Council Meeting

Okay, thank you.

Good evening, everyone.

I'd like to just begin by acknowledging our friends and neighbors and the Esquimalton Songhees Nation on whose unceded traditional territories View Royal lies.

This meeting is being held under the auspices of Ministerial Order M192 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the public health officers' orders prohibiting gatherings in excess of 50 people.

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

So if you'd like to call in, the information is all on the screen.

You dial 778-402-9227 and when prompted, enter conference ID 291-359-844 pound.

At the appropriate time in the agenda, I will ask announce ask you to announce the last four digits of your phone number, ask you to mute the live webcast to avoid feedback, ask you not to use speakerphone to ensure sound quality, and ask that you unmute yourself by pressing star six.

And then you will have the opportunity to give us the benefit of your views.

If you're providing comments through the chat feature, that feature is open during the public participation period of the agenda and also the question period.

Again, we ask that you provide your name and address to begin your chat feature comments.

This meeting will be recorded by participating in this webcast.

You are consenting to being recorded, and the recording will be available on the town's website for future access.

And if you are calling in for public participation, you want to do it relatively soon because it's not going to take very long tonight to get there, I don't believe.

So after I finish my few words that I'm going to make, it'd probably a good time to get on the phone if you're if you're going to call in.

And so with that, if I can get a motion to approve the agenda, please.

So move.

Second.

Thank you.

It's moved by Councillor Lemon, seconded by Councillor Rogers.

All in favor?

Opposed.

That's carried.

And then we have minutes from November 17th, public hearing and council.

Move adoption of both.

Thank you.

Moved by Councillor Rogers, seconded by Councillor Lemon.

I've got this is our inaugural meeting.

All in favor, opposed, that's carried.

It's also really the halfway point in our term.

Um, so I don't have a long speech by any means, but I do have a few words I'm just going to say.

This has obviously been a very difficult year, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank our staff for their work throughout the year and for keeping the town on a steady course through a trying time.

I know how difficult and stressful it has been and continues to be.

On behalf of council, I thank all our staff, first responders, the RCMP, and all those who work to make our community a better place.

I also thank my council colleagues.

We are working much better as a council this past year, and I look forward to continuing that on into 2021.

We will have a challenging time with our budget for 2021 and beyond, with the opening date for the casino unknown and the speed of its financial recovery uncertain, View Royal is going to need to be quite cautious for the short term.

This will mean that some nice to have projects will be pushed down the road aways and likely some must have ones as well.

I know our residents will understand this cautious approach.

The town's overall financial position is strong, and we will work hard to keep any tax increases minimal during these difficult economic times for so many.

It is also important to note that while we see a glimmer of light for later in 2021, it'll be quite some time before a true sense of normalcy returns.

For the short term, business as normal is just not possible.

And while frustrating for all, we must be patient.

This has had an impact on many areas of the town's operations, but most noticeably, it impacts public engagement and public feedback here at our meetings.

Bringing live streaming to our meetings is clearly a huge step forward in this regard, and we will work towards improving public engagement as we can.

Our strategic plan, while delayed because of COVID 19, will soon be finalized, and work has already begun on many of the priorities identified in that plan.

I'm proud of our community, and I'm proud of the services and the quality of life that we deliver to our residents.

I'm often told by residents what a truly wonderful community we have.

And I'm also consistently impressed at the pride that all members of our organization, right from council to staff to emergency services personnel, take in their positions and in our town.

And it is that level of care from all and from our many volunteers that make View Royal such an amazing community.

And just to end that, when you look at the rest of the world right now, you look at the craziness of the United States of America and what's happening there with their elections, and you look at the COVID 19 even just as closely as the lower mainland.

I mean, we are just so truly blessed to live where we do.

I mean, we are just so incredibly lucky, not only to be in View Royal, but obviously to be on Vancouver Island.

So that is it.

Thank you.

So the first um point of business is just the Schedule A.

So the chairs of the different standing committees of finance administration is myself.

Protective Services and Community Services is Councillor Jerry Lemon.

Planning and Development is Councillor Ron Mattson.

Parks and Recreation and Environment is Councillor John Rogers, and public works and transportation is Councillor Kualowitch.

So then moving on to Schedule B.

I just need a motion to approve those appointments.

Thank you.

So it's moved by Councillor Kowalewich, seconded by Councillor Rogers.

All in favor, opposed, that's carried.

I can't get mine back here, Tom.

Are you sure?

Yeah.

Thank you.

I memorized it.

And then moving on to Schedule C, which is the miscellaneous appointments.

Just need a motion to approve.

So move.

Second.

I've got it now.

Thank you.

Okay.

All in favor.

So moved.

Opposed, that's carried.

And then the tag days.

Moved by Councillor Kowalowicz, seconded by Councilor Lemon.

All in favor, posed, that's carried.

And then the liaisons to the advisory committees, which are basically just the same as they were, Councillor Ron Mattson and Councillor Jerry Lemon for the Parks Recreation Environment, and Councillor John Rogers and Councillor Damian Kowalowicz for the Community Development Advisory Committee.

So moved.

Second.

Okay.

All in favor.

Opposed, that's carried.

So that is all the out appointments for the next year.

So thank you.

So there's no petitions and delegations.

Is there any public on the telephone stuff?

Uh your worship, there are not at this time.

Okay, thank you.

Is there anyone on the chat feature staff?

Uh thank you, Mayor Screech.

We don't have anybody on the chat comments this evening.

Okay, thank you.

So I think we'll move on from that.

And then the next item of business is the meeting schedule, which is pretty self-explanatory, I believe.

I move adoption.

Thank you.

Second.

It's moved by Councillor Rogers, seconded by Councillor Lemon.

All in favor, opposed, that's carried.

So then we have um minutes from West Shore AMB.

Move C.

Thank you.

Second.

Moved by Councillor Rogers, seconded by Councillor Kwalowich.

Is there any discussions?

Councillor Rogers?

Yes, uh on October 8th.

Um I I was um interested to read the uh the whole discussion about uh EV charging stations, uh ter taking them for free to uh um having paid, but I was really surprised at the cost uh to do so.

Um and I don't know if this was a 20,000 to do all of them or or one of them, but um you know that you know that's something that I think we should be looking at is switching ours to uh to paid uh charging stations as well, but um it certainly would be prohibitive if it's going to cost 20,000, so definitely something to look at.

I I can speak to that uh through your worship.

Uh that I was actually uh one of the board members who recommended that we switch to a paper fee there.

It appears that the charging stations are now kind of in a two-tier system, and that some of the newer ones can charge a lot faster.

And and PC Hydra is moving away from taking responsibility of some charging stations.

They're trying to get the program to be self-sufficient.

Uh so we're in the process of communicating with Callwood and looking at options moving forward there at the West Shore Parks and Iraq.

But I certainly I think we've had this discussion before here to move to a paper fee service eventually.

And I would support that as well.

Yeah, I think staff is bringing that back here at some point.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Just another point.

Um, I'm I'm really pleased to see the grant application for the skateboard um uh development skate park.

So that that's really really great.

And and through this, um, you know, I got a sense of uh a lot of um uh you know use um you know to the various programs, and certainly the golf is popular.

I see that pickleballs come back.

Um, with with um the COVID um I say recent points about um uh gyms and exercise areas.

Matter of fact, it has, uh Counselor.

Has that had any impact on the services at West Shore?

I can tell you we've had uh more meetings than usual for for this board.

Uh we've had emergency meetings, we've had special meetings.

Uh it's it's been a challenging year for rec centers.

And West Shore has uh not been spared from uh from that list.

Um they've had to pare down their numbers for many other services, and they've had to eliminate a lot of their services altogether.

Uh extra precautions with cleaning, uh pre-planned sign up for guests for um exercise classes, and of course, the latest directive from the provincial health officer eliminating high intensity training has also taken away some of the activities available to our constituents.

So it's been a challenging year.

Yeah.

Just one last point, if I may.

Again, another strong praise for the food and beverage and the meals that are being provided.

I had no idea.

And you know, this is a great news story, and I wish the press would run with that, particularly during these this time of Christmas.

That's actually very noteworthy, and I meant to send uh send something to my colleagues on that.

I had a couple emails.

It's a very um unique situation where staff were able to, the senior manager that was able to think outside the box, uh, continue to have West Shore Park staff employed and repurpose them uh in other roles.

And this the food service they're providing now to some communities in uh need is a cost neutral program, and it's uh it's doing quite well.

And now we've received a lot more interest from particular community groups and ordering food.

So it's it's um it's been a really good news story, and they're looking at um putting some media on as well.

And I'll send something to my colleagues on that.

Thank you.

Good.

Yeah, we had our owners meeting two weeks ago, and I was really impressed with um just the the the general envelope of really good work that's going on, and and the fact that they have managed to keep the budget under control in a very difficult time.

So there's a ton of really good work going on there.

So okay, I'm gonna call a question on receipt.

All in favor, opposed, that's carried.

So we have I guess let's do the minutes first of CDAC.

No move receipt.

So moved by Councillor Rogers, second seconded by Councillor Kualowich.

So that's all in favor, posed, that's carried.

So then they do have.

I mean, the first I I listened in on this meeting as Councillor Rogers is aware.

I mean, the first motion is a little bit ambiguous, but um I think Sarah and I can kind of talk through it to give them a slightly better idea of some of their their questions.

Um but at any rate that's the recommendation.

Receive further information and then it would go back to them in January.

Yeah, move to State of A and B.

Okay, thank you.

Second.

So yeah, that's the the two recommendations from CDAC.

Yeah.

Okay.

All in favor, opposed, that's carried.

So then Parks and Environment has numerous recommendations.

I'm receiving the minutes.

Okay, thank you.

So the minutes are moved by Councillor Rogers, seconded by Councillor Lemon.

All in favor, opposed, that's carried.

So the best thing to me to do with all these recommendations would be to simply receive them and refer them to our climate action plan once that we start work on that for discussion.

Move receipt.

Does that make sense?

Yes.

Receipt and referral.

Yeah.

Okay, so that's moved for receipt by Councillor Kowalewich, seconded by Councilor Lemon.

There's lots of good work there and definitely lots of good ideas, but we need to look at them in the proper proper venue.

And get a question on some of them.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah, go ahead.

Just for Councillor Lemon there.

That's obviously quite uh uh robust discussion.

Uh Councillor Rogers and I are fully engaged in our C D directory in the same time, but I imagine it uh took some time.

That's great to have.

This was a robust discussion.

Yep.

Yes.

We we filled every minute of a two hours.

Very engaged uh members of the community.

That's great to hear.

Yes, yes.

Good.

All in favor, opposed.

That's carried.

Um so for anyone thinking of phoning in for question period, you you might want to think about getting on the phone fairly soon because we're going to be there very fast.

Next is the letter from View Roll Elementary.

Okay, thank you.

Second.

Okay.

I think with I'd like to um, and I mean, I can just do this, but I think we'll we'll send um Ms.

Pick's letter to the CRD with a letter from myself on behalf of council thanking them for the CRD program.

Right?

It's it's the CRD staff put a huge amount of work into that program, and it really is um it's it's a real success what they've been doing in terms of getting kids on on foot and biking and also parents as well.

Um so I think it'd be nice just to write to the CRD and thank them.

Just a question here, Richmond.

I totally agree.

Um, but uh there was a note there about uh signage on the E&N Rail Trail.

So had had additional signs been placed um in relation to this uh program.

Well, definitely the you know the big red boxes that we did on Helmcken fell out of it.

Um I don't know what signage on on the ENN trail.

Director Rosenberg may know the answer to that question.

Is he with us?

I am your worship.

Uh yes, as part of the um program, the CRD parks and trails actually agreed to put in additional signage on the ENN Rail Trail, just um recognizing um the trail was there and entrance and exit uh from the trail back onto Helmkin and to the school area just to help out some of the parents that were coming in.

So um I to be honest, I haven't checked, but the program is complete, so I would believe the signs were there because they did confirm that they would do that as part of the program.

Thank you, John.

Yeah, okay.

Good.

Okay, so all in favor of receipt.

Opposed, that's carried.

So next we have a staff report regarding electrical vehicle charging infrastructure.

Staff.

Thank you, your worship.

Uh my reports really just reflects uh excuse me, my presentation reflects the report.

Uh nothing much new.

If you want me to go through that, I certainly can.

We have seen it before.

Let me see if there's any desire from.

No, I think we're good.

There may be a question though, James.

Council.

Yes, thanks.

Yes, thanks very much.

I appreciate the report and and um uh it's great.

Um the question we had last time, and I know that we um there's a recommendation that we waive the public hearing, which I agree with.

Uh do you think there's any um developers or individuals that may want an information session or something?

I don't uh I I I don't know that.

I don't see that it's um it's really of any benefit to not provide this.

I mean the some people that that some developers um might see a short-term cost savings here, but I think long term it's going to cost the the building regardless because this is something that is coming in the future.

I I don't think that asking developers myself it would be productive because a yes would merely um would merely uh you know back up what we're doing here and a no is not not what not what staff is suggesting so my my recommendation would just be to go forward.

Your worship, it's Lindsay.

Go ahead, Lindsay.

I I think I think on on this particular front, um echo echoing James.

Um I'm not sure that we're going to hear anything that we aren't expecting to hear if we do decide to hold a public hearing.

And I also note that our more our more recent um development applications are coming forward with EV charging stations.

That that's that I think um is a rapid shift and is is becoming quite common in the development industry.

If you want to hold a public hearing, that would be one way of hearing from the development community.

Um we you know we regard regardless of whether or not council chooses to waive the hearing or not, we would still have to advertise um what the purpose of the bylaw is, etc.

So um uh a a public a public hearing or a waiving the public hearing, the um the advertising requirement is the same.

So if you if you if you want to have the public hearing, that would that would elicit, I think, the the response that you're looking for.

Okay, thank you, Nancy.

So there's no further questions, we just need a motion to receive staff's report.

Moved by Councillor Rogers, second, seconded by Councillor Lemon.

All in favor that's carried, and then we need first and second of one zero six two.

So move.

Yeah, move by councillor Rogers.

Second.

Second.

Councillor Lemon.

In favor.

Just a comment to you go ahead.

Um you know it I think it's um it's like staff is saying, it's pretty much a given with the developments uh these days anyway with uh electric vehicles.

And um I I I commend staff for assessing all the um options that are in Victoria right now with the municipalities and and choosing, if you like, for lack of a better term, the middle of the road.

Um, that I think would be um um you know so reasonable that we won't need a public hearing.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Good.

No, I concur.

So all in favor?

Opposed.

So that's first and second reading carried, and then we need a uh motion to waive the public hearing.

So moved.

Moved by Councillor Lemon.

Seconded by Councillor Kowalewich that we waive the public hearing.

Okay.

Second.

All in favor.

That's carried.

There's no new business, so there is question period staff.

Do we have any callers on the line?

Your worship, we do not have any callers this evening.

Thank you.

Okay, thank you, Don.

Is there any um anybody on the chat feature?

Thank you, Mayor Screech.

We do not have any chat questions this evening.

Okay, thank you, Jennifer.

So with that, we just need a motion to terminate.

Wow.

So move second.

Some of all in favor.

Okay.

That's good.

Thank you, everyone.

We'll see you next week for committee of the whole.