City Council Preview: Monday, December 7, 2020

They're winding down the work year at Prince Rupert City Council, with tonight's session the last scheduled public meeting for the year for the Mayor and his six council colleagues.

If the Agenda posted to the City's website is an indication, this final session for 2020 should be relatively brief affair, with only four items of business noted as part of the new format for delivery of the agenda package.

An approach which appears to reduce the volume of information previously provided as part of the Council previews. 

With the accompanying charts for the Financial Variance report an example of some of the items seemingly eliminated from the Agenda slideshow. 

(Update, as things turn out, a click on the arrow on the page in question will bring those items up for further review)

Among the notes that are listed on the night are a look at the October Financial variances, civic appointments to the Tourism Board and the return for final readings of the new rates for the Water Utility Management, Sanitary Sewer and Solid Waste Bylaws, as well as the new rates for the Cemetery. 

(Update: Once again a click on an arrow, apparently takes one to the second half of the Agenda which focuses on zoning themes and some work on the Official Community Plan for the night.)

With new Public Orders in place towards Social Gathering, a note posted to the Agenda Page for tonight's session indicates the this evening's meeting once again will be a remote participation affair, with no members allowed into the Chamber.

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

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 4 PM 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 sixteenth time that Council has made note of a public excluded session so far this year.

You can review the Regular Council Agenda here.  

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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: October Budget Variances -- Council will review the report from CFO Corinne Bomben  (See page  6 of the Agenda)

Report from Rosa Miller, Corporate Administrator -- Re: Appointments to the Tourism Board. Council will announce the appointment of Michael Cote and Craig Outhet as the City's representatives to the Tourism Prince Rupert Board  

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  7 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 8 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 December 7, 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.