AGENDA FOR THE SPECIAL MEETING OF COUNCIL TO BE HELD IN THE TOWN OF PRINCETON ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11TH, 2014 AT 4:00 PM AT THE PRINCETON TOWN HALL BOARDROOM Page 1. ADOPTION OF AGENDA Recommendation: THAT Council adopt the February 11th, 2014 Special Meeting of Council Agenda. 2. PETITIONS AND DELEGATIONS 3-253-253-253-25 2.1 Conservation Officer Service/Ministry of Environment Sgt. Jim Beck and Inspector Barbara E. Leslie provide information regarding the conservation services in Princeton. 3. STAFF REPORTS 27-4227-4227-4227-42 3.1 Development Variance Permit for 147 Tulameen Trail Recommendation: THAT Council issue Development Variance Permit # DVP 01-14 to Kevin Kelbert for property at 147 Tulameen Trail legally described: Lot 4, Plan KAP36588, District Lot 277, Yale Division Yale District PID : 003-999-769 to vary the following: 0.647m (2.1 feet) inside a statutory right (R.O.W) of way for a sewer utility; AND THAT if access to the R.O.W., for repairs to the sewer line results in damage to the foundation or structure within the R.O.W. the costs of repair will be the sole responsibility of the property owner. 4. NEW BUSINESS 5. AGENDA ADJOURNMENT Page 1 of 42 Page 2 of 42 AgendaItem#2.1 Conservation Officer Service 1905 to 2014 1 Conservation Officer Page 3 of 42 Service/Ministry of Service/Ministry of Conservation Officer COS Mandate Enforcing natural resource laws and responding to wildlife conflicts in order to protect human health and safety, the environment, personal and public property, and government revenues AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 Page 4 of 42 Page 4 of 42 Page 4 of 42 Page 4 of 42 2 Service/Ministry of Conservation Officer Organization – 2013 Headquarters in Victoria 8 Regions 44 District Offices Major Investigations Unit (MIU) Plain clothes and larger investigation files Special Investigation Unit (SIU) Undercover investigation of illegal activities of greatest impact 126 full-time - field staff AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 Page 5 of 42 Page 5 of 42 Page 5 of 42 Page 5 of 42 14 positions - headquarters 3 Service/Ministry of Conservation Officer South Okanagan Zone 2013 Three field offices Merritt, Penticton, Princeton Total of six field officers and one Sgt Work plans were done by zone and officers were assigned work throughout AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 Page 6 of 42 Page 6 of 42 Page 6 of 42 Page 6 of 42 the zone. 4 AgendaItem#2.1 5 Conservation Officer Page 7 of 42 Service/Ministry of Service/Ministry of Conservation Officer Princeton Staffing 2007- COS when to a zone management concept from a district concept Fall 2010 - CO Al lay assigned to Predator Livestock Protection Program. Service delivery from Merritt and Penticton March 2012 – CO Al Lay retired – permission to fill Princeton AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 Page 8 of 42 Page 8 of 42 Page 8 of 42 August 2012 - Lateral transfer of CO Page 8 of 42 Gorecki to Princeton 6 Service/Ministry of Conservation Officer September 2013 - CO Gorecki promotes to Kamloops •Princeton Vacant •Service delivery is from Merritt and Penticton •Staffing request was made AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 Page 9 of 42 Page 9 of 42 Page 9 of 42 Page 9 of 42 7 Service/Ministry of Conservation Officer Factors considered. Mandate Workload analysis Officer safety ( single person posts have inherited safety issues ) Staff supervision and development Service delivery options Officer retention AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 Page 10 of 42 Page 10 of 42 Page 10 of 42 Page 10 of 42 Deployment considerations throughout the province. 8 AgendaItem#2.1 9 Conservation Officer Page 11 of 42 Service/Ministry of Population Statistics for the South Okanagan Zone Service/Ministry of Conservation Officer Not including IR land. Grouped by Present Field Office Locations. Numbers from 2011 census- Stats Canada RD- Regional district South Okanagan Location Population Present delivery Zone (2011 census ) model COS Princeton 2724 One field officer One RDOS area H 1783 stationed in Sgt/supervisor Princeton Stationed in Penticton Merritt 7113 Three field officers Logan lake 2073 stationed in Merritt RD Thompson Nicola 8211 (Areas LMNO) Penticton 32077 Two field officers Peachland 5220 stationed in Summerland 5200 Penticton Oliver 4824 Osoyoos 4845 Keremeos 1330 RD Okanagan 80,742 AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 Page 12 of 42 Page 12 of 42 Page 12 of 42 Page 12 of 42 Similkameen (including area H) 10 Service/Ministry of Conservation Officer Road ahead • Nov 2013 permission to move FTE ‘s point of assembly to Penticton • CO Cox arriving April 1 2014. • Four CO’s and Sgt in Penticton • Two CO’s in Merritt. AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 Page 13 of 42 Page 13 of 42 Page 13 of 42 Page 13 of 42 11 AgendaItem#2.1 12 Conservation Officer Page 14 of 42 Service/Ministry of Service/Ministry of Conservation Officer Benefits Service delivery by six officers and one Sgt Rotation of officers through Princeton area. Coverage ensured when officers on leave. With the provincial call centre - complaints are emailed to officers within minutes. Emergency call outs. Deployment of two AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 Page 15 of 42 Page 15 of 42 Page 15 of 42 Page 15 of 42 officers for emergencies 13 Service/Ministry of Conservation Officer Benefits Work plans are based on zone priorities Addresses workload inconsistencies between zones (West Kelowna) Better management of officer safety issues. – Qualified Backup. Better supervision and staff development AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 Page 16 of 42 Page 16 of 42 Page 16 of 42 Page 16 of 42 14 Service/Ministry of Conservation Officer Benefits Partnership development is important Access to the Major Investigation Unit Access to the Predator attack team AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 Page 17 of 42 Page 17 of 42 Page 17 of 42 Page 17 of 42 15 Service/Ministry of Conservation Officer Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week Report known or suspected violations Anonymous – simple, safe and effective Shared stewardship 1-877-952-7277 (RAPP) AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 AgendaItem#2.1 Page 18 of 42 Page 18 of 42 Page 18 of 42 Page 18 of 42 16 AgendaItem#2.1 Conservation Officer Page 19 of 42 Service/Ministry of AgendaItem#2.1 Conservation Officer Page 20 of 42 Service/Ministry of AgendaItem#2.1 November 27, 2013 L6013 Chief Superintendent Doug Forsdick Ministry of Environment Provincial Operations Conservation Officer Services 1041-18th Avenue Prince George BC V2N 1B3 Dear Mr. Forsdick: Re: Conservation Officer Deployment Thank you for your letter of explanation on the redeployment of conservation officers dated November 18, 2013. Princeton Town Council and I reviewed your deployment strategy on November 25, 2013 and as you can well appreciate, we are very disappointed with your decision. At the very least we could have been consulted regarding the decision and given the opportunity to provide our views and suggestions on the Conservation Officer Service for Princeton and the surrounding area. The decision appears to be one of convenience rather than necessity. Service cuts seem to be the order of the day for Princeton and area. This is just another example of the insensitivity provincial ministries demonstrate with respect to the provision of local service and the need to locate necessary resources in the community being served. This is in addition to the loss of the Forestry Service presence in Princeton and its 9 Forestry Officers. The reduction in the level of service and an exodus of service personnel are a significant economic loss to the community. Every job that the province removes from the community has a negative impact on the local business community. The Town of Princeton is requesting a full explanation from the Province on the rationale for pulling more resources out of Princeton. How will this decision affect the commitment from the Minister of Forest, Honourable Steve Thomson to work with affected communities to solve the problem of habituated ungulats. Locating rural services in non-rural centers such as Penticton detaches the conservation service from the local issues and contact with local community relationships. The Princeton area is a major hunting destination requiring conservation officer support on a regular basis during hunting season. Town of Princeton 151 Vermilion Avenue, P.O. Box 670, Princeton, British Columbia, Canada V0X 1W0 Phone: (250) 295-3135 * Fax (250) 295-3477 * Website: princeton.ca Conservation Officer Page 21 of 42 Service/Ministry of AgendaItem#2.1 Chief Superintendent Doug Forsdick Ministry of Environment Provincial Operations Conservation Officer Services Princeton has ongoing conflicts with deer, bears, cougars, marmots, bob cats, etc requiring timely response which cannot be achieved via the decided upon operational approach outlined in your letter. Our experience with the Provincial Emergency Program has not been a positive one – comments from users of the system are that the operators have not been sensitive or positively responsive to reports received from the public. In some cases callers have complained that operators are argumentative and don’t listen. The prospect of success of the Conservation Service in our area, under your scenario, in our opinion, will be limited and result in less effective response to local needs than before.