Good evening.
We'll be live streaming and recording
this meeting. The recordings will be
made accessible on the district website.
So, I want to call to order the
Committee of the Whole meeting for
Monday, January the 26th.
Uh and we begin by acknowledging the
land in which we gather is within the
traditional traditional territory of the
Sekani people of the McLeod Lake Indian
Band.
Please note that all comments
comments and questions must pertain to
items listed on the agenda. Are there
any members of the public in attendance
this evening who wish to comment on the
agenda?
One person online?
» Uh Janice, feel free to speak when
you're ready.
Thank you. Can you hear me?
» Barely. Go ahead. If you can speak find
a way to make it louder.
» Can you hear me now?
» Yes, we can.
» Thanks. I have to just kind of skip
ahead in in the agenda here. It's at the
end the I have a question about um the
infrastructure planning grant
application. That's uh at the top of the
grant tracker on the last page. Um this
was uh
the application was approved by council
um a year ago at the January 27th
meeting, 2025.
Um I guess I I'm just wondering I
suppose the finance director maybe could
answer
in in the the report a year ago, it said
the amount applied for was 15,000.
And in the grant tracker, the amount is
showing as 33,000
34.
I'm just wondering if uh someone can
explain that discrepancy.
» Go ahead, Ms. Moore.
Can you do that?
» Uh I'll I'll have to look into that and
and get back to you um
at the next meeting.
Just um on why there's the difference
regarding that. I I don't have an answer
for you right off hand.
» Okay, thanks. Um yeah, it's uh I I see
that it was denied, so it's it's not a
big deal, but I have been following it
because
um I think we do need some pedestrian
infrastructure in town, and I was
concerned that
um recreational trails were included
were going to be included in that
assessment. Uh these are single track
dirt trails um
largely used by mountain bikers.
And uh and at the time I I
raised the question why that was
considered pedestrian infrastructure,
especially uh Morphy Lake Shore.
Um it's not a commuter trail at all.
So um perhaps the mayor or someone on
council could I guess I'm just concerned
that um did it
did trying to include trails in that
application affect the success of the
application?
» I I don't know. I don't have an answer
for that one.
Perhaps when uh Ms. Moore gets back to
you, she'll be able to give you a little
more light on that as well.
» Okay.
Thanks very much.
» Thanks, Janice.
Anyone else?
Okay.
May I have a motion to receive the
operations month-end reports for
November and December?
Councillor Wright, thank you. Does any
member of council have a question for
Mr. Murray?
Mayor Atkinson.
» Thank you, uh
Chairperson Barnes. Um I just um I I'm
looking at the number of uh winter
parking warnings and and um
acknowledging the difficulty in how much
snow we had to move in December.
Um
what is the practice? Does someone get
one warning and then if they do it
again, they get ticketed? Or do they get
two warnings? Are you aware of of what
the procedure is?
» Uh far as I know, it's one warning and
then a ticket after that.
» Okay, perfect.
And also, I just want to um extend a my
huge thank you to you and the public
works staff for the fantastic job that
you did. I had company here from
Prince George over the holidays and they
could they remarked a few times, "Wow,
you guys have a have fantastic snow
removal. I'm lucky if I get my street
done twice all winter." So, you you you
folks did a great job.
» Thank you very much. It's nice to hear
that sometimes. I'll pass it along.
Any other questions?
Mr. Murray, do you have anything to add
to your reports?
» Not at this time, Mr. Chair. Thank you.
» Question. All in favor?
Carried.
May I have a motion to receive the RCMP
month-end reports for November and
December?
Councillor Tapper, thank you.
Any members of council have a question
Mr. uh Sergeant Bizzarri is not here, so
Yes, perhaps if you have a question
perhaps administration could answer. Go
ahead Councillor Wright.
» Not a question, but I do want to just
keep highlighting cuz I think it is
something that's not good for our
communities that there was 10
um driving complaints for not people
driving around buses again. So I figure
I remember last time we talked to him I
thought it was improving but it seems
like November it might have
got worse again. So I don't know what we
need to do about this, but I don't know
why people aren't driving safe around
school buses.
» No idea.
Anyone else?
Go ahead Councillor Kylo.
» I was looking at the traffic violations
in December and they said the
there was 14 violations issued. The
majority of them were for not having
licenses and insurance.
And I was wondering
why the people don't have insurance. Are
these people that are repeat offenders
or are these people that just plain ran
out of money and were running a risk?
Is there a way to find out?
» Maybe uh
administration could speak to
Sergeant Bizzari. He may have He may
have the answer why they don't have it.
I'm not sure if he does.
» I wonder if you'd asked her if you'd
looked. It's just
it seems like a pretty high number of
people not putting insurance on their
vehicles.
» It is.
» That's all.
» Okay, thanks.
All right, all in favor?
Carried.
May I have a motion to receive the fire
month end report for the months of
November and December?
» So moved.
» Councillor McMicken.
Any member of council have
questions for Chief Guys? Go ahead Mayor
Atkinson.
» Thank you. Um I'm just wondering for our
Chief Guys I noticed there's a number of
um
commercial fire alarms false.
Were all of those at the same location?
» 95% of them were, yes.
» And is there a mechanism um that they
have to take care of that or can we find
them or it just seems
and so would would it um be just the
people at the fire hall or you're
calling in like the whole
or
» We're having issues with uh provider
tell us um calling 911 right away
immediately.
It is a group page so all our members
are woken up at all different hours of
the night.
Um it's gotten worse
and we've had uh talks with the mill
manager or the manager of the
» Facility
» Facility yeah and uh
they've assured us they're working on of
course. Um
we're also working with our dispatch to
try to come with some kind of resolve so
that we are called out. Um all our
members it just might mean that the
myself and the deputy will take the call
and then uh make an assessment and go
from there. It could be a a slowed
response in that case if it were
something but they have somebody on site
24/7.
Um so the it's it's a lower risk. Um not
saying the risk isn't there but um we're
working working towards it and uh
we've had 11 false alarms to that place
this month alone. So um
» Yeah, unacceptable.
» Yeah, we're working with them. They're
they're trying to work through it too.
» Okay.
Okay, thank you.
» Any other questions for Chief Guys?
Chief Guys, do you have anything to add
to your reports?
» Not at this time, Mr. Chair.
» Thank you.
All in favor?
Carried.
Um I have a motion to receive the
finance month end reports for November
and December.
What's that?
» Director Center
» Oh well, we'll get back to those guys.
Thanks though for helping me out there.
» [laughter]
» I was just confused.
» Motion to receive the finance month end
report.
Mayor Atkinson, okay.
Any questions
for Mrs. Born?
Mrs. Born, do you have anything to add?
» Not at this time, Mr. Chair.
» Wonderful.
All in favor?
Carried.
Here we go, recreation services.
May I have a motion to receive the
recreation services month end report for
November and December?
» So moved.
» Mr. Topper, any any questions for Mr.
Gilmore?
Do you have anything to add, Mr.
Gilmore?
» Not at this time, Mr. Chair.
» All in favor?
Carried.
Council strategic priorities. May I have
a motion to receive the council
strategic priorities 2025 fourth quarter
report.
» So moved.
» Councilor Kyla got that one.
Uh does any member of council have
questions
um
on the reports?
No?
Uh does administration have anything to
add?
All in favor?
Carried.
Other businesses. Is there any member of
council who has other business?
Does administration have any other items
of business?
May I have a motion to adjourn the
meeting?
Right. Mayor Atkinson and Councillor
Wright. All in favor?
Meeting is adjourned.
» Call to order the regular council
meeting of Monday, January 26, 2026.
We would like to begin by acknowledging
the land in which we gather is within
the traditional territory of the McLeod
Lake Indian band.
I have a motion to
adopt the minute or sorry, the minutes
of the January 12, 2026 meeting are
found on page five. Are there any errors
or omissions?
There are none. We'll adopt them as
presented. We have no late items this
evening.
I have a motion the agenda be adopted as
presented.
Councilor McMeehan
» Second.
» Councilor Wright
All in favor?
Carried.
Public comments and questions. Please
note that all comments and questions
must pertain to items listed on the
agenda. Are there any members of the
public in attendance this evening who
wish to comment on the agenda?
Seeing none, are there any members of
the public attending through Zoom or
phone that wish to comment on the
agenda?
» No, your worship.
» Thank you.
We have no petitions and delegations
this evening.
Correspondence
May I have a motion that the
correspondence listed on the agenda be
received?
» So moved.
» Councilor Wright
Councilor Barnes
All in favor?
Carries.
So for action this evening, our first um
request is found on page 11.
Request to
um
provide the
adult um Mackenzie adult drop-in hockey
um they want would like their community
hall rental fees to be waived for their
annual hockey tournament dance to be
held on February 28th, 2026. So can I
have a
mover and seconder to get it on the
floor?
Okay. Council
Okay, Councilor Kylo and Councilor
Topper. So discussion.
Councilor Wright
» Thank you. My question for Director
Gilmore, because I know we've talked
about this in the past. Do we have a
non-profit rate for rental or is it just
a flat rate that everybody has to pay
and then we decide to to waive it or
not?
» There's a flat rate.
» It's a flat rate. Okay.
Thank you.
» Anyone else have any questions?
So um you know what? I spent the weekend
and last weekend at the arenas. Such an
important part of our community.
Um
currently in the financial situation
Mackenzie finds itself in and we all
know that that Tom Rex Center is already
subsidized to the tune of a 90%.
We get 10% um of the money collected to
pay for everything that users pay 10%.
Every taxpayer in this community pays
the other 90 through their taxes.
And um
I love that our Rex Center as much as
everyone else, but there are people in
this community that never walk into that
Rex Center. Uh and they are also paying
for the subsidy. Um and uh I I certainly
agree that Tom having hockey
tournaments, having two of them
back-to-back this last two weekends, it
is a huge financial boost to our
community, to the hotels, the
restaurants, um
all those places, but the the um
I guess I I I have a question um
the last sentence in the 1 2 3 fourth
paragraph
that um
the tournament organizers, and I know
they're all hard-working volunteers,
um can offer taxpayers of Mackenzie a
positive monetary return. Well, the the
District of Mackenzie gets none of that
extra money that's coming into the
community. It does support our
businesses, which are is very important,
our hotels and our restaurants,
but it actually by us
if we decide to waive the fee tonight,
we are actually um removing um some
money that um we can be that can be used
to pay for things in the community. So,
Councillor Barnes, go ahead.
» What what would the cost be?
» Mr. Gilmer, do you know?
» Um the invoice that I have in front of
me is for
uh $1,459.60
after GST.
The the the
the room rental fee is $484.64.
Then the extras stage and sound is
$919.25.
If that helps.
» Thank you.
» Anyone else? I see we have a
representative from the gentlemen's
hockey uh
Yeah, uh um are you able to confirm will
the people participating in the dance
they'll be expected to buy a ticket to
get in? Okay. And and um your
understanding is the ticket fees will
not cover the
the rental of the the hall?
» How many referees would you like to do
for the hockey tournament?
» Right.
Yeah.
Yeah. I understand referees are
extremely expensive.
Um and I I do note that Tom
the for action says to wave the fees and
your letter read a portion of the fees.
So, did you have a um
what you thought a portion might look
like?
Any help at all? Okay.
Anybody else want to Counselor Taber.
» Uh yes, um I'm in support
of um
this being either
um
being free or portion of the proceeds
taken away like 50%. I'm supportive any
volunteer organization within town
that works hard to get outside residents
into the town spending money and you
clearly outlined it here. So, I think I
will be supporting this.
» To the to the full amount or portion?
» Whether it's full amount or half of it,
I'm okay with both.
» Okay.
Yes, counselor Wright.
» Thank you. I'm allowed to ask a a
question as well. Is that you're okay to
answer a question?
I know in the past like this event has
happened at the Legion. You guys have
made an active decision to change
locations. Is there a reason why the Rec
Center is more advantageous than your
previous location was?
» Mr. Walktel, could I have you come up to
cuz we do have people listening on the
phone
and on Zoom so they can hear you.
» And while he's coming up, I guess the
reason I'm asking that is that if we do
provide this sort of support, are we
taking something away from a nonprofit
that could use that support? Are we
double hurting our
community? But I'm just curious why the
Legion wasn't going to work out.
» Uh I think we wanted a bigger venue. I
think it works better for the hockey
tournament and as well as like Mayor
Jones saying uh
people that spend money to the Rec
Center haven't actually go to the Rec
Center. So, giving the community an
opportunity to come check out the
facility and enjoy uh good band and get
spot to a beautiful place. I think it'd
be beneficial for everyone.
» Thank you.
Counselor McMeechan.
Do we not um I thought that there I and
I can't remember and I should know this
because I'm on the grant committee.
The um the waving of the fees for the
the sound equipment and and um
I thought like every organization got
the opportunity to waive those fees
once a year or once in the lifetime. I'm
forgetting how the
» I believe you are correct.
» So, in that estimate that Mr. Gilmore
gave us included the sound system and
the stage. So, I'm not sure if that's
Mr. Gilmore?
» I I'm not 100% but I I think your
recollection is in relation to the
outdoor stage policy. So, when you rent
the outdoor stage you get a get the
sound equipment for free. I can I can
review it myself and go back through it.
I thought it was tied to the outdoor
stage.
» So,
so it's not the outdoor stage. It's a
different stage.
» Yeah, and I'll go back through it and I
will obviously we can update the invoice
if it's incorrect.
Um but I know that
through the past there was a bit of
misinformation from my recollection that
was going around that you you got a free
stage rent or sorry sound equipment
rental but when I reviewed from again
this was a few years ago and I remember
reviewing the policy
um there there was no free
sound equipment rental unless it came
with the stage but but I I can update
you if I'm incorrect.
» Yeah. Well, that that makes sense.
So, Mr. Gilmore right now um
cuz my understanding exactly what
Counselor McMeechan's saying is the the
stage and the sound equipment was was
free for a not-for-profit organization
and the District of Mackenzie has been
very gracious to help
organizations set up. The stage doesn't
get used a lot but it does get used. So,
what is the what is the fee for the
sound equipment that is being
levied?
» Just 2 seconds. I had it and then I when
I shuffled my papers I lost it.
» We have lots of time.
Yes, Counselor Kylo.
» Doesn't town council bring their own
sound equipment
when they move?
» No. No, all those that that equipment's
Yeah, when they have the big outdoor
dances and stuff that all comes from the
district. Yes, Mr. Gilmer.
» So, the um
the sound system is $579.50.
Plus tax.
» So, I I would I would be prepared to
support removing that, um
but Council Megan
» For clarity, um
uh town council has used the sound
equipment, um many, many, many times,
and
and even just just the sound equipment
we used on their own and many the
organizations that would
have the band do the dance, they would
have that fee waived, even though it was
just the sound equipment. It wasn't the
stage. We only used the stage, I think,
for Morada.
And um the rest of the time the sound
equipment was waived, but
that was obviously not part of the
bylaw, like the policy, which was
obviously
some, you know, we everybody just made a
mistake, I guess.
» So, um Mr. Rocktell, does that sound
like, um
good compromise? Should should Council
so that cuts your fees down by more than
30%?
So, I'm prepared to make that motion, um
and then we can look at the policy, so
we have, um
a clear understanding of the uh
of what the fees are to use the sound
equipment. If someone wants to second
that motion.
Councilor Tupper.
Any discussion on that motion?
All in favor?
So, there you go.
» Thank you guys very much.
» You're welcome.
Okay, we'll move on to, um
McKenzie Community Arts Council,
request for support,
uh asking for a letter support to the
McKenzie
cu- oh oh for the McKinzie Community
Arts Council's application to N D I T
Fabulous Festivals and Events Grant
Program.
» So move that we write the letter.
» Okay, Councillor
» Second.
» Okay, any discussion on that?
All in favor?
That carries.
Uh 7.1.3
Civic Info BC 2026 Membership Dues.
The Civic Info 2026 Membership Dues are
$256
$256 plus GST.
And so what what is Council's wish
whether or not they want to renew?
» Move for the recommendation.
» Second.
» Councillor Burmoski, any discussion on
that?
All in favor?
Opposed? That carries.
Is there anything in the for
consideration that any member of Council
wishes to pull to discuss?
Yes, Councillor Wright.
» Thank you. I do just want to highlight
with my NCLJA hat on the connections
letter that came.
I want to especially draw everybody's
attention to page 19 cuz we tried a new
thing where we're doing a each member of
the the board of directors has an
opportunity to highlight something they
did and I was the guinea pig that went
first. So you'll notice that the
District of McKinzie got highlighted for
the the ideas that we're trying to
highlight things that are bringing the
larger region together. So I talked
about work we're doing with Powder King.
And the reason I'm just highlighting it
is that by benefit of me sitting on the
NCLJA board, if you're doing something
and you want to highlight it to the
larger NCLJA membership, please feel
free to approach me and I can do that in
the future.
» Perfect. Thank you.
Okay, we'll move on to um
» As well.
» Oh yes, sorry. Go ahead.
» I'd like to bring up 7.2.2 the update on
the proposed Wolverine Wolverine Wind
Project.
Um
I would like us to actually reach out to
them to hold a public event in Mackenzie
to gather public opinion and feedback on
the project.
Uh they say that they're attending
community events, but they don't really
tell us where and the only community
they ever mention is Vanderhoof, which
is, you know, maybe the fifth or sixth
closest community to that project and
certainly not the one with the closest
ties to that area. So, I would like to
make sure that we're actually on their
radar so that our concerns are heard.
» So, you you want to make a motion to
direct staff to reach out to the
proponents?
» Yes.
» Okay.
Second her on that motion, Councillor
Carlow?
Any discussion on that?
All in favor?
Opposed? That carries.
Is there anyone anything else that
anyone wishes to pull?
Hearing none.
Administrative reports, 8.1, designation
of fire inspection and fire inspection
policy number 4.5.
Recommendation that council adopts the
designation of fire inspectors and fire
investigations policy number 4.5.
» So moved.
» Councillor Barnes, Councillor McMeekin,
any discussion on that?
Councillor Barnes.
» Just a a question. So,
um does that mean let's say there's a
fire and
everything burns to the ground, that you
guys actually come in and do the whole
investigation and assist, you know,
running it for that side of it, like a
looking for arson or whatever, the cause
of it?
» So, we've always done investigation of
fires in the community. Um
if it's criminal in nature, it's passed
over the RCMP.
» Right.
» And saying that, I've helped the RCMP do
those investigations, but they've
downloaded that to municipalities now.
So, we used to be under the umbrella of
the office of the fire commissioner in
Victoria.
» Yeah.
» They pulled our local assistant to the
fire commissioner badges
and have put that
onus onto the municipalities of the
province.
» Wow.
Thanks.
» Okay.
All in favor?
Opposed? That carries.
8.2
resolutions of support CAN Export
Community Investment. The council
supports the District of Mackenzie's
application to the CAN Export Community
Investment Program for up to $220,000
to implement implement the marketing and
media initiatives outlined in the
strategic marketing initiative plan
aimed at enhancing residents, business,
tourism, and investment attraction.
» Move to the recommendation.
» Councillor Moski.
» Second.
» Councillor Wright. Any discussion on
that?
All in favor?
Carries.
The Library Board of Directors
recommendation that council appoint
Councillor Tappersley leaving the room.
Recommendation that council appoint Ivan
Suski, Karen Tinsley, and Anthony Brewis
to the Mackenzie Public Library Library
Board of Directors for a 2-year term
beginning January 1, 2026 and ending
December 31st, 2027.
» So moved.
» Councillor McMeechan.
» Second.
» Councillor
Councillor
Moski. All in favor?
That carries.
Okay.
8.4, building abatement and demolition
project update. The council receives
this report for information.
» So moved.
» Councillor Wright.
» Second.
» Councillor Barnes, any discussion?
Yes, go ahead.
» Thank you. I'll start off just cuz like
like I think we're all probably thinking
the same thing as how big the number was
that it ended up being. And I'm just
wondering just with staff's own
um
judgement, are these just the cost of
doing business in 2026 or was there
something really exceptional that
happened with this project? Which I
guess oh, Councillor Morrison's not
here. Never mind.
» I I think what I watch enough home
improvement shows.
» [laughter]
» You don't know what the mess is going to
look like until you knock down that wall
or open that door or pull up that Tom
and that is what appears what happened.
» So it's the cost of doing business.
» Ju- just the cost of the unknowns when
you look at a structure from the outside
looks but when you start pouring it and
and all of it was um safety issues. A
lot of it um to do with asbestos. So
that's was probably that was my
understanding why it went that much
higher. I don't know Mrs. or Mrs.
McLean if you have any
» I guess I was just wondering if there's
anything exceptional that that we should
be aware of for future projects like
this.
» Not that we really found that was about
like um Mayor Atkinson mentioned, a lot
of it was
um asbestos related and also unknown.
Like you can't really tell how much
concrete might be down below. So there
was just additional cost there but we
were fortunate to be able to um find
ways to save money in other areas. So
using the concrete as backfill and that
sort of thing. I do know um in
comparison to when our quotes were
coming back from the fire hall years
ago, things have gone up. Yeah.
» Thank you.
» Yeah.
» Thank you.
» So, any other questions?
All in favor of receipt?
Carries.
K and 8.5
Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee.
The four quarter 2025 activity report
recommendation that Council receives
this report for information.
» So moved.
» Councilor McKeekan.
Councilor Wright, any discussion on
this?
» I I just want to say yeah, it's a
so good to see all the things that um
are getting ticked off the long list and
taken care of and very grateful that Liz
Blackron has agreed to stay on the
committee during this transition cuz she
has been a a huge advocate and and uh
produced some fantastic results.
So, all in favor of receipt?
That opposed that carries.
I do not have a report to I'll have one
next meeting. Uh Councilor Wright has a
written report. Does any member of
Council have a verbal report they want
to share this evening?
Okay.
Any member Council have any unfinished
business?
Any member of Council have any new
business?
We have no bylaws, no notice of motion.
Uh coming events, the um
McKenzie
and District Museum have their AGM on
this Wednesday, January 28th. Kario Key
Night at the um Legion on the 30th.
Magic uh Mountain Magic Winter Quest is
February 20 to 22. And there are
snowboard lessons and um ski lessons
uh starting in February and get out
there and we just found out last week
that we've produced a Olympian, a
snowboard Olympian. So, that's very uh
very exciting for us. So.
And I also want to um
just came out today the notice that you
can now go online and purchase tickets
for the Kurt Browning performance. He's
here, I believe the first weekend in
March. So, those those tickets are
available online. Does anyone else have
anything that they want to bring
forward, coming events?
Okay.
So, any inquiries from the gallery?
No?
Any inquiries online?
» No, your worship.
» Okay.
So,
one more motion?
» Move to adjourn.
» Okay, Counselor Wright, second?
Counselor Barnes, all in favor?
Carried.