Council Matters: Rossland City Council Meetings, March 9, 2026
By Sara Golling
MORE about City spending and property taxes at the CoW; huge thanks to the BC Winter Games board members and all the volunteers; increasing remuneration levels for the next council – not this one; more precautions needed about using AI in City work; preparing for the civic election in October; and, it seems COFI wants to cut more trees, faster …
- Committee-of-the-Whole: 3:30 PM
PRESENT:
Mayor Andy Morel and Councillors Stewart Spooner, Craig Humpherys, Maya Provençal, Lisa Kwiatkowski and Eliza Boyce. Absent: Jeff Weaver
Staff: CAO Bryan Teasdale, Deputy Corporate Officer Cynthia Añonuevo, CFO Craig McDonald, Manager of Public Works and Infrastructure Scott Lamont, City Planner Stacey Lightbourne, Manager of Recreation & Events Kristi Calder, Executive Assistant Rachel Newton, and Deputy Operations Manager Josh Solman.
PUBLIC INPUT PERIOD:
There were four members of the public present at the beginning of the meeting, and two more arrived slightly later.
Chris Trautman suggested that the City do more to publicize the means by which people can provide information and opinions to the City.
FINANCIAL PLAN (Capital portion):
Chief Financial Officer Craig McDonald presented a series of facts about the DRAFT plan for capital expenditures:
The Capital Plan anticipates spending 60.4 million dollars over five years. 41 million of that spending is dependant on receiving grants.
Funding sources: taxes – 7% ($4.3 million); grants – 57% ($34.2 million); reserves – 20% ($11.9 million); and debt – 17% ($10 million).
Biggest urgent item coming up: the Warfield Sewer Trunk replacement.
Question from the gallery: what is the capacity of the new line and what is the life expectancy?
Answer: Capacity will be upgraded, as the current line is often operating at full capacity; and the life expectancy of the new line is about 75 years.
Another urgent item is replacing failing retaining walls – McLeod Avenue first. Funding will be from reserves.
Spooner raised the issue of responsibility for the sewage line from Warfield through Trail to the treatment plant; Morel responded that Rossland is responsible for the line from Rossland to Warfield, and that pipe is presently old clay-tile, therefor subject to inflow and infiltration.
Rossland is responsible for 60% of the cost of a new line from Warfield to Trail and has a corresponding weight in voting.
Teasdale pointed out that funding put into the system now will save much more money in the future. He also noted that Rossland is way better prepared with data than ever in the past, and way better situated strategically.
Street Sweeper Replacement will also be included in this year’s budget, for $520,000, but that figure does not include an allowance for potential trade-in.
There is also 500,000 budgeted for the Recreation Masterplan.
Teasdale engaged in some tough talk: he pointed out that the City cannot afford to continue providing services at present levels of service, at present levels of taxation, and still replace the crucial infrastructure that must be repaired or replaced.
Morel acknowledged that priorities will change as circumstance change – he gave the recent Cook Avenue storm drain collapse, and the subsequent extensive repairs, as one example. He noted that the city’s investment in water meters is paying off, as those meters now help the
City detect leaks.
Spooner raised the question of how much taxes might be increased by servicing additional City debt; Teasdale responded that the numbers haven’t been fully crunched yet, but the City does anticipate needing to add some debt in order to complete some of the urgent projects.
Teasdale acknowledged that residents’ City property taxes will not actually rise by 10% — the amount should be less, more likely about 8%.
Morel addressed the issue of parcel taxes and service fees – which help to align usage with cost of operation.
Spooner mentioned a sewage upgrade in North Vancouver which will cost residents of the area an additional $1000 a year; Morel said that Rossland is fortunate in having set aside reserves for a few years, to reduce the impact of the Columbia Pollution Control Centre (CPCC) on taxpayers. Morel pointed out that the CPCC project is still on schedule and within the most recent budget.
Debt: the City currently carries about $6.8 million in debt, and pays about $547,000 a year in principal and interest. Under the Community charter, a municipality is not allowed to pay out more than 25% of “controllable sustained revenue” for debt servicing; Rossland’s current policy is to keep it to 10% or less. The DRAFT financial plan includes borrowing a total of $10 million spread over the next five years, but that is tentative and would not begin until 2027.
Trautman requested that the City provide anticipated figures for longer than the five-year plan timespan; Spooner noted that the further into the future figures are provided, the more speculative they are.
Morel explained the great advantage to BC municipalities of the Municipal Finance Authority (MFA) which was created by all the BC municipalities for the purpose of making funding available to municipalities at lower interest rates than are available anywhere else.
City Reserves: $11.7 million at present. Optimum balance is considered to be $12 million.
Teasdale noted that re-doing a city block – pipes and paving and sidewalks – costs one million dollars now. Also that the quality and durability of asphalt has gone down, because of regulations limiting the amount of petroleum in it.
Total impact of the expected tax increases on average property owner: this was summarized in the previous report on the February 17 CoW meeting but here it is again (in italics).
Also included is a summary of the expected financial impact of the planned increase in taxes, not only Rossland-specific but also regional: see chart below. Note; some items are not included, such as any projected increase in School, Police, or Hospital taxes, as that information is not available until April. Also note: the figures in the working draft of the Plan will be further adjusted as reality rolls on. The huge increase in the RDKB requisition is because of the Columbia Pollution Control upgrades – required by law — to how our sewage is treated before being dumped into the Columbia River.
For the “Average” Rosslander: $ Per Year: $ Per Month: $ Per Day:
Property Tax Increase (8%) 213.45 17.79 0.58
Parcel Tax Increases (10%) 26.12 2.18 0.07
Water Rate Increase (10%) 43.27 3.61 0.12
Municipal Sewer Increase (10%) 20.64 1.72 0.06
Regional Sewer Increase (65%) 160.92 13.41 0.44
RDKB Increase (11%) 87.06 7.26 0.24
TOTAL: 551.46 45.96 1.51
Kwiatkowski stated that she feels the financial plan / budget is reasonable and prudent, and that she is happy with it.
Trautman thanked Morel and Council for the format of this meeting, and for spending time to explain things and answer questions.
Morel pointed out that the civic election is coming up in October, and there will be more information coming about that.
A resident asked where a street sweeper fits into the priorities; Lamont explained that it doesn’t just take sand and gravel off the streets, it keeps the sand and gravel from plugging up the storm drains, which would otherwise create a very expensive problem.
Morel noted that he is proud of this Council for dealing with the hard questions and addressing the need for increasing taxes to spend money on crucial infrastructure replacement, repairs and upgrades.
- Regular Council Meeting: 6:00 PM
Before the agenda items, Morel thanked the BC Games board of directors for their hard work over the past several months, and noted that Staff member Kristi Calder had asked to express her thanks to them as well – which she did – she thanked them for the less visible work they did (as well as those services that everyone could see) – such as managing invoices; managing the media; managing the protocol between the participating municipalities; managing youth events; managing the medical volunteers and training; managing the stuff and the waste materials; managing security; managing the food and supplies; managing accommodation; managing transportation; gathering sponsorships and appreciations for them; managing 1800 volunteers; and she also thanked Teasdale for all the speaking he did, to the point of losing his voice. Calder then handed out thank-you packages to each of those attending.
Teasdale said he thought it all turned out better than expected, largely thanks to all the volunteers – including Calder; Morel then presented her with a bouquet and a gift, and offered more words of appreciation for her work, and for all who helped.
One of the Winter Games board members also thanked Calder in particular, and said she is a gem for Rossland.
Provençal suggested bringing the variance application forward in the agenda; a motion to do that CARRIED, and that was done, but in this report it remains in its original place.
PUBLIC INPUT PERIOD:
Doug Orr, outgoing chair of the library board, thanked staff and Council for listening to the challenges the library faces.
George Hogarth said he was present to support his application for a variance.
POLICY REVIEW:
Information Technology Acceptable Use Policy:
This policy has been reworked to make it more readable, eliminate redundancies, and to incorporate precautionary provisions regarding how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is used.
Provençal said she would like this policy to be just a beginning, and she would like to see the issue of AI use dealt with in much more detail, particularly regarding privacy and now data is classified, and much more. She thinks this is a much bigger issue than many people realize now. She noted that some municipalities are disclosing when AI has been used to develop material.
Teasdale agreed, and indicated that it is on the list and this policy is just a first step.
A motion to accept the amended policy CARRIED unanimously.
BYLAWS:
Election Officials Bylaw # 2866, 2026
This bylaw sets the remuneration for Election Officials for the upcoming civic election as follows:
(a) Chief Election Officer $1,700.00
(b) Deputy Chief Election Officer $900.00
(c) Election Official $400.00
(e) Poll Clerks / Ballot Counters $25 per hour
A motion to adopt the Election Officials bylaw CARRIED.
Council Remuneration Bylaw # 2865, 2026
The City retained a consultant, Acumen HR Solutions, to advise on the levels of pay for all council members, to become effective on November 1, 2026, after the next civic election. The consultant studied pay levels for councillors in a variety of comparable communities, and found that Rossland’s are currently at the lower end of pay levels for most comparable municipalities.
As a Resort Municipality, Rossland has additional obligations. The report pointed out that Resort Municipalities “must maintain a three-year Resort Development Strategy, enter into a formal agreement with the Province and provide quarterly financial and performance reports on funded projects.”
The recommended pay levels, embodied in the DRAFT bylaw, were:
Mayor Remuneration: Proposed 2027 rates (Nov 1, 2026) – $37,575 ($36,840 + 2% [estimated 2026 CPI]). [Current 2026 rates (Jan 1, 2026) – $32,826]
Council Remuneration: Proposed 2027 rates (Nov1, 2026) – $20,850 ($20,444 + 2% [estimated 2026 CPI]) [Current 2026 rates (Jan1, 2026) – $16,184]
Total City Council pay at current 2026 rates (Jan1, 2026) – $129,472
At Proposed 2027 rates (Nov1, 2026) – $162,675 — an increase of $33,203.
Discussion:
Spooner noted that being a Councillor is a lot of work, and that Councillor remuneration is a token appreciation for their efforts.
Kwiatkowski asked some clarifying questions which Teasdale explained. She suggested that future councils might consider a deputy mayor role, rather than just alternating acting mayors. She thinks the compensation suggested is reasonable.
Provençal said that she thought if a mayor wanted to appoint a deputy, then the mayor and the deputy could arrange to split the mayor’s compensation according to how much time each one spent on the duties.
Boyce felt torn; she knows we want to keep costs low, but she also recognizes the workload.
Humpherys said he agrees with the recommendations, as we need people to step forward as candidates for Council.
Motions to give the bylaw first reading CARRIED, as did notions to give it second and third readings.
REQUESTS FOR COUNCIL DECISION:
Development Variance Permit Application: 2337 Fourth Avenue
The applicant is requesting a reduction in the required side set-back, from 1.8 metre to .94 metre. One neighbour had expressed concerns, and Planner Stacey Lightbourne indicated that those concerns have been largely addressed by conditions imposed to address runoff and drainage.
Spooner said he felt challenged by this one; he looked at the property, and said he doesn’t see how any conditions can change how close the homes are together, and he isn’t comfortable imposing that degree of proximity on the neighbours.
Lightbourne stated that the actual setback for small lots can be smaller than stated in the application, so the closeness impact is less.
A motion to grant the variance CARRIED with only Spooner opposed.
Appointment of 2026 General Local Election Officials:
A motion to appoint Cynthia Añonuevo as Rossland’s Chief Election Officer, and to appoint Kristi Calder and the Deputy Chief Election Officer, for the civic election in October, CARRIED unanimously.
Golden City Lions Club Campground Operating Agreement 2026-2028:
A motion to extend the current six-page operating agreement between the City and the Rossland Lions Club for a further two years, until December 31, 2028, CARRIED unanimously.
This will give enough time for the new Council to consider priorities for the campground and to propose any desired changes. Both Boyce and Humpherys expressed a wish that the campground could be better utilized. Spooner agreed, and added that he thinks the current agreement results in under-investment in the campground. He thinks more than 5% of revenue should be put back into improving the facility. He reported that Kimberly ran a very successful campground, ultimately decided they didn’t want to do that and sold it.
Lamont noted that the Lions, albeit a group of senior volunteers, do a great deal of hands-on work and that the City could not afford to pay for that amount of work.
Grant Application for Rossglen Playground Equipment:
A motion to apply for the RBC Barrier Buster Grants Program in the amount of $40,000 for accessible playground equipment for Rossglen Park CARRIED unanimously. The City has already included $100,000 in its budget to replace the existing outdated equipment which does not meet CSA guidelines, and has also already applied for other grants from SPARC BC ($25,000 grant approved) and Kal Tire.
Centre Star Gulch Dam Safety Review — RFP Review and Award
The Centre Star Gulch reservoir is contained by a dam at each end, and potential failure of these dams has been assessed as “very high consequence”. Such dams are required to undergo a Dam Safety Review every ten years. The City issued an RFP in February and received four proposals. The CIMA proposal received the highest ranking by three City staff members who reviewed the proposals independently.
A motion to approve a contract with CIMA Canada Inc. for $129,920 to complete the Centre Star Gulch Dam Safety Review CARRIED.
Feasibility Study — Emergency Back-up Power (for Kirkup Reservoir and the Public Works yard) RFP Review and Award:
The City was successful in obtaining an Adaptation in Action grant from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities to study the feasibility of installing permanent standby generators at the Kirkup Reservoir pump station and the Public Works Yard. An RFP was issued in February and the City received nine proposals.
A motion to award a contract for the feasibility study to CIMA Canada Inc. in the amount of $65,960 (exclusive of GST) CARRIED unanimously.
Green Municipal Fund Grant Application: Urban Forest Management Plan
A motion to authorize an application to the Green Municipal Fund for a grant to develop an
Urban Forest Management Plan, and confirming the following requirements, CARRIED unanimously. Conditions:
- The local share of funding is available and supported.
- The project is a municipal priority as identified in the Official Community Plan and Integrated mClimate Action Plan.
- The project will be completed within two years of funding approval.
Under the granting guidelines, up to 90% of project costs may be covered by a grant; in this case, the estimated total cost is $100,000, so the grant could be up to $90,000 if the application is successful. This project is supported by the Sustainability Commission.
What the City spent in February:
A motion to accept the Municipal Cheque Register Report for February, 2026, CARRIED unanimously.
A summary from the Council materials said that monthly payments in February 2026 totaled $1,216,461.15, including the following noteworthy expenditures:
$45.1K to to ISL Engineering for services on a range of projects including: Cook Avenue Infrastructure Improvements, Trail Improvements, Sanitary Trunk Main, Engineering Services, and Construction services;
$91.8K to North Mountain Construction for the Rossland Gazebo;
$25.5K to Josh the Garage Door guy for a Garage Door Replacement;
$44.8K to Kootenay Columbia Trails Society for 2026 Grant in Aid Funding;
$47.1K to Municipal Insurance Association of BC for 2026 Liability coverage;
$18K to the Rossland Arts Centre Society for 2026 Grant in Aid Funding;
$125 to the Rossland Council for Arts and Culture for 2026 Grant in Aid Funding;
$63K to the Rossland Historical Museum Association for 2026 Grant in Aid Funding;
$212K to Triahn Enterprises for Cook Avenue Improvements;
$100K to Copcan for holdback release for 2025 trail improvements; and
$163.8K to the Rossland Public Library for 2026 operating funding.
There was a discussion about drainage issues at the Rossglen Park and gazebo.
2026 Corporate Management Work Plan:
The DRAFT plan, available to the public in the materials for this meeting, organizes 34 projects under six City departments or areas of responsibility, and grades each one as high, medium or low priority. There are 12 high-priority items, 17 medium-priority items, and five low-priority items.
One example of a high-priority item is: Continue with infrastructure improvement efforts to reduce overall water and wastewater treatment costs. One medium-priority item is: Look to implement resource sharing with other communities to help reduce operational costs and capital expenses (specialized equipment or personnel). And one low-priority item is: Plan for future growth in Downtown Rossland.
A motion to approve the 2026 Corporate Management Work Plan as presented CARRIED unanimously.
FOR INFORMATION ONLY:
2025 Annual Water Report:
The 12-page Water Report (required by Provincial legislation) for 2025 provides interesting information on our water system, including staffing, our water sources and reservoirs, dam safety, water quality and treatment, distribution, pressure zones, new connections, water conservation and metering, infrastructure upgrades and more.
2025 Sanitary Sewer – Regional Flow Monitoring Data
The greater the volume of fluid waste that we Rosslanders send down the sewer, the more we pay to the Regional District each year. Therefore, the City focuses on reduction of Inflow &
Infiltration (I&I – water leakage into sewer lines) and persuading residents to conserve water, inter alia. Saving water from going down the drain saves us all money. This report explains how we’re doing.
Boyce asked about freshet information and how it relates to I&I and sewer flows; Teasdale commented that the City will be getting a little weather station at the Public Works Yard, thanks to a small grant, and that will contribute more information to how weather events affect flows.
Monthly Staff Reports:
Council perused the regular reports:
Building Permit Report
Building Permit Inspections by Type
Step Code Energy Rebates
Public Works & Water Production Report
Eye On Water Report
Bylaw Enforcement & Animal Control Monthly Report (We note that one dog owner was caught in the act of failing to pick up a dog’s poop.)
REQUESTS ARISING FROM CORRESPONDENCE:
The BC Council of Forest Industries (COFI) has requested official endorsement of its “Forestry is a Solution” initiative, which seeks to speed up access to “harvest-ready” timber, and to “fix” BC Timber Sales (though without specifying how it should be fixed).
After discussion, council voted to refrain from sending a letter or commenting on the issue.
MEMBER REPORTS:
Kwiatkowski reported on her experience of participating in the BC Winter Games.
Provençal reported on a recent Sustainability Commission meeting, and thanked outgoing Library Board Chair Doug Orr for his work.
Morel reported on attending a Tourism Rossland (TR) meeting, where he will be the City liaison. TR has submitted a letter opposing the proposed Record Ridge open-pit mine. Morel also met with the new RCMP Staff Sergeant Dave Johnson, and was impressed with him. He also thanked Kwiatkowski for standing in for him at the opening of the BC Winter Games.
RDKB Board Meetings – the board passed a number of service budgets; the RDKB has a new CAO, James Chandler, replacing Mark Andison, who has retired.
Morel also attended a meeting of RMI community representatives.
The meeting recessed to an in camera session at 7:39 PM and your reporter made her way home in the dark and chilly evening, wondering with fingers crossed how the court will decide on the application by the Save Record Ridge Action Committee (SRRAC) to stop West High Yield (WHY) from proceeding with work on their proposed open-pit mine on Record Ridge until SRRAC’s application for a judicial review is heard in August – and whether SRRAC will be able to raise the funds required for the deposit required by the court, to be paid to WHY as compensation for time lost in the event that the judicial review application fails.
