MINUTES

1.

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on Monday, March 7^th, 2005, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

URBAN DEVELOPMENT DIVISION

2.

INTERIM FUNDING: PROBLEM GAMBLING PREVENTION SERVICES

(Report:  Mar. 9/05, File No.:  03-1085-20-RADA1 ) (REDMS No. 1436608, 1368064, 1408709)

Discussion ensued on various aspects of the report.  Particular emphasis was given to the responsibility of the Provincial government in providing services, with the following points being included in the discussion:

-

although the proposed funding was intended as an interim measure it could be difficult to discontinue that funding;

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services were needed now and should be put in place, but the number of areas of those services should be limited;

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the Provincial plan for services should be known prior to the City providing services.  In acting prior to the Provincial plan no negotiation for service would occur, and programs could be initiated that the Province may not fund in the future;

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the actual numbers of individuals requiring help were not known;

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the recommended funding was not considerable in relation to the monies generated;

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Richmond residents had been assured that funds would be assigned to those who require assistance;

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this was an interim measure that could be re-evaluated at some point in the future; and,

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the City was one of two sites chosen for a 3 year pilot project.

In response to a question, the Manager, Policy Planning, Terry Crowe, indicated that although the Provincial report might be received by the end of March 2005, funds might not be attached to the report at this time.  Mr. Crowe also indicated that if duplication of services were to occur, the stakeholders involved would meet to determine next steps.

Mr. Vince Battistelli, Richmond Addiction Services, was also present to respond to questions from Committee.

It was moved and seconded

That:

(1)

$91,950.00 be provided to Richmond Addiction Services for interim problem gambling prevention services for one year, until March 2006;

(2)

RAS be asked for an annual report of services provided;

(3)

a decision regarding the request for support for the establishment of an independent B.C. problem gambling research institute be deferred; and

(4)

staff provide comment on the Provincial strategy as soon as possible, upon its receipt.

CARRIED

Opposed:  Cllr. E. Halsey-Brandt

3.

COORDINATION OF COMMUNITY AND AIRPORT INTERESTS

(Report:  Mar. 10/05, File No.:  01-0153-01) (REDMS No. 1365758)

The Manager, Policy Planning, Terry Crowe, provided the information that he had recently spoken to Anne Murray of the Vancouver Airport Authority (VIAA), who had indicated that the Airport Noise Management Committee would be reviewing its Terms of Reference in 2005.

During the discussion that ensued among Committee members and staff, attention was given to the need of Richmond residents, especially residents of Burkeville and those living directly under flight paths, to be involved in a meeting format, as opposed to an open house format, which is the preferred public information method of the VIAA. 

Mr. Crowe indicated that the staff recommendation had been driven by the number of existing committees with jurisdiction, and the desire to have the VIAA undertake more initiative in receiving public comment.

Mr. Doug Louth, 4140 Dallyn Road, spoke about his involvement, over the past several years, in the process of resolving airport noise issues, including his decision to attempt to work with the VIAA and staff to resolve those noise issues, especially those that occur after midnight, in a non-confrontational manner.  Mr. Louth also said that i) he would like the East Richmond residents to receive the same consideration from the VIAA that Burkeville residents received; ii) that he was not in favour of the open house format preferred by the VIAA; and iii) that 53% of those surveyed were aware of airport noise, and that 32% reported sleep disturbance.

Mr. Ray Walden, 10500 Dennis Crescent, indicated that the Airport Noise Management Committee (ANMC) was ineffectual, as no response had been received as a result of his many emails, and that when questioned about the noise issue, the ANMC recommended that Mr. Walden move his residence.  Mr. Walden felt that at present there was no impetus for the VIAA to reduce airport noise, and that a City committee would best address this.

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

It was moved and seconded

That:

1)

a committee be constituted, that would include those residents living under flight paths, to address airport noise issues;

2)

the committee hold regular meetings with the Vancouver International Airport Authority;

3)

staff provide comment on whether the committee could be incorporated into the Terms of Reference of the Advisory Committee on the Environment; and

4)

staff report to the General Purposes Committee on these issues within 2 months.

Prior to the question on the referral motion being called direction was given that the comments of Ms. Anne Murray of the Vancouver Airport Authority be included in the report, and also the Federal regulations on airport night noise.

The question was then called and it was CARRIED.

ENGINEERING & PUBLIC WORKS DIVISION

4.

CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT FOR THE RICHMOND SPEED SKATING OVAL

(Report:  Feb. 28/05, File No.:  02-0775-00  xr: 06-2052-50-00) (REDMS No. 1441622)

The Director of Engineering, Robert Gonzalez, the Director of Operations, Greg Scott, and Mr. Guillaume Savard, of MHPN Project Management, were present.

Discussion ensued among Committee members and staff during which Mr. Gonzalez clarified that it was the time frame that would be involved in completing a public tender process that was of issue, and that staff, with the support of the Building Committee, were recommending that the public tender process be replaced by a quotation process under specific urgent circumstances only.

In response to the concerns that were expressed that Council would be relinquishing some authority in approving the request, Mr. Gonzalez indicated that the change would only affect the public tender process, and not the Council approval process, and that a memorandum could be provided to Council immediately upon a specific urgent circumstance arising.  

It was moved and seconded

That the 2010 Olympic Building Committee recommendation to deliver the Oval project using a Construction Management project delivery system, be endorsed.

CARRIED

It was moved and seconded

That Council Policy 3102 – Purchasing and Publicly Tendered Contracts be amended to add the following after Section 6:

 “For the Oval project only:

(a)

when an unforeseeable situation of urgency exists that prevents the issue of a public tender for the purchase of goods and services, the General Manager, Engineering & Public Works, together with the Project Manager, may authorize the use of 3 or more written quotations;

(b)

when there are insufficient qualified vendors, the Chief Administrative Officer upon recommendation from the General Manager, Engineering & Public Works and the Project manager, may authorize the use of less than 3 written quotations;

(c)

any significant change order that will result in a change of scope to the project will require Council approval; and

(d)

Council is to be notified by memorandum immediately if any processes identified in Parts (a) and (b) of the resolution are utilized.

CARRIED

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (4:50 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, March 21^st, 2005.

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Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie
Chair

Deborah MacLennan
Administrative Assistant