Council in Focus, December Edition

A brief recap of Council meetings, as viewed from the gallery

Event: Lions Bay Council Meeting

Time: Public meeting: 7 p.m.

Agenda: HERE

On Table: HERE

Video: HERE

Present at the council table were Mayor Ken Berry and Councillors Neville Abbott, Jaime Cunliffe and Michael Broughton. Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Ross Blackwell also joined the table and Corporate Officer Kristal Kenna manned the technology. Councillor Marcus Reuter was absent.

At this final council meeting of the year, five residents sat in the gallery, and online viewers numbered 12.

The meeting opened at 7 p.m. with the adoption of a whopping 208-page agenda. After protracted discussion, minutes from meetings on May 21 and November 19 were approved with minor changes. It was agreed to continue further discussion of minutes from July 16 and October 15 in the next closed session of council, due to unnamed issues.

Public Participation

Resident Norm Barmeier called in to thank office and Public Works staff for helping Village residents to manage attractants, including opening up the Works Yard to accept drop-offs of garbage, compost and recyclables.

Barmeier also reminded Council that the province's 2024 budget plan has set aside $50 million toward a water metering pilot project for which Lions Bay fits the criteria. He asked if Council is considering pursuing the grant, which may be 100% funded.

Bear Smart Delegation

Norma Rodgers appeared as a delegate for the Bear Smart Committee (BSC), identifying herself as a 29-year resident with a long history as a volunteer and bear advocate. She said she will be assuming the role of chair of the committee in 2025, with Councillor Neville Abbott continuing as the committee’s liaison with Council and Conservation Officers.

Rodgers outline the accomplishments of the BSC in 2024, including educating residents at the March Bear Memorial, May Bird Friendly event and Canada Day celebration. She noted that the team included bear safety information in every Village Update during bear season, and created a bear information brochure for distribution by bylaw officers.

For the upcoming year, Rodgers indicated the committee plans to continue their education and outreach, and reiterated the BSC’s mandate to reduce human/bear conflict. She noted the volunteers on the team are knowledgeable bear advocates who are committed to follow Bear Smart principles and maintaining Lions Bay's Bear Smart Community Status.

She said the Conservation Officer Service (COS) routinely monitors Bear Smart communities every five years. At the end of the most recent review in April, COS Inspector Caravetta suggested that Rodgers facilitate a working group among stakeholders that led to two Bear Working Group meetings and meant the development of more effective communication between the COS, the Village Bylaw Officer and CAO Ross Blackwell.

Rodgers then outlined how, as a result of these meetings, she became aware of communications in which Mayor Ken Berry criticized the BSC to the COS. This included emails indicating his belief that local residents were confused and getting mixed messaging from the committee.

She quoted directly from a number of emails that had been exchanged between the COS, Berry, Blackwell and Councillor Broughton, including one stating that "unfortunately when it comes to bears there has often been divergence between safety and Bear Smart initiatives.”

Rodgers stated her belief that these actions have undermined Lions Bay's BSC's reputation with the COS, and asked Council for a show of hands from Council members to indicate their support of the committee's education programs and efforts to maintain Bear Smart Community status.

Councillors Abbott and Cunliffe raised their hands. No further comment was offered as Rodgers ended her presentation.

Staff Reports

Reports were brought forward by staff on a number of fronts, beginning with an investment proposal (page 29) advanced by Finance Officer Joe Chirkoff. The proposal had been initiated earlier in the year and was discussed at this month's Committee of the Whole (COW) meeting.

Chirkoff advised Council to make a decision as quickly as possible, and the Mayor reiterated that the lack of a decision has cost the Village revenue. After discussion as to whether the currently-held liquid fund of $1.75 million will be sufficient in case of emergency, and agreement that the highest-yield Mutual Fund Agreement (MFA) is a secure investment, an amendment was made to move the liquid funds to the MFA, and the motion passed.

The third quarter Accounts Payable record (page 42) was offered for information. No questions were raised regarding the expenses outlined in the record, which included expenses of more than $33,400 in unspecified legal fees to Lidstone & Company and $163,800 to the Londinium Group for work on the Klatt Building renovation, among others.

Chirkoff then offered the latest draft of the 2025 Budget (beginning on page 53) for first reading. Broughton once again made the case for dropping the increase in taxes below the estimated five percent expected this year and asked that the budget be amended to reflect his concerns.

Blackwell reminded Council of the importance of financial sustainability and the likely-substantial impending infrastructure costs. Abbott said that the money garnered from the infrastructure levy is there to be spent on things that are broken, and he said that this needs to happen. After further discussion, the motion to give the budget first reading passed, with Abbott voting against, citing the decision to set a tax rate before the budget cycle is complete as counter-productive.

A modified version of the 2025 Council Meeting Calendar (page 97) that was presented at the last Committee of the Whole (COW) meeting was brought forward, amended and approved.

Director of Operations Karl Buhr presented the annual Harvey and Magnesia Drinking Water Inspection Reports (page 98) to Council. Buhr reported that the inspection went very well. There was some discussion regarding blocked intakes, and the conditions behind switching intakes from one river to the other as a result.

Buhr then presented council with a small box full of iron nodules that he had recovered after the hydrants nearest to the Village Hall had been flushed earlier in the day. He said that the debris resulting from deteriorating piping, combined with flows that proved to be inadequate in the case of fighting a fire, means that the project to replace this pipe is not only essential but urgent.

CAO Blackwell brought forward a recommendation for a Respectful Workplace Training course (page 103) as recommended by Workplace BC, to Council for their consideration. He asked any council members interesting in taking the course to email him.

Emergency Reports

Fire Chief Barret Germscheid provided an update on Lions Bay Fire Rescue (LBFR) call volumes for the fourth quarter of the year. He said the team had been summoned to 27 emergency call-outs, consisting of 14 medical events, seven car accidents, five alarms and a hydro pole fire. He noted this was a change from last year when LBFR was consistently called out for more car accidents than medical calls.

In response to a question from the mayor, Germscheid said that Council can expect more Fire Smart consultation in the spring.

July and August Sea to Sky RCMP Report (page 106):

This reporting period resulted in 110 calls for service, 64 of which took place on the Sea to Sky Highway within the boundaries of the Village. Of these, 40 were moving violations, one unspecified assistance and three investigations of impaired driving. There were six collisions, two of which were valued at over $10,000 damage and four under, with a single fatality. There were two cases of a suspicious person or vehicle and one invocation of the Wildfire Act. There were eight instances of debris, broken-down vehicles or pedestrians removed from the highway.

The remaining 46 calls for service within the village included two assaults, four reports of a disturbance, and three false alarms. Seven suspicious persons or vehicles were investigated, one break and enter and a single collision valued at under $10,000. One theft of a motor vehicle over $5,000 was reported, along with a theft valued at over $5,000 from a motor vehicle, and a separate instance of theft over $5,000. There was a single lost item reported, along with six stranded people rescued.

The police also completed five well-being checks, five unspecified assists, plus a single animal call. The Trespass Act was invoked once, there were two reports of mischief, two bylaw calls and two traffic incidents on Village streets.

September and October Sea to Sky RCMP Report (page 108):

This reporting period resulted in 55 calls for service, 32 of which took place on the Sea to Sky Highway within the boundaries of the Village. Of these, 18 were moving violations, plus one unspecified call for assistance and one report of indecent exposure. There were three collisions valued at over $10,000 damage and one under, including one non-fatal accident. There were two well-being checks, one abandoned vehicle and one dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.

There was one incidence of possession of property obtained by a crime and two cases of debris, broken-down vehicles or pedestrians removed from the highway.

The remaining 23 calls for service within the Village included one report of harassing communications and one report of mischief. Two suspicious persons or vehicles were investigated, as was a collision valued at under $10,000. There was one report of theft under $5,000, one report of a flight from police and the Mental Health Act was invoked once. Potential breaches of the peace were prevented twice, and one bylaw was enforced. There was one investigation of a traffic incident, and two false alarms. The police completed a single well-being check, plus five unspecified assists and rescued two stranded people. They prevented a collision by removing one broken-down vehicle.

Bylaws

Several bylaws were put forward for amendment or passage. These included:

• A new Water Bylaw (633, page 110) was successfully given second reading, and the related Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw Amendment (No.640, 2024, page 132) which will be affected by the changes in the new water bylaw, as given first and second reading. Buhr noted that the higher fines are applicable to the more egregious flouting of the bylaw, and some discussion arose around whether fines could be applied to property taxes. Buhr also presented an on-table report of similar fines in neighbouring communities for comparison.

• A Noise Bylaw Amendment (638, page 172) was presented to council by Bylaw Officer Taj Bindra. He said the amendment would essentially allow usage of the Village Hall for events during set hours in the evening without individuals having to seek bylaw relaxation. Councillors expressed concern that the lessened oversight could lead to abuse of the system and the amendment was defeated.

• Bindra also presented a Garbage and Recycling Bylaw Amendment (639, page 183), which he said stems from resident complaints regarding the collection schedule, and his belief that the current bylaw is not enforceable. After discussion, it was decided to re-address the issue at the next COW meeting for further discussion.

  
  

Correspondence

The list of correspondence begins on page 198 of the agenda package. This quarter, responsibility for addressing the correspondence falls to Councillor Abbott.

• General correspondence began with a letter from the Lower Mainland Local Government Association (LGA) with a request for submissions for the 2025 Conference and AGM (page 199). It was decided to discuss these submissions at an upcoming COW meeting.

• The City of Surrey sent the November Fire Rescue Dispatch Report  (page 204), which noted nine call-outs, with along with 17 usages of apparatus and 42 members attending.

• Translink CEO Kevin Quinn sent a report on Transport Priorities (page 53).

  
  

The single item of resident correspondence is on page 208, from long-term residents Ron and Vaike O'Dwyer, inquiring about the possibility of renting the Kelvin Grove parking lot on the occasion of their daughter's wedding next August. After discussion, the decision was to follow the procedure that was established this summer for a similar request, which includes paying full rental costs for the day with parking security and management provided by the renter.

Blackwell then made reference to a letter received too late to make it into the agenda, from newly-elected MLA Jeremy Valeriote, requesting a meeting with Council in the new year, which was agreed to in principal.

No questions were offered during the final comment period, and the meeting adjourned.

According to the new calendar, the first meeting of Council for 2025 is a Committee of the Whole scheduled for January 7, and the first full regular Council meeting is set for January 21 at 7 p.m.

The Watershed welcomes your thoughts. Leave your comments below, or email us at editor@lionsbaywatershed.ca 

Like what you're reading? For as little as $5/month, you can support local independent journalism by subscribing to The Watershed HERE.