January 7, 2013 - Minutes

Date:

Monday, January 7, 2013

Place:

Anderson Room
Richmond City Hall

Present:

Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie, Chair
Councillor Chak Au
Councillor Linda Barnes (4:03 pm)
Councillor Derek Dang
Councillor Evelina Halsey-Brandt
Councillor Ken Johnston
Councillor Bill McNulty
Councillor Linda McPhail
Councillor Harold Steves

Call to Order:

The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.

MINUTES

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on Monday, December 17, 2013, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT

1.

Richmond Addiction Services Status Update

(File Ref. No.) (REDMS No. 3709241)

Councillor Linda Barnes entered the meeting (4:03 p.m.).

Lesley Sherlock, Social Planner, was available to answer questions. A discussion ensued about: (i) concerns related to the duplication of services provided by the Richmond Addiction Services Society (RASS) and other similar service providers in Richmond; (ii) the role of other levels of government; and (iii) the recent privatization of the BC Responsible and Problem Gambling Program (BC R&PGP).

Ms. Sherlock advised that RASS would be conducting extensive inventory of addiction and mental health services.  She further noted that issues related to substance misuse and problem gambling prevention are addressed in the City’s Draft 2013-2022 Social Development Strategy. 

Richard Dubras, Executive Director, RASS, then spoke to the Committee about: 

how RASS is no longer in receipt of the BCR&PGP prevention and counselling contracts, and the related impact on RASS and Richmond residents;

RASS’ problem gambling and other addiction prevention efforts, since the cessation of the BCR&PGP contracts.  It was noted that although provincial contracts for BCR&PGP were awarded to private practitioners, RASS has continued to work with the BCR&PGP Prevention Specialist by dividing the prevention work to clarify roles and avoid duplication.  It was further noted that prevention in elementary schools is provided by the provincial specialist, while RASS is currently working in the secondary schools;

how RASS would no longer be reporting to the City regarding the funding and activities related to the BCR&PGP, as it is no longer the contract holder for the Program.  There was discussion among members of Committee to request the provincial specialist to provide such information to the City;

RASS’ commitment to conducting a survey of Richmond residents regarding gambling and problem gambling behaviour, and how RASS has arranged to distribute a survey to students and parents; and

RASS’ upcoming problem gambling and other addiction prevention initiatives and community events.

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That Richmond Addiction Services’ Centre of Excellence for the Prevention of Problem Gambling and Substance Misuse reports, “Special Report, October 17, 2012” and “Entire Prevention Program Results, January 1^st – June 30^th, 2012”, be received for information; and

(2)

That staff request information from the party now responsible for the provision of the problem gaming program on the number of Richmond residents now served and current results.

CARRIED

CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE

2.

Council Term Goals Update for the Term 2011-2014 

(File Ref. No. 01-0105-07-01) (REDMS No. 3709501 v.2)

Lani Schultz, Director, Corporate Planning, provided a revised version of page one of Attachment 3 to the staff report, (attached as Schedule 1, and forming part of these minutes) noting that there were typos in the original version.  

A discussion then ensued, during which a detailed review of Attachments 2 and 3 of the staff report was conducted.  During the review of attachment 2, the following additional amendments to the Proposed Goal Statements were recommended by the General Purposes Committee:

Part 12 – Water Enhancement:

amend the goal statement to read as “Place greater emphasis on protecting and enhancing the City’s waterfront while successfully integrating a balance between urban development, public access and events, and a healthy river environment”.   

Part 2 – Community Social Services:

add the words “and limitations” after the word “priorities”. 

During the discussion and review of Attachment 3, the following additional amendments to the existing “Amendments and Additions” were recommended by the the General Purposes Committee:

Part 2 – Community Social Services:

include a statement related to the matter of community volunteer programs and strategies; and

amend 2.5 to include a statement related to affordable housing priorities.

Part 3 – Economic Development:

amend 3.6 to include the words “and implemented” at the end of the sentence; and

add a statement about the continued support of the agricultural sector.

Part 4 – Facility Development:

amend 4.2 by deleting the word “replace”.

amend 4.1 by deleting the sentence “includes a transportation component as part of the waterfront museum, or other public facility”; and

Part 5 – Financial Management:

amend 5.2 by deleting the words “is strategic, takes advantage of current buying opportunities, considers farmland acquisition for future “garden” parks, and”.

Part 7 – Managing Growth and Development:

amend 7.6 by adding the words “and social media” after the word “website”.

Part 12 – Waterfront Enhancement:

amend 12.1 by deleting the word “activities” and replacing it with the words “skill development opportunities”;  and

add the following statement: “Consider daylighting more sloughs in the City.

In addition to the above amendments, Committee also discussed enhancing the communication of the Council Term Goals to the public.  Also, the Chair requested that Attachments 2 and 3 of the staff report be revised as per the Committee’s recommendations, and be combined to create one document prior to the Regular Council Meeting scheduled to be held on Monday, January 14, 2013. 

It was moved and seconded

That:

(1)

the staff update on Council Term Goals for the Term 2011-2014, as described in Attachment 1 of the staff report dated November 21, 2012 from the Director, Corporate Planning be received for information;

(2)

Council Term Goals for 2011-2014 be expanded to include explanatory “goal statements” and the proposed new goal statements and descriptions as outlined in Attachment 2 of the staff report dated November 21, 2012 from the Director, Corporate Planning; and

(3)

amendments and additions to the Council Term Goals 2011-2014 as outlined in Attachment 3 of the staff report dated November 21, 2012 from the Director, Corporate Planning, and further amendments as recommended by the General Purposes Committee, at its meeting held on Monday, January 7, 2012, be approved.

CARRIED

ENGINEERING & PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT

3.

Vancouver Airport Fuel Delivery – Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) Update
(File Ref. No. 10-6125-30-002) (REDMS No. 3735817 v.4)

Cecilia Achiam, Interim Director, Sustainability and District Energy / Senior Program Manager, Policy Development, advised that the Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) has provided its report to the Minister of Environment and Minister of Energy, Mines and Natural Gas, who were given a 45 day period, ending on January 28, 2013, in which to make a decision. 

Ms. Achiam further noted that City staff have been providing comments for the EAO’s Table of Conditions (ToC) through the Working Group.  It was noted that very few of the City’s key concerns have been included in the ToC comments which have now been submitted to the Ministers for approval.  Ms. Achiam also noted that although City staff provide comments to the Working Group, they are not privy to the Working Group’s discussions. 

A brief discussion ensued about sending copies of the City’s correspondence to the relevant provincial opposition critics, and the local MLAs and MPs.

Carol Day, Chair, Vancouver Airport Project Opposition for Richmond (VAPOR), and Otto Langer, Vice-Chair, VAPOR, expressed their views and concerns related to the “lack of transparency” of the BC EAO’s environmental assessment process related to the VAFD project, and advised the Committee that VAPOR’s request to the EAO to make the ToC available to VAPOR had been denied. A copy of VAPOR’s submission is attached as Schedule 2, and forms part of these minutes.

A discussion then ensued among staff, members of VAPOR and Committee, during which, staff advised that they have not yet seen the final draft of the ToC, and that the EAO has not permitted the City to release any related documents in its possession.

Tim Wilkinson, Deputy Fire Chief, briefly spoke about fire safety concerns associated with the VAFD Project, and stated that the City of Richmond’s Fire Rescue is not currently configured to deal with a disaster associated with the proposed jet fuel pipeline, and therefore, the VAFD Project poses a great expense and significant risk to the City of Richmond. 

It was moved and seconded

That:

(1)

a letter, on behalf of Council, be sent to Terry Lake, Minister of Environment, and Rich Coleman, Minister of Energy, Mines and Natural Gas and Deputy Premier to reiterate Richmond’s opposition to the proposal and the transportation of jet fuel on the Fraser River and to express concern that the key elements of the City’s technical input to the EAO as part of the Environmental Assessment process have not been incorporated into the EAOs Table of Conditions (ToC);

(2)

a meeting request, following up on the letter above, on behalf of Council, be sent to Terry Lake, Minister of Environment, and Rich Coleman, Minister of Energy, Mines and Natural Gas and Deputy Premier to reiterate Richmond’s opposition to the proposal and the transportation of jet fuel on the Fraser River and to express concern that the key elements of the City’s technical input to the EAO as part of the Environmental Assessment process have not been incorporated into the EAOs Table of Conditions (ToC);

(3)

copies of the City’s correspondence be forwarded to the relevant provincial opposition critics, the local MLAs and MPs; and

(4)

a letter be sent to the BC Environmental Assessment Office requesting that the documents related to the environmental assessment process be immediately released to the public.

CARRIED

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (5:15 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 7, 2013.

_________________________________

_________________________________

Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie
Chair

Shanan Sarbjit Dhaliwal
Executive Assistant
City Clerk’s Office