Council in Focus: Special Meeting Edition

Budget, Bylaws, an Action Plan and a restructured EPC

The planned third reading of the budget and a handful of bylaw amendments were temporarily set aside at the second special meeting of Council this month, by an unexpected presentation and a proposed restructure of Emergency positions in the Village.

The April 23 meeting began with a closed session at 6 p.m., which then was opened to residents and other members of the public at 7 p.m.

In a surprise move, Council paused the start of the meeting to accommodate a presentation on the latest beach park design by architect Nick Bray (story HERE).

When the special meeting resumed (the agenda can be found HERE), Councillor Michael Broughton said it was being held in place of the April 15 regular meeting.

That meeting was pre-empted by a session that was closed to the public on the basis that Council would be discussing matters that "could reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the municipality if they were held in public, (specifically) litigation or potential litigation affecting the municipality."

The following day, civil action was formally declared against the Village of Lions Bay by the family of David and Barbara Enns, and the Medland-Barry and Fourie families, following the deadly landslide last December 14.

The Village has not publicly commented on the suit.

Council 'Action Plan' revealed

Mayor Ken Berry began the special meeting by reporting out from the closed meeting of April 15. He said Council had passed a motion resolving to adopt an 'action plan' stemming from recommendations made by provincially-appointed consultant Randy Diehl back in 2024, which Berry said were available on the Village website.

This action plan includes:

• review, receive and approve the 2024 audit and publish the 2025 Annual Report by June 30

• update the building, zoning and Council Meeting procedures bylaws

• update the procurement, respectful workplace and communications policies, along with the Council Code of Conduct

• adopt a whistle-blower policy based on current legislation and best practices

• train an accredited meeting minute-taker

• work with staff on an annual strategic plan, including performance measurement

• participate in Council a variety of training and professional development

• affirm the one-employee policy and focus on policy and bylaws while leaving administration operations and management to qualified staff

• enforce preparation and release of Council agenda by Friday prior to each Council meeting

• honour and comply with the new Code of Conduct bylaw and respectful workplace policy

• reinforce the commitment to providing rational, good-faith written reasons for major policy decisions, including professional and staff reports to Council on policy matters

Apart from the June 30 deadline for the audit and Annual Report, no timeline was offered for the completion of these objectives.

Restructure of Emergency positions proposal

A delegation from Emergency Support Services Director (ESSD) Mary Brown and ESS volunteer Roel Coert addressed the possible restructuring of ESSD and Emergency Program Coordinator (EPC) positions.

Brown said that as Director of ESS, she has assumed many roles of the EPC in the last 11 months while the position has been vacant. She noted that among the long list of items that had been left unfinished by the departure of then EPC Phil Folkersen, the Village needs someone to manage funding and write new grant applications.

The list of what Brown called the "gaping holes" that she filled in the last year included:

• Registered the Village as an Evacuee Registration and Assistance (ERA) community

• Managed Alertable, and recruited new members who can post messages

• Sorted and inventoried supplies

• Managed seacan (container) condensation problems

• Wrote two successful grant applications for a total of $65,000

• Created a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Bowen Island ES

• Obtained permission from West Van School District to use Lions Bay Community School as an emergency building

• Purchased laptop and tablet charging cage for EOC; also a key depot for ESS

• Ordered dehydrated food supplies and promotional materials

• Took Community Evacuation course in Whistler

• Completed partial credit toward Associate Certificate in Emergency Management through the Justice Institute (JIBC)

• Completed Psychological First Aid training with Health Emergency Management (HEMBC) Disaster Psychosocial Services

• Took Cultural Sensitivity Training with Bowen Island Emergency Management

• Wrote a condensed version of the Community Emergency Plan and the current ESS Plan

Brown also said there currently is $135,000 in grant money that requires managing.

"You might ask why the heck did I do all these things when I wasn't being paid for it?" she added. "Because it needed to be done."

Brown suggested that since the EPC salary has already been allocated for 2024-2025, that ESS volunteer Roel Coert should assume role of ESSD and implement training and recruitment of volunteers. She cited his experience working in project management and training for decades, and requested that she assume the acting-EPC role with commensurate salary, Court to assume the role of ESSD with monthly honorarium, and that the CAO to put this into effect by May 6, 2025.

Court stepped forward to speak about his willingness to take on the ESS position.

Council responded by asking staff to return with a recommendation in favour of this request by May 6.

Budget and Bylaws

Financial Officer Joe Chirkoff distributed a five-year plan on paper for review by council members, and the 2025 Budget was given third reading.

The Development Variance Permit request from the residents of 335 Oceanview Road to allow them to build a garage was approved, following public consultation.

None of the members of Council spoke in support of the Zoning and Development Bylaw amendment, citing the absence of Chief Administrative Officer Ross Blackwell, who was not present at the meeting to answer questions. After discussion, the bylaw amendment was sent back to staff with a request for more information.

However the Water Rates and Regulations Bylaw amendment, the Sewer User Rates Bylaw amendment and the Garbage and Recycling Collection Bylaw amendment were each successfully given first, second and third reading. The amendments called for five percent increases across the board.

Emergency Report

Last month's Fire Rescue Dispatch Report (included with correspondence on page 105), indicated that in March, Lions Bay Fire Rescue attended 13 incidents, with 26 uses of apparatus and 72 members attending. Average turn-out time for the month was 10:16, average travel time was 9:26 and the average time on scene was 35:41.

Correspondence

Sunshine Coast resident Paul Shepski, (page 101), wrote to ask if council would support a 30 kilometre trail running event starting and ending in Lions Bay. After discussion, Deputy Corporate Officer Kristal Kenna informed council that Shepski plans to address Council as a delegation in the future, so more information can be ascertained before a decision is made.

Dave Earle, President of the BC Trucking Association, (page 103) wrote about plans to accelerate inter-provincial trade and movement of goods by changing current Metro Vancouver regulations (page 103).

Blackwell's letter (page 109) in support of Rebecca Montgomery's Two Sisters mural initiative was also included.

Public Participation

Long-time resident Deidre Bain asked Council to clarify how long Air BnBs have been allowed in Lions Bay, and whether homes being rented out as Air BnB properties require an inspection. Berry replied that the service has been available in Lions Bay, and that he believes an inspection is required.

And with that, the meeting adjourned.

The next meeting of council is a Committee of the Whole, scheduled for May 6 at 6 p.m.

The Watershed values your opinion.

Share your thoughts below, or email 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.