Minutes of the meeting of the Comox Valley Regional District Board of Directors held on Monday, February 5, 2024 in the Civic Room of the Comox Valley Regional District offices located at 770 Harmston Avenue, Courtenay, BC commencing at 8:34 am.
MINUTES
Present:
Chair:
W. Cole-Hamilton
City of Courtenay
Vice-Chair:
J. Kerr
Town of Comox
Directors:
D. Arbour
Baynes Sound-Denman/Hornby Islands (Area A)
V. Brown
Village of Cumberland
K. Grant
Town of Comox
E. Grieve
Puntledge/Black Creek (Area C)
R. Hardy
Lazo North (Area B)
D. Hillian
City of Courtenay
M. McCollum
City of Courtenay
W. Morin
City of Courtenay
Staff:
J. Warren
Chief Administrative Officer
L. Wiwcharuk
Chief Financial Officer
J. Martens
General Manager of Corporate Services
D. DeMarzo
General Manager of Community Services
A. Mullaly
General Manager of Planning and Development
M. Rutten
General Manager of Engineering Services
L. Dennis
Manager of Legislative Services
ATTENDANCE:
Director Grant was not in attendance when the meeting was called to order.
 
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 Call to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action report:
Call to Action 41 - Justice:
We call upon the federal government, in consultation with Aboriginal organizations, to appoint a public inquiry into the causes of, and remedies for, the disproportionate victimization of Aboriginal women and girls. The inquiry’s mandate would include:
i. Investigation into missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls.
ii. Links to the intergenerational legacy of residential schools.
 
ADOPTION OF MINUTES:
D. Hillian/M. McCollum: THAT the Comox Valley Regional District Board minutes dated January 23, 2024 be adopted. [Item]
208
Carried
PUBLIC INPUT ON THE 2024-2028 FINANCIAL PLAN:
L.Wiwcharuk provided a summary of input received in regards to the 2024-2028 proposed financial plan and the specific CVRD services under consideration.
 
Members of the public may submit comments, questions, or feedback on the 2024-2028 proposed financial plan here: www.engagecomoxvalley.ca/budget.
 
PRESENTATIONS:
2024-2028 FINANCIAL PLAN
 
L. Wiwcharuk, Chief Financial Officer, introduced the 2024-2028 financial planning process. [Item]
 
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION CORE SERVICE - 2024-2028 FINANCIAL PLAN
 
L. Wiwcharuk, Chief Financial Officer, J. Warren, Chief Administrative Officer, and J. Martens, General Manager of Corporate Service presented an overview of the finance and administration core service. [Item]
 
MEMBER MUNICIPALTY ADMINISTRATION, FUNCTION 100
 
L. Wiwcharuk, Chief Financial Officer, presented information regarding the proposed 2024-2028 financial plan for function 100, Member Municipality Administration. [Item]
 
D. Hillian/W. Morin: THAT the proposed 2024-2028 financial plan for function 100, Member Municipality Administration Service, be approved.
208
Carried
ELECTORAL AREA ADMINSTRATION, FUNCTION 130
 
J. Warren, Chief Administrative Officer, and J. Martens, General Manager of Corporate Services, presented information regarding function 130, Electoral Area Administration Service. [Item]
 
E. Grieve/J. Kerr: THAT the proposed 2024-2028 financial plan for the function 130, Electoral Areas Expenditures & Election Service, be approved.
208
Carried
ADMINISTRATION & GENERAL GOVERNMENT, FUNCTION 110
 
L. Wiwcharuk, Chief Financial Officer, J. Warren, Chief Administrative Officer, and J. Martens, General Manager of Corporate Services, presented information regarding the proposed 2024-2028 financial plan for function 110, Administration and General Government. [Item]
 
J. Kerr/M. McCollum: THAT the proposed 2024-2028 financial plan for function 110, Administration and General Government Service, be approved.
208
Carried
COMOX VALLEY TOURISM, FUNCTION 550
 
L. Kilpatrick, Community Development and Resilience Manager, presented information regarding function 550, Comox Valley Tourism Service. [Item]
 
E. Grieve/J. Kerr: THAT the proposed 2024-2028 financial plan for the function 550, Comox Valley Tourism Service, be approved.
209
Carried
OTHER - FUNCTIONS 150, 190, 275, 400, 630
 
L. Wiwcharuk, Cheif Financial Officer, provided a verbal overview of the following services:
* Feasibility (Regional), function 150
* Municipal Debt, function 190
* 9-1-1 Answering Service, function 275
* Vancouver Island Regional Library Service, function 630
* Cemetery Service, function 400
 
J. Kerr/M. McCollum: THAT the proposed 2024-2028 financial plans for function 150, Regional Feasibility, and function 190, Municipal Debt, be approved.
208
Carried
D. Hillian/W. Morin: THAT the proposed 2024-2028 financial plans for function 275, 9-1-1 Answering Service and function 630, Vancouver Island Regional Library Service, be approved.
209
Carried
D. Hillian/M. McCollum: THAT the proposed 2024-2028 financial plans for function 400, Cemetary Service, be approved.
209
Carried
WATER SUPPLY CORE SERVICE - 2024-2028 FINANCIAL PLAN
 
M. Rutten, General Manager of Engineering Services, presented an overview of the water supply core service. [Item]
 
SEWAGE TREATMENT CORE SERVICE - 2024-2028 FINANCIAL PLAN
 
M. Rutten, General Manager of Engineering Services, presented an overview of the sewage treatment core service. [Item]
 
ELECTORAL AREAS CORE SERVICE - 2024-2028 FINANCIAL PLAN
 
J. Warren, Chief Administrative Officer, presented an overview of the electoral areas core service. [Item]
 
REGIONAL SUSTAINABILITY CORE SERVICE - 2024-2028 FINANCIAL PLAN
 
A. Mullaly, General Manager of Planning and Development Services, presented an overview of the regional sustainability core service. [Item]
 
EMERGENCY LAND ACQUISITON, FUNCTION 450
 
L. Kilpatrick, Community Development and Resilience Manager, presented information regarding function 450, Emergency Land Acquisition Service. [Item]
 
D. Arbour/J. Kerr: THAT the proposed 2024-2028 financial plan for function 450, Emergency Shelter Land Acquisition Service, be approved.
209
Carried
HOMELESSNESS SUPPORTS, FUNCTION 451
 
L. Kilpatrick, Community Development and Resilience Manager, presented information regarding function 451, Homelessness Supports Service. [Item]
 
D. Hillian/V. Brown: THAT the proposed 2024-2028 financial plan for function 451, Homelessness Supports Service, be approved.
209
Carried
REGIONAL GROWTH STRATEGY, FUNCTION 512
 
A. Mullaly, General Manager of Planning and Development Services, present information regarding function 512, Regional Growth Strategy Service. [Item]
 
D. Hillian/V. Brown: THAT the proposed 2024-2028 financial plan for function 512, Regional Growth Strategy Service, be approved.
208 and 212
Carried
Director Grant joined the meeting at 11:42 am.
 
TRANSPORTATION CORE SERVICE - 2024-2028 FINANCIAL PLAN
 
A. Mullaly, General Manager of Planning and Development Services, presented an overview of the Transportation Core Service. [Item]
 
TRANSIT SERVICE, FUNCTION 780
 
M. Zbarsky, Manager of Transit and Facilities, presented information regarding function 780, Transit Service. [Item]
 
The meeting recessed at 12:20 pm and resumed at 12:50 am.
 
D. Arbour/D. Hillian: THAT the proposed 2024-2028 financial plan for function 780, Transit Service, include $20,000 from prior year surplus for “other professional fees” to conduct a study for transit service on Denman and Hornby Islands.
209
Carried
E. Grieve/W. Morin: THAT the proposed 2024-2028 financial plan for function 780, Transit Service – Comox Valley, be approved as amended.
209
Carried
RECREATION CORE SERVICE - 2024-2028 FINANCIAL PLAN
 
D. DeMarzo, General Manager of Community Services, presented an overview of the Recreation Core Service. [Item]
 
REGIONAL EMERGENCY SERVICES CORE SERVICE - 2024-2028 FINANCIAL PLAN
 
D. DeMarzo, General Manager of Community Services, presented an overview of the regional emergency services core service. [Item]
 
VICTIM SERVICES, FUNCTION 200
 
D. DeMarzo, General Manager of Community Services, presented information regarding function 200, Victim Services. [Item]
 
K. Grant/D. Hillian: THAT the proposed 2024-2028 financial plan for function 200, Victim Services Program, be approved.
209
Carried
COMMUNITY JUSTICE, FUNCTION 205
 
H. Siemens, Manager of Emergency Programs, presented information regarding function 205, Community Justice Service. [Item]
 
E. Grieve/D. Hillian: THAT the proposed 2024-2028 financial plan for function 205, Comox Valley Community Justice, be approved.
209
Carried
SEARCH AND RESCUE, FUNCTION 265
 
H. Siemens, Manager of Emergency Programs, will present information regarding function 265, Comox Valley Search and Rescue Service. [Item]
 
D. Hillian/K. Grant: THAT the proposed 2024-2028 financial plan for function 265, Comox Valley Search and Rescue Service, be approved.
209
Carried
K. Grant/V. Brown: THAT a business case to explore a partnership between the Comox Valley Regional District and the Comox Valley Ground Search and Rescue for a publicly owned facility that is leased to Search and Rescue be undertaken in 2024.
209
Carried
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, FUNCTION 270
 
H. Siemens, Manager of Emergency Programs, will present information regarding function 270, Comox Valley Emergency Management Service. [Item]
 
D. Hillian/E. Grieve: THAT the proposed 2024-2028 financial plan for function 270, Comox Valley Emergency Management Service, be approved.
209
Carried
TERMINATION:
D. Arbour/D. Hillian: THAT the meeting terminate.
208
Carried
Time: 2:05 pm.
 
Confirmed this 27th day of February, 2024:
____________________________________ Will Cole-Hamilton Chair
Certified Correct and Recorded By:
____________________________________
Lisa Dennis
Manager of Legislative Services