In Council Chambers:
Mayor Rathor; Councillors Delainey, Flaspohler, Moses and Nelson
Via Zoom:
Councillors S. Boehm and J. Lyons
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 approved - click here
Minutes of the previous City Council meeting was adopted
Delegations:
1) Tyler Baker and Nanette Drobot from BC Housing appeared before Council to provide a Quarterly Update on Williams Lake Projects
Following the presentation - A Question/Answer period ensued
Mayor Rathor thanked Mssrs. Baker/Drobot for their time/information
2) Tamara Garreau and Paul French from the Williams Lake & District Chamber of Commerce appeared before Council to provide an update on Operations of Williams Lake Visitor Centre
Following the presentation - A Question/Answer period ensued
Mayor Rathor thanked Mssrs. French/Garreau for their time/information
Response to Delegations:
Council received for information the presentations from BC Housing and Williams Lake & District Chamber of Commerce
Business:
1) Council received for information the accounts payable computer cheque and EFT listings dated January 16, 17 and 23, 2025
2) Following No Public Input -- Council approved Development Variance Permit No. 05-2024 for property located at 791 Smith Street
3) Council authorized travel, registration and other expenses for Mayor Rathor or alternate (COFI Convention only) to attend the following conferences:
i) 2025 Local Government Leadership Academy (LGLA) Forum in Vancouver, BC from March 12 to 14, 2025
ii) Council of Forest Industries 2025 Annual Convention in Prince George, BC from April 2 to 4, 2025
4) Council authorized the following regarding the 2025 Budget/2025-2029 Five Year Financial Plan for the City of Williams Lake:
* Direct staff to begin drafting the 2025-2029 Financial Plan Bylaw;
* Direct staff to remove/defer $655 thousand worth of capital projects from 2025 capital plan and use the savings thus achieved to aim at an approximately 3.2% tax rate reduction in the year 2025;
* Approve a further deferral of $5.9 million of Water projects from 2029 to 2030; and
* Early approval to initiate new projects recommended by staff prior to the approval of 2025-2029 Financial Plan Bylaw
CONTRARY TO THE MOTION: Councillors J. Flaspohler, J. Lyons and M. Moses
Council also authorized:
i) Mayor Rathor or Alternate attendance at the 2025 FCM/Federation of Canadian Municipalities Convention in Ottawa, ON from May 29th to June 1st, 2025
ii) Approval of student salary increase of $40,000 in 2025 to be included in the 2025 budget
iii) Approval of $30,000 to Boitanio Park Skate park Replacement – Design to be included in the 2025 budget
5) Council ratified an email poll authorizing a letter on behalf of Williams Lake City Council be sent to formally express support for continued operation of Sacred Heart Catholic School, and directing staff to request letters of support from the Cariboo Regional District and local First Nations
6) Council awarded the Risk Management Consultant Services contract to MNP for $68,000, plus GST
7) Council approved the proposed lease renewals with the Williams Lake & District Chamber of Commerce and the Museum of the Cariboo Chilcotin Society for respective portions of the Williams Lake Visitor Centre (Tourism Discovery Centre) at 1660 Broadway Avenue South for a term of five years each, effective January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2029 at a lease rate of $1.00 per year including applicable taxes
8) Council endorsed recommendations from a previous Committee of the Whole meeting, as follows:
a) That pursuant to Committee of Whole Council Report #01-2025 and the report of the Manager of Planning and Development dated December 10, 2024, Council maintain the status quo for Building Permit renewals in City of Williams Lake Building Bylaw No. 2274, 2019
b) That pursuant to Committee of Whole Council Report #02-2025, Council:
* Reaffirm its position that prolific offenders out on bail should be tracked using GPS monitoring;
* Send a letter to the Attorney General of Canada outlining Council's concerns with regards to prolific offenders and their impacts and costs on the community (copied to relevant Provincial cabinet members, local government advocacy entities and the local MLA and MP);
* Send a response from the Mayor's office to Crown Counsel inquiring how a local government may provide victim impact statements on matters that impact the community; and
* Discuss a potential resolution to NCLGA regarding the prolific offender issue at the next Committee of Whole Council Meeting
* Advise Crown Counsel, the Attorney General of Canada and the Ministry of Attorney General (BC Prosecution Service) that the City of Williams Lake is not prepared to use taxpayers dollars to fund the increased policing and community costs resulting from the revolving door of repeat prolific offenders being released into our community on bail conditions, and that the City will be reviewing options such as refusing to pay costs resulting from Crown Counsel’s decision to continually release repeat prolific offenders into Williams Lake."
c) That pursuant to Committee of Whole Council Report #03-2025 and the report of the Airport Coordinator dated January 15, 2025, Council approve the proposed purchase of a new pay parking machine for the Williams Lake Regional Airport in the amount of $20,000 from Airport Reserves
d) That pursuant to Committee of Whole Council Report #05-2025, Council request staff bring forward, as soon as possible, the rescinding of the do-not-occupy notices at the Terra Ridge complex as per the recently received Octo Engineering Report commissioned by Terra Ridge Residents
9) Council proclaimed April 28th, 2025 as "Day of Mourning" in the City of Williams Lake and authorization be given for the flag to be flown at half mast and for a memorial to be erected on the lawn of Williams Lake City Hall on this day
10) Council received the Council Information Package as of January 28th, 2025
11) Council received updates on the Water Treatment Plant/Atlantic Power and received a letter from Mayor Rathor to BC Premier David Eby dated January 21, 2025 regarding an urgent appeal to support continued operation of the Williams Lake Power Plant (Atlantic Power) as well as Mayor Rathor providing a verbal report on this subject...
Members of Council reported on their recent activities...
And then Council adjourned at 8:10pm
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