General Purposes Committee Meeting Minutes - July 16, 2001

Date:

Monday, July 16^th, 2001

Place:

Anderson Room
Richmond City Hall

Present:

Acting Mayor Bill McNulty, Chair
Councillor Linda Barnes
Councillor Malcolm Brodie
Councillor Lyn Greenhill
Councillor Harold Steves

Absent:

Councillor Derek Dang
Councillor Kiichi Kumagai

Call to Order:

The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.

The Chair directed that the following matters would be added to the agenda as additional items:.

a report regarding the appointment of (i) Chair and Vice Chair of the Finance Select Committee; and (ii) Council Liaison representatives to the Corporate Sponsorship Program Committee and the Arenas Community Association;

a report regarding the Coordinating Committee Tall Ships Event, Richmond, 2002; and

an oral report on a recent newspaper article and the circumstances surrounding an arrest with regard to a marijuana grow operation found in a local residence.

CARRIED

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on Tuesday, July 3^rd, 2001 be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

AGEING INFRASTRUCTURE REPLACEMENT COSTS
(Report: June 27/01, File No.: 6060-01) (REDMS No. 451123, 46791, 212697

The Manager, Engineering Planning Paul Lee, accompanied by Mark Minson, Project Engineer, Engineering Planning, reviewed his report in conjunction with a PowerPoint presentation which highlighted certain aspects of the report. A copy of the PowerPoint presentation is on file in the City Clerks Office.

Discussion then ensued among Committee members and staff on such matters as:

the advantages and disadvantages of using statutory reserve funds to finance the replacement of the ageing infrastructure

the issues which would be addressed in the long term strategies report to be prepared by staff, and the length of time required to complete the report

whether there was a crisis at the present time with regard to the City's existing water distribution system, and where these areas might be located

the type, and potential cost, of material which could be used to replace the existing infrastructure.

It was moved and seconded

That staff report to Council, through Committee with options for long term financial strategies for ageing infrastructure replacement.

The question on the motion was not called, as a brief discussion ensued on whether staff should be considering any type of borrowing situation. The comment was made that staff should examine every available financing option, and present these options to Council for its consideration.

The question on the motion was then called, and it was CARRIED.

Appointments: Chair, Finance Select Committee
Council Liaison: Corporate Sponsorship Program Committee; Arenas Community Association
(Report: July 16/01, File No.: 0107-12-01) (REDMS No. 458094)

It was moved and seconded

That Councillor Kiichi Kumagai be designated as Chair of the Finance Select Committee, and Bill McNulty as Vice Chair, effective until the Regular Council Meeting on Monday, December 10^th, 2001;

That Councillor Kiichi Kumagai be appointed to the Corporate Sponsorship Program Committee, effective until the Regular Council Meeting on Monday, December 10^th, 2001; and

That Councillor Bill McNulty be appointed as Council Liaison to the Arenas Community Association, effective until the Regular Council Meeting on Monday, December 10^th, 2001.

CARRIED

COORDINATING COMMITTEE TALL SHIPS EVENT, RICHMOND, 2002
(Report: July 16/01, File No.: 7400-20-TALL1) (REDMS No. 458131)

The Chair briefly reviewed with the Committee, the rationale for establishing the committee at this time. During the discussion which ensued, concern was expressed about Acting Mayor McNulty and Councillor Steves being appointed as members to the Committee. Clarification was provided that the intention was that they would be Council Liaisons to the Committee.

Concern was also expressed about the lack of resumes for the recommended appointees, and the appointment of members to the committee without the necessary advertising taking place. With reference to the lack of resumes, staff were requested to provide Council with copies of the resumes of the four recommended appointees prior to the July 23^rd, 2001 Regular Council Meeting.

As a result of the discussion, the following amended resolution was introduced:

It was moved and seconded

That the community-based coordinating committee for the tall ships event, (which was endorsed in principle by Council on June 11, 2001) be formed, and that committee members include the following:

Janice Podmore;

Matthew McBride;

Bryan Johnstone; and

Jeff Conatser.

That Councillors Harold Steves and Bill McNulty be appointed as the Council Liaison representatives to the Coordinating Committee, effective until the Regular Council Meeting on Monday, December 10^th, 2001.

That Council formally send a letter to the Chairperson of the Steveston Harbour Authority, and the Fraser River Port Authority, requesting their support for the Tall Ships event in Richmond in 2002, and that they appoint a staff liaison for the event.

That advertising be undertaken to further increase the membership of the Committee as needed.

CARRIED

MARIJUANA GROW OPERATION

The General Manager, Community Safety, Chuck Gale, referred to a recent newspaper article regarding an arrest of two Richmond residents for having a marijuana grow operation in their home, and to a statement in the article that residents intended to raise this matter with local politicians. He advised that the matter was currently with the RCMP, that meetings were currently being held to plan an initiative to deal with this matter, and that staff would be presenting a report to the Community Safety Committee in the Fall of this year. Mr. Gale commented further on the newspaper article, stating that the article did not accurately reflect some of the events which took place during the arrest.

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (4:57 p.m.).

CARRIED

Certified a true and correct copy of the Minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee of the Council of the City of Richmond held on Monday, July 16^th, 2001.

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Acting Mayor Bill McNulty
Chair

Fran J. Ashton
Executive Assistant