Mayor SPS Rathor; Councillors Boehm, Delainey, Lyons, Moses and Nelson
Meeting called to order at 6:00pm
Mayor Rathor recognized that the meeting was taking place on the traditional unceded territory of Williams Lake First Nation within Secwepemculecw
Meeting Agenda adopted
Minutes of the previous Williams Lake City Council meeting held on January 16th (Regular) and January 25th (Special), 2024 were both adopted
Meeting Video here
Delegations: None
Business:
1) Council received for information the accounts payable computer cheque and EFT listings dated January 18 and 25, 2024
2) Council approved a 2024 Grant-in-Aid in the amount of $10,000 to the Social Planning Council of Williams Lake and Areas, in accordance with Council Resolution No. 492/23
3) At the request of Councillor Nelson, Council agreed to:
express its appreciation to the Province of British Columbia for the grant of $200,358 to assist in delivering housing for people faster and:
Confirm the City of Williams Lake housing needs report is updated;
Contract out the review for the City of Williams Lake Official Community Plan Bylaw;
Align the City’s Zoning Bylaw with the Official Community Plan Bylaw to pre-zone for the total amount of housing Williams Lake needs on a regular basis;
Streamline Public Hearings;
Pre-zone key areas of the City for investment attraction;
Pre-zone key areas of the City for density-driven development.
4) Council approved compensation, meals and registration costs for Councillor Micheal Moses to attend the UBCM Housing Summit being held February 13 to 14, 2024 in Vancouver, BC
5) Council agreed to continue to support the Lake Harvester program and that Council pursue a political program, through NCLGA/UBCM, to ensure the success of the Lake Harvester program
6) Council approved additional funding of $53,370.00 over the 2023 approved $75,000.00 to a total of $128,370.00 plus additional taxes for the Tower Crescent Reservoir Design project, and awarded the contract to McElhanney Ltd.
7) Council waived City of Williams Lake Purchasing Policy No. 138 to direct award the contract for 2024 Wildfire Mitigation Treatment projects, funded by UBCM and FESBC, to Borland Creek Logging for a contract cost not to exceed $219,150 (inclusive of taxes) to ensure that the treatments are completed during optimal weather conditions, and to the recommendation of experts for each treatment
8) Council approved an application to the 2024 Northern Development Initiative Trust (NDIT) ‘Community Places’ grant program in partnership with the Williams Lake Rotary and staff were directed to support the project with the in-kind support and required documentation for the project as described in the City Staff Report
9) Council ratified an email poll to approve a 2024 application to the Emergency Support Services Equipment and Training Funding Stream of the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) Community Emergency Preparedness Fund for up to $30,000 to enhance the capacity of the local Emergency Support Services team
10) Council endorsed recommendations from a previous Committee of the Whole meeting, as follows:
* That pursuant to Committee of Whole Report #04-2024 and the report of the Chief Financial Officer dated January 11, 2024, all non-essential Water projects (costing approximately $6.4M) be deferred until after the Water Treatment Plant is completed (to 2028-2029), with the City managing the risks associated with this deferral, and that the City implement a 13% increase in Water rates (approximately $37/year for residential customers) to have funds available for contingencies during Water Treatment Plant construction and to operate the plant once constructed.
* That pursuant to Committee of Whole Council Report #05-2024 and the report of the Chief Financial Officer dated January 11, 2024, Water Reserves be built up to have funds to implement these deferred projects by doubling up the Water Parcel Tax (additional $84 per parcel).
CONTRARY TO THE MOTION: Councillor Nelson
* That pursuant to Committee of Whole Council Report #06-2024, staff be directed to review the capital plan, remove non-essential, non-grant-funded projects from the general capital plan, cover the remaining shortfall by raising tax rates or using reserves, and thereafter present an updated budget for Council's consideration.
11) Council received letters from Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson dated January 8, 2024 and Bryan Withage dated January 15, 2024 in support of the City of Williams Lake's call for safety improvements to the Highway 20 corridor
12) Council agreed to support the IREA’s (Interior Rodeo Event Association) application to the NDIT Marketing Initiatives funding program to support their marketing needs for the upcoming Indoor Spring Classic Rodeo taking place April 19-21, 2024
13) Council proclaimed the following:
* The lights of Williams Lake City Hall be changed to blue on April 11, 2024 for "Parkinson's Awareness Month"
* The lights of City Hall be changed to purple from April 4 - 10, 2024 for "National Dental Hygienists Week"
* The lighting of City Hall be changed to purple on May 12, 2024 for "Fibromyalgia Awareness Day"
14) Council received the "Council Information Package" as of January 30th, 2024
Members of Council and the CAO provided verbal reports as to their recent activities
Closed Council Session:
RESOLVED AT 7:41pm -- That Council proceed into a Closed Meeting, following adjournment of the Open Meeting, according to Section 92 of the Community Charter for discussion of items identified under Section 90(1b) personal information about an identifiable individual who is being considered for a municipal award or honour, or who has offered to provide a gift to the municipality on condition of anonymity, Section 90(1i - the receipt of advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose;) and Section 90(1j - information that is prohibited, or information that if it were presented in a document would be prohibited, from disclosure under section 21 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act)
Council adjourned at 7:42pm
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