March 16, 2020 - Minutes
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General Purposes Committee
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Date: |
Monday, March 16, 2020 |
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Place: |
Anderson Room |
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Present: |
Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie, Chair |
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Call to Order: |
The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:01 p.m. |
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AGENDA ADDITIONS |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That Potential Closure of Facilities be added to the agenda as Item No. A and Amendments to Council Procedure Bylaw No. 7560 be added to the agenda as Item No. B. |
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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 March 2, 2020, be adopted as circulated. |
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CARRIED |
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A. |
Potential Closure of Facilities |
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Staff noted that (i) the Medical Health Officer has advised that there is no imperative to close recreational and community facilities, (ii) other municipalities are closing their recreational and community facilities, (iii) due to low participation it is recommended that the City of Richmond also close recreational and community facilities with the exception of some essential services, and (iv) community partners have been informed and discussions regarding implications will be addressed. |
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In reply to queries from Committee, staff advised that (i) some municipalities have closed facilities entirely and some have made exceptions, (ii) a number of actions are being taken to minimize transmission such as encouraging people to stay home when not well and providing a full refund for withdrawal from programs, (iii) the operational process regarding the home delivery of library books will be discussed with the Seniors Society, (iv) the library is reassigning staff to ensure materials are clean and delivered in a safe manner, (v) single entrance points for facilities that continue to offer essential programs will be established and staff will be on site to monitor the facilities, (vi) the spring break camps provide child care for many families, (vii) decreasing the number of programs reduces the number of people in the facilities, (viii) parks and trails will remain open, as well as the outdoor washrooms, (ix) the parks department will continue to monitor and work to ensure cleanliness of parks, trails and outdoor washrooms, (x) it is prudent to wait for direction from the Province with regard to closure of child care facilities, (xi) conditions can be set for spring break camps and will be monitored closely, (xii) number of agencies within the City are responsible for support of isolated people, but information sharing between the City and the agencies can be coordinated, (xiii) services that can be delivered online are being examined, (xiv) service providers and shelters are being contacted to ensure services are in place for the homeless and vulnerable population, and (xv) should the Richmond School District be closed after Spring Break, direction from Council with regard to next steps would be required. |
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It was moved and seconded |
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(1) |
That programs and services at all community facilities be closed by the end of the day including, community centres, libraries, the Richmond Olympic Oval, swimming pools, arenas, arts facilities and heritage buildings until further notice with the exception of the following: |
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(a) |
Childcare programs; |
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(b) |
Week-long camp programs such as spring break camps; |
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(c) |
Food service at the Minoru Seniors Centre (only available as pick-up or delivery); and |
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(d) |
Home delivery of library materials to isolated seniors. |
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(2) |
That the Chief Administrative Office and the General Manger, Community Services be authorized to enact a further or full closure of any community facilities when circumstances warrant doing so or as directed by Provincial or local health authorities, and provide notice to Council. |
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The question on the motion was not called as discussion took place on communicating social service programs to the community and ensuring it is available in various languages. Staff advised that social service programs can be contacted with regard to connecting with the vulnerable and homeless population and information can be provided to Council. |
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The question on the motion was then called and it was CARRIED. |
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B. |
aMENDMENTS TO THE cOUNCIL pROCEDURE BYLAW – ELECTRONIC MEETINGS AND PARTICIPATION BY MEMBERS |
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Staff reviewed the report and noted that (i) proposed amendments to the Council Procedure Bylaw would allow for Council members to attend Regular Council meetings via electronic means during emergency circumstances, (ii) advertising would take place in the Richmond News and the Globe and Mail, and (iii) Council Procedure Bylaw No. 7560, Amendment Bylaw No. 10165 could be brought forward for adoption at the Monday, March 23, 2020 Regular Council meeting. |
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In reply to queries from Committee, staff noted that should Committee meetings be cancelled, all items going to Committee meetings can go directly to Council during extraordinary times. |
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Discussion took place on conducting Committee meetings via electronic means and direction was provided to staff to include the provision for Standing Committee members to attend Standing Committee meetings electronically in the amendment to Council Procedure Bylaw No. 7560 and report back to a Special General Purposes Committee on March 23, 2020. |
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Discussion further took place on ensuring Regular Council meetings take place in the Council Chambers to ensure live streaming is available. |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That Council Procedure Bylaw No. 7560, Amendment Bylaw No. 10165, which introduces amendments relating to Electronic Meetings, be introduced and given first, second and third readings. |
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CARRIED |
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COMMUNITY SAFETY DIVISION |
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1. |
sister city advisory committee 2019 year in review |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the staff report titled “Sister City Advisory Committee 2019 Year in Review”, dated February 14, 2020, from the General Manager, Community Safety, be received for information. |
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The question on the motion was not called as in reply to a query from Committee, staff advised that the Sister City Advisory Committee can examine friendship city options with Europe and Africa. |
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The question on the motion was then called and it was CARRIED. |
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2. |
Traffic Intersection Cameras Implementation Planning |
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In reply to queries from Committee, staff noted that (i) the City of Vancouver’s Closed Circuit Television Cameras do not have recording capability, (ii) the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner has noted contingencies that must be adhered to, (iii) the RCMP would have access to the footage at no cost; however, there is a charge for the public, (iv) the RCMP can use the footage for incidents or emergency events, (v) the cameras are not intended for active surveillance and obscures licence plates and faces, (vi) the cameras used by the Province are activated when an individual is violating a provincial statute, and the City’s cameras would be active 24/7, (vii) from a traffic perspective the cameras can be used to gather information on how many people run a red light, traffic counts for cyclists, pedestrians and cars, and (viii) the cameras will show real-time responses to traffic management changes. |
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It was moved and seconded |
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(1) |
That Consolidated Fees Bylaw No. 8636, Amendment Bylaw No. 10160, which adds a service fee for video footage requests, be introduced and given first, second and third reading; |
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(2) |
That the Consolidated 5 Year Financial Plan (2020-2024) be amended to include the operating budget impact of implementing the Traffic Intersection Cameras system of $100,000 funded by an estimate of $50,000 from revenue and a reallocation of resources from the Community Safety Division; and |
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(3) |
That staff develop a communication plan to inform the public of the implementation of the Traffic Intersection Cameras system and how to request video footage. |
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CARRIED |
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PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION |
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3. |
2019 Report from the City Citizen Representatives to the Vancouver International Airport Aeronautical Noise Management Committee (YVR ANMC) |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the staff report titled “2019 Report from the City Citizen Representatives to the Vancouver International Airport Aeronautical Noise Management Committee (YVR ANMC)”, dated March 2, 2020 from the Director, Policy Planning, be received for information. |
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The question on the motion was not called as in reply to queries from Committee, staff advised that (i) discussions with YVR staff indicate that the north runway is only for arrivals and closed at night, (ii) Nav Canada is examining efficient utilization of both runways, and (iii) opportunities for input is regularly available and every opportunity to express the City’s concerns is utilized. |
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The question on the motion was then called and it was CARRIED. |
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COMMUNITY SERVICES DIVISION |
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4. |
Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification Program Update |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the staff report titled “Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification Program Update,” dated February 13, 2020, from the Director, Community Social Development and Director, Facilities and Project Development, be received for information. |
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CARRIED |
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5. |
Cities #WithRefugees Campaign |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That City Council demonstrate its commitment to promoting inclusion and supporting refugees by signing the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Cities #WithRefugees pledge, as outlined in the staff report titled “Cities #WithRefugees Campaign”, dated February 19, 2020 from the Director, Community Social Development. |
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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 (5:09 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, March 16, 2020. |
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Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie |
Sarah Goddard |