Present:
Mayor Rathor; Councillors Boehm, Delainey, Lyons, Moses and Nelson
Meeting called to order at 6:00pm
The Mayor recognized that the meeting was taking place on the traditional unceded territory of Williams Lake First Nation within Secwepemculecw
Meeting Agenda adopted - click here
Meeting Video here
Minutes of the previous Council meeting were received/adopted
Business:
1) Council received for information the accounts payable computer cheque and EFT listing dated November 26, 2025
2) Council gave first and second readings to "City of Williams Lake Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 2429" and "City of Williams Lake Zoning Bylaw No. 2430" and directed that a Public Hearing be scheduled for December 16, 2025 at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers at Williams Lake City Hall
3) Council approved its' meeting schedule for 2026
4) Council designated Councillors to act as Acting Mayor for December 2025 + all of 2026
5) Council endorsed Mayor Rathor's recommendations for Council appointments to Committees, Ad Hoc/Select Committees and Community Committees for the 2025/2026 term; directed that Councillor Moses be appointed to act as Council Liaison to Social Planning Council’s “Communities Ending Poverty Leadership Table” and Councillor Flaspohler be appointed to act as a Council liaison to the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Community Action Team”
6) Council appointed Mayor Rathor to represent the City of Williams Lake on the Cariboo Regional District Board with Councillor Nelson be designated as the Alternate Director for Williams Lake on the Cariboo Regional District Board
Mayor Rathor welcomed Cariboo Regional District Electoral Area "D" Director Steve Forseth to tonight's Williams Lake City Council meeting
7) Council appointed Councillor Sheila Boehm to the Northern Development Initiative Trust Regional Advisory Board as the City’s Director for 2025/2026 and Councillor Michael Moses be appointed as the City’s Alternate Director
8) Council appointed Councillor Scott Nelson as the City of Williams Lake delegate to the Municipal Insurance Association of BC for 2026 with Councillor Joan Flaspohler and Councillor Sheila Boehm being appointed as first and second alternates, respectively.
9) Council proclaimed January 2, 2026 as "Wrestling Day" in the City of Williams Lake, pursuant to Williams Lake Council Policy No. 115
10) Council approved the 3-year renewal Agreement with the Cariboo Regional District for Handy-Dart service for portions of Electoral Areas D,E,F within the Cariboo Regional District
11) Council endorsed recommendations from a previous Committee of the Whole meeting, as follows:
a) That pursuant to Committee of Whole Council Report #32-2025 and the report of the Director of Municipal Services dated November 19, 2025 regarding an outdoor winter skating area on Williams Lake be received for information, and this decision be ratified at the next Council meeting.
CONTRARY TO THE MOTION: Councillor J. Flaspohler
b) That pursuant to Committee of Whole Council Report #33-2025, the proposed list of climate projects from the Cariboo Climate Circle be referred to staff to follow-up with the group, and further that staff be directed to work with the Cariboo Climate Circle to bring back information and costs for installing bike lock stations in the community
c) That pursuant to Committee of Whole Council Report #34-2025 and the the report of the Chief Financial Officer dated November 18, 2025, Council target a 0% budget increase in principle and that a special meeting be held as soon as possible to review in capital projects in greater depth
d) That pursuant to Committee of Whole Council Report #35-2025, roundtable discussion be included on Regular Council agendas going forward with a time limit of 2 minutes and no motions permitted
12) Council received for information:
a) Letter from Hon. Christine Boyle (BC Minister of Municipal Affairs) re: Meeting at 2025 UBCM Convention
b Letter from William and Kim McCaveney dated November 13, 2025, regarding concerns about parking during the Cariboo Memorial Hospital renovations and Staff follow up with Interior Health/Construction Contractor and deal with those who park contrary to the City's Traffic Control by-law near the Cariboo Memorial Hospital site ...
13) Council considered and dealt with Late Items, as follows:
i) Councillor Flaspohler --
Council held a discussion regarding the recent Facebook video of a Member of Council regarding their opinion of the recent coverage of the Williams Lake Tribune in regards to the upcoming closure of the Drax Pellet Plant
Following discussion -- Council agreed to the following:
That Council provide an formal apology to the Williams Lake Tribune and (to their) journalist Ruth Lloyd re-affirming our appreciation and respect towards the journalism they do for our community and further, that Council publicly state that comments by a single elected official does not reflect the position or opinion of Williams Lake Municipal Council and further, (Council) publicly state that Council, as a whole, expects a higher standard of conduct from its' (elected) officials and does not approve or support behavior that is slanderous, derogatory and disrespectful towards any member of the community (of Williams Lake) or business inside Williams Lake
At the request of Councillor Moses:
Resolved:
WHEREAS the City Council reviews its' Council Code of Conduct Policy #228 annually before May 1 of each year to ensure it continues to meet the Council's needs and legislative requirements
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the annual review of Council Code of Conduct Policy #228 be scheduled for 2026 as well as request Staff to review/strengthen the social media and interactions with public and media portions of Policy #228 and report back to Council
ii) Councillor Nelson --
Resolved:
That Council recognizes that the Forestry Industry is in a critical and crisis state and requests that:
1) The Provincial/Federal Governments to remove the red tape regarding forestry cutting permits within British Columbia immediately;
2) Provincial/federal resources be authorized to get forestry cutting permits within BC in a time period of 60 days (2 months);
3) Laid off workers in forest based communities receive additional benefits to current EI (employment insurance) salary to assist laid workers in transiting into other work settings;
4) The BC and Federal Governments provide a clear, strategic emergency crisis plan for employees, companies and resource-based communities to backstop forest-based communities AND
5) The Economic Development Team coordinate a Regional Economic Summit to advance our regional goals in a coordinated fashion
14) Council received the "Council Information Package" as of December 2, 2025
The Chief Administrative Officer and Mayor Rathor provided an update on the Water Treatment Plant Project and responded to questions from Council
Resolved:
That Council suspend Roundtable for this meeting
Closed Council Meeting:
At 8:30pm -- Council passed the following Resolution:
That Council proceed into a Closed Meeting, following adjournment of the Open Council Meeting, according to Section 92 of the Community Charter for discussion of items identified under Section 90 (1) of the Community Charter, as follows:
90(1) (g) litigation or potential litigation affecting the municipality; and
90(1) (i) the receipt of advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose
And then Council adjourned at 8:31pm
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