[0:34] Good evening.
Uh just a quick note, tonight we will be
[0:37] live streaming and recording this
meeting. The recordings will be made
[0:40] available on the district website.
I will call to order the Committee of
[0:44] the Whole meeting for Monday, July 27th,
2026 at 7:00 p.m.
[0:50] We'd like to begin by acknowledging that
the land on which we gather is within
[0:53] the traditional territory of the Sekani
people of the McLeod Lake Indian Band.
[1:00] Please note that all comments and
questions from the public must pertain
[1:03] to items listed on the agenda.
Are there any members of the public in
[1:06] attendance this evening who wish to
comment on the agenda?
[1:10] Seeing no one.
Uh administration, are there any members
[1:14] of the public attending through Zoom or
phone that wish to comment on the
[1:17] agenda?
>> No, Mr. Chair.
[1:20] » Thank you.
Then, may I have a motion to receive the
[1:24] operations month-end report for June?
>> So moved.
[1:27] » Thank you, Councillor McMeechan.
Does any member of Council have a
[1:31] question for Mr. Murray?
Mayor Atkinson.
[1:37] » Um what the threshold is to issue an
unsightly order?
[1:43] We're looking at the files and some
some properties towards the town office
[1:46] and the neighbors weren't happy and
what what has to be there to
[1:51] issue that?
>> So, [clears throat] there is no exact
[1:54] threshold. Uh it all depends on how bad
the property is, whether it came as an
[1:59] as an complaint or was noticed by staff,
whether the owner or tenants going to
[2:03] clean it up.
Uh so, it's generally we make initial
[2:06] contact and give them a little bit of a
week or two to clean it up.
[2:09] Uh after that, we issue we may issue a
warning or move forward to an unsightly
[2:12] property order, and we got to get them
to clean up the property.
[2:15] » Okay.
And I have one under the bottom of page
[2:18] six, um
file 0782026,
[2:21] the dog surrender.
Um in district
[2:25] um
how was that animal for a week? Does it
[2:29] Does that um dog order
pay for that animal's boarding fees for
[2:33] any dog that
>> Yeah, that was Excuse me. That was a
[2:36] Monday to a Friday, so it didn't really
cost us as much because it didn't incur
[2:40] the overtime on the weekend, but yes,
all all costs were recovered.
[2:47] » Okay. I just wanted to make a quick
reminder for everybody in the room to
[2:50] have your mics on in case you don't have
them on already.
[2:54] Uh does anyone else have a question for
Mr. Murray?
[2:57] No.
Mr. Murray, do you have anything to add
[2:59] to your reports?
>> Not at this time, Mr. Chair. Thank you.
[3:03] » All right. All in favor?
[3:06] No one opposed. That's carried.
May I have a motion to receive the RCMP
[3:12] month-end report for June?
>> So moved.
[3:15] » Councilor Barnes.
Uh
[3:17] Detachment Commander Brazeau is not
present tonight, but are there any
[3:20] questions that administration could
forward? Uh Councilor Wright.
[3:24] » Thank you. I was curious about the
comment on the bottom of page nine where
[3:27] he uh they they make a a ref- reference
to summer and there's most likely an
[3:32] increase of activity, most likely due to
an influx of people in the community.
[3:36] And I would love just to have a little
bit more details on what they meant by
[3:39] that. Is it like the tree planters, or
is there other people coming to the
[3:42] community that aren't normally here in
the summer? I just like to little know a
[3:44] little bit more what they are seeing to
make sure we're aware of it as well.
[3:47] » Mm. Fair enough. Good point.
[3:51] Are there any other questions?
>> I
[3:53] » not a question so much I guess just a
comment I noticed once again there's six
[3:57] assaults so
it's been a while since we've had that
[3:59] many reported.
>> Mhm.
[4:03] » [cough and clears throat]
[4:05] » Is everyone in favor of this report?
Favor?
[4:10] No one is opposed so that carries.
[4:15] May I have a motion to receive the fire
month end report for June?
[4:19] » So moved.
>> Councilor Kylo, thank you. Does any
[4:22] member of council have a question for
Fire Chief Guys?
[4:27] Seeing none, Fire Chief Guys, do you
have anything to add to your reports?
[4:30] » Not at this time, Mr. Chair.
>> Thank you.
[4:33] All in favor?
Carried.
[4:38] May I have a motion to receive the
recreation services month end report for
[4:41] June?
>> So moved.
[4:43] » Mayor Atkinson.
Uh does any member of council have a
[4:47] question regarding this report?
Mayor Atkinson.
[4:51] » Thank you. Just want to pass on
congratulations to acting director
[4:56] Seabert for the very successful uh
um Rock the Ridge Line event on Saturday
[5:03] night. Beth did an amazing job as
always.
[5:08] » Here, here.
[5:12] Miss Seabert, do you have anything to
add to your reports?
[5:14] » Not at this time, sir.
>> Thank you. All in favor?
[5:18] That carries.
Um did I just see a representative from
[5:22] the RCMP come in?
>> Conservation officer.
[5:24] » Conservation officer, okay. Just making
sure we couldn't get those questions
[5:26] dealt with.
>> [laughter]
[5:30] » Uh may I have a motion to receive the
finance month end report for June?
[5:33] » So moved.
>> Councilor Wright.
[5:36] Does any member of council have a
question regarding this report?
[5:41] Seeing none, Miss Bourne, do you have
anything to add to this report?
[5:43] » Not at this time, Mr. Chair.
>> Thank you.
[5:46] All in favor?
That carries.
[5:51] And may I have a motion to receive the
council's strategic priorities 2026
[5:55] second quarter reports?
>> So moved.
[5:58] » Councillor McMeekin.
And does any member of council have a
[6:01] question regarding the second quarter
reports?
[6:05] No one?
Uh Miss Smith, do you have anything to
[6:07] add add to your report?
>> Not at this time.
[6:11] » All in favor?
That carries.
[6:16] Is there any member of council who has
other business?
[6:18] Mayor Atkinson.
>> Um I I just like to um remind um the
[6:23] directors and uh corporate staff uh CAO
um
[6:28] a number of the reports had acronyms in
here uh which mean nothing to people who
[6:34] don't know what that means. So, just a a
reminder that for a public document,
[6:38] could not use acronyms so people
actually know what we're the we're
[6:42] talking about.
>> Mhm.
[6:45] Maybe there could be a general key
that's just attached to the report all
[6:47] all the time at the end so that we don't
have to keep hunting for those acronyms.
[6:51] That might be an easy way to handle it
with minimal labor.
[6:53] » Or
or just don't use them.
[6:55] » Mhm. Or that.
>> [laughter]
[7:00] » Does administration have any other item
of business?
[7:03] » No.
>> Thank you. Then may I please have a
[7:06] motion to adjourn the meeting.
>> Moved.
[7:09] » Councillor Barnes. Seconds?
Mayor Atkinson. All in favor?
[7:14] That carries. Meeting adjourned.
[13:55] » The land in which we gather is within
the traditional territory of the
[13:58] Secwepemc people of the McLeod Lake
Indian Band.
[14:02] We'll move on to adoption of minutes of
special meeting held June 22nd, 2026.
[14:08] Are there any errors or omissions?
Hearing none, we'll adopt them as
[14:12] presented.
Uh community of the whole meeting June
[14:16] 22nd, 2026. Are there any errors or
omissions?
[14:20] Hearing none, we'll adopt them as
presented. And the regular meeting of
[14:24] June 22nd, 2026. Are there any errors or
omissions?
[14:28] Hearing none, we'll adopt them as
presented.
[14:31] Um and can I We do have a uh
late item this evening, so may I have a
[14:36] motion that the following item to be uh
added to our agenda this evening, and
[14:42] that is a
petition and delegation from the
[14:44] Conservation Officer Service.
Councillor McMeekin, Councillor
[14:48] Burmister. Any discussion?
All in favor?
[14:53] That carries.
Have a motion uh to adopt the agenda.
[15:00] » So moved.
>> Councillor Burns.
[15:03] » Second.
>> Councillor Burmister.
[15:05] Any discussion?
[15:08] All in favor?
That carries.
[15:11] Public comments and questions. Please
note that all comments and questions
[15:14] must pertain to items listed on the
agenda. Are there any members of the
[15:18] public in attendance this evening who
wish to comment on the agenda.
[15:24] Seeing none, administration, are there
any members of the public attending
[15:27] through Zoom or phone that wish to
comment on the agenda?
[15:31] » No, your worship.
>> Thank you. Thank you.
[15:34] So, this evening, um
we welcome Inspector Eamon McArthur
[15:41] McArthur, the
uh inspector for the BC Conservation
[15:45] Officer Service out of Prince George,
and he is here to um
[15:49] present a special recognition award to
the District of Mackenzie. So, come on
[15:54] up.
>> Wow.
[16:03] Thank you, Mayor Atkinson. Thank you,
Council.
[16:08] Sit here so I can stand up.
Uh so, in 2023
[16:12] uh there was a
oh, due to a number of different
[16:16] circumstances, there was quite the uh it
was quite a bear year. As, you know, for
[16:20] those that are that were in Mackenzie at
the time, well recall.
[16:25] And uh
at the time, the District of Mackenzie
[16:28] had the the white
dumpsters with the with the wooden lids,
[16:33] which
caused a considerable amount of
[16:35] problems. A lot of those dumpster lids
got broken, and a lot of those dumpster
[16:38] lids
uh were flipped off by
[16:42] black and grizzly bears alike. And
the district did come to come together,
[16:47] and they created what we have today with
those dumpsters that are currently
[16:50] within the district, which I use this as
a
[16:54] as a case in point in a lot of
discussions when it comes to uh bear
[16:58] attractant and attractant management,
just because of how fantastic those
[17:01] dumpsters actually are. And I thought I
would be remiss if I didn't try to
[17:05] recognize the district for the good work
that they did on bear attractant and
[17:08] bear attractant management.
So, I'm just going to read out a little
[17:13] piece on the
[17:16] Can you hear this? Is this good?
Am I
[17:20] » Um yeah, if you talk loud enough, yeah,
sure.
[17:23] » [laughter]
[17:25] » So, I'm just going to read read out what
what I have on here. It's a special
[17:28] recognition award for the district.
The BCCOS has maintained regular
[17:34] communication with the District of
Mackenzie regarding waste management
[17:37] practice in response to the high level
of human-bear conflicts experienced
[17:42] within communities in the Omineca Zone
during 2023.
[17:46] Prior to 2022, the District of Mackenzie
worked collaboratively collaboratively
[17:51] with the BCCOS to draft and implement
bylaws aimed at reducing bear
[17:55] attractants and minimizing bear garbage
conflicts.
[17:58] Despite these efforts, Mackenzie
remained one of the communities
[18:01] experiencing higher than average bear
conflict rates in 2024.
[18:06] And in response to this, the District
continued working with the BCCOS to
[18:10] identify and implement additional
measures to further reduce human-bear
[18:14] interactions.
As a result, the District of Mackenzie
[18:17] developed and implemented a
bear-resistant dumpster design that has
[18:21] been adopted as the standard dumpster
model throughout the community.
[18:24] The lids were designed to be
sufficiently heavy to prevent bears from
[18:28] accessing the contents while allowing
residents to dispose of the waste safely
[18:33] and conveniently.
The measures undertaken by the District
[18:36] are fully aligned with the BCCOS mandate
to reduce attractants and mitigate
[18:40] human-bear conflicts.
These proactive efforts demonstrate a
[18:44] strong commitment to protecting public
safety and wildlife within the
[18:48] community.
[18:51] And I'll just say I like I'll just say
it's safe.
[18:55] » Yeah.
>> Yeah.
[18:57] And I I'd like more communities to adopt
it. Unfortunately, I'm out of Prince
[19:01] George and most of the dumpsters that
they use in Prince George are all
[19:04] contracted out, so
maybe it's a small community thing, but
[19:08] it's I think it's something that even
bigger communities can look at. it too.
[19:11] if this community can come together and
do something like that,
[19:14] then you know what? Anything's really
possible, so.
[19:22] » So, if you want to come up here and
inspect your work.
[19:25] Yeah.
Cuz we want to put this on our um
[19:28] website
>> so that people in the community realize
[19:32] that this is made of
>> Yeah.
[19:35] » Yeah, awesome.
[19:43] Nice job though, I appreciate it.
>> Thank you. You're welcome.
[19:46] » No, thanks so much for doing that.
>> No, absolutely. I always have to give
[19:49] that appreciation to go, you know, you
need to give credit where credit is due,
[19:53] so.
>> Yeah, that's very nice. Well, you know,
[19:56] it's
it's really good that we have such a
[19:58] close relationship with the conservation
officer's office.
[20:01] » Yeah.
>> Can't We can't work in silos in small
[20:04] towns.
>> Well, everybody knows everybody, that's
[20:06] it.
>> Very true.
[20:09] » I'm not going to be anywhere not
planning on completing anytime soon, so
[20:13] I'm going to be the inspector for
at least the next 10 to 15 years. That's
[20:17] the goal anyway, till retirement, I
think.
[20:21] No, absolutely. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Thank you.
[20:25] » I could do the thing for Director
Marine, cuz
[20:28] » Oh, that was That was a bit of a
>> Is he working for Marine?
[20:31] Aylmer's
This is This is the public works
[20:34] manager.
And uh he's the one that
[20:38] made sure it happened.
>> No problem.
[20:40] » Yeah, okay.
Thank you.
[20:42] » Thank you.
>> Take that off. Thanks, don't forget to
[20:46] do whatever.
[20:50] It's awesome.
[20:54] Hey.
[20:57] We're official.
So, moving on to correspondence, may I
[21:02] have a motion that the correspondence
listed on the agenda be received?
[21:06] So moved.
>> Councillor Wright.
[21:08] Councillor Kylo.
Any discussion? All in favor?
[21:14] Carries. So for action, we have a
request from CN Rail
[21:20] to um
declare September 21st to 27th, 2026
[21:26] Rail Safety Week.
So have Can I have that recommendation
[21:31] from Councillor Barnes?
Councillor Kylo, any discussion on that?
[21:37] Yes.
>> We've done this in the past, right?
[21:38] » Yes.
Yeah. It's a kind of a an annual event,
[21:42] so.
Anyone else?
[21:43] » Just a
>> Yeah.
[21:45] » Comment, when it comes to Rail Safety
Week, I know a person that hit has hit a
[21:50] train
with a pickup,
[21:53] a trailer, a quad,
and a boat, if you can believe it.
[21:58] So some people do need a little bit of
help.
[22:02] » [laughter]
>> Remind them. Yes. Thank you.
[22:06] All in favor?
That carries.
[22:09] Is there anything council wishes to
address in the for consideration or
[22:13] center table file correspondence?
Councillor Wright.
[22:17] » Thank you. Uh the first one I would like
to draw people's attention to is 7.2.5,
[22:21] the NCLGA.
Um
[22:23] there's letters I was called this
letter. I just want to draw people's
[22:25] attention to this has been an update
since this has been sent out to on the
[22:29] last page with the before you get to the
BC resources. There's no page numbers.
[22:33] I'm not sure what it is. But it has the
members webinars. And the one webinar on
[22:37] November 18th, I specifically asked
because of how strong our access and
[22:41] inclusion committee is that access and
inclusion committees be invited to this
[22:45] webinar.
Um and that was approved and is now on
[22:47] the website. It's just not reflected
since this was sent out. So if the I
[22:51] Councillor Meegan, since you're here, if
there's a way to make sure that
[22:54] information gets to the access and
inclusion committee that they're welcome
[22:56] and encouraged to attend that webinar,
that would be fantastic.
[23:01] Um there's no motion for that. I just
wanted to draw people's attention to it.
[23:04] Um and then the other one I wanted to
talk about was 7.2.8.
[23:07] Um I didn't know if staff had any
information to answer this question
[23:11] about the update about getting bylaws on
the website and if not, if we wanted the
[23:15] report to come back to respond to the
residents um questions. I'll I'll maybe
[23:18] I'll ask staff first what if they have
something they want to say before any
[23:21] motion.
>> um
[23:22] I I had that notated also, so Ms. Keen
is is uh prepared to provide us with an
[23:28] update.
>> Thank you.
[23:31] » Yes, okay. So,
um so we have been just uh we've been
[23:35] updating this as part of our quarterly
update, so there have been some, but you
[23:38] will notice that we've had quite a delay
on this project. We started last year,
[23:41] but just due to some other priorities
due to legislation, we've had to kind of
[23:45] push it to this year. But we've
purchased software that'll have a better
[23:48] search engine. It's very similar to what
we've had before, and so we'll have all
[23:51] of our documentation which have been
uploaded. They just have to be um a
[23:55] final audit by us just make sure
everything that's on there is accurate,
[23:59] and then it'll be just some staff
training, public comms, and I'm hoping
[24:02] we'll have it uh done by the end of the
year.
[24:05] Yeah. So, mhm. Thank you. You're
welcome. Perfect.
[24:09] » Yes, Councillor Keilow.
>> Um 7.2.6,
[24:15] the Outdoor Recreation Council has a
survey for identifying resource roads
[24:20] that matter,
and I'd like to make a motion to add
[24:25] that to our district website and try and
promote it to get people to say, "Hey,
[24:30] we're losing access to the back country
all over the province." And
[24:34] we need
to help them create a database so they
[24:37] can go lobby the government to keep the
important ones identified and keep the
[24:41] important ones open.
>> Right. Yeah, that new I I I certainly
[24:44] agree with that. Um
I know that I I checked into that, so
[24:50] that the survey's open for an entire
year till July 2027, so that's going to
[24:54] give people lots of notice, so
I certainly think that's a great idea.
[25:00] Anyone else have any comments on that?
To add that to our website, Councillor
[25:04] Burmas key.
>> I'll just second the motion.
[25:06] » Okay. Yep.
Anyone else? Okay. All in favor?
[25:12] That carries. And I've also been I got a
email from the chair of the regional
[25:17] district last week, and we are having
another meeting in Prince George
[25:23] with the Ministry of Forests the
Wednesday before our next um R D
[25:28] meeting. I think it's August 19th. And
the Ministry of Forests person who has
[25:32] taken over this file, um Greg Vandolah,
used to work in Mackenzie, so he's well
[25:39] aware of you know, what it looks like up
here. So hopefully he's Sounds like he's
[25:44] very engaged and hoping to get something
done, so step in the right direction.
[25:49] So
>> Um
[25:51] » Yeah, go ahead.
>> 7.2.9
[25:54] uh Melinda Shaw sent letter
I was in support of the community for
[26:00] our
for us trying to change the
[26:03] reclassification to iron for data
centers, and we should thank her for
[26:08] being involved and taking the time to do
that.
[26:11] » Okay.
>> [clears throat]
[26:12] » I'm not making a motion. I'm just saying
we should
[26:15] recognize her, thank her.
>> Okay.
[26:17] Do we need a motion to do that, Ms.
Kate?
[26:21] » Okay. Pardon me, I would just like to
thank her for it.
[26:24] » Oh, oh you Okay. Oh, you Okay. So
publicly thank her for that. Yeah, for
[26:29] sure. Okay.
[26:32] Any Anything else, Councillor Kyle?
[26:40] Nope. Okay. Anyone else have anything
they wish to pull?
[26:45] Okay, we'll move on to
administrative reports, business facade
[26:50] improvement program July 26th, the July
intake.
[26:56] Recommendation that council approves the
applications from Finley Forest
[26:59] Management Limited, McKenzie Hose and
Fitting, Mack True Brewing Limited,
[27:04] McKenzie Autumn Lodge Society, and
Arctic Divide Mechanical
[27:09] to the business facade improvement
program to a maximum combined amount of
[27:14] $8,617.10.
[27:18] » Move the recommendation.
>> Councillor Burns, seconded by Councillor
[27:21] Burmoski. Any discussion on this?
Councillor Burmoski.
[27:26] » It's wonderful to see that many people
apply this year, you know, it's a shame
[27:30] we can't fully fund them because there
are so many, but it's great that there's
[27:32] the uptake.
>> Yeah, exactly, because we have had years
[27:36] with when we have not utilized all the
money, so this is this is really good
[27:40] news for all of us.
Any further discussion? All in favor?
[27:46] That carries.
[27:49] Uh 8.2 referral 1997-2404-0,
notice of work with McKenzie Gravel
[27:55] Limited.
And the um
[27:58] administration is looking for direction
from council about the request.
[28:04] » So
I'd move that we respond that we support
[28:08] approval of the project.
>> Okay.
[28:11] Second that. Okay.
Councillor Wright.
[28:14] » I I My question is to staff, is does
that motion
[28:17] suffice for that it includes the the
recommendation you have that it has also
[28:21] has the required to obtain soil
substance removal permit?
[28:25] Or was that the was that the
I just want to make sure that that
[28:28] encompasses that.
>> If that was um Councillor Burmoski's
[28:31] intent with his motion was that it's the
answer answers to the questions as
[28:34] highlighted as well as the
recommendation to approve the project.
[28:38] » Um yeah, if we need to make that change,
that's fine. I did assume that that
[28:41] would just get triggered if we approved
it. Okay. So
[28:45] Okay, I'm in support of it including
that, yes.
[28:47] » Yeah, yeah.
>> And it does generate revenue for us. So
[28:50] it is a bonus.
Any further discussion?
[28:54] All in favor?
That carries.
[29:00] Um 8.3 the quarterly activity report
from the accessibility and inclusion
[29:05] group recommendation that council
receives this report for information.
[29:11] » So moved.
>> So Barnes.
[29:13] » Second.
>> Councilor Abramowski. Any discussion?
[29:18] Councilor Barton.
>> Well again just a comment and we've
[29:20] talked about it lots before this this
group does a great job.
[29:26] » Yes they certainly do.
We're leaps and bounds ahead of most
[29:30] communities in this portfolio for sure.
So all in favor of receipt?
[29:37] That carries.
[29:40] Uh 8.4 the 2025 annual report final
draft.
[29:47] In accordance with section 99 of the
community charter council will provide
[29:51] an opportunity for any final feedback
from the public in regard to the 2025
[29:56] annual report prior to adoption.
Are there any members of the public in
[30:00] attendance this evening who wish to
comment on the annual report?
[30:06] Administrator are there any members of
the public attending through Zoom or
[30:09] phone that wish to comment on the annual
report?
[30:13] » No your worship.
>> Me?
[30:16] Did we receive any written comments?
>> No we did not.
[30:19] » Okay.
So the recommendation that council
[30:22] approves the 2025 annual report.
>> So moved.
[30:26] » Councilor Wright. Councilor McMeekin.
Any further discussion?
[30:31] All in favor?
That carries.
[30:35] Council reports
Councilor Wright has written report Does
[30:40] member of council have a verbal report
they wish to share?
[30:45] Okay, hearing none.
Um, any member of council have any
[30:50] unfinished business?
[30:55] New business?
[30:58] We have no bylaws this evening. We have
no notice of motion.
[31:02] Um, coming events. The McCloud Lake
Indian Band Annual General Assembly is
[31:07] going to be held on August 5th, 6th, and
7th. And um, they
[31:13] extended invitation for anyone to
participate on the the Friday the 7th is
[31:18] my understanding. The 5th and the 6th
are generally McCloud Lake Indian Band
[31:22] members that meet on those days, so.
So, um, we have no inquiries in person.
[31:29] Do we have any online inquiries?
>> No, your worship.
[31:34] » Okay.
So, we just need one more motion.
[31:40] Okay. Second?
>> Second.
[31:42] » Okay. All in favor?
It carries. Thank you.