special Central Cariboo Joint Committee Meeting held December 16, 2020

8) Council received for information a letter from The Voice of Pentecost Church in Williams Lake dated January 5, 2021, together with the letter from the United Pentecostal Church of British Columbia/Northwest Territories to the BC Premier, Minister of Health and Provincial Health Officer dated December 5, 2020 requesting reconsideration of the current COVID restrictions preventing faith-based meetings and services and Council agreed to provide a letter of support in favour of their request... 

9) Council received for information a letter from the Williams Lake & District Seniors Activity Centre dated January 4, 2021 expressing gratitude to Council for their allocation of COVID-19 Safe Restart Grant for Local Governments funding

10) Council received a letter from the Rotary Club of Williams Lake dated January 7, 2021 requesting Council's consideration to allocate a portion of the City's COVID-19 Safe Restart Grant for Local Governments funding to their organization due to the impacts on their organization caused by the COVID-19 pandemic 

11) Council received the 'Council Information Package' as of January 12th, 2021 as follows:

  December 8, 2020 - Response Letter from BC Prosecution Service re Court Proceedings; 
  December 15, 2020 - Softball BC re COVID Relief Funding; 

  December 16, 2020 - City of Rossland re Letter of Support for Corporation of City of Vernon; 
  December 23, 2020 - IHA News Release re Shortlist for Cariboo Memorial Hospital Redevelopment;  

  January 8, 2021 - CRD News Release re CRD Solid Waste Advisory Committee Seeks New Members

A COVID-19 Community Update was provided by Mayor Cobb

A roundtable was held where Members of Council provided oral reports on their recent activities 

Council agreed to adjourn at 7:20pm

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