MINUTES

CITY OF MERRITT

REGULAR MEETING OF COUNCIL

Meeting #:
Date:
Time:
-
Location:
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL
2185 Voght Street
Merritt, B.C
PRESENT:
  • Mayor L. Brown
  • Councillor M. Bhangu
  • Councillor K. Christopherson
  • Councillor A. Etchart
  • Councillor T. Fehr
  • Councillor T. Luck
  • Councillor M. White
IN ATTENDANCE:
  • Mr. S. Hildebrand, Chief Administrative Officer
  • Mr. J. Dinwoodie, Director of Engineering & Development
  • Ms. S. Thiessen, Director of Finance & IT
  • Mr. W. George, Tourism & Economic Development Manager
  • Ms. C. Fraser, Deputy Clerk/Human Resources Manager

1.
CALL TO ORDER
 

1.1
Call to Order
 

Mayor Brown called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm

2.
LATE ITEMS
 

3.
PUBLIC INPUT
10 m
 

Mr. Ray Thompson spoke to Item 8.4 on the agenda stating that it is a privilege to be able to have backyard fires with the guidelines and monitoring being done.  The individuals who break those rules should have their privileges revoked.

4.
ADOPTION OF MINUTES
 

4.1
Regular Council Meeting Minutes- August 13, 2019
 

  • 232/19

    THAT the Minutes of the Regular Council Meeting held on August 13th, 2019 be adopted

    Moved, Seconded, CARRIED

5.
PUBLIC HEARING
 

Council will recess to a Public Hearing on Zoning Amendment Bylaw No 2267, 2019 (Removal of Cap on Retail Cannabis Stores)

5.1
Public Hearing
 

Mayor Brown recessed to the Public Hearing at 7:03 pm.

Mayor Brown reconvened the regular Council meeting at 7:29 pm.

6.
GENERAL MATTERS - Delegations and Recognitions
 

6.1
Merritt Seniors Group - Dialysis
 

File: 0250

Potential speakers: Pam Whittaker, Ron Brown, Ken Dunning

Mr. Ken Dunning presented to Council the need for a renal dialysis unit in Merritt.  It would be beneficial to much of the Southern Interior including Lillooet, Lytton, Ashcroft, Spences Bridge, Logan Lake and the Indigenous Communities in the surrounding area.

With our hospital being recently enhanced, hopefully a space could be created there.  The cost of hiring professional staff to run a Renal Clinic is understood, but employment opportunities are needed throughout B.C.

The winter months make it particularly difficult for the elderly to make their way to Kamloops three (3) times per week.

6.2
Chamber of Commerce - Community Clean-Up
 

File: 0363

Ms. Kim McLean, President of the Merritt & District Chamber of Commerce presented to Council the Community Clean-up Day in Merritt celebrating World Clean-up Day on September 21st.

Ms. McLean outlined the activities planned for the day requesting from Council the use of the parking lot across from the Civic Centre for the yard sale and clean-up volunteer bar-b-q.

7.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
 

8.
BYLAWS
 

8.1
Council Remuneration Bylaw
 

File: 3900.2266

 

  • 233/19

    THAT City of Merritt Council Remuneration Bylaw 2266, 2019 be adopted

    Against (2)Mike Bhangu, and Travis Fehr
    Moved, Seconded, CARRIED

8.2
Zoning Amendment - Cap on Retail Cannabis
 

File: 3900.2187

Returned from Public Hearing

  • THAT City of Merritt Zoning Amendment Bylaw 2267, 2019 be read a third time

    Against (5)Mike Bhangu, Kurt Christopherson, Adam Etchart, Tony Luck, and Melvina White
    DEFEATED

8.3
Business Licence Bylaws
 

  • 234/19

    File: 3900.2268

    THAT City of Merritt Business Licence Bylaw 2268, 2019 be adopted

    Moved, Seconded, CARRIED
  • 235/19

    File: 3900.2269

    THAT City of Merritt Okanagan-Similkameen Inter-Community Business Bylaw 2269, 2019 be adopted

    Moved, Seconded, CARRIED
  • 236/19

    File: 3900.2270

    THAT City of Merritt Fraser Valley Inter-Municipal Business Licence 2070, 2019 be adopted

    Moved, Seconded, CARRIED
  • 237/19

    File: 3900.2271

    THAT City of Merritt Thompson-Nicola Inter-Community Business Licence Bylaw 2271, 2019 be adopted

    Moved, Seconded, CARRIED

8.4
Fire and Safety Regulation Bylaw
 

File: 3900.2272

  • 238/19

    THAT City of Merritt Fire and Safety Regulation Bylaw 2272, 2019 be read a first time

    Against (1)Travis Fehr
    Moved, Seconded, CARRIED
  • 239/19

    THAT City of Merritt Fire and Safety Regulation Bylaw 2272, 2019 be read a second time

    Moved, Seconded, CARRIED
  • 240/19

    THAT City of Merritt Fire and Safety Regulation Bylaw 2272, 2019 be read a third time

    Moved, Seconded, CARRIED

9.
NEW BUSINESS
 

9.1
Community Emergency Preparedness Fund – Grant Funding
 

File: 1850

  • 241/19

    THAT Council directs staff to submit a grant funding application to the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund;

    AND THAT Council directs administration to provide overall grant management

    Moved, Seconded, CARRIED

9.2
Housing Needs Report - Regional Coordination
 

The TNRD has offered to coordinate a regional Housing Needs Assessment funding application that would include the City of Merritt.  City staff recommend supporting this initiative and participating with the TNRD as part of the regional application.

  • 242/19

    ​THAT Council direct that the City of Merritt participate with the TNRD in an initiative to advance a coordinated regional grant application to create a Housing Needs Report and hire a consultant to prepare that report

    Moved, Seconded, CARRIED

9.3
2020 Purchase of Pumper Tender for Fire Department
 

  • 243/19

    THAT Council approve the award of the Pumper Tender Proposal to Hub Fire Engines & Equipment Ltd, in the amount of four hundred seventy-nine thousand five hundred seventy-five ($479,575) dollars (net of GST) and direct staff to increase the 2020 capital budget for the Pumper Tender by eighty thousand ($80,000) dollars

    Moved, Seconded, CARRIED

9.4
Chief Administrative Officer Update
 

File: 0112

Mr. S. Hildebrand provided an update to Council on the following items:

  • enquiries about the colour of the water and advised the colour is from the reaction of manganese with the chlorine
  • computer upgrades and enhancements at the Water/Wastewater Treatment Plant
  • GPS installation in all City units
  • Voght Street corner for flood mitigation
  • ten (10) new development proposals - Mr. Hildebrand advised that the new Planning & Development Services Manager will start September 17th 
  • pavement overlay program
  • Rotary Park playground update
  • Ty Pozzabon memorial sculpture is complete and has been placed in Central Park
  • pool closure and maintenance
  • Nicola Valley Pro Rodeo tickets
  • Tourism Ambassadors will be done after the long weekend and will present to Council at the nest meeting
  • grant resource workshop 

10.
NOTICES OF MOTION
 

11.
REPORTS FROM COUNCIL
 

Councillor Christopherson expressed his condolences on the loss of Jesse Pakulat.

Mayor Brown reminded Council to RSVP to the Mayor's Gala being held on September 28th. 

12.
INFORMATION ITEMS
 

12.1
District of Chetwynd - Support for Public Libraries
 

File: 0135

12.2
Ministry of Municipal Affairs & Housing
 

File: 0135

12.3
City of North Vancouver - Support for Public Libraries
 

File: 0135

12.4
Bruce Gibbons
 

File: 0220

Council expressed their concerns of water bottling companies using ground water and requested there be a review and a report brought back to Council.

12.5
Strategic Planning Priorities
 

File: 0540

13.
TERMINATION OF MEETING
 

The Mayor declared the meeting ended at 8:40 pm

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