COUNCIL MATTERS: Rossland City Council Meeting, November 18, 2024
By Sara Golling
Council Matters: Rossland City Council Meeting, November 18, 2024
What the Sustainability Commission volunteers do for us; Rossland’s thriving Youth Action Network; some City spending info; a raucous rooster, or gender-diverse chicken? And, preparing for Winter Carnival! Mayor Andy Morel elected chair of RDKB board for 2025.
PRESENT:
Council: Mayor Andy Morel and Councillors Stewart Spooner, Craig Humpherys, Maya Provençal, and Lisa Kwiatkowski. Absent: Jeff Weaver, and Eliza Boyce, though she attempted to join remotely, but the sound would not work.
Staff: Chief Administrative Office Bryan Teasdale, Chief Financial Officer Mike Kennedy, Deputy Corporate Officer Cynthia Añonuevo, Executive Assistant Rachel Newton, City Planner Stacey Lightbourne, Manager of Recreation & Events Kristi Calder, Manager of Operations and Infrastructure Scott Lamont, and Deputy Operations Manager Josh Solman.
PUBLIC INPUT PERIOD:
No one spoke.
DELEGATIONS:
1. The Rossland Sustainability Commission (SC)
Matt Watkins, chair of the SC, brought Council up-to-date on current operations. The SC was formed in 2008 through the “Visions to Action” process, to support the City in achieving its sustainability goals. The SC is 100% volunteer, and supports policy and bylaw development by doing research and analysis. It has a budget allocation of $13,400 annually, but has very seldom used all of its budget. City staff also assist by working with the SC.
The SC currently has four “Task Forces” – Energy, Economic Development, Bear Smart, and Food Security.
The Energy Task Force has worked toward Rossland’s Integrated Climate Action Plan, and “Step Code” adoption. Rossland’s Housing Needs Assessment was done though the Economic Development Task Force, and that group is now working on a feasibility study for child care. Bear Smart continues its work to reduce bear-human conflicts.
Watkins reported that the SC owns “a lot of tools” that residents can borrow and use, and has been working to have them stored and available in one spot; the Rossland Public Library has been helpful.
The SC has been developing a project to help people share their experiences with energy-saving and lower-carbon options such as heat pumps and E-bikes; they’re calling it “Hey, Neighbour,” and hope to get it underway soon.
After the presentation, Kwiatkowski asked if there are any issues that haven’t yet been tackled; Watkins identified water as an outstanding issue, especially as affected by climate change. Morel suggested that seniors’ housing could be addressed as well.
2. Rossland Youth Action Network (YAN)
The Rossland Youth Action Network operates under the Family Action Network; Executive Director of FAN, Heather Glen-Dergousoff, spoke to Council about the youth programs in Rossland, including the Cooking Club, the Art Club, the DND Club, the Umbrella Club, and drop-in times. She noted that youth like YAN because it’s a safe space.
The Rossland YAN is one of many in the region, and is the most active and the most utilized.
Provençal asked if there is a girls’ group; Glen-Dergousoff responded that all the YAN staff members are currently male, and a girls’ group would likely be successful if there were a female coordinator for it. Provençal raised the issue of youth engagement in politics, particularly at the municipal level, and mentioned Vancouver’s “CityHive” which seeks to draw on the energy, knowledge and ideas of young people.
BYLAWS:
1. 2025 Annual Revenue Anticipation Bylaw # 2843: A motion to give the bylaw first reading CARRIED unanimously, as did a further motion to give it second and third readings.
2. 2024–2028 Financial Plan Amendment Bylaw # 2942: Motions to give the bylaw first, second and third readings all CARRIED unanimously.
REQUESTS FOR COUNCIL DECISION:
RFP Review and Award: Municipal Engineering and Urban Design Consulting Services:
A motion to approve the award of a five-year contract for municipal engineering and urban design consulting to ISL Engineering and Land Services CARRIED.
There had been four responses to the request for proposals, staff considered and ISL’s to be the best fit with the City’s requirements.
Discussion: Humpherys asked how long ISL has held this contract; Staff responded that this is the fourth time ISL has been the successful bidder. Spooner said he recognizes the value of continuity, but wondered whether a new contractor might be challenged in a way that would benefit the City; Teasdale responded that the priority is to ensure that the City is served reliably.
Municipal Cheque Register Report:
A motion to approve the City’s expenditures for October, 2024, CARRIED. To help readers understand the costs of running a municipality, Staff included the following information in the Council materials:
“Total monthly payments totaled $ 1,520,036.74 for October 2024.
“Noteworthy expenditures occurring during the period include:
$40K to Workers Compensation Board for annual premiums (4.55% of overall payroll for 2024, expected increase to 4.57% in 2025)
$37K to Family Action Network for their administration of the Youth Action Network (YAN) programming
$26K to Flow Systems Distribution for submersible pressure monitoring to provide richer data to inform the Utility Master Plan
$52K to ISL Engineering for construction and engineering services, including $18K for advisory on Second Avenue improvements project
$15K to the Kootenay Columbia Trails Society for trail maintenance, covered under Resort
Municipality Initiative funding
$49K to West K Sand and Gravel for purchase of sand and gravel inventory
$164K to AM Ford for the purchase of a new sander / plow truck, consistent with 2024 capital plan
$27K to Kootenay Industrial Supply for edging and blade materials
$302K to the Regional District of Kootenay Columbia for debt servicing payments (the RDKB administers debt for the City of Rossland via the Municipal Finance Authority)
$407K to Kays Road Contracting Ltd for their work on the now substantially complete Second Avenue improvements projects.”
FOR INFORMATION ONLY — Monthly Reports to Council for September:
Building Permits
Building Permit Inspections by Type
Step Code Energy Rebates
Public Works and Water Production
Eye on Water
Bylaw Compliance (Chicken coop kafuffle: the bylaw officer’s report included this paragraph: “Bylaw Services also responded to a complaint about a rooster in a residential neighborhood. Upon investigation and discussion with the owner, the owner surmised that perhaps the rooster identified as a hen to avoid getting into trouble. While gender-diverse chickens may fall outside some of the bylaw’s specific language, residents must ensure that no bird in their care is auditioning for “The Voice” at 5 a.m. and disturbing the peace.”
Councillors were amused, and Kwiatkowski noted with approval that City diversity policies are now being noted by backyard chicken coop owners.
REQUESTS ARISING FROM CORRESPONDENCE:
Rossland Winter Carnival Society Event Support Request 2025:
A motion to grant the following support for Winter Carnival CARRIED:
— closing Queen Street for one block South of Columbia Avenue
for the Winter Carnival Ice Palace from 8:00am Wednesday, January 22nd until
8:00pm Sunday, January 26th, 2025.
— closing Queen Street from Columbia Avenue to First Avenue
for the Winter Carnival Rail Jam from 8:00am Wednesday, January 22nd until 8:00pm
Sunday, January 26th, 2025.
— closing Spokane Street from Kirkup Avenue to Columbia Avenue for the duration of the Sonny Samuelson Bobsled Race beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 25th, 2025
— traffic management on Kirkup Avenue from the intersection of Highway 3B to Spokane Street for the duration of the Sonny Samuelson Bobsled Race beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 25th, 2025 for race staging activities.
— an exemption to Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2631 for noise created by amplified music at the ice bar from 8:00 p.m.- 11:00 p.m. on January 24th and 25th, 2025.
MEMBERS’ REPORTS:
Spooner had attended the meeting for the Review Committee for the Record Ridge mine proposal. He said it “wasn’t a very substantive meeting” and explained that the process is mostly between the proponent and Ministry personnel.
Provençal had attended the first meeting of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility group, and also attended the recent “Neighbours United” event.
Morel reported that the Rossland Remembrance Day ceremony was very well ,attended despite the bad weather. He had also attended the “Neighbours United event, and the “Save Record Ridge Action Committee” information session at the Miners Hall on November 7; he said that about 170 people attended, and that it was very informative.
Morel noted that work on the new sewage treatment plant is moving ahead. He attended a Regional District of Kootenay Boundary meeting in Grand Forks, and was elected as chair of the board for 2025.
The meeting recessed to an in camera session, and your reporter went home in the crunchy snow, thinking of chicken coops and raucous roosters, and wondering how many readers have heard the “chicken yodeling” video – very cheering.
