August 20, 2026 Board Meeting Part 2 of 2

Bulkley-Nechako, BC (Canada) · · More Bulkley-Nechako, BC (Canada) meetings · More British Columbia meetings

Transcript

Download: Text · SRT
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