The Corporation of the City of Grand Forks

Committee of the Whole

MINUTES

Meeting #:

C-2023-08

Date:

Tuesday, October 10, 2023 at 10:00 A.m. - 11:00 A.m.

Location:

7217 - 4th Street, City Hall Council Chambers

Present:

• Mayor Everett Baker
• Councillor Zak Eburne-Stoodley
• Councillor Neil Krog
• Councillor Deborah Lafleur
• Councillor David Mark
• Councillor Christine Thompson
• Councillor Rod Zielinski

Staff:

• Daniel Drexler - Corporate Officer
• Kevin McKinnon - Deputy Corporate Officer
• Kelly Deinstadt - Corp./IT Services Assistant
• Kirsty Faramin - Corp./IT Services Assistant
• Marcus Lebler - Chief Financial Officer
• Dolores Sheets - Manager of Development & Planning Services
• Adriana Cameron - Planning Technician 2
• Graham Watt - Manager of Strategic Initiatives
• Alex Adams - Public Works Manager
• Jon Wilson - Community Safety Bylaw Officer
• Ben Stevens - Project Manager
• James Runciman - Fire Chief
• RDKB Area D Director - Linda Kay Wiese

​GALLERY

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1.

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Mayor Baker delivered the land acknowledgement.

2.

CALL TO ORDER

Mayor Baker called the October 11, 2023, Committee of the Whole Meeting to order at 10:01 am.

3.

INTRODUCTION OF LATE ITEMS

4.

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE AGENDA

a.

Adopt agenda

October 10, 2023, Committee of the Whole

• THAT the Committee of the Whole adopts the October 10, 2023, agenda as presented.

  Carried

5.

MINUTES

a.

Adopt Minutes - Committee of the Whole

August 14, 2023, Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes

• THAT the Committee of the Whole adopts the August 14, 2023, Committee of the Whole Minutes as presented.

  Carried

6.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

7.

REGISTERED PETITIONS AND DELEGATIONS

a.

Population Health Portfolio, Healthy Community Program, Extreme Weather Preparedness

Interior Health,
Melissa Cline and Dr. Sue Pollock

Dr. Sue Pollock, Medical Health Officer for the Kootenay Boundary region and the South Okanagan, and Melissa Cline, Community Health Facilitator for the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) and Central Kootenay, presented a PowerPoint as submitted. Discussion included the following:

• Interior Health services and support the largest area than any other health authority in British Columbia
  • serves 850,000 people
  • 59 municipalities
  • 54 First Nation lands
  • 10 regional districts
• description of obligations and where they reside on the organizational chart of Interior Health
• Medical Health Officer responsibilities  
  • environmental public health and licensing
    • drinking water, food safety, licensing for long-term care and child care facilities
  • community health and wellness
    • immunizations and harm reduction
    • sexual health
    • implementation of programs that will keep a population safe and healthy
  • responsibilities to legislation regulations provincially under the Public Health Act
• Community Health Facilitator works the RDKB and Central Boundary regions 
  • focus is to improve physical and mental wellness by promoting healthy living and reducing health inequalities
  • work with different communities with specific needs and help achieve their goals
    • heat planning/extreme weather planning
    • community plans poverty prevention with aging seniors in the region
    • liaison to support federal funding streams to support active lifestyles within a community
    • advocate for rural health as she resides within the Boundary in a smaller centre
  • requesting an extension of the informal partnership between Grand Forks and Interior Health
    • continue to work together to keep the community safe and healthy
• Council highlighted the importance of a partnership between Interior Health and Grand Forks, including:
  • decriminalization of certain substances
  • Boundary Regional Hospital emergency closures
  • Covid-19 vaccines and influenza boosters
  • concern about the services provided to a large region
    • initiate important partnerships with Interior Health and the clinical director 
• Staff was asked to gather information for Council regarding the previous partnership agreement letter from 2013
  •  

b.

Quarterly Update & Fee For Service Request

Boundary Museum Society,
Mathieu Drolet

Councillor Thompson briefly left the meeting at 10:24am and returned at 10:27am.

Mathieu Drolet presented his PowerPoint as submitted to Council, and discussion ensued regarding:

• Fee For Service request for 2024 at a 2% increase
  • to secure staff retention
  • allow to look for alternate funding sources for future activities
• provided an update on events that were held at the Boundary Museum since June 2024
• provided support to 250 migrant workers during the summer with a translator who spoke Spanish
• hired summer student could only work part-time rather than an anticipated full-time role
• Boundary Museum wants to secure the Fructova property from the USCC
• request for the funds to be received earlier in the year to help with finances
  • Staff will look into the potential of providing installments earlier in the year to the museum

c.

Fee For Service Request and Scheduled Update

Gallery 2

Tim Van Wilk presented his Gallery 2 report as submitted, and discussion ensued regarding:

• fiscal summary update had a positive outlook financially
• the Taps and Tapas event was on budget and continued success
• increased visitors except for July/August due to fire season in the country

2024 Fee For Service Request

• Grand Forks Art Gallery Society - Civic Arts Grant in the $8,000 (same amount as 2021/2022)
• Grand Forks Art Gallery Society $154,000 (same amount as 2021/2022)
  • supports core operations
  • 34% of total budget

Council inquired about the increase in capital assets

• masonry upgrades improved the building 
• Gallery 2 manages the building and maintenance but is a City-owned building

d.

Annual Update

The Grand Forks Senior's Society

Duane Gonvick and Juliana Chadwick from the Grand Forks Senior's Society (GFSS) presented a submitted annual update to Council, and discussion ensued regarding:

• Council encouraged GFSS to submit a Fee For Service Request for the 2024 budget process
• GFSS has a lease agreement with the City for the city-owned City Park facility at $1/year
• Council inquired about flood protection of the City Park facility
  • Staff clarified that protection in that area is challenging
    • Hesco bins had been successful in the past
    • potential for tiger dams or a floodwall as a permanent solution
    • willing to work with the GFSS on flood mitigation practices

e.

Grand Forks Baptist Church Lease Renewal

Brett Swope

Mayor Baker excused himself at 11:13 due to a conflict of interest.

Acting Mayor, Councillor Eburne-Stoodley introduced Brett Swope, Pastor of the Grand Forks Baptist Church, and discussion ensued regarding:

• grateful for the space and ability to be used for their congregation and community
• intent to continue to improve the building for the long term
• lease discussion items
  • end of lease pre-approvals
  • parking lo access
    • the reason we have closed the access off to that parking lot is unwanted behaviour and vandalism to the building
      • people will park in the back of the property  for drug use and other acts
      • inhibit that behaviour while the gate is closed
    • given the previous discussion - would like to close off unless needed by the City 
• HVAC and age of the existing
  • lease isn't clear who is responsible for the maintenance of the building
  • lighting posts are possibly rotten - not sure who powers those poles. Staff advised that they would review and provide information at a later time
  • HVAC - upgrade at a cost $10,000-$12,000
    • heating unit in there is at the end of usable life
    • no replacement parts available
    • would hope to have clarification regarding who is responsible for the replacement costs.

f.

Temporary Use Permit Extension

South Field Real Estate Ltd.

Mayor Baker returned at 11:31 a.m.

The sequence of delegates was switched to accommodate technical difficulties during initial contact with delegates. 

Wayne and Gene Koch from South Field Real Estate Ltd. presented their request to Council via 'Zoom', along with the submitted correspondence form Argosy Construction Group Ltd., and discussion ensued regarding:

• contractor is delayed due to increased workload
  • unable to start the proposed project as planned
  • the site preparation work required for the proposed project will not be completed in the original Temporary Use Permit (TUP) timeline
  • winter conditions are not favorable for the work that needs to be completed
    • crushing requires waterlines, which would freeze in the winter season
    • the waterlines are also needed for dust control
  • not practical to do this type of work during winter months

Council asked for clarification on the extended timeline required.

• when the site preparation for the proposed project is complete, the proposed project can start
• the period for crushing has not changed and remains at forty days
• TUP extension request is for the end of May 2024

8.

REGIONAL TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION - WITH AREA D

Director Wiese presented her report and discussions ensued regarding:

• potential options to purchase permanent grounds
• seeking of a RDKB service to allow purchase of permanent grounds
• continue to work with City to make this happen

9.

PRESENTATIONS FROM STAFF

a.

Monthly Highlight Reports

Department Managers

The acting CAO introduced the item, and discussion ensued regarding:

• Rosemary Dykhuizen, engineering technologist, presented on behalf of Public Work's Manager who was unable to attend
  • the capital project at Highway 3 and Granby Road will be completed this week
  • the 2023 paving program will be completed this week
  • the new asphalt recycler has arrived and is in working order
  • City Park playground construction will be completed by the end of the week
  • top soil and seeding will continue in the fall
• Staff updated Council that the Bell Fibre sharing use agreement is in beginning stages and will provide an update at the next meeting
• the acting CAO provided clarification of the IT organizational risk score
  • utilized a program to educate our Staff and Council
  • compare to other similar organizations
  • current scoring reflect that training provided to the organization has been successful

• THAT the Committee of the Whole receives the monthly highlight reports from department managers.

  Carried

b.

DMAF Update

Flood Mitigation Team

Ben Stevens and Graham Watt presented the DMAF Update as submitted, and discussion ensued regarding:

• unable to get handrails and guardrails made locally due to the closure of local fabricator Unifab Industries Ltd.
  • can not open trails without these installed
  • Staff anticipated that work will be awarded for the fabrication work by the end of the week
• hydroseeding started in September because of drought conditions and is growing
  • Public Works installed a temporary sprinkler system that will reused at a later time
• met with the Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) administration team and found opportunities that will fund portions of the different projects
• productive RFP meeting for the construction to dig, plant and build an irrigation system
  • thirteen parties submitted bids and attended the meeting
  • most submissions could also be contenders for future dike work
• procurement for abatement and demolition west of 2nd street as east of 2nd Street is now complete

10.

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM STAFF FOR DISCUSSION

None.

11.

INFORMATION ITEMS

None.

12.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC AND MEDIA

Mayor Baker invited members in the gallery to present their concerns with the proposed Boundary Extension, and discussion ensued regarding:

• Deborah Zibin, a resident of 8240 North Fork Road
  • received a letter dated September 13, 2023, from the City of Grand Forks
  • advised that they are involuntarily included in the proposed Boundary Extension
  • want justification why their land is included as they are not adjacent to the proposed development
  • want to be excluded from the proposed development
  • asked for clarification of Council's level of commitment, and over what time frame and increment would apply a tax rate increase
  • an increase would cause hardship for the affected residents, who are all on fixed incomes
• Yelana Sykes, from North Fork Road
  • presented her concerns with the proposed Boundary Extension
    • that an increase in taxes would cause her hardship as she is on a fixed income
  • with an increased population, who would be responsible for increased policing costs?
    • Council advised that the City of Grand would be responsible for 70% of costs which would be collected from taxation
  • if the proposed development goes through, who would be responsible for the additional infrastructure?
    • Staff advised that the roads and sidewalks would be the City's responsibility, collected through annual taxes
      • the water and sewage system would be the responsibility of the developer
  • concerned with hospital resources and its capacity with an increase in the population
    • Council advised that the proper discussion will be made with the right level of government at that time
    • strictly beginning stages of the proposed development
    • taxation will be collected from new residents, not only increase to existing residents
    • in theory, new housing will bring new residents to the area to fill vacant roles at the Boundary Hospital and offer much-needed housing
  • where does the proposed development plan to house the construction workers required for this proposed expansion?
    • Council clarified that this discussion is strictly for the proposed Boundary Extension at this time

The acting CAO clarified that parcels are included in the proposed Boundary Extension because the Province wants a continuous border without peninsulas, which includes their addresses. Copper Ridge is not included because it is on the northside of the proposed development.

Mayor Baker and Council recessed for a 45 minute lunch break.

13.

PROPOSED BYLAWS FOR DISCUSSION

Council recessed for lunch break at 12:50 p.m. and returned at 1:32 p.m.

a.

Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1958-A13 Amendments

Corporate Services

Mayor Baker introduced the item and discussion ensued:

• Staff sourced out other municipal campgrounds in the area to ensure a fair rate was established
• no further information was required by Council.

• THAT the Committee of the Whole recommends to Council to give first three readings to the Fees and Charges Amendment Bylaw No.1958-A13.

  Carried

b.

Campground Bylaw and Policy Updates

Corporate Services

The acting CAO introduced the item, and discussion ensued regarding:

• formulated one bylaw from a previous existing bylaw, policy, and resolutions of Council at previous meetings. 
• operational changes that are expected because of the removal of operational exceptions, as instructed.
• moved discussion of the campground bylaw to the regular meeting

• THAT Council refer the Municipal Campground Bylaw No. 2104 to the October 10, 2023 Regular Meeting.

  Carried

c.

Draft Sign Bylaw No. 2077

Bylaw Services

The acting CAO introduced the item.

• Staff presented the submitted report
  • no current sign bylaw in place
  • the acting CAO clarified that more information from the public is needed for this new bylaw
  • encouraged public feedback, planning open house
• Council suggested that:
  • sandwich board type signage be brought in after operation hours
  • promote larger signs with multiple businesses for a tidier look
  • extend an opportunity to the Boundary Country Chamber of Commerce to provide feedback from public

• THAT Committee of the Whole ask Staff to undertake public consultation on the Draft Sign Bylaw 2077 prior to returning to Council for potential first three readings of the bylaw.

  Carried

14.

LATE ITEMS

None.

15.

REPORTS, QUESTIONS AND INQUIRIES FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL (VERBAL)

None.

16.

STRATEGIC PLAN 2023

Councillor Zielinski suggested creating a colour-coded dashboard of the Strategic Plan to highlight tasks that are in progress versus completed.

17.

ADJOURNMENT

The October 10, 2023, Committee of the Whole Meeting was adjourned at 1:59 p.m.