April 2, 2012 - Minutes
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General Purposes Committee
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Date: |
Monday, April 2, 2012 |
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Place: |
Anderson Room Richmond City Hall |
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Present: |
Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie, Chair Councillor Chak Au Councillor Derek Dang Councillor Evelina Halsey-Brandt Councillor Ken Johnston Councillor Bill McNulty Councillor Linda McPhail Councillor Harold Steves |
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Absent: |
Councillor Linda Barnes |
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Call to Order: |
The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the Aveos update be added to the agenda as Item No. 3. |
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CARRIED |
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MINUTES |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on Monday, March 19, 2012, be adopted as circulated. |
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CARRIED |
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BUSINESS & FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT |
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1. |
(File Ref. No. 08-4057-05) (REDMS No. 3254955 v.8) | |
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John Foster, Manager, Community Social Development, accompanied by Dena Kae Beno, Affordable Housing Coordinator, noted that in response to a Council referral to examine Development Cost Charges (DCC) and servicing options for affordable housing projects, staff conducted a review of the existing bylaws and policies and identified that the City’s existing Affordable Housing Statutory Reserve Fund Policy, Zoning Bylaw, and Affordable Housing Strategy Fund Bylaw do not adequately reflect the Affordable Housing Strategy. | |
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Ms. Beno then reviewed the proposed changes to the Policy and each Bylaw. It was noted that the proposed changes would provide Council with the flexibility to direct different proportions of developer contributions to be deposited to the Affordable Housing Operating Reserve Fund, and provide financial support for affordable housing developments that meet the City’s requirements. | |
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It was moved and seconded | |
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(1) |
That Affordable Housing Statutory Reserve Fund Policy-5008 (dated December 9, 1991) be amended, as set out in Attachment 2 of the report dated March 20, 2012 from the General Manager of Community Services, entitled, “Proposed Amendments to Affordable Housing Statutory Reserve Fund Policy 5008, Zoning Bylaw No. 8500 and Affordable Housing Operating Reserve Fund Establishment Bylaw No. 8206.” |
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(2) |
That Zoning Bylaw No. 8500, Amendment Bylaw No. 8882 be introduced and given first reading; and |
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(3) |
That Affordable Housing Operating Reserve Fund Establishment Bylaw No. 8206 Amendment Bylaw No. 8883 be introduced and given first, second and third readings. |
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CARRIED | |
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LAW AND COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT |
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2. |
(File Ref. No. 09-5350-01/2012-Vol 01) (REDMS No. 3499999) | |
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A discussion ensued between Phyllis Carlyle, General Manager, Law & Community Safety and members of Committee regarding the details of the Police Services Contract, and in particular about: | |
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how the City has been presented with a standard form agreement, and has been advised that the Province is not negotiating the agreement with individual municipalities. It was noted that the same agreement has been sent to every municipality; |
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the possibility of making a decision about the Police Services Contract after discussions at the Mayors’ Consultative Forum, to be held on April 20, 2012; |
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concerns related to the future financial impact the Agreement will impose on the City, as the figures presented in the Agreement at this time are preliminary and may be changed by the Province to include additional costs. It was noted that the projections do not factor in salary or facility cost increases; |
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concerns about how the agreement does not address the need for accountability in relation to the Integrated Teams; |
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the establishment of the Provincial/Local Government Contract Management Committee; |
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how the RCMP Officer in Charge (OIC) for Richmond has already been providing to City Council the types of forecasts and reports that are highlighted under the Accountability section of the new Agreement; |
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concerns about signing a 20 year “open-ended agreement”, which the City would not have any control over; |
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how under the provisions of the Police Act, any change to the present policing model within the City is ultimately the decision of the Province; |
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the termination clause in the Agreement which states that there is the ability to terminate the agreement on March 31st of any year, provided that 25 months of notice is given; |
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the feasibility of starting discussions with other municipalities about a regional police force; |
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implications of not signing the Agreement. It was noted that policing services would continue uninterrupted until a new contract is executed. It was further noted that if the City elected not to execute the proposed agreement, the Province may interpret that as notice to terminate the RCMP policing contract, and the City would then have to negotiate with the Province and seek approval of any future policing model for the City; and |
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concerns about how the Five-Year Review process does not allow for Council’s direct participation as only one representative would participate in the review on behalf of the entire municipal sector. |
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It was moved and seconded | |
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That the Police Services Contract report be referred back to staff and that a report come back following the RCMP Mayors’ Consultative Forum on April 20, 2012. | |
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The question on the motion was not called, as further comments were made about the issues and concerns raised about the Police Services Contract. It was noted that there may be more clarity on the matter after the RCMP Mayors’ Consultative Forum, and that there may be further developments and details available by the April 20, 2012 forum. | |
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The question on the motion was then called and it was CARRIED. | |
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3. |
AVEOS Update (File Ref. No.) (REDMS No.) | ||
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Mayor Brodie made reference to material (on file City Clerk’s Office) circulated at the beginning of the meeting, and provided the following background information: | ||
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Aveos was a part of Air Canada, but is no longer a wholly owned subsidiary; | |
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Aveos provided maintenance work, with Air Canada being Aveos’ main client; | |
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Aveos unexpectedly went bankrupt, resulting in the termination of approximately 350 employees in the City of Richmond, with a greater number in Winnipeg, Mississauga, and Montreal; | |
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the Mayors of Montreal, Mississauga and Winnipeg have written to the federal government requesting the Prime Minister to look into the situation, and a Commission has been formed to hold hearings on the matter; and | |
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the Mayor of Montreal has taken the lead on the matter, and has indicated that the City of Richmond would be part of any solution that would be formulated to address the situation. | |
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Dan Cooke, Richmond Resident, and International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, and former employee of Aveos Fleet Performance, indicated that he was joined by a group delegation of his co-workers who are also former Aveos employees and Richmond residents. Mr. Cooke indicated that Aveos had a total of 352 employees in Richmond, with 63 being Richmond residents, and a total of 2620 employees across Canada. | ||
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Mr. Cooke stated that he was before the Committee to ask for the City’s support to (i) send a resolution to the federal and provincial government for the inclusion of the City of Richmond in the Air Canada Public Participation Act; and (ii) ask the federal and provincial government to become involved in resolving the situation. | ||
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Mr. Cooke then provided details related to the bankruptcy of Aveos, and noted that Aveos employees were offered employment by Air Canada at one point in the past, however those employees would have been required to relocate. Given this choice, most chose to stay with Aveos only to find themselves terminated following Aveos’ declaration of bankruptcy. | ||
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It was moved and seconded | ||
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(1) |
That Richmond City Council supports the efforts of approximately 350 skilled air-frame maintenance workers laid off by Aveos Fleet Performance Inc. (AVEOS), to be accorded the same job-protection as their counterparts in the operation overhaul centres in Mississauga, Winnipeg, and Montreal; and further, that if the federal government amends the Air Canada Public Participation Act, Richmond City Council supports the addition of the City of Richmond to the Act; and | |
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(2) |
That the resolution be forwarded to the Prime Minister, the federal Minister of Transportation, the local MPs, the BC Premier, the provincial Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation, the local MLAs, the Mayors of Vancouver, Mississauga, Winnipeg, and Montreal, and the federal and provincial Opposition Leaders. | |
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CARRIED | ||
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ADJOURNMENT |
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It was moved and seconded | |
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That the meeting adjourn (5:17 p.m.). | |
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CARRIED | |
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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, April 2, 2012. | ||
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Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie Chair |
Shanan Dhaliwal Executive Assistant City Clerk’s Office | ||