Council Meeting

Thank you.

Uh good evening, everybody who is watching at home.

Mayor Screech is away tonight, so I'll be filling in as the chair.

This council meeting is called to order, and we recognize the Lakwangan speaking people known today as the Esquemo Nation and Songhees Nation, and that their historic connections to these lands continue to this day.

This evening we will hear from the public during the public participation and question period portions of the agenda.

If you wish to provide comments by telephone, please call 778-402-9227.

And when prompted, enter conference ID 933 939 311 Pound.

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And speakers will have five minutes each to speak during public participation and two minutes to ask a question during question period.

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With that, uh can I get an approval of the agenda?

So second.

Move by Councillor Mattson, seconded by Councillor Lemon.

All in favor, opposed, that's carried.

Uh minutes and receipt and adoption of the minutes from November 16th.

Move adoption.

All in favor, opposed.

Second.

Move by Councillor Mattson, seconded by Councilor Rogers.

Motions carried.

Uh for the mayor's report.

Uh wanted to acknowledge that today happens to be the 20th anniversary of the VRO Casino, now known as Elements Casino.

And I was uh communicating earlier today with Councilor Rogers, and he uh told a story about how council took a trip to Nanaimo 20 years ago and viewed the the only casino on the island at that time.

And um it was explained how the the VRO casino would be more modern and larger, and um the council at the time, including Councillor Rogers.

Okay.

And were you there as well, Councilor Matson?

Of course.

We built it back better.

Uh you uh negotiated a groundbreaking proportionate uh sharing agreement that um has been a model for future uh casinos in the province.

So um wanted to wanted to acknowledge that.

And a few uh quick stats on Elements Casino to date.

Uh they have uh have gaming revenue that has been given back to the West Shore communities totaling over uh approximately $70 million dollars since um since its inception.

Um, an ongoing benefit to the town of View Royal uses its share of provincial gaming revenue generated at the casino to help library services and maintenance for the Greater Victoria Public Libraries.

And recently, the Town of View Royal allocated $70,000 of its share of provincial gaming revenue from Elements Casino to fund a 15-year collaborative master plan to enhance the park's facilities.

So lots of benefits to have to having the casino in our community.

Also, the holiday season is upon us, and you may have seen some nice decorations by staff and uh in the town, including banners and lights, which is a nice segue into uh a reminder that we will be having our light up View Royal contest again.

It's the second annual light up bureau uh and so if if you have lights that uh you think are um exceptional please communicate it's on our website it's on our social media feeds uh my uh esteemed colleagues here will be uh voting on their their top choice and a small gift will be given uh at the conclusion uh just prior to christmas so that was fun last year i think it was a success so uh hoping to hoping to do that again we'll move on to the appointment uh appointments for the committee of the whole the the committee of the whole appointments will uh be as follows for 2022.

Mayor Screech will be the chair of the finance and administration administration committee.

Counselor Jerry Lemon will be protective services and community services.

Counselor Ron Matson will be planning and development.

Councilor John Rogers, Parks, Recreation and Environment.

And myself, I will remain as the public works and transportation chair.

Unless anyone wants to talk about other appointments, in particular, there's quite a few.

I'll move B through E.

Is that what you wanted?

I was going to mention some of the tag days just for the public.

So the town of V Royal and Council, we designate days for local clubs and organizations within the municipality, included in the in that list, Big Brothers, BC Lions Society, Child Flying Victoria, Cancer Society, Diabetes Canada, Girl Guides of Canada, Heart and Stroke Foundation, Kiwanis Club, Parent Support Services Society, Rotary International, Canadian Legion, Scouts Canada, Salvation Army, United Way, Vancouver Island, and Multiple Sclerosis Society, uh View Royal Firefighters' Association, and the West Shore Chamber of Commerce and others.

So I think it's it's noteworthy that we we cover a lot off there and we do our best to support local clubs and organizations uh when when able so with uh actually and one more note I'm going to go over the 2022 appointments for advisory committees, uh parks, recreation advisory committee, uh once again, uh Councilor Mattson and Councillor Lemmon and Community Development Advisory, Councillor Rogers and myself again will serve on uh on CDAC for 2022.

So and with that, could I get a motion to accept uh A through E.

So moved?

Second.

Moved by Councillor Mattson, seconded by Councillor Lemmon.

All in favor, opposed, it's carried.

Uh we have none.

Uh petitions and delegations.

Uh on to public participation period.

And do we have anybody on the line?

Uh chair, at the moment there are no callers.

Okay.

All right.

Uh we'll move on to um other reports, which is meetings from the West Shore Parks and Recreation Society Board of Directors.

And I can speak to that.

Uh, we recently had a grand opening yesterday for the Juan de Fuca hockey rink, which was uh totally redone, and as well a brand new cutting-edge child care center.

The whole top floor of uh the main building is now uh brand new child care facilities with multiple ages from zero, I think well from you know very little, zero to one to I think up to five years old uh after school care as well.

And uh yesterday, ministers uh dean and chen from the provincial government, uh as well as the local uh delegates were in attendance uh to do the grand opening.

So that was with a lot of municipal support, provincial, and some large federal grants, so went well.

Uh, and also we approved the 2022 budget for West Shore Parks and Rec.

We had View Royal in particular.

We um we had a very small, actually no increase at all, I believe, uh, for us, just the way the numbers worked out.

And um, and we had a um we have some ongoing um presentations from uh the aquatics and fitness team about uh services they provide to the community through uh to groups uh vulnerable people and programs that West Shore Parks and Rec is is putting forward for um groups that uh maybe wouldn't get chances that um that others do.

So a lot of good community work happening there uh that we're really proud of.

Any comments or questions on that?

No.

Okay.

Could we get a motion to receive that?

So moved.

Second.

Okay.

Um moved by counselor Mattson and seconded by counselor rogers.

All in favor?

Opposed, that's carried.

And down to bylaws.

Financial plan bylaw 1071.

I I move a doctor of 1082.

And 1082.

Second.

Okay.

Did staff want to speak to this at all?

No?

Okay.

All right.

Any discussion from our group?

No.

Okay.

That was moved by Councillor Rogers, seconded by Councillor Mattson.

It's carried.

All in favor?

Opposed?

Okay.

And just one more thing.

Sorry, in the old days, there was always somebody.

I can't remember their name, just one more thing.

No, that's uh that's it.

We're actually at question period now.

If uh anybody's managed to call in in the last couple minutes.

And currently there are no callers.

Okay.

Very well.

I do have one question.

Is that a TV?

I believe it's our uh the box for the new map on the wall.

So okay.

Yeah.

Oh wow.

Could I get a motion to terminate?

So second.

Okay.

Moved by Councillor Mattson.

Second in by Councillor Lemon.

And thank you very much.

Wow.

Thank you, Repty.

Thank you.

Yes, not a problem.