Tuesday, June 1, 2021

Committee of the Whole (WL Council) Highlights - June 1st mtg

Present: Mayor W. Cobb (Chair); Councillors Boehm, Bonnell, Brenner, Nelson, Ryll and Smith

The Chair called the meeting to order at 6:00pm.  The Chair expressed the City's and Council's thoughts/prayers in respect of  the 215 child remains discovered at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School site (Tk'emlúps te Secwepemc) last week

Procedural Motion - Close Meeting to Public/Media Attendance:

It was RESOLVED:

That members of the public are not permitted to physically attend the June 1, 2021 Committee of Whole Council meeting due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the December 2nd 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’s YouTube Channel to ensure openness and transparency

Meeting Agenda adopted with 2 Late Items (Discovery of 215 child remains at former Kamloops Residential School - Councillor Ryll and Pavement Project Update - Councillor Nelson)
Minutes of the Committee of the Whole meeting held May 18th, 2021 were received/adopted

Delegations/Presentations:

1) Chantelle Wessels, Williams Lake Stampede Royalty Director appeared before the Committee, via Zoom, to present the 2021 Williams Lake Stampede Queen Contestants:

 Karena Sokolan, Miss Peterson Contracting Ltd. 
 Kennady Dyck, Miss Williams Lake Lions 
 Bayley Cail, Miss MH King Excavating Ltd.

2) Rosanna McGregor, Executive Director, Cariboo Friendship Society appeared before the Committee, via Zoom, to discuss a Request for Extension to Stampede Park Lease Longhouse Memorandum of Agreement for Temporary Shelter Expansion Due to COVID-19

Following the presentation -- A Question/Answer period ensued

The Chair thanked Ms. McGregor for her presentation

The Committee then had before it a report of the Director of Protective Services - report here
Discussion ensued thereon...

RESOLVED: That the Committee recommend to Council:

That pursuant to the report of the Director of Protective Services dated May 27, 2021, Council approve extending the Memorandum of Agreement with the Cariboo Friendship Society for their Lease of the “Longhouse” located in the Stampede Park to temporarily allow the site to be used for emergency shelter space, should it be required due to the COVID-19 pandemic emergency, for an additional 6 months through November 30, 2021. 

The Committee divided - Motion approved as follows:

Affirmative - Councillors Boehm, Bonnell, Brenner, Nelson, Ryll and Smith
Negative - Mayor W. Cobb

Business:

1) Local Government Organization (UBCM, NCLGA, FCM) Conference Attendance 

The Committee had before it a report/recommendation from the General Governance Committee - report here
Discussion ensued thereon...

RESOLVED: That the Committee recommend to Council:

That pursuant to General Governance Committee Report #01-2021, Council support allocating funds in future years for all Council members to attend the North Central Local Government Association (NCLGA) and Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) conferences and funds for 2-3 members of Council to attend the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) annual convention, with specific costs to be reviewed and approved annually as part of the budget processes.

2) Renewal of Participation in BC Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) Entrepreneur Immigration Regional Pilot Project

The Committee had before it a report of the Economic Development Report - report here
Discussion ensued thereon...

RESOLVED: That the Committee recommend to Council:

That pursuant to the report of the Economic Development Officer dated May 28, 2021, Council authorize renewal of the City of Williams Lake’s participation in the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) Entrepreneur Immigration (EI) Regional Pilot project.

3) Late Item #1 - Discovery of 215 child remains at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School site/Tk'emlúps te Secwepemc (Councillor Ryll)

Councillor Ryll reported on this item 
Discussion ensued thereon... 

RESOLVED: That the Committee recommend to Council:

That Council authorize the following:

i) Staff report back on the status of advancing reconciliation at a local level with local Indigenous communities in the Central Cariboo-Chilcotin, respecting the 94 Calls to Action as part of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Final Report of December 2015

ii) Staff contact local Indigenous community leaders to arrange for a "Council to Council" meeting to discuss how a collective effort might be advanced to lobby both the Provincial/Federal Governments on moving forward on the topic of reconciliation in a clear and concise way.... 

iii) Mayor Cobb to write to the Prime Minister expressing support for the initiative from the City of Vancouver urging the Federal Government provide the necessary funding and other technical expertise required to examine ALL residential school sites, under the strict guidance of Indigenous communities and knowledge-keepers, to identify the many sites where child remains are unaccountable for at ALL residential school sites across Canada, in order to facilitate bringing the children home to their local communities/traditional territories

4) Late Item #2 - Paving Project Update/Lakeview Ave. (Councillor Nelson) 

Councillor Nelson reported on this item
Discussion ensued thereon

RESOLVED: That the Committee recommend to Council:

That Council request Staff to report back on feasibility of grind/fill additional paving works on Lakeview Avenue in 2021

The Committee adjourned at 7:08pm

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