October 15, 2024 - Minutes

Date:

Tuesday, October 15, 2024

Place:

Anderson Room
Richmond City Hall

Present:

Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie, Chair
Councillor Chak Au
Councillor Carol Day
Councillor Laura Gillanders (entered the meeting at 4:04 p.m.)
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 4:02 p.m.

MINUTES

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on October 1, 2024, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

CAO’S OFFICE

1.

Award of Contract 8283P – Employee & Family Assistance Program

(File Ref. No. 05-1400-01) (REDMS No. 7795677)

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That Contract 8283P – Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP) be awarded to Green Shield Canada for a three-year term for an estimated value of $589,050.00, excluding taxes, as described in the report titled “Award of Contract 8283P – Employee& Family Assistance Program,” dated September 18, 2024 from the Senior Director, People & Culture, Human Resources;

(2)

That the Chief Administrative Officer and General Manager, Finance and Corporate Services be authorized to execute the contract and all related documentation with Green Shield Canada; and

(3)

That the Chief Administrative Officer and General Manager, Finance and Corporate Services be authorized to extend the initial three-year contract term for an additional one year, up to the maximum total term of four years, for an estimated total value of $785,400.00, excluding taxes.

The question on the motion was not called as in response to a query from Committee, staff advised that a changeover plan will be implemented.  

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

PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURE DIVISION

2.

City of Richmond Signature and Community Events Plan 2025–2029

(File Ref. No. 11-7000-01) (REDMS No. 7591445)

The meeting was recessed at 4:03 p.m.

The meeting reconvened at 4:03 p.m.

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That the revised Guiding Principles for City Events as detailed in the report “City of Richmond Signature and Community Events Plan 2025–2029”, dated September 26, 2024, from the Director, Arts, Culture and Heritage be endorsed;

(2)

That the City of Richmond Signature and Community Events Plan 2025–2029 as detailed in the attached report, dated September 26, 2024, from the Director, Arts, Culture and Heritage be endorsed to guide the planning and delivery of City events for the next five years; and

(3)

That the expenditures totaling $950,200 for the City Events Program 2025 with funding of $890,600 from the Rate Stabilization Account, $31,000 estimated sponsorship and $28,600 estimated grant revenue be considered in the 2025 budget process.

Councillor Gillanders entered the meeting (4:04 p.m.).

The question on the motion was not called as in response to queries from Committee, staff noted that (i) should the Tall Ships event take place, adjustments would be made to accommodate the event, (ii) the Supporting Food Security through Community Driven Events Grant is proposed to be discontinued, and applicants would be directed to other City Grant Programs, (iii) Nations Cup is not included in this plan as it is beyond the scope, (iv) the proposed city funding is $890, 600, which does not include staff salaries and other in-kind costs, (v) the contingency fund is for unanticipated costs, not for program enhancements, (vi) the Neighbourhood Block Party was undersubscribed this year and the Community Celebration Grants were oversubscribed, and (vii) going forward economic impact analysis’ will be conducted for major events.

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

Further discussion took place on the proposed discontinuation of the Supporting Food Security through Community Driven Events Grant and as a result the following referral motion was introduced:

It was moved and seconded

That staff report back with additional information regarding program options, financial consequences, and other factors related to the Supporting Food Security through Community Driven Events Grant by the Monday, October 21, 2024, Council meeting.

CARRIED

FINANCE AND CORPORATE SERVICES DIVISION

3.

2025 Council and Committee Meeting Schedule

(File Ref. No. 01-0105-01) (REDMS No. 7810334)

Discussion took place on changing Committee dates in January 2025 to allow for an easier transition.

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That the 2025 Council and Committee meeting schedule, as shown in Attachment 1 of the staff report dated September 17, 2024 from the Director, City Clerk’s Office, be approved, with the addition of the following:

(a)

That the January 6, 2025 General Purposes Committee and Finance Committee meetings be rescheduled to January 7, 2025; and

(b)

That the January 7, 2025 Planning Committee meeting be rescheduled to January 8, 2025.

(2)

That the Council Procedure Bylaw No. 7560 be varied to allow for the following revisions as detailed in the staff report titled “2025 Council and Committee Meeting Schedule” dated September 17, 2024, from the Director, City Clerk’s Office, be approved:

(a)

That the Regular Council meetings (open and closed) of August 11 and August 25, 2025 be cancelled; and

(b)

That the August 18, 2025 Public Hearing be rescheduled to September 2, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Richmond City Hall.

CARRIED

DEPUTY CAO’S OFFICE

4.

Japanese Canadian Legacies Community Grant Opportunities
(File Ref. No. 10-6000-01) (REDMS No. 7823342)

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That the scope of work related to the two grant applications to the Japanese Canadian Legacies Community Fund, for an aggregate total of up to $1,500,000, be endorsed in principle by Council, as described in the report titled “Japanese Canadian Legacies Community Grant Opportunities,” dated October 2, 2024, from the Director, Facilities and Project Development and the Director, Parks Services;

(2)

That should the grant application(s) be successful, the Chief Administrative Officer and the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer be authorized to execute the agreement on behalf of the City of Richmond with the Steveston Community Society (SCS), for the contribution from SCS to the City for the Japanese Canadian Legacy Improvements work; and

(3)

That a capital budget up to $1,500,000 for the Japanese Canadian Legacy Improvements be approved and be included in the Consolidated 5 Year Financial Plan (2025-2029).

The question on the motion was not called as in response to a query from Committee, staff advised that the City will be not contributing any additional funds.

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

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (4:31 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 Tuesday, October 15, 2024.

_________________________________

_________________________________

Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie
Chair

Sarah Goddard
Legislative Services Associate