City Council Preview: Monday, November 23, 2020

They're winding down the work year at Prince Rupert City Council, with tonight's session the second last scheduled public meeting for the year.

With new Public Orders in place towards Social Gathering, a note posted to the Agenad Page for tonight's session indicates the this evening's meeting may look more like the ones from late March at the start of our journey into COVID, rather than what we have seen from previous more relaxed measures sessions of recent months.

In accordance with current Provincial Orders, scheduled Regular Council Meetings have moved to a remote format for public access. In the interests of public health and safety, at this time no one will be permitted into City Hall to view in the gallery, in order to ensure we can maintain physical distancing requirements. Staff and Council attendance is also limited, with most calling in via conference. Thank you for your understanding. -- An update on the process ahead for Council sessions from the Agenda Page for Prince Rupert City Council

The final session for November features a number of reports from the Chief Financial Officer, as well as a request for some large capital investment projects. An update on the Prince Rupert Airport Ferry Transportation Service is up for review and Council will finally speak to the previously announced plans by Lax Kw'alaams for a large housing development along 11th Avenue East near Edward Avenue.

It being a Committee of the Whole night, Council will host an opportunity for the public to raise concerns or speak to issues as part of the start of the COW process for the evening, that participation however will not be as part of any in-person presentation but through correspondence or conversation with the City's Administrative Officer.

For residents looking to participate in the COW process, the city has expanded on some of the requirements for participation during this period of COVID, you can review the full list of guidelines here. 

Those with an interest in tonight's council session can view the Live Feed from the City website. or on Cable Television from CityWest Cable Channel 10/310.

Council members will also continue to make use of the Closed Council process this evening, as they meet tonight in a Special Closed Session at 5PM  citing two items from the Community Charter as the reason to exclude the public.

90.1  (c) labour relations or other employee relations

(e) the acquisition, disposition or expropriation of land or improvements, if the council considers that such disclosure could reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the municipality

Tonight's Closed session will mark the fifteenth time that Council has hosted a public excluded session so far this year.

You can review the Regular Council Agenda here.  

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COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE  SESSION OF CITY COUNCIL

Adoption of Agenda and Past minutes -- Mayor Brain will review the agenda for the evening.

Questions from the Public -- Submission from the members of the public on issues of concern or interest.will be provided for Council.  

Reports, Questions and Inquiries from Members of the Council

Adjournment to reconvene to the Regular Council Session.


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REGULAR SESSION OF CITY COUNCIL

Adoption of Agenda and Past minutes -- Mayor Brain will review the agenda for the evening and Council will adopt the minutes of past meetings.

Resolutions

Report from the Chief Financial Officer: re: 2021 Financial Plan Capital Works and Purchases -- Council will review the report from CFO Corinne Bomben  (See page  8 of the Agenda)

Report from the Chief Financial Officer: re: Authorization to Borrow $850,000 for Heavy Equipment --  Council will hear of the need and request to borrow funds towards some equipment for the Public Works department included on the list a Backhoe, Loader and Garbage Truck (See page  13 of the Agenda)

Report from Rosa Miller, Corporate Administrator -- Re: Airport Ferry Bus Transportation Service. -- Council will receive a report that recommends the awarding of the Airport Transportation contract to PW Transit Canada  (See page  14 of the Agenda)  

Bylaws

Report from the Chief Financial Officer -- Re: 2020  Water Utility Management Amendment Bylaw -- Council will review and give First, Second and Third Reading towards the implementation of new fees for the Water, Sanitary Sewer and Solid Waste service  (See page  16 of the Agenda)

Report from the Chief Financial Officer -- Re: Cemetery Fees and Charges Amendment Bylaw -- Council will review and give First, Second and Third Reading for the Amendment to the city's  fees and charges for Cemetery services (See page 29 of the Agenda)

Report from the Corporate Administrator on the Downtown Core Revitalization Tax Exemption Bylaw  -- Ms Rosa Miller will provide a review of the Downtown Core Revitalization Tax Exemption Bylaw, seeking First, Second and Third reading of the Bylaw. (See page 33 of the Agenda)

Report on Lax Kw'alaams Project Rezoning -- City Council will receive a report from Richard Pucci, Director of Operations on the proposed Housing plans by the Lax Kw'alaams Band for 11th Avenue and Edward Avenue and explore how they plan to move forward with rezoning of the land in question.  (See page 52 of the Agenda)

The evening will come to an end with any Additional Items as well as Reports, Questions and Inquiries from Members of Council.

Council members can  take advantage of the period to offer up any items or concerns that they have for consideration on the night. 

The Live broadcast of the City Council session can be found here, a video archive of past sessions is available here.

Our items of note related to the November 23, 2020 session can be reviewed here. 

While our archive of all sessions for 2020 for Council is available here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review.