All right, everybody. We will get started on our regular board meeting now for Thursday,
the 19th of June. Held here in the Woodhaven boardroom. I will call this meeting to order,
and as an open meeting, a live audio-video feed is being broadcast and recorded on rdco.com.
Before we begin, I would like to take the time to acknowledge that we're gathered on
the traditional ancestral unceded Tumulau of the Silk Okanagan people who have resided
here since time immemorial. We recognize, honor, and respect the silk Okanagan lands upon which we
live, work, and play. Can I please get a move of our agenda as presented? Please move by Vice
Chair Ireland, seconded by Director Hodge. All in favor? Opposed? Carried. And can I get a move
of our meeting minutes from May 15th, please? Move by Director Milsum, seconded by Director
Mr. Kraft, any errors or omissions?
Is the nod all in favor?
Opposed or carried?
Item 5.1, please.
5.1 is the 2024 Statement of Financial Information.
This is an all directors weighted corporate vote.
This is to consider approval of the Regional District
of Central Okanagan's 2024 Statement
of Financial Information presented
by Tonya McCabe, Director of Financial Services.
Welcome Tonya.
Please.
So, before you today to do the last piece of financial reporting for the year, it is
a statement of financial information.
This the Financial Information Act, in case you're not aware of it, is a provincial legislation
that requires specified corporations and public bodies to prepare statements of financial
information in accordance with the Act.
The Board is required to approve this annual statement of financial information each year.
And so to that end today, we will review the 2024 SOPHI report as we like to call it.
So this is the financial information that is included in the Statement of Financial Information
report.
We have a statement of assets and liabilities, a statement of operations, a schedule of
debts, a schedule of guarantee and indemnity agreements, a schedule of remuneration and
expenses, a statement of severance agreements, and a schedule of payments to suppliers
of goods and services.
So for the RDCO, we provide the first three requirements
as part of the annual audited financial statements.
The 2024 audited financial statements are included in the package
to meet this requirement.
Oops, I forgot that part.
And then we have the RDCO does not have any guarantees
and indemnity agreements, so nothing is included in the report.
The next requirement is a schedule of remuneration and expenses.
This is provided on pages one to three and includes the amounts paid to elected officials,
the amounts paid to employees greater than 75,000, the amounts, the total amount paid
to all other employees, and a reconciliation of these amounts to the amounts reported
into the financial statements.
Two points that are important to make each year is first that the remuneration reported
it is per T4s. It does not reflect annual salaries and includes things like taxable
benefits, vacations earned that are taken in pay instead of time, and any overtime that
is paid out. Second, the threshold was established in 1985, which is 40 years ago. It has not
been increased over that time. If we were to adjust it for inflation, it would now
be 180,000, which would reduce our list down to three people. The list continues
continues to grow with cost-living increases. Last year it was only 60, and this year is
now 75. And over half of the employees on the list are union employees.
The next requirement is providing a statement of severance agreements. The RDCO has entered
into three of those in 2024, and the required information is provided in the attached documents.
And then the last requirement is a schedule of payments to suppliers of goods and services.
This is included in the SOFI report document on pages 4 to 8.
It does provide details of grants and contributions that exceeded $25,000.
There was three organizations, a list of all suppliers who were paid more than $25,000
in 2024, and the total amount paid to all other suppliers.
Again, like the threshold for remuneration, this threshold has also not changed.
And if it were to be adjusted for inflation, it would be $60,000 today.
It would reduce the list down not quite to the same significant degree, but it would take it down to from 143 vendors down to
79 and
that is
Presentation
Thank You Tanya any questions on the Sophie reports
Seen not to have a mover the recommendation, please move by a dr. Milsum second by dr. Tom on favor
Opposed carried. Thank you
All right, just CAO, before you introduce the next two items, just a reminder to the
Board that both Item 6.1 and 7.1 have also been circulated through the Electoral Area
Service Committee, and now before the Board for further presentation.
Over to you, Sally.
6.1 is the antenna system siting consultation policy.
This is in all directors' unweighted corporate vote.
This is to consider approving an antenna system siting consultation policy to set notification
and consultation requirements for antenna systems in electoral areas, presented by Ryan Draier-Planet.
Hi, Ryan. Welcome.
Thank you. Thank you, Chair. Good morning, Chair Members of the Board.
Today's presentation will discuss a proposed antenna system siting consultation policy,
which is being forwarded to the Regional Board today for consideration.
So the purpose of this presentation and proposal is to adopt a set of consultation requirements
requirements for the antenna system siding policy and to implement siding and design
guidelines within the regional district electoral areas. More specifically, the primary objective
of the policy is to establish an increased notification distance that will require telecom
providers to consult more parcels for input and to establish the mentioned guidelines
that will enable the regional district and its residents to effectively participate
in and influence the placement of antenna systems proposed within each electoral area.
In overview of the timeline and process, the initial draft for the antenna system
setting policy was developed in June 2024. The proposal was then sent for referral in
August 2024 to internal and external agencies, including staff consultation with West Bank
First Nation and the Okanagan Indian Band. After referral comments were received and
incorporated, staff presented the policy proposal and was supported at the June
fifth 2025 Electoral Area Services Committee meeting.
And today, staff are forwarding this policy proposal to the regional board for approval.
In overview of the policy, antenna systems in Canada are under the sole jurisdiction
of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, known as ISED, who is
responsible for the orderly and efficient development and operation of radio communication
systems across Canada.
While the ISED is the sole authority for permitting antenna systems, they enable and encourage local
governments to create policies or procedures that outline notification, citing and design
preferences to support local government officials to issue a letter of concurrence or non-concurrence
for ISED's consideration.
In the event that no local government antenna policy exists, proponents are required
to follow ISED's default requirements.
As a comparison, the RDCO proposes a greater notification distance and outlines design
and location preferences while ISED's default policy does not address these concerns and
has a low notification distance requirement.
For clarity, the RDCO is not the approving authority for antenna proposals.
The federal government has full responsibility for antenna systems and ensuring that they
adhere to Health Canada requirements, aeronautical safety, environmental considerations and
construction standards. And as mentioned the policy proposal was referred to both
the Okanagan Indian Ban and West Bank First Nation who provided their
consent and supporting conditions on the proposal which is indicated within the
staff report and the policy proposal was previously supported by the
Electoral Area Services Committee on the June 5th 2025 meeting.
Finally staff
recommend that the regional board adopt the antenna system citing
consultation policy. Thank you and that concludes today's presentation.
Perfect. Questions for clarity? Director Weber?
Question for clarity. So, you know, as you mentioned, the regional district doesn't have anything to do with approving these kind of things.
So the policy has to apply to someone. And I'm guessing it is, I'm not guessing, I'm reading that it's,
but I want to make sure that what it is is if somebody wants a transmitter, wants to put something up,
they're going to come to us for agreement, not permission but for what do you call it, endorsement?
Yeah, so through the chair, the proponent would have to ultimately seek approval through ISED
but they will have to consult with the regional district for any antenna placement.
Yes, and so that the policy really mostly applies to that, to those people who are
correct. Okay, thank you.
Any other questions? Seeing none, do I have a mover?
moved by Vice-Chair Ireland, seconded by Director Carson in comments.
Seeing none, all in favour?
Opposed?
Carried unanimously. Thank you.
Item 7.1, please.
7.1 is a letter to Minister of Transportation and Transit
for Upper Finchry Community Concerns with Road Conditions.
This is an all directors unweighted corporate vote.
To consider authorizing the Board Chair
to submit a letter to the Minister of Transportation and Transit
with citing concerns of the road dust in Upper Fintry,
presented by Corey Griffiths, Corporate Officer.
Welcome, Corey.
Thank you, Board Chair, members of the Board.
Recently, the Regional District of Central Okanagan
has received numerous complaints
from the Upper Fintry residents regarding road dust
and concerns that the dust is a health issue.
The maintenance of area roads are the responsibility
of the Ministry of Transportation and Transit.
At the June 5th, 2025
Electoral Area Service Committee meeting,
Given road activities in electoral areas or outside the RDCO's jurisdiction,
the following resolution was adopted.
That the East Committee recommends the regional board write a letter to the Ministry of Transportation and Transit,
citing road dust concerns and upper fintry.
Therefore, the following East recommended resolution is before the board for your consideration.
Thank you.
Any questions?
questions?
Dr. Weber.
To go to the minister when normally that would be the last resort I would think.
So have we, is there a perception that any levels of authority within the transportation
industry below the minister himself, all those possibilities have been exhausted?
The local managers, local district officials and so on, and now we're going straight to
the top because we haven't gotten any reaction from lower down or have we tried?
Through the chair, staff have reached out to staff at MOTT and the regional district has
advised all of the area residents how to contact MOTT and their contractor aim to voice their
concerns.
Multiple times.
So I guess I'm just wondering whether this is the kind of request that the minister
even responds to.
I guess that's more of a comment.
Any other questions?
Do you have a mover to get that on the floor for comment?
Moved by Dr. Carson, seconded by Dr. Dias.
Thank you.
Comments, Dr. Carson?
Yeah, first off, I want to thank the board for helping out and advocating in this.
I've received dozens and dozens of phone calls from the residents in Upper Fintry
about the road conditions up there.
There are all dirt roads within the area there.
This community changed drastically during the last census there.
There was maybe a dozen, two dozen homes in that area right up until about 2020, 2021.
And now I understand there's over 130 people up there.
These are nice homes.
They're on good lots.
but they're just buried in dust from the roads.
I believe those are the only roads that I know of within my
electoral area that are not paved.
And I know the residents have been on the media several times.
They have contacted just about everybody possible.
And that's why I had a conversation with them and told them
that I would bring it to the Electoral Area Services Committee to see whether or not we
could get a letter from the regional district to the ministry to try and see if we can help
these people in some way. Obviously, pavement is what would solve the problem. There's
been attempts at dust suppression in there, and now you're just breathing chemicals
us with the dust. So yeah, really hoping that we can get a letter to the minister, maybe
help open up some eyes in Victoria that this is needed. This area is also part of the Vernon
Ministry of Transportation office, which makes it even a little bit tougher to try
and deal with the situation in there and make sure that they're talking to the
moody office
so again i want to thank it uh...
Board, anything that we can do, I know the residents would be very appreciative of that.
Thank you, Director Carson. And should the Board approve it, I'm always happy to reach
out to the ministry to address residents' concerns. But I do think to the previous report that
we saw in the committee, the whole meeting, this raises the point around densifying rural
areas and the challenges with housing needs and outlying areas, because it just does
put more pressure on the infrastructure that's required. So I think it's a point to raise
with the housing minister as well. So with that, I'll ask for a vote. All in favor. Opposed
and carried unanimously.
Item 8.1 please.
8.1 is the appointment of park ranger and animal control officers, all directors, unweighted
corporate vote to consider the appointment of one park ranger and one animal control
officer presented by Dan Maya, Chief By-Law Enforcement Officer, actually
interim manager of protective services. Oh wow, okay. Welcome Dan.
The Regional
District By-Law's Local Government Act requires the Regional Board to appoint
staff members as By-Law Enforcement Officers, Animal Control Officers for
the Regional District of Central Okanagan. Regional District's
Central Okanagan Dog Control Officer, level one, Natalia Ayala Ortiz, is
eligible for appointment by the Regional Board to enforce the Regional
District's responsible dog ownership bylaw number 1343 and Regional District
Central Okanagan Park Ranger Kristina Brewer is eligible for appointment by the
Regional Board to enforce the Regional District Central Okanagan Regional
Parks bylaw number 1427 and Community Parks bylaw number 1431. Our
recommendation is the Board appoint both these parties.
Please.
Thank you.
Moved by Dr. Stack, seconded by Dr. Dias.
Okay.
Dr. Carson, then Hodge.
Yeah, I just wanted to check again.
Are these existing employees or are these new hires?
Through the chair, Natalia is our current casual for the dog control team.
As we go through staff members there, we try and backfill with the casual, get
them some experience and get them on board with us and as well Christina is a
current employee with regional parks she's recently completed the training
she required and so that's why we're bringing the appointment forward today.
Okay and just one compliment for you I ran into one of your park rangers the
other day in Killenee Beach on a noxious weed very well informed I
was really impressed. That's great to hear. Thank you.
Dr. Hodge. Thank you Mr. Chair. A couple questions. How many park rangers are park
officers do we have? Through the chair, I know we have four park rangers. We also
have some team leads that are appointed in a similar capacity. The exact
number I would have to defer to Director Parks. Do they deal with
in general, or what?
Through the chair, we have our weekly wildlife reporting.
So if we hear of bears, cougars, stuff in parks,
there is an email that goes out to staff
to ensure we get messaging out to the public.
But we don't deal directly with them.
We defer to the province and the conservation services.
So if you have a deer in the city
or in the outskirts of the town
or a raccoon,
Who do you call?
Through the chair, unfortunately we have to phone the CO just like everybody else.
All wildlife is a conservation service.
So a conservation officer.
Oh, we have a complaint.
There's obviously just one in my yard to get rid of it.
That's got nothing to do with what we provide.
No.
Through the chair, the regional district has no authority over wildlife.
life. Okay, because I get calls and I want to make calls. So that's not to do with us.
All right.
That's good. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you. I have a mover and a
seconder. Correct? All in favor?
Opposed and carried. Thank you. Thank you very
much, Dan. Appreciate it. And board members, I do have our committee in new
business minutes and reports to receive as a block. I do want to raise
attention for item 9.2 however which is a little bit different this time around
as we've included the COEDC's quarter one progress report. During the
presentations to various municipal councils EDC received feedback that
councils would be interested in keeping up with their activities on a
quarterly basis and reporting.
Obviously, visiting every council
every single quarter is not an achievable feat.
So we're now including the EDC's minutes
as well as their quarterly reports in the packages,
both for the board, the public,
and your respective councils,
should they wish to review that on their own time.
So I just wanted to bring that to your attention there.
So with that, I would just look for a mover
to receive, please.
Moved by Dr. Weber, seconded by Vice to Ireland.
All in favour? Opposed and carried. Thank you. Director Items. Any Director Items?
Director Melsam.
Okay, yeah, we'll go to Director Melsam and then we'll go over to you.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yeah, the family has made a formal announcement.
Someone let the board know that one of our former West Carolina councillors passed away on Friday.
Rusty Enzine. Yeah. Yeah. So Rusty was a westbound counselor from 2014 to 2018. He was also a
trustee of the Lakeview Heights Irrigation District. Also, he was president of West Bank
District Chamber of Commerce and he was a champion Royal Page Place. And Rusty was
because our chair of our accessibility committee
rate up until this time.
So even though he suffered a spinal cord injury,
himself playing rugby many years ago,
he was a true community champion.
And anyways, we'll miss him.
Just want to let you know there's no news yet
as far as services, celebration, and life,
but I'm sure we'll hear that news in the near future.
Thank you.
Thank you, Dr. Mulsom, for raising that.
and deepest condolences to his family.
Dr. Hodge.
So to take away from Mr. Chair, I just wanted to remind people, but through the water board,
that if you're here or you're aware of anybody, remind them that we were on the base of muscle,
campaign, art, and everything, to check both.
This is a critical time of year.
So if you see anybody here, anybody who can influence to make sure they step up the watching
for both, it's really critical folks that we are still on top of a muscle campaign.
So that's all I was going to say.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Director Hodge for raising that.
Any other director items?
Seeing not, I will call this meeting adjourned.
Oh, sorry.
No, I will not call this meeting adjourned.
I am going to ask for a mover to move us into closed, please.
moved by Vice Chair Ireland, seconded by Director Stack, all in favor, posed and
carried. We'll just power down our streaming and a few staff will leave the
room and we will carry on.