MINUTES

1.

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on Monday, September 16^th, 2002, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

The Chair advised that the following matters would be added to the agenda as additional items:  (a) Sister City Committee; and (b) Riverport.

DELEGATION

2.

Ms. Sharon Weidman, #307 9300 Glenacres Drive, regarding Payment of Taxes.

Ms. Weidman addressed Committee about the penalty levied against her for the late payment of property taxes.

FINANCE & CORPORATE SERVICES DIVISION

3.

ST. ALBANS SUB-AREA DEVELOPMENT COST CHARGE BYLAW
(Report:  Oct. 2/02, File No.:  8060-20-7417) (REDMS No. 811194, 832840, 834571)

It was moved and seconded

That each of the following bylaws be introduced and given first, second and third readings:

(1)

St. Albans Development Cost Charge Sub-Area Reserve Fund Transfer Bylaw No. 7417; and

(2)

Development Cost Charges Bylaw No. 5223, Amendment Bylaw No. 7419.

CARRIED

4.

BUSINESS LICENCE FEE INCREASE
(Report:  Oct. 2/02, File No.:  8060-20-7432) (REDMS No. 871263, 854407)

The Manager, Business Liaison & Development, Marcia Freeman, reviewed the proposed 3% increase in business licence fees with the Committee.  Discussion then ensued among Committee members and staff on:

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whether the fee of $103 was sufficient to cover the cost of enforcement of hours for billiard/pool hall operators,

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whether there would be a higher cost of enforcement for billiard/pool hall operations than for Professional services, which included doctors and lawyers, and which also had a business licence fee of $103, but would not require the same level of enforcement

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whether changes to the Provincial Liquor Control Act would have an impact on-after hours enforcement by City business licence inspectors

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the rationale for implementing a 3% across-the-board increase rather than implementing a higher increase for specific categories which had lower rates than the same categories in other jurisdictions

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the number of people who were operating without business licences

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whether business licence fees would be increased on an annual basis.

It was moved and seconded

That Bylaw No. 7432 which adjusts business licence fees effective December 1, 2002, and amends Business Licence Bylaw No. 7360, be given first, second and third readings.

CARRIED

It was moved and seconded

That staff examine the business licence fees in the context of the current criteria and the services offered to businesses in terms of cost recovery and other related business fees to determine if they were in line.

Prior to the question on the motion being called, staff were asked to review home-based businesses.

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

5.

2003 PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION
(Report:  Sept. 17/02, File No.:  8060-20-7433) (REDMS No. 856343, 867429)

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That religious properties on No 5 Road be monitored to ensure adherence to their farming plans; and

(2)

That Property Tax Exemption Bylaw No. 7433 be introduced and given first, second, and third readings.

Prior to the question on the motion being called, discussion ensued amount Committee members and the Director of Finance, Andrew Nazareth, on the action proposed by staff.  Concern was expressed that a motion had been passed which required that the religious properties were actively undertaking an agricultural activity by October 31^st, 2002 to receive a permissive exemption for 2003.  Assurance was also sought that the fruit from the fruit trees being planted would not be abandoned, but instead, distributed for consumption.

Concern was expressed that the proposed process was too bureaucratic and could result in these properties not being farmed.  The comment was made that the onus should be on the religious institutions to advise the City of their agricultural activities, and that this should be made clear in correspondence sent out to these institutions on this matter.

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

HUMAN RESOURCES DIVISION

6.

SEARCH COMMITTEE FOR NEW CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER AND SETTING OF INTERVIEW DATES
(Oral Report)

Discussion ensued among Committee members and the General Manager, Human Resources, Mike Kirk, on the setting of dates to interview potential consultants to assist the City in finding a new Chief Administrative Officer. 

As a result of the discussion, it was agreed that all members of Council would form the Search Committee and that the Committee would meet from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 30^th, 2002, to interview prospective consulting firms.

7.

SISTER CITY COMMITTEE
(Report:  Sept. 23/02, File No.:  0168-00) (REDMS No. 851897)

The Chair of the Sister City Committee, Sylvia Gwozd, introduced to the Committee, Danielle Alie, Vice Chair, Gord Ellis Past Chair, and Allen Knapp, a member of the Sister City Committee.

The Manager, Customer Services, Anne Stevens, then reviewed the report with the Committee, and discussion ensued among Committee members, the delegation and staff on such issues as:

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the status of the Sister City relationship with Pierrefonds, Quebec; the rationale for recommending termination of this relationship, and whether such action was premature

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the potential for Sister City relationships with other cities and the impact which such relationships could have on the City's budget. 

With reference to the potential for Sister City relationships with other cities, advice was given by that Sister City Committee was not investigating any specific request to enter into such a relationship because the wishes of Council were not known at this time.  Discussion continued among Committee members and the delegation on this matter and on the status of the Sister City relationship with Pierrefonds now that that city had become a borough of Montreal.  Also discussed were the matters of funding approvals and the proposed new selection criteria and process.  Reference was made to the types of relationships being proposed Full (Sister City status) and Partial (Friends of Richmond), and as a result of discussion, staff were directed to delete the words Max 5 years before going into Full Relationship from the description of the Partial relationship.

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

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That the Selection Criteria and Selection Process for Sister Cities (as outlined in the report dated September 23^rd, 2002, from the Manager, Customer Services), be approved.

(2)

That:

(a)

the Membership Clause in the Sister City Terms of Reference (Attachment 3 to the report dated September 23^rd, 2002, from the Manager, Customer Services) be rescinded; and

(b)

the new Membership Clause, to include 9 members, including 6 citizens appointed by Council; a representative of City Council and two representatives of the School District, appointed by the School Board, one to be at the staffing level, be adopted.

(3)

That staff clarify the Sister City relationship with Pierrefonds, Quebec, and report to the General Purposes Committee accordingly.

(4)

That the Sister City Committee investigate and report on the process and possible sites for further Sister City relationships, including the advantages and disadvantages and cost implications of entering into such a relationship.

CARRIED

Ms. Gwozd advised that Richmond's Sister City, Wakayama, Japan, now had a new Mayor who had indicated that he would like to visit Richmond in 2003.  Ms. Gwozd asked that consideration be given to the appropriateness of having the Mayor visit in conjunction with the upcoming 30^th anniversary celebration.

8.

PROPOSED RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AT RIVERPORT 

The General Manager, Urban Development, David McLellan reported that the application for rezoning of property on Steveston Highway to permit the construction of a residential development within the Riverport area, had been considered by the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) on October 4^th, 2002, and had been defeated by a vote of 54 to 53. 

Mr. McLellan advised that the City would have to await correspondence from the GVRD which should provide the Boards reasons for denying the application, before making a decision on whether to appeal the decision to the appropriate Minister of the Crown.

Discussion then ensued among Committee members and Mr. McLellan on the denial of the application by the GVRD, and whether the City should proceed with the completion of an area plan for the Riverport area at the same time that the City was appealing the GVRDs decision. 

CORPORATE ADMINISTRATION

9.

LONG-TERM FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT STRATEGY
(Report:  Sept. 27/02, File No.:  4150-04-01) (REDMS No. 871474)

The General Manager, Engineering & Public Works, Jeff Day, with a PowerPoint presentation, reviewed the proposed management strategy with the Committee.  Discussion then ensued among Committee members and staff on the proposed work plan and the timing for completion of the four phases.

(Cllr. Kumagai left the meeting during the above discussion 6:16 p.m.)

It was moved and seconded

That the work program for the Long-term Financial Management Strategy (contained in Attachment 1 of the report dated September 27, 2002 from the General Manager, Engineering & Public Works), be endorsed.

CARRIED

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (6:18 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, October 7^th, 2002.

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Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie
Chair

Fran J. Ashton
Executive Assistant