January 20, 2025 - Minutes

Date:

Monday, January 20, 2025

Place:

Anderson Room
Richmond City Hall

Present:

Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie, Chair
Councillor Chak Au
Councillor Carol Day
Councillor Laura Gillanders
Councillor Kash Heed
Councillor Andy Hobbs
Councillor Alexa Loo
Councillor Bill McNulty
Councillor Michael Wolfe

Call to Order:

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

It was moved and seconded

That Councillor Heed’s motion “Consolidation of Public Compensation for Council Members,” be added as Item 5 to the agenda.

CARRIED

PRESENTATION

1.

With the aid of a PowerPoint presentation (copy on-file, City Clerk’s Office), Donald Trapp, Executive Project Director, Fraser River Tunnel Project, and Dustin Bergstrom, Project Director, Steveston Interchange Project, TI Corp,  provided an update on the Highway 99 Tunnel Program noting that (i) the procurement process is complete with the selection of Cross Fraser Partnership as the design builder for the tunnel project, (ii) work is being done towards finalizing the design, and the completion of the Environmental Assessment, (iii) a series of open houses and 12 pop up events attended by approximately 2100 people took place in 2024, and (iv) construction is set to start some time in 2026.

With respect to the Steveston Interchange, the delegation noted that (i) work is being done to continue widening the existing two lane interchange to a five lane interchange, (ii) the new interchange will include improved connections for pedestrians, cyclists and transit, (iii) the project remains on schedule and on budget for completion in Fall of 2025, and (v) the removal of the existing overpass is upcoming, the work will be completed over a period of three weekends starting on January 31^, 2025.  More information can be obtained at www.highway99tunnel.ca.

Discussion ensued with regards to (i) project timelines, (ii) multi-use pathway (iii) decommissioning of the current overpass, (iv) the Environmental Assessment process, and (v) impacts on traffic caused by the removal of the current overpass.

DEPUTY CAO’S OFFICE

2.

Major CONSTRUCTION Projects Oversight Committee Policy – Referral Response

(File Ref. No. 10-6000-01) (REDMS No. 7909177)

It was moved and seconded

That the Major Construction Projects Oversight Committee Policy 1021, as described in the report titled “Major Construction Projects Oversight Committee Policy – Referral Response”, dated January 6, 2025, from the Director, Facilities and Project Development, be approved.

CARRIED

3.

Terms of Reference – MAJOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS Oversight Committee

(File Ref. No. 06-2052-25-WYAR1) (REDMS No. 7905856)

Direction was given to staff to (i) revise the Terms of Reference, page GP11 – Attachment 1, to state that a Council liaison may be appointed by Richmond City Council, and (ii) page GP12, under the heading Procedures and Meetings, first bullet be revised to state Members of Council will appoint a Chair and Vice Chair, and the fourth bullet be revised to state no alternate is allowed.

Discussion ensued with respect to (i) non disclosure agreements, (ii) providing more details on what experience and qualifications are needed for members of this committee, and (iii) staff providing monthly updates from the Major Construction Projects Oversight Committee meetings.

Direction was given to staff to provide a detailed report to Council from the Major Construction Projects Oversight Committee at least semi-annually.

In response to a query from Committee, staff advised that as they start bringing forward decision points to Council for various details of the project, staff will along with the options, provide extensive comments from the Major Construction Projects Oversight Committee for Council consideration.

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That the “Terms of Reference – Major Construction Projects Oversight Committee”, dated January 6, 2025, from the Director, Facilities and Project Development, be endorsed;

(2)

That Council appoint a Council-liaison to the Major Construction Projects Oversight Committee;

(3)

That the Works Yard Replacement Project be referred to the Major Construction Projects Oversight Committee; and

(4)

That the recruitment for members of the Major Construction Oversight Committee occurs as soon as possible and that staff report back to Council with recommended appointees.

CARRIED

FINANCE AND CORPORATE SERVICES DIVISION

4.

Regular Council Meetings for Public Hearings Schedule Change

(File Ref. No. 01-0105-01) (REDMS No. 7929799)

It was moved and seconded

That the Regular Council Meetings for Public Hearings be held on a Monday at 5:30 pm immediately following a General Purposes Committee Meeting.

CARRIED

COUNCILLOR KASH HEED

5.

Consolidation of Public Compensation for Council Members
(File Ref. No.) (REDMS No.)

Councillor Heed provided an overview of the motion.

Discussion ensued with respect to (i) public funded compensation for Council members, (ii) transparency, accountability and fostering public trust, (iii) Council roles and responsibilities beyond Council and Committee meetings, (iv) compilation and publication of attendance of Council at various events, (v) public accessibility to compensation details for Council, (vi) what financial details should be included in the reporting, (vii) logistics of quantifying attendance at community events, (viii) all of Council receiving invitations to all public events and public event attendance being optional, and (ix) remuneration reported without detailed information about job responsibilities and obligations could be misconstrued.

It was moved and seconded

(1)

THAT the City of Richmond prepare a comprehensive annual financial report that details the total compensation received by Richmond Council members who serve on regional or provincial organizations, including but not limited to EComm911, Municipal Finance Authority, TransLink, and Metro Vancouver, and that this report be made accessible to the public; and,

(2)

THAT the annual financial report provides a complete itemization of each Council member’s base salary and benefits, as well as per diems, stipends, allowances, retainers, expense reimbursements, and any other compensation associated with their roles.

CARRIED

As a result of the discussion the following motion was introduced:

It was moved and seconded

That staff be directed to keep track of and periodically report in public on the attendance of Councillors and the Mayor at Council meetings, external board meetings, meetings where Councillors are the liaisons and public or community events.

The question on the motion was not called as discussion ensued with respect to (i) the qualitative aspect of what the Mayor and Councillors roles and responsibilities entail, (ii) overlap in scheduling of advisory committees and events may make it difficult for Council to attend all events and meetings, (iii) transparency in consolidating all information on Council attendance at events and meetings, and (iv) quantifying attendance of every meeting and event.

As a result of the discussion, the following amendment motion was introduced:

It was moved and seconded

That the motion be amended to remove Public or Community Events.

DEFEATED

OPPOSED: Cllrs. Day

Gillanders

Heed

McNulty

Wolfe

The question on the main motion was then called and it was DEFEATED with Cllrs. Day, Gillanders, Heed, McNulty and Wolfe opposed.

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting be recessed (5:38).

CARRIED

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (6:32 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 20, 2025.

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Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie
Chair

Raman Grewal
Legislative Services Associate