Present: Mayor Rathor (Chair); Councillors Boehm (entered meeting at 6:04pm), Delainey, Flaspohler (via Zoom), Lyons, Moses and Nelson
Meeting called to order at 6:00pm
The Chair recognized that the Special Committee of the Whole Meeting was being held on the traditional unceded and ancestral lands/territory of the Williams Lake First Nation within Secwepemculecw
Meeting agenda adopted with Late Item (Fee for Service Application Reconsideration - WL Seniors Advocate)
Business:
1) Late Item - Fee for Service (FFS) Contract Reconsideration - WL Seniors Advocate
WL Seniors’ Advocate Eva Navrot presented to the Committee
Following the presentation - a Question/Answer period ensued
The Chair thanked Ms. Navrot for her time/information
Discussion ensued thereon
Resolved - That it be recommended to Council:
That a Fee For Service contract be approved for CC Partners for Literacy for local Seniors Advocate at $22,920 for 2024
2) Review of 2024 Grant in Aide Decisions
Pursuant to Section 131 of the Community Charter, Mayor Rathor required the Committee to reconsider 2024 Grant in Aide Decisions, and consequently made recommendations to Council, as follows:
i) That Council deny the Cariboo Chilcotin Elder College 2024 Grant-in-Aid request for $4,452 for the
purchase of sound equipment.”
ii) That Council approve a 2024 Grant-in-Aid for the Cariboo Chilcotin Youth Fiddle Society in the
amount of $4,000 to support the running of a student music workshop.”
iii) That Council approve a 2024 Grant-in-Aid for the Gavin Lake Forest Education Society in the
amount of $2,500 to subsidize grandparent camp fees
CONTRARY TO THE MOTION: Councillors Delainey, Lyons
iv) That Council approve a 2024 Grant-in-Aid for the Museum of the Cariboo Chilcotin Society in the
amount of $2,500 for seed funding for a new Cowboy Christmas event.
CONTRARY TO THE MOTION: Councillors Delainey, Flaspohler
v) That Council approve a 2024 Grant in Aid for the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 139 in the
amount of $5,000 to replace their existing ice machine.
CONTRARY TO THE MOTION: Councillors Flaspohler, Delainey
vi) That Council approve a 2024 Grant-in-Aid for the Williams Lake Stampeders Men's Hockey Team
in the amount of $5,000 for bus maintenance, travel expenses and ice expenses.
CONTRARY TO THE MOTION: Councillors Flaspohler, Delainey
vii) That Council deny a 2024 Grant-in-Aid for the Williams Lake Trail Riders Association in the
amount of $5,000 for the addition of a water system for indoor/outdoor arenas at the Association's
facility.
viii) That Council refer to Central Cariboo Joint Committee consideration of a 2024 Grant-in-Aid application for the Social Planning Council of Williams Lake and
Area to perform social infrastructure connectivity mapping for an preliminary amount not to exceed $10,000
Mayor Rathor declared a conflict on the next item as he is a member of the Guru Nanak Sikh Temple at 7:07pm and left the meeting. Councillor Delainey as Acting Mayor (December 2023) assumed the Chair
ix) That Council approve a 2024 Grant-in-Aid for the Guru Nanak Sikh Temple Society in the amount
of $5,000 to assist with the replacement of the temple roof.
CONTRARY TO THE MOTION: Councillor Flaspohler
Mayor Rathor re-assumed the Chair at 7:10pm
2) 2024 Budget, 2024-2028 Financial Plan and 10-Year Capital Plan - Preliminary Update 1
A report from the Chief Financial Officer was presented to the Committee
Discussion ensued thereon
Resolved -- That it be recommended to Council:
That pursuant to the report of the Chief Financial Officer dated November 29, 2023, Council receive this report for information and direct the following:
• General Fund – do not raise tax rates, but benefit from property valuation increases, as assessed by BC Assessment (approximately 6% overall tax increase to property owners, mostly in Industrial and Business classes). Use existing reserves to fund capital funding shortfall in 2024.
• Airport – use existing reserves to fund capital funding shortfall. Bring separate report to Council, if grants are denied for crucial projects, outlining alternative funding options.
• Sewer Fund – use existing reserves to fund capital funding shortfall in 2024.
• Water Fund – use existing reserves to fund capital funding shortfall in 2024. Bring the report to Council, not later than March 2024 outlining how the future funding pressures in the financial plan are to be addressed, leaving all funding options on the table, including deferring or cancelling projects, fee and parcel taxation increases, borrowing.
• Transit Fund – aim to increase paratransit taxation by $70,000 (estimated 10% paratransit taxation rate increase) to implement Sunday service.
CONTRARY TO THE MOTION: Councillors Nelson, Boehm
3) BC Transit - Addition of Sunday Service in 2024
A report from the Director of Municipal Services was presented to the Committee
Discussion ensued thereon
Resolved -- That it be recommended to Council:
That pursuant to the report of the Director of Municipal Services dated November 7, 2023, Council enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the BC Transit to introduce Sunday transit service for the citizens of Williams Lake effective April 2024.
4) Asset Management Program Implementation - Request Staff or Consulting Options
A report from the Chief Financial Officer was presented to the Committee
Discussion ensued thereon
Resolved -- That it be recommended to Council:
That the report of the Chief Financial Officer dated November 22, 2023 regarding asset management program implementation be received and Council consider Option 1 (Manager position) during 2024 budget discussions’
CONTRARY TO THE MOTION: Councillors Nelson, Boehm and Mayor Rathor
5) Williams Lake Endowment Fund
A report from the Manager of Economic Development was presented to the Committee
Discussion ensued thereon
Resolved -- That it be recommended to Council:
That pursuant to the report of the Manager of Economic Development dated November 9, 2023, together with Council Resolutions No. 448/23 and 449/23 dated November 21, 2023, Council approve allocating $50,000 annually from Community Forest dividends as an investment into the Williams Lake Endowment Fund.
CONTRARY TO THE MOTION: Councillor Flaspohler
5) Resolution to hold In-Camera Council Meeting
It was RESOLVED --
That a Closed Council Meeting be held, following adjournment of the Open Committee of the Whole meeting, according to Section 92 of the Community Charter for discussion of items identified under Section 90 (1) (k) negotiations and related discussions respecting the proposed provision of a municipal service that are at their preliminary stages and that, in the view of the council, could reasonably be expected to harm the interest of the municipality if they were held in public.
The Committee adjourned at 8:14pm
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