TOWN OF SMITHERS Minutes of the Regular Meeting of Council held in Council Chambers, 3836 Fourth Avenue, Smithers, B.C., on Tuesday, January 13, 2004, at 7:30 p.m. Council Present: Staff Present: Jim Davidson, Mayor Wallace Mah, Corporate Administrator/CAO Norm Adomeit, Councillor Jason Llewellyn, Deputy Chief Administrative Cathryn Bucher, Councillor Officer Cress Farrow, Councillor James Warren, Corporate Administrative Assistant Bill Goodacre, Councillor Leslie Ford, Financial Administrator/Collector Andy Howard, Councillor Mark Allen, Director of Development Services Marilyn Stewart, Councillor. Darcey Kohuch, Director of Operational Services Keith Stecko, Airport Manager/Deputy Fire Chief Penny Goodacre, Recording Secretary. Staff Excused: Les Schumacher, Fire Chief. Media Present: C. Lester, BVLD, and M. Pearson, The Interior News. Public Present: J. Stewart, K. Gurry, D. MacKay, E. MacKay, B. Elsner, I. Meier, T. Barbuto and C. Northrup. CALL TO ORDER 1. Mayor Davidson called the meeting to order (7:30 p.m.). PUBLIC HEARING 2. None. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 3-1 Adomeit/Farrow 04.0001 THAT the minutes of the Regular Meeting of Council held December 9, 2003, REG DEC 9 be adopted. CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 3-2 Farrow/Bucher 04.0002 THAT the minutes of the Committee of the Whole meeting held December 16, C.O.W. 2003, be adopted and the cost of mailing the survey be financed from Council DEC 16 Contingency. CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 3-3 Howard/Adomeit 04.0003 THAT the minutes of the Committee of the Whole meeting held January 6, C.O.W. 2004, be adopted. JAN 6 CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. BUSINESS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES 4-1 Report ADM 03-102 dated December 16, 2003, from W. Mah, Chief 04.0004 Administrative Officer, recommending no items be made public from the Special ITEMS (In-Camera) Meeting of Council held November 25, 2003, was presented. MADE PUBLIC Minutes of the Regular Meeting of Council held in Council Chambers, 3836 Fourth Avenue, Smithers, B.C., on Tuesday, January 13, 2004, at 7:30 p.m. Page 2 PETITIONS AND DELEGATIONS 5-1 D. MacKay, Member of the Legislative Assembly, Bulkley Valley-Stikine, D. MACKAY provided an update on the following Provincial government initiatives: a) the cooperative venture towards the possible acquisition of the former Ministry of Highways’ maintenance yard to the Town for possible use by Bulkley Valley Search and Rescue and others; b) changes to Income Assistance commencing April 1, 2004; c) the Stewart Omineca Resource Road from Kemess Mine to Highway 37; d) Alaska rail extension; e) Bradfield Connector Road; f) Forrest Kerr hydro electric project; g) mining developments; h) the Smithers Regional Airport; and i) the meeting scheduled for January 20, 2004, with Mayors and Regional District Directors to discuss the “Fast Track Program”, transportation, highways, Telus (broadband), CN Rail, 2010 Olympics, and mining. Regarding Income Assistance, D. MacKay explained that claims by fear- mongerers are unwarranted and that the best assistance the government can give people is to provide jobs for them. The provincial government believes that two years out of five is long enough to be drawing social assistance. He then listed most of the 22 exceptions where people who have been on assistance for more than two years will not be cut off. D. MacKay added that the Province has set aside $300 million to put towards job training and that there are jobs ready for those who complete the training. Regarding Council’s previous request for the number of people who will be removed from Social Assistance on April 1, he advised that he was not aware of the actual number, as the number keeps changing. Council thanked D. MacKay for assisting in the acquisition of the former Highways’ maintenance yard. D. MacKay responded to questions from Council about Income Assistance. Councillor Stewart referred to the high unemployment rate in our area and the exodus of jobs leaving our community. She asked what jobs were available for those who receive the training to which D. MacKay referred. D. MacKay indicated that he was not aware of the actual jobs, but that they would not be well-paying. Councillor Bucher quoted the provincial government’s Progress Report (North Star 2010) which lists British Columbia as having the second lowest income rating in Canada. She noted that Grade 12 is no longer sponsored by Human Resources offered at the College and that Grade 12 is essential in getting a job. D. MacKay responded that the responsibility of attaining a grade 12 diploma lies with the individual and not with the government. COUNCIL REPORTS: COUNCILLOR ADOMEIT 6-1 None. COUNCILLOR BUCHER 6-2 Councillor Bucher introduced K. Gurry of the Smithers District Chamber of Minutes of the Regular Meeting of Council held in Council Chambers, 3836 Fourth Avenue, Smithers, B.C., on Tuesday, January 13, 2004, at 7:30 p.m. Page 3 Commerce who was present in the gallery. COUNCILLOR FARROW 6-3-1 Farrow/Adomeit 04.0005 THAT the minutes of Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako Meeting No. 22 and RDBN Planning Committee meeting held November 27, 2003, be received. NOV 27 CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 6-3-2 Farrow/Adomeit 04.0006 THAT the memorandum dated December 8, 2003, from J. Tracy, North West NWRHD Regional Hospital District (NWRHD), to the NWRHD Board, presenting the not ratified minutes of the Board meeting held November 20, 2003, and the November/December 2003 edition of the Northern Healthy Authority’s newsletter Northern Directions, be received (0480-20). CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 04.0007 Howard/Farrow INVITATION THAT Suzanne Johnston, Chief Operating Officer, Northwest Health Services JOHNSTON Delivery Area, Northern Health Authority, be invited to a Committee of the Whole meeting to update Council regarding Bulkley Valley District Hospital issues. CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 6-3-3 Howard/Bucher 04.0008 THAT the minutes of the Planning and Design Committee meeting held PLANNING December 17, 2003, be tabled to a Committee of the Whole meeting for further AND discussion regarding pool hall zoning (0540-40). DESIGN DEC 17 OPPOSED: COUNCILLOR FARROW. CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 6-3-4 Farrow/Bucher 04.0009 THAT the notes of the Town Hall Advisory Review Committee meeting held TOWN HALL December 16, 2003, be approved (0810-02). REVIEW CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. DEC 16 COUNCILLOR GOODACRE 6-4 None. COUNCILLOR HOWARD 6-5-1 Howard/Bucher 04.0010 THAT the minutes of the Fall Fair Management Committee meeting held FALL FAIR December 10, 2003, be received (0360-20). DEC 10 CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Minutes of the Regular Meeting of Council held in Council Chambers, 3836 Fourth Avenue, Smithers, B.C., on Tuesday, January 13, 2004, at 7:30 p.m. Page 4 COUNCILLOR STEWART 6-6-1 Stewart/Farrow 04.0011 THAT the notes of the TELUS meeting held December 11, 2003, be received TELUS MTG (0360-01). DEC 11 CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 6-6-2 Stewart/Adomeit 04.0012 THAT the minutes of the Smithers Health Watch Advisory Committee meeting HEALTH held January 5, 2004, be received (0540-20). WATCH CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. JAN 5 MAYOR DAVIDSON 6-7-1 Adomeit/Farrow 04.0013 THAT the notes of the Airport Community meeting held December 10, 2003, be AIRPORT received and an amendment made to change the spelling of “Wennel” to COMMUNITY “Wendel” (8400-03). DEC 10 CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 6-7-2 Farrow/Bucher 04.0014 THAT the letter dated January 2, 2004, from B. Northup, Chair, Bulkley Valley OLYMPIC 2010 Olympic Opportunity Committee, requesting funding to operate the OPPORTUNIT Committee in 2004, be received (8100-02). Y COMMITTEE CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 6-7-3 Farrow/Bucher 04.0015 THAT Council ratify the preliminary approval to allow the use of the Civic CIVIC Centre, at the reduced rate of $6,000, for the week of May 2 to 9, 2004, for the CENTRE Provincial surplus assets auction, as recommended in the memorandum dated GOVT January 6, 2004, from Mayor Davidson (7900-20). AUCTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 6-7-4 Farrow/Goodacre 04.0016 THAT Councillor Bucher be appointed as Council’s representative to the Trans YELLOWHEA Canada Yellowhead Highway Association and Councillor Stewart be appointed D HWY as the Alternate representative (0230-01). ASSOC CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. STAFF (A) REPORTS 7A-1 Farrow/Adomeit 04.0017 THAT Report DEV 04-001 dated January 5, 2004, from J. Llewellyn, Deputy CLASS D Chief Administrative Officer, regarding the proposed new liquor primary LIQUOR establishment at 4441 Highway 16, be received; LICENSE SCHINA AND THAT Council agree to vary Town of Smithers Liquor License Policy 02- 008 by considering the resolution in Report DEV 04-001 without requiring a Minutes of the Regular Meeting of Council held in Council Chambers, 3836 Fourth Avenue, Smithers, B.C., on Tuesday, January 13, 2004, at 7:30 p.m. Page 5 rezoning application and public input. 04.018 CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Farrow/Howard THAT Council approve the following resolution, referred to as Appendix “A” in Report DEV 04-001: Re: Application for a new Class "D" Liquor License (Neighbourhood Pub) at 4441 Highway 16, Smithers, BC by Rocco Schina Be it resolved that: 1. Given the inappropriateness of the site for a liquor primary establishment the Council of the Town of Smithers has not undertaken any public input process to determine if residents are in favour or not in favour of the licence being granted. Council is not in favour of the license being granted. 2. The Council's views on the proposed location are as follows: a) The proximity of the establishment to other social facilities and public buildings is a concern as the proposed establishment abuts a public schoolyard, and the proposed location of the outdoor patio looks into the schoolyard. These uses do not make good neighbours. b) Traffic and road access are a significant concern.