MINUTES

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on Monday, February 1, 2010, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT

1.

Richmond Sport Hosting Program Referrals

(File Ref. No.:) (REDMS No. 2816222)

Cathryn Volkering Carlile, General Manager – Community Services, provided background information and addressed the various topics of the General Purposes Committee referral.

Discussion ensued and it was noted that the propose Sport Hosting Grant program be reviewed prior to next year’s budget process.

In reply to queries from Committee, Ms. Carlile and Mike Romas, Manager, Sport Hosting, advised the following regarding the proposed Richmond Sport Hosting Program:

§         

start-up costs are significant as it is at this stage that branding and initial marketing occur;

§         

the intention is to attract big events, the branding and marketing components are crucial;

§         

in relation to assessment criteria, applicants must recognize the City and Tourism Richmond on their brochures, pamphlets and so forth; and

§         

the Richmond Grants program is a public process and therefore fulfills the requirements set out in Section 24 of the Community Charter, whereas the Sport Hosting grants are not part of a public process, therefore, notice would be required under the Charter.

Discussion ensued and Ms. Carlyle advised that the conflict clause is standard and protects the stakeholders and the City.  She clarified that members of the Richmond Sport Council remain eligible for the proposed Sport Hosting Grant program.  In response to a comment by Committee, Ms. Carlyle advised that, in the future, a statistics sheet on hotel rooms would be provided to members of Council.

Tracy Lakeman, Chief Executive Officer, Tourism Richmond, spoke in favour of the revised proposed Sport Hosting Grant program.

Gayle Morris, Director of Sales, Tourism Richmond, spoke of economic impacts of sport hosting and commented that these impacts are reviewed from the following perspectives: corporate, leisure, and sport.

Jim Lamond, Chair of the Richmond Sport Council (RSC), advised that the RSC supported the revised proposed Sport Hosting Grant program.  Mr. Lamond believed that the proposed tiered system would benefit all parties.

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That the authority to grant funds from the Richmond Sport Hosting Incentive Grant Program be delegated to the Richmond Sport Hosting Task Force subject to any applicant being able to appeal the Task Force’s decision to Council through the Parks Recreation and Cultural Services Committee and that the City be responsible for administering the Richmond Sport Hosting Incentive Grant Program;

(2)

That the draft Richmond Sport Hosting Policy be approved as outlined in the staff report dated February 4, 2010 from the General Manager, Community Services, to include the above authority to grant funds and a two-tiered grant application process;

(3)

That the Sport Hosting Task Force Terms of Reference be approved as outlined in the staff report dated February 4, 2010 from the General Manager, Community Services, to include the above authority to grant funds; and

(4)

That the Richmond Sport Hosting Incentive Grant Program be reviewed prior to the 2011 budget process.

CARRIED

MAYOR MALCOLM D. BRODIE

2.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS TASK FORCE (PROVINCE OF BC)

(File Ref. No.:) (Oral Report)

Mayor Malcolm Brodie provided background information.

Discussion ensued and it was suggested that a few members of Council work together with staff to review the legislation as requested by the Local Government Elections Task Force as Council members would have a different perspective of local elections than those administering them.

Mayor Brodie and Councillors Barnes and G. Halsey-Brandt indicated that they would like to participate in the process.

Further discussion ensued and Committee requested that any reports or information related to local elections received from the Richmond Intercultural Advisory Committee and the Civic Education Society be provided to members of Council for information.

As a result of the discussion, the following referral was introduced:

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That the Local Government Elections Task Force (Province of BC) request for comments on the election process be referred to staff;

(2)

That a working group of Council members made up of Mayor Brodie, and Councillors Barnes and G. Halsey-Brandt provide input to staff on the election process and legislation; and

(3)

That staff report back on this matter by mid-March 2010.

CARRIED

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (5:53 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, February 8, 2010.

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Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie

Chair

Hanieh Floujeh

Acting Executive Assistant

City Clerk’s Office