COMOX VALLEY REGIONAL DISTRICT BOARD
Tuesday, March 31, 2020
Minutes of the meeting of the Comox Valley Regional District Board of Directors held on Tuesday, March 31, 2020 in the Civic Room of the Comox Valley Regional District offices located at 770 Harmston Avenue, Courtenay, BC commencing at 4:00 pm.
 
 
MINUTES
     
 
Present:
Chair:J. KetlerVillage of Cumberland
Vice-Chair:A. HamirLazo North (Area B)
Directors:D. ArbourBaynes Sound-Denman/Hornby Islands (Area A)
 W. MorinCity of Courtenay
 E. GrievePuntledge/Black Creek (Area C)
 D. HillianCity of Courtenay
 D. FrischCity of Courtenay
 M. SwiftTown of Comox
 B. LeighOyster Bay – Buttle Lake (Area ‘D’)
 K. GrantTown of Comox
 W. Cole-HamiltonCity of Courtenay
Staff:R. DysonChief Administrative Officer
 B. DunlopCorporate Financial Officer
 S. SmithGeneral Manager of Planning and Development Services
 M. RuttenGeneral Manager of Engineering Services
 D. DeMarzoGeneral Manager of Community Services
 J. WarrenGeneral Manager of Corporate Services
 J. MartensManager of Legislative Services
 
   
ATTENDANCE:
With the exception of Chair Ketler, all board members participated in the meeting by teleconference.
 
 
RECOGNITION OF TRADITIONAL TERRITORIES:
The Chair acknowledged that the meeting was being held on the unceded traditional territory of the K’ómoks First Nation and read the following article from the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) available online at: www.un.org/

Article 6: Every indigenous individual has the right to a nationality.
 
 
VARY THE AGENDA:
 
 
D. Frisch/M. Swift: THAT the agenda be varied to bring forward items F.6 (Black Creek - Oyster Bay Services Committee - March 9, 2020) and G. 1 (Recommendations for Bylaw No. 613 being "Black Creek and Oyster Bay Water Local Service Area Capital Improvement Charge Bylaw No. 2462, 2002, Amendment No. 2" on the agenda.
208Carried
 
REPORTS:
Director Frisch joined the meeting in person at 4:10 pm.
 
 
BLACK CREEK - OYSTER BAY SERVICES COMMITTEE - MARCH 9, 2020
 
 
B. Leigh/K. Grant: THAT the Black Creek - Oyster Bay Services Committee minutes dated March 9, 2020 be received. [Item] 
208Carried
 
B. Leigh/D. Frisch: THAT consideration of all recommendations and associated bylaw amendments respecting the proposed expansion of the Black Creek - Oyster Bay Water Service to include the properties serviced by the Watutco Water System be deferred until the June 23, 2020 CVRD Board meeting.
209DefeatedNAY: E. Grieve
 
E. Grieve/D. Frisch: THAT staff bring forward an amendment to Bylaw No. 2462 being “Black Creek - Oyster Bay Water Local Service Area Capital Improvement Charge Bylaw No. 2462, 2002” to provide for an annual utility billing to spread out the applicable Capital Improvement Charges for those properties serviced by the Watutco Water System and within the proposed extension of the Black Creek - Oyster Bay Water Service, as outlined in the staff report dated March 5. 2020.
209CarriedNAY: B. Leigh
 
E. Grieve/K. Grant: THAT subject to a successful petition process for the extension of the Black Creek - Oyster Bay Water Service to include those properties currently serviced by the Watutco Water System, the Board allocate up to $451,000 of Electoral Area C Community Works Funds for system modifications and installation of water meters.
209Carried
 
K. Grant/D. Frisch: THAT up to $10,000 of Electoral Area ‘C’ feasibility study funds, function 153, be allocated for completion of the electoral assent process and associated costs related to the Black Creek –Oyster Bay water local service area boundary expansion for connection of the Watutco Water System.
208Carried
 
BYLAWS AND RESOLUTIONS:
K. Grant/D. Frisch: THAT Bylaw No. 613 being “Black Creek and Oyster Bay Water Local Service Area Capital Improvement Charge Bylaw No. 2462, 2002, Amendment No. 2” be given first and second readings concurrently. [Item] 
209CarriedNAY: B. Leigh
 
K. Grant/D. Hillian: THAT Bylaw No. 613 being “Black Creek and Oyster Bay Water Local Service Area Capital Improvement Charge Bylaw No. 2462, 2002, Amendment No. 2” be read a third time.
209CarriedNAY: B. Leigh
 
K. Grant/D. Frisch: THAT Bylaw No. 613 being “Black Creek and Oyster Bay Water Local Service Area Capital Improvement Charge Bylaw No. 2462, 2002, Amendment No. 2” be finally adopted.
209CarriedNAY: B. Leigh
 
Director Leigh left the meeting at 4:28 pm.
 
 
IN-CAMERA MEETING:
D. Hillian/A. Hamir: THAT the board adjourn to an in-camera session pursuant to the following sub-sections of section 90 of the Community Charter:

90(1)(f) Law enforcement, if the committee/board considers that disclosure could reasonably be expected to harm the conduct of an investigation under or enforcement of an enactment;
90(1)(g) Litigation or potential litigation affecting the regional district;
90(1)(i) The receipt of advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose;
90(1)(k) Negotiations and related discussions respecting the proposed provision of a regional district service that are at their preliminary stages and that, in the view of the committee/board, could reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the regional district if they were held in public;

AND FINALLY THAT the in-camera portion convene immediately following the open portion of the meeting.
208Carried
 
ADOPTION OF MINUTES:
K. Grant/D. Arbour: THAT the following minutes be adopted:

-Comox Valley Regional District Board minutes dated February 25, 2020; and [Item] 
 
 
- Comox Valley Regional District Board minutes dated March 19, 2020. [Item] 
208Carried
 
BUSINESS ARISING FROM MINUTES:
COMOX VALLEY REGIONAL DISTRICT BOARD - FEBRUARY 25, 2020
 
 
K. Grant/M. Swift: THAT the Closed Meetings and Confidentiality Policy, as outlined in Appendix A of the staff report dated January 28, 2020, be approved.
208Carried
 
REPORTS CONTINUED:
2019 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
 
 
D. Hillian/D. Frisch: THAT the following items be received:

- report dated March 18, 2020 regarding the 2019 financial statements, the MNP LLP audit report for the year ended December 31, 2019; [Item] 
 
 
- financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2019; and [Item] 
 
 
- the supplementary financial information for the year ended December 31, 2019 (unaudited). [Item] 
208Carried
 
Beth Dunlop, Corporate Financial Officer and Cory Vanderhorst, MNP LLP, provided (via teleconference) information on the 2019 financial statements and audit findings report.
 
 
K. Grant/M. Swift: THAT the financial statements of the Comox Valley Regional District for the year ended December 31, 2019 be approved.
208Carried
 
COVID-19 CVRD RESPONSE UPDATE
 
 
J. Warren, General Manager of Corporate Services, provided an update respecting the CVRD's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
 
COMMUNITY FUNDING FOR COVID-19 RESPONSE
 
 
D. Hillian/K. Grant: THAT the report dated March 27, 2020 describing a process for administering the grant-in-aid (GIA) and other financial resources to respond to COVID-19 within the Comox Valley, be received. [Item] 
208Carried
 
D. Hillian/D. Frisch: THAT the Grants-in-Aid listed on Schedule A of the report dated March 27, 2020 payable from the respective area(s) indicated, be approved and paid as soon as possible;

AND FURTHER THAT the remainder of grants-in-aid applications and any additional COVID-19 response grant-in-aid awards be considered at subsequent meetings, with specific direction provided by individual Electoral Area Director.
208Carried
 
A. Hamir/D. Frisch: THAT the $93,179 under function #111 allocated for emergency financial assistance to community / social support agencies be distributed as follows:
- $47,000 directed to the Comox Valley Community Foundation for disbursement through its COVID-19 Emergency Response Grants program
- $23,000 directed to the Comox Valley Community Health Network for disbursement through its existing community connections and
- $23,179 directed to the Comox Valley Coalition to End Homelessness for disbursement through its existing community connections;

AND FURTHER THAT each group be requested to disburse funds in a manner that supports the homeless and promotes food security during the COVID-19 pandemic;

AND FINALLY THAT each group be required to provide reporting measures on the purpose and effect of each disbursement.
208Carried
 
COVID-19 TRANSIT SERVICE LEVELS
 
 
D. Frisch/K. Grant: THAT the report dated March 25, 2020 seeking direction from the Board in regards to transit service levels during the COVID-19 pandemic and to delegate implementation of additional temporary service reductions to staff in consultation with BC Transit based on stated principles, be received. [Item] 
209Carried
 
M. Zbarsky, Manager of Transit and Facilities, provided an overview of the report regarding transit service levels during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
 
D. Hillian/W. Morin: THAT the Comox Valley Regional Transit service move to its summer service schedule effective April 6, 2020;

AND FURTHER THAT staff be directed to implement further service level adjustments on a temporary basis in consultation with BC Transit and in consideration of health guidelines, bus driver availability and ridership levels.
209CarriedNAY: D. Arbour
 
ELECTORAL AREAS SERVICES COMMITTEE - FEBRUARY 24, 2020
 
 
K. Grant/M. Swift: THAT the Electoral Areas Services Committee minutes dated February 24, 2020 be received. [Item] 
208Carried
 
ELECTORAL AREAS SERVICES COMMITTEE - MARCH 9, 2020
 
 
K. Grant/M. Swift: THAT the Electoral Areas Services Committee minutes dated March 9, 2020 be received. [Item] 
208Carried
 
W. Morin/A. Hamir: THAT the Comox Valley Regional District Board provide $6,000.00 to K’ómoks First Nation to support a community event, to be held in spring 2020, celebrating the spiritual and cultural importance of Kus-Kus-Sum;

AND FINALLY THAT the funds be derived as follows:
• $667 Area ‘A’ (Vancouver Island portion), function 691;
• $667 Area ‘A’ (Denman Island), function 694;
• $667 Area ‘A’ (Hornby Island), function 695;
• $2000 Area ‘B’, function 692; and
• $2000 Area ‘C’, function 693.
209Carried
 
E. Grieve/K. Grant: THAT the Board of Directors of the Comox Valley Regional District support an active transportation infrastructure grant application in the amount of $35,000 for trail construction in the Gull Road dedication on Hornby Island under the Hornby Island Community Parks and Greenways service, function 620.
207Carried
 
A. Hamir/K. Grant: THAT $12,500 from Electoral Area C Feasibility Funds be budgeted in 2020 to research the potential steps to establishing a service area and a tax requisition for the purpose of mosquito control in the Saratoga / Miracle Beach area.
208Carried
 
D. Hillian/W. Morin: THAT the Hornby Island Residents’ and Ratepayers’ Association and the Denman Island Residents’ and Ratepayers’ Association consider making a joint request that the Comox Valley Regional District undertake an Animal Control Feasibility study for both Hornby and Denman Islands in 2021.
208Carried
 
SEWAGE COMMISSION - MARCH 10, 2020
 
 
K. Grant/D. Frisch: THAT the Sewage Commission minutes dated March 10, 2020 be received. [Item] 
208Carried
 
COMOX VALLEY SPORTS CENTRE COMMISSION - MARCH 10, 2020
 
 
K. Grant/A. Hamir: THAT the Comox Valley Sports Centre Commission minutes dated March 10, 2020 be received. [Item] 
208Carried
 
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE - MARCH 10, 2020
 
 
K. Grant/W. Cole-Hamilton: THAT the Committee of the Whole minutes dated March 10, 2020 be received. [Item] 
208Carried
 
W. Cole-Hamilton/W. Morin: THAT an options analysis be completed in 2021 considering the best delivery of aquatic services in the Comox Valley with a focus on the Comox Valley Sports Centre Pool and City of Courtenay’s Memorial Outdoor Pool.

AND FURTHER THAT an allowance for professional fees of up to $100,000 be included in the 2021-2025 financial plan, allocated equally between the Recreation Grant (600) service and the Comox Valley Recreation Complexes (645) service in 2021.

AND FINALLY THAT City of Courtenay and Comox Valley Regional District recreation staff oversee this process in partnership.
209Carried
 
K. Grant/D. Frisch: THAT the board affirm the appointment of Director Swift (appointee) and Director Hillian (alternate) to the North Island 9-1-1 Corporation Board of Directors as resolved on November 20, 2018;

AND FURTHER THAT these appointments be made for the 2018-2022 term of office;

AND FINALLY THAT remuneration and expenses be paid in accordance with Comox Valley Regional District Bylaw No. 236 being “Comox Valley Regional District Remuneration and Expenses Bylaw 2012”, provided remuneration and/or expenses are not paid directly by the external organization.
208Carried
 
BYLAWS AND RESOLUTIONS CONTINUED:
D. Frisch/K. Grant: THAT Bylaw No. 610 being “Electoral Areas Parks Regulations Bylaw No. 103, 2010, Amendment No. 7” be finally adopted. [Item] 
209Carried
 
E. Grieve/K. Grant: THAT Bylaw No. 611, being “Comox Valley Regional District Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 104, 2010, Amendment No. 17” be finally adopted. [Item] 
208Carried
 
ADJOURN TO IN-CAMERA:
The board recessed to its in-camera session at 5:21 pm
 
 
RISE AND REPORT:
The board rose from its in-camera session at 6:11 pm.
 
 
TERMINATION:
M. Swift/K. Grant: THAT the meeting terminate.
208Carried
 
Time: 6:12 pm.
 
 
 Confirmed this 28th Day of April, 2020:


____________________________________
Jesse Ketler
Chair
 
Certified Correct and Recorded By:


____________________________________
Jake Martens
Manager of Legislative Services
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