COMOX VALLEY REGIONAL DISTRICT BOARD

Tuesday, December 8, 2020
Minutes of the meeting of the Comox Valley Regional District Board of Directors held on December 8, 2020 in the Civic Room of the Comox Valley Regional District offices located at 770 Harmston Avenue, Courtenay, BC commencing at 4:03 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. Cole-HamiltonCity of Courtenay
 M. McCollumCity of Courtenay
 K. GrantTown of Comox
 E. GrievePuntledge/Black Creek (Area C)
 D. HillianCity of Courtenay
 W. MorinCity of Courtenay
 M. SwiftTown of Comox
Staff:R. DysonChief Administrative Officer
 J. WarrenDeputy Chief Administrative Officer
 M. FoortChief Financial Officer
 D. DeMarzoGeneral Manager of Community Services
 J. MartensGeneral Manager of Corporate Services
 M. RuttenGeneral Manager of Engineering Services
 S. SmithGeneral Manager of Planning and Development Services
 L. DennisManager of Legislative Services
 
   
ATTENDANCE:
With the exception of Chair Ketler and Director Arbour, all directors attended via electronic means.
 
 
Also in attendance at the meeting were A. Mullaly and H. Siemens, CVRD.
 
 
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 21: Indigenous peoples have the right, without discrimination, to the improvement of their economic and social conditions, including, inter alia, in the areas of education, employment, vocational training and retraining, housing, sanitation, health and social security;

States shall take effective measures and, where appropriate, special measures to ensure continuing improvement of their economic and social conditions. Particular attention shall be paid to the rights and special needs of indigenous elders, women, youth, children and persons with disabilities.
 
 
IN-CAMERA MEETING:
D. Arbour/D. Hillian: THAT the board adjourn to an in-camera session pursuant to the following sub-section of section 90 of the Community Charter:

90(1)(a) Personal information about an identifiable individual who holds or is being considered for a position as an officer, employee or agent of the regional district or another position appointed by the regional district;

AND FINALLY THAT the in-camera portion convene immediately following the open portion of the meeting.
208Carried
 
ADOPTION OF MINUTES:
D. Arbour/W. Morin: THAT the Comox Valley Regional District Board minutes dated November 24, 2020 be adopted. [Item
208Carried
 
PETITIONS AND DELEGATIONS:
PUNTLEDGE RIVER FOREST PROTECTION SOCIETY
 
 
D. Arbour/D. Hillian: THAT the presentation from Graham Hilliar, Puntledge River Forest Protection Society, regarding the protection of the timber which is owned by Hancock Timber Resource Group on the BC Hydro property in the Bevan and Bear Bait Trails area be received. [Item
208Carried
 
REPORTS:
INTEGRATED REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION SELECT COMMITTEE - NOVEMBER 26, 2020
 
 
D. Arbour/A. Hamir: THAT the Integrated Regional Transportation Select Committee minutes dated November 26, 2020 be received. [Item
208Carried
 
D. Arbour/A. Hamir: THAT the Integrated Regional Transportation Select Committee disband with consideration to establishing a select committee on transportation matters if required at a later time.
208Carried
 
REALLOCATION REQUEST – FUNCTION 451 CONNECT WARMING CENTRE
 
 
D. Arbour/M. McCollum: THAT the report dated December 3, 2020 regarding a request from the Coalition to End Homelessness for the reallocation of approved funding to create a permanent drop-in centre to the Connect Warming Centre be received. [Item
209Carried
 
A. Mullaly, Senior Manager of Sustainability and RGS, provided an overview of the staff report regarding a request from the Coalition to End Homelessness for the reallocation of approved funding to create a permanent drop-in centre to the Connect Warming Centre.
 
 
D. Hillian/W. Morin: THAT the remaining $50,000 allocated for the establishment of a permanent drop-in centre project in 2019 be reallocated to the Connect Warming Centre to cover operating costs;

AND FINALLY THAT the re-allocation be reflected as an addendum to the Comox Valley Coalition to End Homelessness Five Year Action Plan (2020 – 2024).
209Carried
 
REVENUE ANTICIPATION BORROWING BYLAW NO. 629, 2021
 
 
D. Arbour/A. Hamir: THAT the report dated November 18, 2020 regarding Bylaw No. 629 being "Revenue Anticipation Borrowing Bylaw No 629, 2021" be received. [Item
208Carried
 
D. Arbour/W. Cole-Hamilton: THAT the Comox Valley Regional District Board approve "Revenue Anticipation Borrowing Bylaw No. 629, 2021" for the 2021 fiscal year.
208Carried
 
CHAIR/VICE CHAIR REMUNERATION
 
 
W. Cole-Hamilton/D. Arbour: THAT the report dated December 2, 2020 regarding the arrangement for the division of the Board Chair’s remuneration with the Vice-Chair be received. [Item
208Carried
 
D. Arbour/W. Morin: THAT $5000 of the 2021 Chair remuneration be allocated to the vice-chair for the period December 1, 2020 to November 1, 2021 in recognition of the vice-chair’s role in supporting the chair including acting as co-chair of the Comox Strathcona Waste Management Board.
208Carried
 
BYLAWS AND RESOLUTIONS:
D. Hillian/D. Arbour: THAT Bylaw No. 629, being “Revenue Anticipation Borrowing Bylaw No. 629, 2021” be given first and second readings concurrently. [Item
208Carried
 
D. Hillian/D. Arbour: THAT Bylaw No. 629 being "Revenue Anticipation Borrowing Bylaw No. 629, 2021" be read a third time.
208Carried
 
NEW BUSINESS:
UNITED NATIONS DECLARATION ON RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
 
 
D. Arbour/A. Hamir: THAT the correspondence dated November 30, 2020 from Director Cole-Hamilton regarding a review of the CVRD Indigenous Relations Framework in response to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) be received. [Item
208Carried
 
W. Cole-Hamilton/D. Arbour: THAT staff be directed to provide a report that considers implementation measures related to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, as outlined in the Indigenous Relations Framework approved by the Comox Valley Regional District Board on January 28, 2020.
208Carried
 
MUNICIPAL FINANCE AUTHORITY OF BC APPOINTMENT OF MEMBER
 
 
D. Arbour/D. Hillian: THAT the correspondence dated November 24, 2020 from Peter Urbanc, Chief Executive Officer, Municipal Finance Authority, regarding the appointment of a member and alternate to the Municipal Finance Authority of BC for 2021 be received. [Item
208Carried
 
D. Hillian/M. McCollum: THAT Director Grieve and Director Hamir be appointed to the Municipal Finance Authority (MFA) of BC, as member and alternate member respectively, for a one-year period expiring February 2022;

AND FURTHER THAT remuneration and expenses be paid for meeting attendance provided remuneration and/or expenses are not paid directly by the external organization.
208
 
Director Grieve declined the appointment to the Municipal Finance Authority (MFA) of BC for the upcoming year.
 
 
E. Grieve/D. Hillian: THAT the motion be amended to appoint Director McCollum as member to the Municipal Finance Authority (MFA) of BC.
208Carried
 
The vote was taken on the main motion, as amended, as follows:
 
 
THAT Director McCollum and Director Hamir be appointed to the Municipal Finance Authority (MFA) of BC, as member and alternate member respectively, for a one-year period expiring February 2022;

AND FURTHER THAT remuneration and expenses be paid for meeting attendance provided remuneration and/or expenses are not paid directly by the external organization.
208Carried
 
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTRE POLICY GROUP
 
 
D. Arbour/W. Cole-Hamilton: THAT the correspondence dated December 3, 2020 regarding the Emergency Operations Centre Policy Group decision-making process be received. [Item
208
 
H. Siemens, Emergency Program Coordinator, provided an overview of the staff report regarding the Emergency Operations Centre Policy Group decision-making process.
 
 
D. Arbour/E. Grieve: THAT the Chair of the Comox Valley Regional District Board and the Chair of the Electoral Areas Services Committee be appointed to the Comox Valley’s Regional Emergency Operations Centre Policy Group in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic;

AND FURTHER THAT the Policy Group be tasked with providing leadership and strategic direction/decision making on Emergency Operations Centre policy matters and act as the key communications liaison point between senior government and health officials and the local emergency operations centre and local jurisdictions.
208Carried
 
ADJOURN TO IN-CAMERA:
The board adjourned to its in-camera session at 5:00 pm.
 
 
RISE AND REPORT:
The board rose from its in-camera session at 5:37 pm and reported the following:
 
 
"THAT the board nominate Frank Assu to the BC Ferry Authority for consideration of appointment to its Board of Directors for the three year term commencing April 1, 2021."
 
 
"THAT John Sterk be appointed to the Board of Variance for a three-year term, effective January 1, 2021 and expiring December 31, 2023;

AND FURTHER THAT Connie Halbert be reappointed to the Board of Variance for a one-year term, effective January 1, 2021 and expiring December 31, 2021."
 
 
TERMINATION:
D. Arbour/K. Grant: THAT the meeting terminate.
208Carried
 
Time: 5:37 pm.
 
 
 Confirmed this 15th day of December, 2020:


____________________________________
Jesse Ketler
Chair
 
Certified Correct and Recorded By:


____________________________________
Lisa Dennis
Manager of Legislative Services
Meeting Web Page