MINUTES OF THE COUNCIL MEETING

HELD ON MONDAY NOVEMBER 21, 2005 at 7:00 P.M.

Present:            Mayor Douglas Miller

                        Councillor Elizabeth Jordan

                        Councillor Joanne Ronsley

                        Councillor Lisa Turpin

                        Administrator Lori Pilon

Recording Secretary Sheila Blake

1.         Mayor Miller called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m.

2.         Adoption of Agenda

Add under Unfinished Business 6C Reconsider Council Remuneration, and

add under New Business 9C the Notice Board outside the Post Office.

A motion was passed to adopt the agenda as amended.                                                  

3.         Public Participation

Isobel Chester thanked the Mayor and Council for their hard work and achievements during the last three years.

4.         Delegations

A.        Fire Chief Fred Bain, Deputy Fire Chief Andrew Oliver (arrived at 7:25 pm) and Fire Trainer Bob Allan were present to provide an update regarding Lions Bay Fire Rescue

            Mayor Miller welcomed the delegation and thanked them for their contributions and acknowledged their family’s contributions.  He advised that:

·         Last year was a turning point for the Lions Bay Fire Rescue Department with the completion of Don Pamplin's report which provided Council with an overview of the department's needs both in terms of operations and capital equipment.

·         Andrew Oliver's leadership as Fire Chief, Bob Allan's level of training and Fred Bain’s expertise has resulted in real progress for the department.

Fire Chief Bain confirmed that the department had made significant progress in the last three years and thanked Council for supporting them.  He advised that:

·         Fundraising has resulted in $7,000 being allocated to the purchase of high angle rescue gear.  Bob Allan will be responsible for delivering the 3-month (50-hour) training program, a difficult and challenging discipline to maintain.  Allan is a trainer for the Justice Institute and uses JI’s books and modules but is not authorized to certify.  Allan confirmed that the training meets WCB criteria without participants being certified.  A full record of training is kept. 

·         Due to the revolving door nature of the Lions Bay Fire Rescue it is challenging to maintain a fully qualified team.  New people apply almost weekly and Lions Bay Fire Rescue is currently down to 19 members. 

·         It is generally acknowledged that Lions Bay provides excellent training as well as the opportunity to use it.   Three of West Vancouver's current fire department members received training in Lions Bay.

On behalf of the Lions Bay Fire Rescue Andrew Oliver expressed the department's appreciation of Mayor and Council's efforts during the past three years which enabled the Lions Bay Fire Rescue Department to go forward.

5.         Adoption of Minutes

Regular Council Meeting held November 7, 2005.

A motion was passed to adopt the Minutes of the Regular Council Meeting held on November 7, 2005.                                                                                         

6.         Unfinished Business

A.                 Rockfall and Bank Erosion on Mountain Drive

An information report dated November 21, 2005 regarding Rock Fall and Bank Erosion on Mountain Drive was presented.

·         The current situation is not deemed to be dangerous and hydro seeding is recommended to be more effective if undertaken in the spring, and

·         Lies Ganske to be informed of outcome of discussions with BC Hydro.

A motion was passed that the matter of rock fall and bank erosion on Mountain Drive be followed up by staff with BC Hydro and referred to the new council as required.

B.                 Tree Cutting on Private Property

An information report dated November 21, 2005 was presented regarding Tree Cutting on Private Property.

A motion was passed to refer this issue to the new Council.

C.         Council Remuneration

A letter dated November 18, 2005 from Brenda Broughton and emailed to the Administrator, was presented to Council.  Mayor Miller read the letter aloud.

Mayor Miller advised that Council had acted with the best of intentions regarding this issue which had been dealt with in camera because of the relationship to labour issues mandated by the Community Charter to be considered in camera.  However, it appeared that nothing in the Community Charter stated that remuneration had to be considered in camera and that having done so was a mistake. It is appropriate that Council give consideration to this and acknowledge that former Mayor Broughton has been most helpful in providing clarification of this issue.

Councillor Jordan confirmed that the intent was never to be underhanded, but was intended to address a controversial issue for the next council. One third of Council’s remuneration is intended to be an outlay for expenses and the increase would have assisted the new Council with the costs of such items as fuel.

Councillor Ronsley advised that it was her understanding that Mayor and  Council are considered management and as such governed by WCB and therefore are required to deal with such matters in camera.  Three years on Council has provided a better understanding of issues and what is required of the Mayor and Council.  This Council was prepared to risk dealing with the matter of remuneration from a point of personal experience and make recommendations appropriate for the incoming Mayor and Council.

            Councillor Turpin agreed that Council had acted with the best of intentions but that the bylaw clearly sets out that Council are not staff but elected officials.

            The incoming Council would be advised to revisit the current bylaw which provides for one type of staff increase, being inflation.  There are now three distinct categories of staff and the manner of staff increases varies.

A motion was passed that the motion carried at the November 7, 2005 Council meeting to provide increases for the incoming Mayor and Councillors as of January 1, 2006 be rescinded, and that it be noted that there were no incumbents present during the discussion or voting of the November 7, 2005 motion.                     

7.         Reports

            A.        Mayor

Mayor Miller thanked Lori Pilon and her team plus Councillors for the excellent working relationship over the past three years and acknowledged that the Village had undergone tremendous changes on several levels relative to the way it now operates.  There has been great reorganization of staff and an increased level of services and expertise in the office.

Three years ago Council was faced with a long to do list including moving Lions Bay Fire Rescue to the next step, addressing a failing infrastructure, updating bylaws, completing parking assessment, providing access to public land and addressing management of bears to name just a few items on the list.  This council has worked extremely hard on behalf of the community and done an excellent job.  We have addressed some very thorny issues which have been avoided over the years.  Some residents may disagree with our decisions, but no one can disagree with Council’s intent.  Mayor Miller expressed pride in the group and its accomplishments.

Councillor Jordan thanked Mayor Miller for all the work he has done and agreed that this Council had made great progress such as the implementation of a GIS system and development of an infrastructure master plan.   She wished the incoming Mayor and Council the best of fortune and insight in the three years ahead.

Councillor Ronsley agreed that this Council had been well lead by the Mayor who always kept the team on track and that Council has changed the direction of the community in many ways, the most visible being the fire department.

Councillor Turpin thanked the Mayor for the tremendous learning experience and for listening and advising.

Resident Shirley Stokes thanked everybody for their hard work and for achieving consensus on divisive issues.  She also thanked Council, organizers and the children for the wonderful Remembrance Day ceremony.

A motion was passed to receive Mayor Miller’s report.

            B.         Council

                   i)         Councillor Turpin reported that: 

·         The first annual Remembrance Day ceremony was well attended and will now be held annually,

·         There is to be an Arts and Crafts Fair on Saturday, November 26, and

·         There is to be a children's dance recital the first week of December and breakfast with Santa.

A motion was passed to receive Councillor Turpin's report.

                        ii)         Councillor Ronsley reported that:

On November 10, 2005 she attended a meeting with the Ministry of Education regarding School District 45 to discuss the future of students and family development.  Declining enrolment by 2013/14 is anticipated and there will be more seniors than children in the community.   School District 45 is facing problems from integration of ESL students and Special Needs Students. This has resulted in focusing on these students and away from teaching all the other students, which are the majority of students in District 45.

A motion was passed to receive Councillor Ronsley's report.

8.         Correspondence

A.                 A correspondence list for the period ending November 18, 2005 was presented in writing.

A motion was passed to receive the Correspondence list for the

period ending November 18, 2005.

B.                 A list of Action Items for the period ending November 18, 2005 was presented in writing.

                        A motion was passed to receive the Action Items list for the period

                        ending November 18, 2005.                                                       

Letters dated November 15, 2005 from Paulette A. Vetleson, Corporate Secretary GVRD regarding Appointment of Municipal Directors to the GVRD Board of Directors, Allocation of Votes, and Appointment to the 2006 Greater Vancouver Regional Labour Relations Bureau.

To be deferred to next Council.

9.                   New Business

A.        Lions Bay Fire Rescue Honoraria

An information report dated November 21, 2005 from the Finance Manager and the Administrator was presented regarding possible Lions Bay Fire Rescue Honoraria.

A motion was passed to refer this information to the new Council.

B.           Notice Board Outside the Post Office

·         It would be appropriate that events taking place outside the community that are of interest to community members be also displayed on the notice board outside the Post Office,

·         The notice board is currently managed by the Events Committee who have a policy to advertise local events first, and if there is room to include events from the surrounding area,

·         The Strata corporation should be thanked for the current use of the board and offered an additional board to be managed by the Village for the promotion of Village and surrounding area events, and

·         Staff to contact Brigitta Shore, Events Committee Chair who has already spoken to the Strata.

A motion was passed that staff write to the Strata Corporation expressing Council's appreciation for use of the display case and offering to provide and manage an additional case for the promotion of community and surrounding area events.

10.       In Camera

A motion was passed to move In Camera at 8.30 pm regarding

            Personnel pursuant to Section 90 (1) (c) of the Community Charter

           (1 item)                     

A motion was passed to revert back to regular meeting at 8:43 p.m.

11.       Adjournment

A motion was passed to adjourn the meeting at 8:43 p.m.