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Council discussions during the June 25 regular public meeting

Below is what was discussed in a June 25 regular public meeting as per council documents. Council is holding a special meeting on July 10 at the municipal offices.

Below is what was discussed in a June 25 regular public meeting as per council documents. Council is holding a special meeting on July 10 at the municipal offices.

Council Reports until June 25

Mayor Bev Playfair — June 10 and 11 - EOC Training and a council meeting. June 12 - Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure meeting and another meeting with Ubleis Logging, Blue Valley Contracting, June 14 and 15 she went to community to community meetings, June 19 she went to NDIT RAC meeting, June 20 she was at the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako and June 21 she was at the Aboriginal Days Pancake breakfast.

Councillor Jennifer Howell — June 13 - emergency management, June 15 - community to community meeting with Nak’azdli Whu’ten, June 17 - Seniors helping seniors appreciation BBQ, June 19 - Tourism Branding session, June 20 - Affordable Housing 101 webinar, June 25 - Greg Stewart Apollo Forest Products

Councillor Corey Gingrich — May 28 regular meeting and May 28 In-camera meeting.

Councillor Judy Greenaway — June 13 - emergency management committee meeting, June 14 - 15 community to community meetings and a baby welcoming ceremony at Kwan Hall, June 17 - Community based senior service sector seminar in Prince George, June 20 - affordable housing for elected officials webinar, June 24 - Phone meeting with Fort Green Energy Antonio Maria & Ross Hamilton, June 25 - Phone meeting with Greg Stewart with Sinclair Group and in-council meeting.

Councillor Paul Stent — June 11 - primary care society hospital vision meeting with Stantec and NHA, council meeting and in-camera meeting, June 12 - Medical staff hospital vision meeting with Stantec and NHA, June 14 and 15 - community to community forum with Nak’azdli chief and council at Murray Ridge, June 20 - primary care society meeting, June 21 - serving breakfast at the Indigeneous People’s Day at Kwah Hall and a teleconference in council chambers with mayor and administrative staff in regard to forestry.

Report regarding Council Attendance at the 2019 Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) Conference

Members of council have had the opportunity to identify meetings with ministers and ministerial staff to staff over the past few weeks. Accordingly, staff formulated a graph which includes meeting requests, purpose and members of council interested.

All members of council have requested a meeting with BC Ambulance in order to understand turnover, training and compensation of BC Ambulance Staff.

Mayor Playfair has requested a meeting with Premier Horgan and Minister Donaldson to speak about the state of the BC forest industry.

She has also requested a meeting with Minister Trevena from the ministry of transport and infrastructure to talk about the speed limit through town and North road.

Councillor Judy Greenway has requested a meeting with the ministry of education to talk about mental health workers and funding.

She has also requested a meeting with Minister Dix from the ministry of Health to discuss the new hospital and current helicopter pad.

Ice date for 2019

Staff made recommendations to council to move the ice date from October 7, 2019 to September 16, 2019.

As per council documents, the District received a request from an arena ice user group requesting the consideration of an earlier ice-in date of September 9, 2019 due to the loss of ice time in the 2018/2019 winter season.

“Staff has investigated this request and learned that both the arena manager and the public works employee who assists him have vacation time booked off, approved and planned out in early September,” as per the municipal document.

As a result, the earliest achievable ice in date is September 16, 2019. This ice in date would still permit ice users an additional three weeks of ice time over and above the planned ice in date of October 7, 2019.

There will be service impacts to Parks and Recreation and Public Works planned activities during the month of September to accommodate an earlier ice in date. The estimated increase to operating costs for the arena of opening September 16 is approximately $22,000.

“A partial offset to the operating costs would be increased revenue from user groups and savings in expenses for the Parks and Recreation and Public Works area where two employees would have otherwise planned to work in September,” read the document.

Pavement Assessment

The 2019 budget allocated $25,000 to pavement assessment for asset management and capital budgeting. Staff have delegated authority to proceed with this project under the policy 2.7 purchase and tender policy.

Quotes were requested from assessment providers to undertake evaluating all roads and streets in Fort St. James to provide an inventory of road segments. This evaluation will include the estimated year and costs of full replacement or repair and overlay. Two responses were received and staff is recommending to council that Urban Systems should complete the assesment. The other company is West Coast Road Testing and Consulting Ltd.

Urban Systems is going to charge $26,500 to provide a walk-through of all roads and streets using the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure pavement surface condition rating manual as a guide. Other specifics can be read online or interested residents could contact the municipal offices to know more about the contract.

“The District has $25,000 in the budget for road assessments. Current savings on other projects would offset the $1,500 over budget in selecting Urban Systems. The further assessment of water and sewer operations within the approved budget,” as per council documents.

More to come in next week’s edition