Transcript
SOURCE TRANSCRIPT
This transcript is downloaded from the source you provided but we haven't reviewed it for accuracy. Treat it as a starting point, not a verbatim record. You can also request an AI-transcription of the audio file with the button to the left.
These are YouTube's auto-generated captions, not a human transcript — expect occasional errors, especially with names and technical terms.
[0:00]
Again, just to clarify this, it's just
the wording on uh item 3A where the
[0:05]
chair of the regional district shall
receive an additional 30,000 per year
[0:09]
and and uh Chair Parker did clarify that
that that isn't 30,000 plus the 7,000
[0:14]
extra for the role directors. It's in
total. Is that correct? It's just the
[0:18]
way it's worded. It looks like you're
getting that the chair would get 30,000
[0:21]
plus the extra 7,000 as well. So, if you
could just maybe the wording could could
[0:26]
encompass that.
So it's an increase of 7,100 and
[0:31]
something right all over the whole year.
That's including like the rural
[0:34]
directory pay and everything but that um
the 30 is throwing the increase from the
[0:39]
current rate of 23 or whatever it is
right is what that is. So it's not a
[0:44]
full 30.
>> So if you take a look at page 189 uh
[0:47]
director Maguire. So, um, the with the
current recommendation, a real director
[0:55]
would, uh, make $39,60.
And if that real director was also the
[1:00]
chair, they would receive another 30,000
on top of that.
[1:05]
» Yeah. Where right now it's 20, where is
it on there? 20.
[1:09]
» Yeah.
>> 22.
[1:09]
» 2022 right now.
>> What page you're page 189?
[1:14]
» Yes.
[1:19]
Okay,
that that's what you said. Page 189,
[1:23]
right?
>> Uh 189. Yes.
[1:26]
» Okay. Thank you. It's just the way it
was worded on page 199. Thanks.
[1:33]
» Yeah. Yeah. So, it's a difference of
about Yeah. Just 7,000 a year or so
[1:38]
increase.
>> Okay.
[1:42]
We have an amendment on the floor. So if
there's um no more questions on the
[1:47]
amendment itself.
>> Go ahead.
[1:51]
» Just want one clarification again from
staff. So this year obviously not a huge
[1:56]
impact but in future years it would
would have to either we would have to
[2:01]
tax more for it or we'd have to reduce
services in other areas. Correct.
[2:09]
» That's right. There is a as you can see
there's a real cost of approximately if
[2:14]
you add the 38,000 and the 42,000
together there would be a cost of
[2:20]
approximately $80,000
additional cost.
[2:24]
» Okay, go ahead. What does that represent
in terms of a tax increition increase?
[2:31]
the requisition. Well, that would be the
requisition increase if it wasn't offset
[2:35]
by other services, right?
>> Percentage though in terms of taxation.
[2:40]
» Um, right now we're um for depending on
on your municipality or or your
[2:46]
electoral area, but if right now we're
about a$110 and you would be going up um
[2:51]
if you were a rural area by just about a
penny per thousand. So, you'd be going
[2:56]
up a little bit less than um 3/4 of a
percent.
[3:02]
So penny so a dollar for $100,000
um
[3:08]
» that's that's correct. And for um
municipalities it's it's less than half
[3:12]
that.
>> Okay.
[3:16]
» Okay.
[3:20]
I don't see any other questions or
comments on the amendment.
[3:24]
Have you got it clearly written down?
Okay.
[3:27]
» Sure. If you could read it back please.
I think that would be good.
[3:33]
» Go ahead, please.
>> That RDBN director's remuneration and
[3:38]
expenses bylaw number 2115 2026 be given
second reading as amended as follows.
[3:46]
That meeting remuneration set out in
schedule B for meetings constituting a
[3:51]
full day 3 and 1/2 hours plus be set at
$290. and further that the meeting
[3:58]
remuneration set out in schedule B for
meetings constituting a half day less
[4:03]
than three and a half hours be set at
$145
[4:07]
except for board meetings for which
directors will receive the full day rate
[4:11]
of $290.
>> Okay, that's one
[4:16]
and the first one. We're good. You want
to just refresh us on the first one? I
[4:19]
just That's okay. We read it. Doesn't
matter. I'll do it in a minute. We'll go
[4:22]
before I call the question. I just want
to make sure that we have both. Okay, I
[4:26]
just want to make sure. Okay, you're
clear on that one. So, all in favor the
[4:30]
amendment.
[4:34]
Okay, just sec. I got to get hands
again. So, this is to decrease this.
[4:38]
Okay, one, two, three.
Three online. Who's there? Just the two
[4:44]
of you.
>> I would like that reported. Yeah.
[4:48]
» Yeah. That you're voting in favor of the
decrease. Okay. Yeah. Okay.
[4:53]
So, those three
So all opposed.
[5:01]
» One, two, three, four, five.
Okay.
[5:05]
» Can you can I can I see?
>> Okay. Can you get your hands just on the
[5:10]
oppos? He just wants to write it down so
we know who's opposed. Okay. Director.
[5:17]
Six of them now. Seven of them. Director
Moon.
[5:20]
» Six.
>> Uh, do you have Director Magcguire and
[5:22]
Director Story?
Director Moon.
[5:26]
» Okay, now you've got them. Director
Moon.
[5:31]
So, we're tied
>> and Director Moon.
[5:36]
» Yep. Okay.
[5:40]
» Actually, we're not. We're defeated.
>> We're defeated because we don't have
[5:44]
Director Breen in here or Director
Lambert for that matter. Okay.
[5:50]
So, that's defeated.
So the way it reads now that the meeting
[5:55]
stays at the higher amount of
350.
[6:03]
Okay, we still have the one amendment
that we approved
[6:08]
and so unless there's any other thing
that we want to discuss or try to amend,
[6:14]
I'll call the question.
Okay. So I'm going to go and I'll call
[6:19]
the question that the regional district
of Balkin Chakaco director's rumination
[6:22]
and expense bylaw number 2115 2026 be
given second reading this 20th day of
[6:28]
August 2026 as amended.
All in favor?
[6:34]
Okay. One, two, three, four, five, six,
seven.
[6:41]
Got dryer. Just going to make sure.
Dryer. Meguire. Story. Atal
[6:48]
Greenway.
Deacons weeb. [sighs and gasps]
[6:52]
Anybody on this side have their hands up
in favor? And director Stolenberg.
[6:56]
Okay.
Opposed.
[7:00]
One, two, three, four, five.
So, it's carried
[7:06]
» again. Would like it
>> recorded.
[7:09]
» Sorry. The oppos one more time just so
she can write it down. Sorry. Okay.
[7:13]
Director Moon Reese Christensen Mutree
New
[7:19]
» got it. Okay. Thank you.
[7:24]
» It's carried.
[7:28]
Done.
[7:31]
Okay, [sighs] thank you everybody. I
know it's always this is a very
[7:34]
difficult difficult thing to get through
and discuss. Nobody likes to talk about
[7:38]
funds and money and everything like
that. So I do appreciate the good
[7:42]
dialogue. Um appreciate staff all the
work you've done on this too to try and
[7:47]
keep us on give us all the information
to work with as well. I think that was
[7:50]
there and it gave us lots of things to
think about. So thank you. Okay. And
[7:56]
now,
okay, here we go. Um,
[8:03]
chief announced officer, director's
rumination bylaw number 2115. Now, we're
[8:07]
moving on to recommendation number
three. Regional district of Balkina
[8:10]
Chaka, director's rumination and expense
bylaw number 2115, 2026 be given third
[8:15]
reading this 20th day of August.
[8:20]
» So, all in favor, Chair Parker.
>> Yeah, go ahead. Yeah, I'd like to be
[8:24]
excused on the grounds that I work for
one of the organizations that may be
[8:27]
impacted
>> on Okay.
[8:32]
» on the renumeration.
>> Yeah, we're doing third reading.
[8:35]
» Oh, [laughter]
>> no.
[8:38]
» No, we're doing We just got through all
that complicated two.
[8:41]
» I thought
>> No, we're not. No, we got through number
[8:44]
two. Sorry, we did all of that amendment
stuff, but No, now we're just the final
[8:49]
straw. So and again number three the
region of district Balkina director's
[8:53]
renumeration and expense bylaw number
2115 2026 be given third reading this
[8:58]
20th day of August 2026 as amended or no
okay didn't think so
[9:02]
» I need a second
>> okay and can I get somebody to move it
[9:06]
okay I've got uh Director Deakons and
Director Stolenberg
[9:11]
[sighs and gasps]
final comments
[9:15]
» Mr. chair.
>> Yes. Thank go ahead. Sorry, director.
[9:18]
[laughter]
>> On this third reading, can you please
[9:20]
just quickly clarify the only change
that we've made to this this morning?
[9:26]
» Absolutely. We can have manager Anderson
just quickly read back that small
[9:30]
amendment.
>> Thank you, Mr. Chair. The change was
[9:34]
that RDBN director's remuneration and
expenses bylaw number 21152026
[9:43]
include that be amended that the chair
the vice chair of the regional district
[9:48]
board shall receive an additional $6,000
per year paid in equal monthly amounts.
[9:55]
» Thank you.
>> Okay. Any [clears throat] other
[9:59]
clarifications? Go ahead.
>> I just had a question.
[10:01]
» Go ahead. I'm sorry.
>> No, that's okay. I want to make sure
[10:04]
it's very clear.
>> Yeah. Okay. So, when we discussed this
[10:08]
before, we discussed that we had a um
the chair was a regional director and
[10:13]
the um vice chair was a mayor. But what
if it turns around and the uh chair is a
[10:20]
mayor and the vice chair is a regional
director and that regional director is
[10:24]
going to be having a lot more work put
on them.
[10:28]
How are we going to um justify that part
of it?
[10:32]
» I can speak to that because I've been
there um being on both sides. So I was
[10:36]
vice chair when we had a municipal
chair. Um and to be honest with you, the
[10:41]
meeting predium like if if when [snorts]
it was um
[10:46]
Jerry Tissson was the chair and he would
have me cover something like an event to
[10:50]
go to an event, I would get that pdeium
for to go and cover that. Right. So if
[10:54]
you were asked to do something outside
of the just that monthly thing, the
[10:58]
monthly piece was to yeah to bounce
[clears throat] stuff off, talk about
[11:01]
cover for you, you know, back and forth.
But if I was actually leaving Fraser
[11:05]
Lake and he said, "Hey, I'm in that I
got a mayor commitment that day. Um
[11:08]
there's an opening, grand opening, and
you know, in Houston for something, can
[11:11]
you go and attend that please on
behalf?" Sure. There's my mileage.
[11:14]
There's a big deal. Yeah. I we did it
that way to cover off that difference if
[11:20]
if you were getting that workload. So,
>> thank you. That clarifies it and it
[11:26]
makes it a lot tidier. Thank you.
>> Okay. Thanks.
[11:32]
» Okay. So, got a first and seconder.
I [snorts] will call the question. All
[11:38]
in favor?
[sighs]
[11:42]
Okay. One, two, three, four.
[11:48]
One, two, three, four, five. I got two
online. One, two, three, four. Okay,
[11:56]
six. [laughter]
We're inching along here. So, I've got
[12:00]
six hands.
Anybody? Okay. Can I have opposed?
[12:07]
Okay. One, two, three, four,
five.
[12:12]
It's only five hands. So, you want to
hold up, too? It's five hands. So, it's
[12:19]
carried.
Yep. Again. Did you get them this time?
[12:23]
Okay. Excellent.
Record them, please do. Okay.
[12:34]
All right.
Now, I would like to be excused.
[12:38]
» Now, [laughter]
me too.
[12:42]
» There's no excuse for me. I know.
>> Okay. Okay. Okay. Good. Yeah. Okay. Just
[12:48]
a second. Got to go back now. We did
that one.
[12:52]
Okay, on to pages 204 to 216. Um, bylaw
for first, second, and third reading and
[12:57]
adoption is from uh manag CFO 5-year
financial plan amendment. There is a
[13:03]
recommendation on page 204
Stolenberg. Thank you. Secondary
[13:08]
director at
any questions for manager Illis on this
[13:13]
one?
Seeing none, all in favor?
[13:18]
That's carried.
Okay, we can let Directories Christian
[13:23]
back in.
[13:30]
Okay, we've already done 217 to 218. Uh
so we'll move on to 219. Manager Davis,
[13:37]
uh manager strategic initiives and rural
services build community strong fund
[13:42]
community stream grant to the town of
Smithers for library project
[13:45]
recommendation 102 on 219.
[13:50]
I'll let you catch up. There you go.
Director Stolenberg and Director Aro.
[13:52]
Thank you. Any questions?
Seeing none, all in favor? And that's
[13:59]
carried.
Page 220 to 226 is from again uh manager
[14:06]
Davis. Um this is area a spitter t rule
grant aid for telco museum society new
[14:12]
furnace. Page 220 is the recommendation.
Thank you, Director Stolenberg and
[14:18]
Director Moon. Thank you. Um, any
questions on that?
[14:24]
Seeing none, all in favor?
And that's carried.
[14:29]
One thing I will say, it's nice that
with that changes to grant made now
[14:33]
because we lost that ability to do
furnaces and stuff like that before.
[14:35]
It's nice because
fits in nicely for these halls and
[14:40]
museums. Uh, page 227 is from Sher
Jansen. uh community development
[14:46]
coordinator letter of support request
calls of new Calonia. There is a re
[14:49]
recommendation on 227.
[14:53]
Thank you, Director Stolenberg and
Director Weeb. [sighs]
[14:57]
Anybody? Everybody good with that? Okay.
All in favor? That's carried.
[15:07]
228. Sherry Jansen again. A resolution
of support request for Evelyn Community
[15:13]
Association. There's a recommendation on
228. Director Stolenberg, Director Aro.
[15:19]
Thank you.
We're good with that one.
[15:23]
All in favor? That's carried. [gasps]
229 again uh from Sher Jansen and this
[15:31]
is resolution of support request
Smither's White Water Club on 229.
[15:36]
Director Stolenberg, Director Atro.
Thank you.
[15:40]
Look good to everybody.
[sighs and gasps] All in favor? That's
[15:44]
carried.
2:30 to 238 is from Christopher Walker,
[15:49]
emergency service manager. Order and
counsel number 186 for Edund. That is
[15:54]
for receipt.
Thank you, Director Greenway and
[15:58]
Director Deakons.
Anybody have any comments or questions
[16:02]
on that one? Anything you want to add to
that? Uh, Mr. Taka?
[16:08]
Yeah. Um, it interesting to see the
order and council and read through it
[16:13]
and then go back through the couple of
years of the regulation committee and
[16:17]
sort of see where some of this fits. And
I mean I the big the big big takeaway
[16:21]
here as far as workload was taking risk
management out of Crownland. [laughter]
[16:26]
It was huge when we started. It was
everything and like we didn't we're like
[16:31]
we cannot manage crown land as far as
risk management.
[16:35]
So, I'm really pleased to see some of
these things and again, you know, just
[16:38]
seeing your feedback on it, it was
really good to get kind of now that
[16:41]
you've had a chance to digest it all as
well, the you know, some of it's not all
[16:46]
doom and gloom. Some of it's okay and
you can deal with it and work with it.
[16:48]
So, good. Go ahead.
Thank you, chair. Yeah, the the order in
[16:53]
council did uh lay out very clearly the
positive changes that through your
[16:58]
advocacy and those on the committee for
regulations had in changing that and the
[17:02]
the uh narrowing of the scope for crown
land and risk assessments was was a
[17:06]
really big piece for us that we very
strongly advocated for. Um and then the
[17:10]
with the timelines um the they they come
in force on January 1st 2027 but we have
[17:16]
a number of years to implement um the
business continuity the emergency
[17:20]
management plans the risk assessments
and our previous uh hazard risk
[17:25]
vulnerability analysis that was done a
number of years ago still is valid under
[17:28]
these conditions.
>> Yeah. Well, and and part of that
[17:32]
conversation, you know, too, is and I
can't divulge a lot of it, but some of
[17:35]
it was around um you know, if that
timeline was really tight, that put so
[17:40]
much strain on staff and caused us to
hire probably more capacity to complete.
[17:43]
So, pushing them out 5 years to complete
some of these allowed us, you know,
[17:47]
regional districts to be able to do that
with existing sort of staff without
[17:51]
having to to ramp up to have something
completed in in for, you know, in 16
[17:55]
months or something like that. So, I'm
glad that that should help us as far as
[17:59]
capacity goes as well. Okay. Thank you.
All in favor of receipt. [snorts]
[18:05]
And that's carried.
Uh administration correspondence. Page
[18:10]
239 is U. Union of BC Municipalities.
Thank you. Letter to MUA. Uh local
[18:16]
government advisory committee admiral
regulations. And that's just for
[18:19]
receipt. Thank you, Director Mutree.
Director Deakons
[18:24]
again just kind of spoke to it. It was a
long process, but I think at the end of
[18:27]
the day, it was rewarding. And um the
last thing again is making really
[18:32]
pleased to be able to at least they had
representation from North Central BC in
[18:36]
the north cuz other than that there was
nothing after this. It was the top end
[18:40]
was here and the rest was also so good
that we got to have some bit of northern
[18:45]
perspective. Um did I give all favor?
All in favor receipt. That's carried.
[18:52]
And 240 union of BC municipalities build
community strong fund community stream
[18:57]
first community works fund for receipts.
George Stlenber and Moon. Thank you.
[19:04]
Good to see things coming along. Getting
another paycheck. Um
[19:10]
on to we don't we did the supplementary
already. Then we got oh verbal reports.
[19:18]
Um,
let's start with you, Director Weeb,
[19:21]
because you're the head of the table
down there. I'll come back to you in a
[19:24]
minute, Director McGuire, but I'll start
with Director Weed.
[19:27]
» Thanks, Sher. Um, not a lot to report.
We have uh some um paving going on in
[19:35]
town and our
uh rebuild of our burn is well on its
[19:41]
way. Um, looking good.
And just a little um
[19:48]
story. I u when I was on holidays two
weeks ago, I was talking to a friend of
[19:52]
ours when we were v visiting down in in
um Logan Lake and he was telling me a
[19:58]
story of his son who had like mountain
biking and ran into this fellow that had
[20:03]
was mounting bike mountain biking, but
he had flown in from Europe and was was
[20:08]
going across Canada biking all the parks
that he could many parks as he could
[20:12]
bike. [gasps]
And so his son had asked him, "Out of
[20:15]
all the fire parks you've ridden,
which is your favorite?" He says,
[20:21]
without a doubt, he says, "Burns Lake
has the best trails." So
[20:25]
» that's my report. Thanks.
>> Nice.
[20:28]
» Go ahead, Director.
[clears throat]
[20:30]
» Yeah. Um, if anybody's traveled to Telco
lately, they know we got water man going
[20:35]
in the ground and it's everywhere.
[laughter]
[20:37]
But we got to get through that to have
our result to have a new water uh main
[20:42]
put in. So, uh, we started the road
project. So, we're fixing all our gravel
[20:45]
roads in Tqua and hopefully tarn and
chipping them. And just want to remind
[20:50]
everybody the 114th barbecue is coming
up in Labor Day. Try to get out and
[20:55]
support it.
>> Thanks.
[20:56]
» RBA plug for that water in those
streets.
[20:59]
» It is.
>> Good. Very good. Uh, Director Greenway,
[21:06]
» thank you. Um, I did a chili bakeoff at
Cottonwood Beach, which was really,
[21:12]
really the was the district's um,
Calonia days and it was really good. It
[21:17]
was a lot of fun. Yeah, they had um
they only had three, which was a shame,
[21:25]
but hope next year they're hoping to get
a lot more. And they all got a an apron
[21:29]
saying that they were the winners and
they got a little
[21:33]
kind of a badge or something that went
with it. It was it was but it was pretty
[21:37]
cool. And um they're doing seal coating
on our roads on Souchi Road. to all of
[21:43]
our gravel roads on Souchi roads or
Saouchi road is now being um seal coated
[21:49]
and uh right now they're working on
Highway 27 and [clears throat] um
[21:53]
everybody was really really happy about
it until they started doing it and now
[21:57]
everybody's complaining about the damage
done to their vehicles and um and I can
[22:03]
attest to it because it's taken out my
whole windshield. But um yeah, damage to
[22:08]
vehicles, sun roofs, like it's just
going crazy and and everybody is phoning
[22:14]
and they are not happy. [laughter]
So I'm I'm not too sure what's going on
[22:18]
there, but I'll try to get to the bottom
of it. And other than that, I've been
[22:23]
really busy with some personal, so I
haven't had much else to report. Thank
[22:28]
you.
>> Did you give a package of Tums to the
[22:31]
winner as well or that chili bake off?
You probably wanted a good little
[22:34]
package on. There you go. Uh, go ahead,
Director New.
[22:38]
» Thanks. Um, I just wanted to report
that, uh, there's quite a bit of logging
[22:43]
happening in area G. Um, mostly to the
south on the Moriso from Canour's
[22:50]
license that uh, looks I I I heard it
was 400,000 cubic meters, but I'm not
[22:57]
sure. It's just there's a ton of traffic
on the uh, um, on the Marissa one forest
[23:02]
service road. And as you all know, that
wood is just being it's being logged,
[23:07]
which is, you know, it's good for
contractors and and I'm glad for the
[23:11]
that they're working, but it's not being
milled locally. So, that is very
[23:15]
concerning to me. Um, also there was a
house fire on the buck flats and so uh
[23:21]
um I appreciate some of the help that uh
um was received because it's outside of
[23:28]
a fire um control uh you know fire
management area as as far as you know
[23:34]
protection uh structure protection but
there was still um we did get some help.
[23:41]
Um but it sure points to just how
vulnerable uh rural people are. You
[23:47]
know, it uh we we pay taxes and and
things, but a lot of rural areas there
[23:52]
is no fire protection. And so when a
when a house goes up or a fire starts um
[23:59]
it's the chances of that structure
uh surviving is is very slim. And
[24:05]
thankfully in this case, no no one that
I know of was was hurt. Um, and I say no
[24:11]
of because sometimes those things
aren't,
[24:14]
you know, you you you survived, you're
walking, it seems like everyone's fine.
[24:18]
It's smoke inhilation and things like
that that's uh um have long-term
[24:22]
effects. But anyway, that's all I have
to report.
[24:26]
» Okay, Director Ael.
>> Thanks, Dr. Parker. Um,
[24:31]
few things. Um
I guess probably one of the big things
[24:37]
is that um Premier EIE came to Smithers
at the end of July which was really
[24:42]
nice. Certainly been asking for quite
some time to have um that level of
[24:46]
engagement in our communities. We see
the premier and ministers traveling
[24:49]
particularly to western communities
where there's a lot of um the major
[24:53]
projects. So I was grateful to have the
premier come. The things that we were
[24:57]
able to focus on, not just the
municipality, but other agencies in the
[25:00]
community, was housing, including uh
showing some of the projects that have
[25:04]
been built, of course, the RBA.
Um there was from the Smither's
[25:10]
perspective just an opportunity to show
off what I think is the entrepreneurial
[25:15]
spirit. Um, you know, Smithers focuses a
great deal on its downtown, on
[25:19]
amenities, and we were able to sort of
walk about and, um, the premier was able
[25:24]
to just talk to a few people on the
street that interrupted him for an
[25:26]
opportunity to chat. And, um, uh, you
know, just a coffee chat with
[25:31]
[clears throat] some of the local
businesses and of course, very
[25:34]
important, a chat with Percy the cat,
our main street cat. The premier uh, has
[25:39]
a photo with Percy. It's a that's that's
a big thing for Smithers. And then um
[25:43]
you know on a serious side again we we
met up in the community forest and so
[25:47]
members of the wood lot association the
community forest the lency and um
[25:52]
municipalities and first nations were
able to just have a less structured uh
[25:58]
on the ground conversation and I think
you know there there's a peacefulness
[26:03]
that comes with that. You're actually in
the bush looking at the mountains and uh
[26:06]
there's no one else around observing the
conversation. So I think there was a
[26:09]
real benefit to that. Mayor Deakons was
there. he may have a different
[26:12]
perspective, but I think it was uh worth
doing. So, I was grateful for that. On a
[26:17]
couple of other things, just um
recognizing as well these also um impact
[26:23]
the regional district. Uh Mayor Deacons
talked about the water lines, but if you
[26:26]
go through telco, you're also going to
see some shiny new trail pavement. And I
[26:30]
think the RD always uh deserves credit
for cycle 16. It was housed here, home
[26:35]
here, incubated here. So, phase one is
done from Telqua to partway to Smithers.
[26:40]
We have a mystical phase two to go. Um,
but it's a nice trail where you can see
[26:45]
cyclists, walkers, people with
strollers. It's safe off the highway. It
[26:50]
just makes so much sense once it's
there. So, thank you RD director
[26:53]
Stolenberg as well. And the skate park
uh society opened phase 4. So, and
[26:58]
acknowledging the RD contribution. Um,
some Olympic athletes, some you know,
[27:03]
skateboard uh celebrities were there and
they opened phase four of the skate
[27:07]
park. So, it's a those are kind of
heartwarming. Someone asked me, one of
[27:11]
the funders asked me what I thought of
it and I was like, well, you know, I see
[27:13]
a lot of people getting air over
concrete. Seems like some parts of it
[27:18]
don't make any sense to me, but it
creates a lot of joy in the community.
[27:21]
So, it was a pretty fun thing to be a
part of. Um,
[27:25]
let's see.
Oh, and I just wanted to acknowledge um
[27:29]
Mayor Weeb said something about the um
the recognition that Bore Mountain
[27:34]
Trails get and folks know like my other
job is in tourism. And so I thought I'd
[27:38]
just let you know that through a
cooperative that the regional district
[27:42]
is a part of the ride north uh mountain
bike cooperative. There is um a
[27:47]
journalist that has now just left the
region, but he was at War Mountain about
[27:50]
a week ago. His name is Bryce Sherbach
if you want to look him up and it's a
[27:53]
project called Underexposed. So he will
be turning his journalistic skills to
[27:59]
talking about the trails including Bor
Mountain uh when the project concludes.
[28:03]
So he he did a tour from Veilmont
to Terrace um which are the ride north
[28:09]
trails and that is Bina Chakaco is a
part of that. So you might be interested
[28:13]
in just taking a look at that. Look up
ride north and uh keep an eye on
[28:17]
underexposed and you'll see this region
featured again. So I'll leave it there.
[28:21]
Thank you.
>> Yeah. If you just catching up there,
[28:24]
Director Lambert, we're on verbal
reports, so be prepared. It's coming
[28:27]
around.
>> Perfect. Thank you,
[28:29]
» Director Moon.
[28:34]
[snorts]
>> I had the opportunity to work with the
[28:38]
Fal Farah a bit this summer and uh it
looked to me like they had a very, very
[28:43]
good turnout, especially with young
families. And it did my heart good to
[28:48]
see a couple hundred toddlers, five, six
year olds running around their activity
[28:54]
center. It was really fun. Um, we had
the opportunity to judge. On the
[29:00]
Saturday, I believe there was 35
market steers in the class, which was
[29:05]
also very encouraging because on the end
of the altar was each of each steer was
[29:11]
a young person. So, I thought that was
pretty good. The 4 auction I think set a
[29:17]
record which I didn't think was going to
happen. That's a lot of steers to sell
[29:22]
plus pigs, chickens,
photos, whatever the kids bring in. But
[29:27]
I think it was over $400,000 that night
that went through the 4 barn. Um
[29:36]
what else?
Oh yeah, the we started or I helped
[29:41]
start a purebred pen show there. And I'm
not sure if most you probably aren't
[29:47]
familiar with showing cattle, but um in
the past it's always been halter broke
[29:54]
calves that go around the ring or steers
or cow calf pairs.
[29:58]
» But since co that fell off the the map
and the amount of cattle at the fairs
[30:04]
has been dropping substantially.
So what we started was a pen show where
[30:09]
you would bring a female and her calf in
or two bull calves, two heer calves.
[30:14]
They don't need to be halter broke or
fitted. They're run into a small pen
[30:18]
that the judge is there, a certified
judge and she judges them on the quality
[30:23]
and then the next pair comes in and
they're placed. So what that does is it
[30:29]
encouraged young producers to come out
and some old ones because there's not as
[30:34]
much of your summer tied up with
messing around with cattle. So overall
[30:40]
it was very good and [clears throat] the
two young breeders
[30:44]
that came are pretty excited about
carrying it on for other years and
[30:48]
bringing other breeders into the fair.
So I think it'll be good
[30:52]
» way to plant that seed. Um, I did the
one comment on the fall fair. I think
[30:57]
the biggest lineup I saw though while I
was there the whole time was for the
[31:00]
kids in the mechanical bull. Man, they
were [laughter] they were lined up way
[31:04]
back. They they just steady and they go
to the back of the line and wait to go
[31:07]
again. They loved it. So, Director
Stolenberg.
[31:11]
Area A. [clears throat]
Well, the big thing in area A these days
[31:16]
appears to be everybody down at the
river trying to catch coho.
[31:21]
It uh it's getting pretty busy.
down at the confluence of the Bokeley
[31:26]
and the Telpa. So other than that uh
like uh Director Act said, phase three
[31:36]
of the bike trail is completed and the
amount of use that it's getting, it
[31:42]
looks like we might have to resurface it
by the time they get phase two done
[31:46]
because it's being very well used by a
lot of people every day.
[31:54]
That's it.
>> Yep. Director Reese Christensen. Yeah.
[31:57]
» Thanks, Chair Parker. Um participated in
a uh Zoom update with City West on
[32:02]
connectivity projects in the eastern end
of the district, and I think there's
[32:06]
some good news there. And then on
September 3rd, I'll be participating in
[32:10]
the great healthc care walk at Spirit
Square, which is to welcome new medical
[32:14]
professionals and show appreciation for
those who are already working here.
[32:19]
» Thanks, Ditra.
Um, couple of things. Uh, air show. I
[32:24]
just learned a couple of days ago that
they ended up in the black, which is a
[32:29]
huge sigh of relief. When you're putting
on those major events these days, it's
[32:33]
harder and harder uh to keep it there,
especially when you have something
[32:36]
that's as fuel reliant as an air show.
Uh, those costs just keep on going up.
[32:41]
Um, Director Moon touched or talked
about the the fall fair. Uh again, I
[32:46]
think that was a great event and uh
important to see that we can keep those
[32:50]
fall fairs going throughout our
communities and and make sure they get
[32:53]
the support they need. [sighs]
Um uh
[33:00]
for I'll go first. Um uh one event we
have coming up this weekend is Pride in
[33:05]
Vanderhahoof on Saturday. So a little uh
late, but it was a busy summer, so uh
[33:11]
hopefully it looks like a beautiful day
for it. So that should go uh well. And
[33:16]
then just want to touch on um director
New's comments about fire departments
[33:20]
and you know they're these big expensive
beasts that municipalities struggle with
[33:25]
all the time.
And just for clarity there even within
[33:29]
municipal fire departments. I mean every
once in a while we save a structure but
[33:34]
it is very seldom that you do that.
Really what you're trying to do is stop
[33:37]
that fire from spreading to the next
home or the one after that. So
[33:42]
rural fire is tough no matter what you
do. Uh whether it's a small community or
[33:46]
the outlying areas
[33:50]
and freezing.
>> I'm going to jump because I wanted to do
[33:55]
a real shout out to the fire smart
assessment that I had for my property.
[34:00]
That was incredible. Your employee was
fantastic and so knowledgeable. And I
[34:06]
did think I actually thought I knew a
lot because I'd already read stuff and I
[34:10]
always think I know a lot. But when he
came and did the full assessment, I
[34:15]
realized some of the really small
reasonable things costwise that I could
[34:19]
do to improve the safety of my home and
I was I was blown away by it actually.
[34:24]
Um I I do think um one of the things he
said was that even in Jasper in a small
[34:32]
like when a row of houses was burnt in
Jasper one house wasn't burnt just
[34:37]
because of mesh netting right like it
was incredible what small changes could
[34:42]
make your house more safe anyway I was
really super impressed we are also
[34:48]
struggling with rural fire department of
course because it's a huge cost to our
[34:53]
municipality to have our second uh fire
department out on Sha and I that's going
[34:59]
to be a big discussion I think coming in
the future just as money gets tighter.
[35:04]
I'm not sure what Martin has already
shared with you. Um we did get that $7
[35:08]
million grant for water a new water
project federal and provincial funding
[35:14]
and that's uh exciting. But uh one of my
favorite things is the park work that
[35:20]
has been done in um the Cotton No
Cottonwood Park is it? No, no. Which
[35:25]
Goodwood Goodwin Park. Uh my mom is
really excited because she there's now
[35:29]
an ashalt walk around so she can go with
her walker and lots of the seniors have
[35:34]
been really pleased with that. So that's
where we're at. Thank you.
[35:38]
» Thank you Director Story and I Magguire
to round it off.
[35:43]
» Thanks. Um not a whole lot to report.
Uh, but I it looks like I'm finally
[35:47]
getting a sidewalk for the first time in
Fraser Lakes history. So, that's
[35:51]
exciting. I've never had a sidewalk in
front of my house. Uh, yes, there's
[35:55]
other sidewalks, but not not there. And
the water tower is uh complete, and the
[36:01]
old water tower has been removed, and
that is a project that we really needed
[36:07]
to get off the books. But once the
paving's done, which looks like it might
[36:11]
not be completed till September, this
project was only a year and a bit over
[36:17]
the timeline it was supposed to be done.
And as for things that are exciting, uh
[36:22]
we don't have uh as much uh uh bike
parks in our area, but we at least have
[36:28]
one. So uh Glattus tell them they should
come and check out our new one that's 10
[36:33]
km. Um but I haven't seen how much
they're using it. I did ask staff if
[36:38]
it's being used lots or not. And uh we
have Salmon Fest. Uh the Slatin First
[36:43]
Nations is putting Salmon Fest on. So
I'm probably going to try to attend
[36:46]
that. That's on the 26th to the 28th if
anybody's out and about and board. Um
[36:52]
and it looks like I might be frozen. So
hopefully I'm not. But hopefully you
[36:56]
heard that. And I think I'll just leave
it there. Yep.
[37:00]
» Director Maguire and then bring it home.
Director Lambert.
[37:05]
» Thanks, Mr. Chair. Just a couple of
things. Um, our annual Grand All Days
[37:08]
was last weekend, but for the first time
in 15 years, I've been away on vacation,
[37:12]
making my way home now. I'm calling in
from Prince George today. Um, I
[37:16]
understand it was a hu huge success and
talking to uh members of my council that
[37:20]
both uh MP Ellis Ross and MLA John
Restad were at the were at the
[37:24]
festivities. Um, August is always busy
in Grand Al with the salmon season and I
[37:29]
understand everybody's catching their
limit and the fish are looking great. Uh
[37:34]
our thank you RBA. Our paving project
for this year is wrapping up and just
[37:38]
about complete. Um and we're hoping for
a renewal. Director Atrol, if you're
[37:43]
listening, we're hoping for a renewal on
that uh [laughter] RBA for another 5
[37:46]
years. Um I have a meeting with Northern
Health on Monday probably to talk about
[37:51]
UBCM. And speaking of UBCM, I'm sure
we're all going to be starting to pivot
[37:55]
on the meetings that we requested with
the ministers we thought we were going
[37:58]
to get. And now with recent portfolio
changes due to the minister's health
[38:03]
crisis, uh we have different ministers
that are going to be sitting in front of
[38:06]
us on the issues that we uh that we had
wanted. So we're going to have to pivot
[38:10]
really quickly here and uh get them onto
the file. So we'll uh we'll see how many
[38:15]
successful meeting requests we get now
with the new with the new portfolio
[38:19]
changes. So anyway, that's it. Thanks,
>> Dr. Lambert. [snorts]
[38:26]
» Thanks, Chair. [clears throat] I had a
meeting with the my first nations
[38:32]
yesterday. It went really well. Um
we uh discussed the uh the helipad
[38:41]
[laughter]
to great length. Um
[38:46]
but uh you know like we
we looked at uh some other examples from
[38:53]
other [clears throat] places and they're
not and and I I remember John said it
[38:58]
was a a Brown quote or something like
that or
[39:03]
estimate brown estimate and uh
you know like we were looking at some
[39:09]
that were anywhere from [snorts] you
know the the $30,000 range. Basically,
[39:15]
it went from 30,000 to 800,000.
Um, and and we we don't need an $800,000
[39:23]
helipad. We need a $30,000 helipad,
right? and and so
[39:30]
I just I don't know where Northern
Health's at on their getting back to us
[39:36]
with their quote, but um
it's already the end of August, so if
[39:42]
we're going to get on this thing this
summer, we need to to get on it here. Um
[39:49]
also brought up uh the Three Nations
Water Project over there. They're
[39:55]
looking at changing their intake on
their plant from I can't remember what
[40:02]
it was, two or three 6 in intakes to
130in intake. [sighs and gasps]
[40:08]
And uh basically um they're
[clears throat] running out of water.
[40:14]
they uh they're going to try to with
that 30-inch intake
[40:20]
um
make that plant run to its max capacity.
[40:25]
And even then, you know, after they put
the uh uh Chesada put their band office
[40:32]
on on that system, it's strained. And
so, um, there's an opportunity there, I
[40:39]
think, uh, that we can partner with them
and and be able to to do something good
[40:45]
there for the community. So, looking
forward to that. But,
[40:49]
» where is that water source pulled from?
>> France Lake.
[40:52]
» It comes out of France. Okay.
>> Yeah. So, we we can pull whatever amount
[40:55]
of water on there, which side you're
coming from, the south or the north.
[41:00]
[laughter]
So, okay. But,
[41:03]
» yeah, that's all I've got. Cool. Thanks.
Go ahead if you have a question for Dr.
[41:08]
Wade.
>> Thanks, Sher. Congratulations on your
[41:11]
helipad. [laughter]
And one thing I forgot to mention was
[41:15]
that uh our rock dock and light up the
lake is on August 29th from 4:30 till
[41:22]
10. [snorts] So if anybody's around,
take it in. Thanks.
[41:27]
Sounds good. Um all right, just a few
things. Um unfortunately, we had
[41:33]
Minister Pam coming up. She was supposed
to be here yesterday. We had that
[41:36]
planned a while back. A lot of it's
unfortunate. A lot of work went into
[41:39]
setting up a tour day with her and
everything and bringing her around, but
[41:43]
um we probably saw it coming towards the
last week there with all the fires down
[41:47]
south and all the producers that were
burned out and fences and water systems
[41:51]
and loss of animals. So, uh did get a
phone call too and then um you know when
[41:56]
I talked to them and I said, "Yeah, we
we totally understand. It's probably
[42:00]
where the the minister probably should
be rather than up here right now at this
[42:04]
time touring here. It'd be better to be
front and center in the in the
[42:08]
devastation and and director Lambert
know just from the BC cattleman some of
[42:12]
the stories that are coming out of down
there are just horrific. So absolutely
[42:16]
horrible stuff. So to to be doing photo
ops up here on Beaver Dam analogs
[42:21]
probably wasn't the best timing. So we,
you know, and I did emphasize though, we
[42:24]
still would like to have her and her
chief of staff up here at some point
[42:27]
once things settle down. So
unfortunately that didn't happen. Um, a
[42:33]
couple of things that are taking up a
lot of my time or were starting to slow
[42:36]
down a bit on it. One was obviously the
Lake View Trailer Court. Um, with the
[42:41]
province's decision to uh, shut it down,
decommission it. So there's 28 29
[42:46]
residents in there still they're still
working. goes back so far it was really
[42:50]
hard to understand who actually was
there paying you know and had actual um
[42:55]
assessments paying taxes and who was
just pulling in trailers and took a long
[42:59]
time to sort it out but with the
compensation it's gone better than I
[43:03]
thought like we did a lot of things to
get stuff put in place to make sure that
[43:06]
they have the supports needed um and
it's worked and yeah you know some some
[43:11]
are struggling but some are quite
pleased some have bought houses with the
[43:15]
buyout amount and got you know a better
quality of life than they had, [snorts]
[43:20]
you know, with proper running water and
septic systems. Uh whether it's buying a
[43:23]
house in the community or moving their
trailer or buying a different trailer.
[43:26]
So, it is moving along. It's going to
take time. It'll go right till next end
[43:30]
of next summer before it's all the last
person's probably leaving. But, it's in
[43:34]
the process and some are already where
do I sign? See you later. So, that's
[43:39]
starting. Also, you'll notice the other
end. I got the Indakaco Hotel is now
[43:43]
reduced to kind of rubble and somewhat
loaded out and they're cleaning that up
[43:48]
and once it's all said and done, it'll
be uh leveled off and it'll just for now
[43:52]
it's just going to stay a crown
property. Um no, no indication that
[43:56]
they're willing to put it on the market
yet at this point. They just want to let
[43:59]
things settle and and carry on there.
So, pretty major project. Um a lot of
[44:04]
you know, again, it's it's not a
heritage building, but it has a lot of
[44:07]
history and a lot of memories. And
again, it's another kind of one of these
[44:10]
things. We lost our hotel and and Stick
and Stone Pub. This goes down. A lot of
[44:13]
people's growing up areas are
disappearing and then the memories. So,
[44:18]
I I understood people's concerns. And I
did reach out ahead of this to a lot of
[44:22]
the longtime residents, made sure I
phoned them personally and told them
[44:24]
what was happening and why. And so,
that's basically almost going to be
[44:29]
done. So, that'll be off the docket. Uh,
a couple of good things. Saturday is the
[44:33]
Fort Fraser Fire Department. They're
having a 60th anniversary barbecue since
[44:36]
that fire department was going. So, way
before I was ever on the board and doing
[44:41]
anything with that, they've been there.
And uh then tomorrow, just interesting
[44:45]
having a meeting quickly with Nigel
Fischer and uh Claudet Goer who came
[44:50]
over from Satara now for FPX Nichols.
So, I'm going to have a quick meeting
[44:54]
and get an update with them and a couple
of things to follow up on from even
[44:59]
director Greenway as well. So on that
conversation, so um leave it there.
[45:04]
Anybody have any other questions for
anybody on anything going on?
[45:10]
» Mr. Chair,
>> oh yeah, sorry.
[45:12]
» Just a quick question on your endeavor
hotel. Who bore the costs of that demo?
[45:17]
» It was the province. It's because it
went to crown like it was went back to
[45:22]
them. It [snorts] was in um a joint
ownership until they gave x amount of
[45:26]
time for the original owner to come up
and pay the back taxes. And then once
[45:30]
that time finally passed, it reverted
back to the province. As soon as they
[45:34]
had it and it was only in in their name,
then the they just they knew the state
[45:38]
of it and they knew what was happening
in it. They wanted it demolished. And in
[45:42]
talking to the contractor, once they got
inside there, they said the
[45:45]
contamination level, everything was so
poor and so badly beat up in there that
[45:49]
there was no there was never going to be
an option to put it on a tax sale and
[45:53]
try and reconstruct it. So
>> thank you. I was I I thought it probably
[45:58]
was a province, but I just want to
clarify. Thanks.
[46:00]
» Yeah. Yeah. Well, I think it was then
the village of Grand was going to chip
[46:04]
in the other part or something. I'm not
sure. Something like that. I tried.
[46:08]
» Nice try.
Can I have a motion to receive verbal
[46:12]
reports? Thank you, Director Deakons.
And uh Director Lambert, we'll take you
[46:16]
put you on the [clears throat] put you
in the minutes.
[46:18]
» Keep me in the minutes. [laughter]
>> Okay. What time we got? We got 10
[46:22]
minutes. Do we have Manager Davis handy
because we're going to Okay, we'll
[46:26]
quickly
go into that. So,
[46:37]
that that that. All right. Any new
business before we move along?
[46:43]
Okay, seeing none, I will take a motion
uh to go in camera and that is that this
[46:50]
meeting be closed to the public suant to
section 92B of the community charter for
[46:54]
the board to deal with matters relating
to connectivity. Can I have somebody
[46:59]
move that for me, please? Thank you,
Director Newell and Director Deakons.
[47:04]
Okay, [sighs and gasps] all in favor and
that's carried.
[47:08]
Can I have a motion to adjourn the
regular meeting? Thank you, Director
[47:12]
Lambert and Director Stolenberg. You
thought I was going to forget, didn't
[47:15]
you?
>> Uh, I thought you
[47:20]
» Okay. All in favor? That's good. Thank
you. [sighs] All right. All right, we
[47:25]
will call the in camera agenda for
Thursday, August 30th to