City Council Preview: Monday, January 24, 2022

Council members will seemingly gather virtually once again for their second of the two January sessions on the schedule.  

The Zoom versions required as the ongoing COVID situation remains one of  evaluation, the City making note of their COVID related measures, with the explanation towards the current process outlined on the City of Prince Rupert website.

"In accordance with current Provincial Orders, scheduled Regular Council Meetings have moved to a remote format for public access – available on Citywest Cable Channel 10/310, and live streaming at www.princerupert.ca/live. 

Videos of the City’s Council meetings are also posted to YouTube in the days following the meeting. 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." -- Information statement from the City of Prince Rupert website 

As for the agenda for January the 24th, the Council members are looking at a fairly light agenda, with only five items listed for consideration.

The evening will start with a presentation from the City's Operations Director Richard Pucci, who will deliver the monthly update on the progress of the city's major project files.

The City's Chief Financial Officer will outline the two options that Council has for their upcoming consultation with the public on the loan authorization for the proposed RCMP detachment; the council members to decide whether to go with the Alternative Approval Process or a full on referendum on the topic.

A Variance permit and Two Bylaws make for the rest of the Council business, one of the bylaws  some forward momentum for the City's Business Regulations and Licensing Bylaw related to the licensing and letting of rooms for living purposes, which features elements of their concerns on renovictions in the community.

Tonight's Council session can viewed by way of the Live Feed from the City website, or on Cable Television from CityWest Cable Channel 10/310.

You can review the Regular Council Session Agenda here.  

Tonight was also supposed to be a Committee of the Whole Session, which normally offers opportunity for feedback from community members for the Council Members, however that element of tonight's civic government session was cancelled on Friday.

Council will also host a Special Council Session, one which certainly has a few items to be discussed behind the closed doors to tweak the interest of the public.  

The 4:30 PM meeting closed to public for the three elements of the Community Charter cited below:

 

Personal information about an identifiable individual who holds or is being considered for a positon as an officer, employee or agent of the municipality or another position appointed by the municipality

Labour relations or other employee relations

The acquisition, disposition or expropriation of land or improvements, if the council considers that disclosure could reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the municipality. 

Litigation or potential litigation affecting the municipality, and 

Negotiations and related discussions respecting the proposed provision of a municipal service that are at their preliminary stages and that, in the view of the council, could reasonably be expected to harm the interest of the municipality if they were held in public.

That meeting tonight marks the Second Closed Session  hosted this year by Council

The outline of Council's work ahead for the evening can be reviewed below:

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REGULAR SESSION OF CITY COUNCIL

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

Reports and Resolutions

Report from the Director of Operations and Intergovernmental Relations -- Re: Major Projects - Monthly Report -- Richard Pucci will provide the overview of progress on the city's work on Major Projects and Initiatives (see page 8  of the Agenda package)

Report from City Manager -- Re Development Variance Permit DVP-21-07 for 2017 - 7th Avenue West  -- Mr. Rob Buchan will provide the details on the progress for the Variance Permit in question  (see page 11 of the Agenda package)

Bylaws

Report from Chief Financial Officer -- Elector Approval for Loan Authorization Bylaw  -- CFO Corinne Bomben will outline the two options that Council has towards seeking elector approval for the required loan for the proposed new RCMP detachment.  Council will be asked to decide on whether to use the Alternative Approval Process, or a referendum approach for the electors to participate in.   (see page 19 of the Agenda package)

Bylaws

Zoning Amendment Bylaw  No. 3479, 3021 -- Some housekeeping on the Zoning amendment from two weeks ago, with an amendment to be put in place to change the zoning, Council will be advised that there will not be a Public Hearing required for the amendment.  (see page 21  of the Agenda package)

Business Regulations and Licensing Bylaw No. 3476, 2021 --- The City Manager will outline the scope of the Bylaw, some of which addresses their concerns related to renovictions in the community,  Mr Buchan will ask for Third reading of the document.  (see page 25  of the Agenda package)

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 January 24th  session can be reviewed here.  

While our archive of all sessions for 2022 for Council is available here.    

Cross posted from the North Coast Review.