January 4, 2010 - Minutes
 |
General Purposes Committee
|
Date: |
Monday, January 4, 2010 |
|
Place: |
Anderson Room Richmond City Hall |
|
Present: |
Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie, Chair Councillor Linda Barnes Councillor Derek Dang Councillor Sue Halsey-Brandt Councillor Ken Johnston Councillor Bill McNulty Councillor Harold Steves |
|
Absent: |
Councillor Evelina Halsey-Brandt Councillor Greg Halsey-Brandt |
|
Call to Order: |
The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:06 p.m. |
|
|
|
MINUTES |
|
|
|
It was moved and seconded |
|
|
|
That the minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on Monday, December 21, 2009, be adopted as circulated. |
|
|
|
CARRIED |
|
|
|
DELEGATION |
|
|
1. |
||
|
|
|
With the aid of a PowerPoint presentation, Melanie Boyce, Deputy Chief Forester, Tim Ebata, Forest Health Initiatives Officer, and Jennifer Burleigh, Provincial Entomologist, provided information related to gypsy moth spraying and the following was highlighted: | |
|
|
|
§ |
gypsy moth has been successfully monitored and treated annually since 1970; |
|
|
|
§ |
due to the findings of recent trapping conducted in Richmond, spraying is the preferred method to eradicate gypsy moths from Richmond; |
|
|
|
§ |
in 2009, ten moths were trapped and seven egg masses were found; |
|
|
|
§ |
spraying is recommended via five agencies: (i) the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, (ii) the Canadian Forest Service; (iii) the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, (iv) the Ministry of Environment; and (v) the Ministry of Forests and Range; |
|
|
|
§ |
if gypsy moths were to populate, there would be severe defoliation and mortality across a range of landscape; |
|
|
|
§ |
three treatments are required and it is anticipated that each treatment will take two to three mornings to complete; |
|
|
|
§ |
each treatment is approximately ten days apart, the first likely to take place in early May 2010; |
|
|
|
§ |
the application of the treatment would be aerial and the spraying permit will specify the time of day permitted for spraying; |
|
|
|
§ |
a decision on the permit application is expected in February 2010; |
|
|
|
§ |
if the permit is issued, there would be a 30-day appeal period to the Environmental Appeal Board; |
|
|
|
§ |
seven to ten days prior to the first anticipated spray, an information bulletin and notices will be placed in the Richmond News, the Richmond Review, Ming Pao, and Sing Tao newspapers; |
|
|
|
§ |
any school, daycare, hospital, and seniors housing facility in the treatment area will be notified by phone the day before each spraying. |
|
|
|
In response to queries from Committee, Ms. Burleigh advised that: | |
|
|
|
§ |
the active ingredient in the spray is a naturally occurring, soil born bacteria that only affects butterflies and moths; |
|
|
|
§ |
this ingredient only becomes deadly to butterflies and moths once ingested; |
|
|
|
§ |
this product has been used for over 20 years with no documented reports of adverse reactions to humans or other creatures; |
|
|
|
§ |
anticipated treatment is to take place early in the morning as air is the stillest at that time and in order to minimize exposure to people; and |
|
|
|
§ |
as treatment is highly effective, spraying is not anticipated to take place annually. |
|
|
|
In reply to a query from Committee, Lesley Douglas, Manager, Environmental Sustainability, mentioned that this matter has been considered by the Richmond Advisory Committee on the Environment and no comments have been received from the Committee. | |
|
|
|
It was moved and seconded | |
|
|
|
That the presentation regarding gypsy moth spraying be received for information. | |
|
|
|
CARRIED | |
|
|
|
ADJOURNMENT |
|
|
|
It was moved and seconded |
|
|
|
That the meeting adjourn (4:55 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, January 4, 2010. |
|
_________________________________ |
_________________________________ |
|
Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie Chair |
Hanieh Floujeh Acting Executive Assistant City Clerk’s Office |