January 6, 2014 - Minutes

Date:

Monday, January 6, 2014

Place:

Anderson Room
Richmond City Hall

Present:

Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie, Chair
Councillor Chak Au
Councillor Linda Barnes
Councillor Derek Dang
Councillor Ken Johnston
Councillor Bill McNulty
Councillor Linda McPhail
Councillor Harold Steves

Absent:

Councillor Evelina Halsey-Brandt

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 16, 2013, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT

1.

Visiting Delegation, Study Tour and City Hall Tour Requests
(File Ref. No. 01-0010-00) (REDMS No. 3807247 v.4)

Amarjeet Rattan, Director, Intergovernmental Relations and Protocol Unit, reviewed the proposed Visiting Delegation, Study Tour and City Hall Tour Requests Policy. 

He advised that one or more of the following criteria must be met for such requests to be considered: (i) requests must provide value to the City, (ii) requests must facilitate the exchange of information in relation to the City’s role as an Olympic venue city, and (iii) requests must be in relation to a Sister City or Friendship City event.  He stated that a number of conditions must also be met in order for such requests to be approved: (i) requests must be received in writing at least four weeks in advance of the proposed date, (ii) City staff must be available to participate in the proposed event, (iii) meeting space must be available for the date and time requested, and (iv) funding or resources must be accommodated through existing budgets or fees collected through the proposed Visiting Delegation, Study Tour and City Hall Tour Bylaw No. 9068.

Mr. Rattan noted that the proposed policy also stipulates that the City will not issue visa letters or letters of invitation for such requests.

In reply to a query from Committee, Cathryn Volkering Carlile, General Manager, Community Services, advised that the proposed policy and bylaw apply to other City facilities; however, services provided by Archives staff, such as research requests, are a separate matter.  

In reply to queries from Committee regarding the proposed Visiting Delegation, Study Tour and City Hall Tour Requests Policy and Bylaws, Mr. Rattan provided the following information:

§   

a process for submitting visiting delegation, study tour and city hall tour requests will be available through the City website;

§   

there is no fee levied for requests made directly from non-profit organizations; and

§   

the proposed fee structure is intended to manage requests made by for-profit organizations by allowing for some cost recovery of staff time and facility expenses associated with such requests.

Discussion ensued and Committee directed staff to revise the proposed Visiting Delegation, Study Tour and City Hall Tour Requests Policy and Bylaws for the next Regular Council meeting to reflect the following:

§   

fees should be reduced by half as follows: (a) City Hall Tour – $250, plus room rental; (b) Visiting Delegation or Study Tour – (i) up to two hours – $250, plus room rental; (ii) two to four hours – $500, plus room rental; and (iii) more than four hours – $1,000, plus room rental;

§   

requests should be received in writing by the City at least two weeks prior to the proposed event date; and

§   

exceptions to the Policy may be made by the Mayor or the Chief Administrative Officer.

Discussion further ensued and it was noted that requests for visa letters should be recorded and tracked, as well as requests whereby an exception was made.  Also, it was noted that the proposed policy and bylaws be reviewed in one year.

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That the Visiting Delegation, Study Tour and City Hall Tour Bylaw No. 9068 be given first, second and third readings;

(2)

That the Consolidated Fees Bylaw No. 8636, Amendment Bylaw No. 9067 be given first, second and third readings;

(3)

That the Visiting Delegation, Study Tour and City Hall Tour Requests Policy, as outlined in the November 21, 2013 report from the Director of Intergovernmental Relations & Protocol Unit be adopted; and

(4)

That Visiting Delegation, Study Tour and City Hall Tour Bylaw No. 9068, Consolidated Fees Bylaw No. 8636, Amendment Bylaw No. 9067, and Visiting Delegation, Study Tour and City Hall Tour Requests Policy be reviewed in one year.

CARRIED

Discussion took place regarding the City Archives and Committee queried the need for a fee structure to manage the services provided by Archives staff.  As a result of the discussion, the following referral was introduced:

It was moved and seconded

That staff examine a fee structure to manage services provided by City Archives staff, and report back.

CARRIED

FINANCE AND CORPORATE SERVICES DEPARTMENT

2.

Municipal Security Issuing Resolution
(File Ref. No. 03-0900-01) (REDMS No. 4044570 v.2)

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That  borrowing in the amount of $50,815,000 from the Municipal Finance Authority of British Columbia, as part of the 2014 Spring Borrowing Session, as authorized through Integrated Older Adults’ Centre, Aquatic Centre and Minoru Pavilion Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 9075 be approved; and

(2)

That Metro Vancouver be requested to consent to the City’s borrowing over a 10 year term and include the borrowing in their Security Issuing Bylaw.

The question on the motion was not called as it was noted that the loan’s interest rate will not be known until the day of borrowing.

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

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (4:43 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 6, 2014.

_________________________________

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Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie
Chair

Hanieh Berg
Committee Clerk