Date:

Monday, October 18, 2010

Place:

Anderson Room

Richmond City Hall

Present:

Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie, Chair

Councillor Linda Barnes

Councillor Evelina Halsey-Brandt

Councillor Greg Halsey-Brandt

Councillor Sue Halsey-Brandt

Councillor Ken Johnston

Councillor Bill McNulty

Absent:

Councillor Derek Dang

Councillor Harold Steves

Call to Order:

The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:01 p.m.

AGENDA ADDITION

It was moved and seconded

That the Vancouver International Sculpture Biennale Artworks be added to the Agenda as Item No. 4, and that the Richmond Cultural Centre Arts Groups be added to the Agenda at Item No. 5.

CARRIED

MINUTES

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on Monday, October 4, 2010, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

BUSINESS & FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT

1.

Business Licence Bylaw No. 7360 Amendment Bylaw no. 8654

(File Ref. No.:  12-8060-20-8654) (REDMS No. 2974410, 2974412, 2996569)

It was moved and seconded

That Business Licence Bylaw No. 7360, Amendment Bylaw No. 8654 that creates a revised Business Licence Fee Schedule as described under Option 3 in the staff report dated September 1, 2010 from the Chief Licence Inspector be introduced and given first, second and third readings.

The question on the motion was not called, as in answer to queries from Committee, Chief Licence Inspector and Risk Manager, Glenn McLaughlin advised that: (i) increasing business license fees by 1.5% would be consistent with the 2010 assumptions for the Vancouver CPI; and (ii) that businesses with higher licence fees are generally larger, such as restaurants, and factors such as the number of employees and square footage of the business are taken into consideration.

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

COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT

2.

Winterfest 2011

(File Ref. No.:  11-7400-01) (REDMS No. 3000382)

In answer to queries from Committee, Senior Manager, Enterprises Services Division, Anne Stevens and Senior Manager, Richmond Oval Corporation, Gerry De Cicco, provided the following advice:

§      

if Winerfest is hosted at the Richmond Olympic Oval site, the plaza and the main floor would be made available for the event;

§      

Winterfest has been referenced as a City event in the City’s Arts and Culture Plan, and generally takes place around the end of February or the beginning of March;

§      

activities for Winterfest 2011 would vary depending upon whether it is hosted at the City Hall Precinct or the Richmond Olympic Oval.  If it is hosted at the Oval, the ice surface would be made available, and activities such as figure skating, and Canucks hockey demonstrations may be a possibility as well as some arts and cultural activities;

§      

various sports groups such as the Richmond Sports Council will be contacted regarding their involvement in Winterfest 2011 once Council’s support for the event has been attained;

§      

the funding for Winterfest 2011 is being requested from the Council Provision fund rather than Major Events because Winterfest did not qualify for funding as a Major Event.  It is perceived that an event must have approximately 20,000 – 25,000 attendees in order to be classified as a “major event”, and Winterfest was not expected to have such a high number of attendees;

§      

If the event is hosted at the Olympic Oval building, there would be no rental fee, however, costs incurred to the City would include anything above and beyond the day to day functions of the Oval with regard to additional staffing requirements, janitorial supplies and cleaning of the Oval building;

§      

the current food vendors at the Oval have contracts with first right of refusal, however, in the event that those vendors are unable to fulfill the requirements for Winterfest, the City would be free to use vendors that are more appropriate; 

§      

if the proposed plan for the event is approved by Council, then staff would report back with a more definitive plan; and

§      

if the event is hosted at the City Hall Precinct, a larger amount of cash funding would be needed than if it is hosted at the Oval.  The Oval is a fixed structure and will require less funding for items such as lighting and marketing as well as security and risk, therefore value-in-kind contributions may be more appropriate.

As discussion continued, it was agreed that if Winterfest was going to be an annual event, consideration should be given to funding options for the event.  Discussion also took place about the feasibility of adding the event to the annual budget so that it would not require funding from Council Provision.  It was also noted that if Winterfest currently does not qualify as a Major Event, then consideration should be given to the definition of what a Major Event is.

It was moved and seconded

That:

(1)

the production of Winterfest 2011 on February 12 and 13 at the Richmond Olympic Oval, as outlined in the report from the General Manager, Community Services, dated October 13, 2010, be endorsed; and

(2)

$150,000 cash from the Council Provision fund and up to $90,000 value-in-kind be approved to support the event.

The question on the motion was not called, as discussion continued about the possibility of an alternative funding source for the event.  As a result of the discussion, staff were requested to provide a memo with information related to both Major Events and Council Provision funds, including balances and sources of funding.

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

BUSINESS & FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT

3.

NAIOP Vancouver 2010 Regional Development Cost Survey

(File Ref. No. (REDMS No. 3002224)

A brief discussion took place about the variances in DCC charges for different areas referenced in the report. 

It was moved and seconded

That the staff report regarding the NAIOP Vancouver 2010 Regional Development Cost Survey be received for information.

CARRIED

4.

Vancouver International Sculpture Biennale Artworks

(File Ref. No. (REDMS No)

A discussion took place about the feasibility of acquiring one or more of the 2009 - 2011 Vancouver International Sculpture Biennale artworks featured in Richmond.  The Director, Arts, Culture & Heritage Services, Jane Fernyhough, advised that staff were currently investigating the matter and that a report to Council would be brought forward in due course. 

5.

Richmond Cultural Centre ARTS GROUPS

(File Ref. No. (REDMS No. )

Reference was made to a letter from the Richmond Cultural Centre Arts Groups (Schedule 1) in which concerns were expressed regarding the “User Group Operating Agreement” and related fee increases.

It was moved and seconded

That staff address each of the issues highlighted in the letter dated September 30, 2010, from the Richmond Cultural Centre Arts Groups regarding the User Group Operating Agreement.

CARRIED

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (4:35 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 18, 2010.

_________________________________

_________________________________

Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie

Chair

Shanan Dhaliwal

Executive Assistant

City Clerk’s Office