Council Meeting Feb 6th 2007 - Recap

Every once in a while, we on your City Council get to close a road - or more accurately, a unused lane usually long forgotten. We started the Feb 6th, 2007 meeting by doing just that. So, to "the surplus lane located on a parcel of land adjacent Johnston Lane, may you Rest in Peace.

 

Council then went on - to the first discussion of a proposed pesticide use and control bylaw for the city. For the past almost one year, a citizen driven committee has been researching pesticide use and a possible bylaw. City staff recommendation emanating from the committee process was to embark on developing a bylaw and education program that would reduce pesticide use in Kamloops. Councillor Pat Wallace moved that we  refer the bylaw to a Council workshop so that we could work out more details. Mayor Terry Lake agreed but the Mayor, Councillor Tina Lange, and myself felt that we should amend the motion to make a statement that Council, in principle, favoured the reduction of pesticide use in the community. After a lot of discussion on the amendment, Councillor Wallace's original motion was read back and we agreed the original motion encompassed support for pesticide reduction. It was painful, we moved forward, and hopefully we become better from it all.

 

We went on  - to discuss a staff proposal to put in a bid to host the 2011 Western Canada Summer Games. After talking about the benefits of the $1 million budgeted city investment, the type of athletes that will be attending, and the notion of involving people with disabilities or who need an entry into the workforce, we approved submitting  a bid.

Council accepted $15 000 for neighborhood parks from a developer of an 8 lot subdivision on Wawn rd on Westsyde, We also sent a proposal to turn the This Old Steakhouse Restaurant to professional offices (mainly for lawyers) to a public hearing.

Subject to the result of negotiations between the KIB and the provincial government on an outstanding land claim, we forwarded an application to the Agricultural Land Commission for the development of slow pitch and rugby fields on the site of the old Raleigh Correctional Centre. We honour the fact the land claim is outstanding, and my strong feeling is that we will abide by any decision reached by the KIB and the provincial government.

The city's new transit planner, Alex Armstrong, helped us understand the new transit plan recommendations. A BC transit planner said the bus system was almost at capacity, in terms of ridership - I have a bit of a different view.

Peter Holmgren, chair of the Communities in Bloom (CIB) committee, updated on us the committee's plans to stay active in the CIB, but not to do an evaluation style project this year. They instead want to focus more on specific projects in Kamloops and mentor other communities in the CIB program.

Council proclaimed White Cane Week. We also passed a number of resolutions asking the provincial and federal government to give greater sustainable funding to child care / day care in Kamloops. We also voted to write a letter to the Chamber of Commerce asking for their involvement in helping encourage the creation of day care spaces in the community.

In the response to letters from 13 different community groups who use Heritage House, protesting a 100% increase in (albeit pretty modest) fee, Byron McCorkell, city parks and rec director, proposed that the city faze in the fee increase over 3 to 4 years.

The last issue on the agenda was the question of whether the community should renew our membership in the Trans Canada Yellowhead Association - worth about $9800 this year. I moved a motion that we not renew our membership. I personally have not seen much value from membership in this association. It may be the only association devoted to a highway in the country! Other Councillors felt that we should wait it out a year perhaps, or at least, talk over the value of association membership with our regional colleagues at the TNRD. Councillor John O Fee moved the motion be tabled to the next meeting, and this motion passed.

So more fun and not really frivolity awaits.

Comments

[Dustin]

I really enjoy your views and the strong sense of community pride that you take into city hall.

On response to the transit planner, I hope he takes some of the lessons learned from the city of vancouver and not let certain issues of concern stay in the schedules. Dealing with over-lapping and with scheduling will keep a strong economic forcast with the transit, or else it may decline when riders decide their time is more valuable and just take a taxi.

Once again, great work!
Dustin