Delegations
Karen Brunoro, Interior Health - Deni House Update
Karen Brunoro, 100 Mile House Residential Nurse Manager, gave council an update on the renovation of Deni House. Opening is expected Nov. 28, and Deni House is expected to be at capacity on December 15.
Regular Agenda
Application to the RCMP Contract Management Committee - Chief Administrative Officer
Council supported an application to Union of British Columbia Municipalities for the CAO to be appointed to the BC/Local Government RCMP Contract Management Committee. The City of Williams Lake shares a common interest with other similar sized communities in having an accountable, cost effective municipal policing agreement and having a seat on the Committee would provide an opportunity to influence the success of the new RCMP contract.
Contact: Brian Carruthers at 250-392-1763
Permissive Tax Exemptions
Council gave first three readings to bylaws to approve 2012 permissive tax exemptions, including those for land surrounding a building for public worship and for land surrounding buildings of private schools. Staff recommends that the permissive tax exemptions (that do not involve public worship or school properties) apply only for a one-year period, thus becoming effective for 2012 only. Based on 2011 assessed values and taxation rates, the estimated total amount of taxes that would be imposed on the proposed properties if they were not tax exempt is approximately $176,069, an increase of $5,128 over the actual 2011 tax exemptions.
Contact: Pat Higgins at 250-392-1762
BC Transit - 2010/2011 Annual Performance Summary
Council received the 2010-2011 Annual Performance Summary for the Williams Lake Transit Service for information. Following years of consistent growth in ridership, in 2010/11 Williams Lake saw an overall decrease in ridership and revenues as well as a decrease in costs from the previous year. In spite of the decreases in ridership and revenues, the Williams Lake transit system, operating costs per ride and hour are within the average range of the comparable Tier 3 (Paratransit) in BC. It is expected that with the addition of two new low-floor buses with improved access and seating, transit ridership will increase in the future. Staff will be meeting with the BC Transit Regional Transit Manager to review the performance report in more detail and to identify strategies to improve performance and reduce costs.
Contact: Brian Carruthers at 250-392-1763
Revitalization Tax Exemption Application - Gecko Tree - 54 Mackenzie Avenue Council approved the Revitalization Tax Exemption application from Crystalee Baba for interior and exterior upgrades at 54 Mackenzie Avenue North; and authorized entering into a Revitalization Tax Exemption Agreement with Crystalee Baba. The Revitalization Tax Exemption program is available to individuals or companies who own property in the City’s Revitalization Tax Exemption Area who have carried out physical improvements to their property valued at $20,000 or more. The exemption would be equal to the amount of municipal property tax payable on the incremental increase (not total property taxes) in assessed value attributable to the improvement for a period of three years, and successful applicants may apply for a further three-year exemption.
Contact: Pat Higgins at 250-392-1762
Development Variance Permit #08-2011 - Signal Point Road
Council accepted the application for the Development Variance Permit from Brian & Rita Sowden, Risto & Susan Kurkiniemi and Rudolf & Cathie Durfeld requesting to reduce the exterior lot line setback from 3.0 m (9.84 ft) to 2.67 m (8.76 ft) for the existing cabin only in order to facilitate the registration of a lake access pursuant to section 75 of the Land Title Act as a condition of a proposed subdivision of the subject property. Council agreed to issue Development Variance Permit #08-2011 upon the adoption of Williams Lake Zoning Amendment No. 2099, 2009; and directed staff to issue notice of the application to property owners and tenants within 100 metres of the subject property advising of the time and date when the matter will be considered by Council. Council also forwarded the application to the Advisory Planning Commission for review and recommendation.
Contact: Geoff Goodall at 250-392-1766
Application to Homelessness Partnering Strategy
Council endorsed an application to the Government of Canada through the Homelessness Partnering Initiative for an amount up to $75,000. Staff are in the process of preparing an application to the Homelessness Partnering Initiative for the Knowledge Development Fund on Rural and Remote Homelessness. The proposed project will research the movement of homeless and homeless at risk from rural to urban communities and the information gathered for this project will assist in developing our Affordable Housing Strategy.
Contact: Anne Burrill at 250-392-8480
Financial Impact of Pool Closure
Council received a report from Director of Community Services Geoff Paynton regarding the financial impact of the closure of Sam Ketcham Pool this summer. When all impacts of the recent six week pool shutdown at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex (CMRC) to repair water leaks are accounted for, the negative impact to the CMRC budget will be approximately $98,500. The pool closed on June 30th and extensive work began to locate and repair the leak.
Work was completed and the pool re-opened on August 15th, six weeks later. During this time the fitness centre was kept open however the rest of the pool, and pool area, had to remain closed. This significantly impacted the drop-in customers who frequent the CMRC due to the variety of services they are usually able to partake in. Three complete swimming lesson sets were lost due to this closure and the fourth set was significantly depleted due to the inability to predict an exact opening date and the short time that was available to register for the lessons once the opening was known.
Contact: Geoff Paynton at 250-392-1786
Sam Ketcham Pool & Recreation Facilities Priorities
Council approved recommendations from Director of Community Services Geoff Paynton maintain the Sam Ketcham Pool as is, and to direct staff to begin planning work on a new option to replace the pool. This item has yet to be considered by the Cariboo Regional District Board of Directors.
Contact: Geoff Paynton at 250-392-1786
Central Cariboo Arts & Culture 2012 Business and Financial Plans
Council endorsed the Central Cariboo Arts and Culture 2012 Business and Financial plans, and agreed to the addition of a business goal to include the Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Society's input into planning Canada Day Celebrations and Performances in the Park. The plans as presented recommend that the 2011 tax requisition for arts and culture remain the same as the 2010 requisition. This item has yet to be considered by the Cariboo Regional District Board of Directors.
Contact: Geoff Paynton at 250-392-1786
Housing Need and Demand Study Funding
Council agreed to enter into a contribution agreement with Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation for the sum of $10,000 for the purposes of completing a Housing Need and Demand Study. The City applied the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation for a Seed Grant to assist with a Regional Housing Need and Demand study that will inform the planning process for the redevelopment of Cariboo Lodge. The funds have been approved and this agreement is the formal contract for use of the funds.
Contact: Anne Burrill at 250-392-8480
Union of BC Municipalities Convention Report
Council received a report from the Chief Administrative Officer on the Union of British Columbia Municipalities convention attended by Council in late September. Highlights include:
Meetings with Premier Christy Clark:
Mayor and Council had a private meeting with the Premier where the Mayor advised the Premier of the major issues facing the City and discussed the need for the sharing of resource development revenues with local governments that serve those developments. Additionally, the Mayor met with the Premier on 3 other occasions with the Cariboo Regional District and the three Beetle Action Committees to discuss Barkerville and to update the Premier on progress with BAC funding and continued collaboration between the BACs.
Meeting with Solicitor General and Acting Attorney General Shirley Bond:
Council discussed the recent successes in crime reduction and made a specific request for more flexible deployment of First Nations Policing resources within the City and the need for a Crime analyst for the Williams Lake RCMP detachment. Council also requested the Minister to consider a more equitable funding formula for Police-based Victim Services, reflecting crime and judicial case loads.
Meeting with Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development Ida Chong:
Council expressed their desire to see the Towns for Tomorrow funding program and more specifically the need for funding to address the Station House Gallery. Council also expressed the need for the sharing of resource development revenues with local governments that serve those developments.
RCMP ‘E’ Division:
Council met with Rob Morrison and Wayne Rideout of the RCMP to discuss the need for a Crime analyst for the Williams Lake RCMP detachment and more flexible deployment of First Nations Policing resources within the City.
Interior Health Authority:
Councillors Bourdon, Zacharias and Walters and CAO Carruthers joined a delegation from the CRD in a meeting with Dr. Embry and Dr. Halpenny of the IHA to discuss the need for funding to complete costing
estimates for the Cariboo Memorial Hospital Master Plan and to ensure implementation was prioritized in the IHA capital program.
UBCM Resolutions:
Council attended the Resolutions sessions which included consideration of two resolutions put forward by the City of Williams Lake. The Resolution to harmonize the Federal and Provincial Environmental Assessment processes was not endorsed due to a recent legal decision that doesn’t allow the Federal Government to divest its obligations under the EA Act. The Victim Services Funding resolution was passed. The resolution to eliminate MSP premiums for seniors was also passed.
Contact: Brian Carruthers at 250-392-1763
Proclamations
Foster Family Month – October 2011
Fire Prevention Week – October 9-15, 2011
Small Business Week – October 16-22, 2011
Next council meeting: October 18, 2011 at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers.
No comments:
Post a Comment