 | COMOX VALLEY REGIONAL DISTRICT BOARD | |
| Monday, February 3, 2025 | ||
| Minutes of the meeting of the Comox Valley Regional District Board of Directors held on Monday, February 3, 2025 in the Civic Room of the Comox Valley Regional District offices located at 770 Harmston Avenue, Courtenay, BC commencing at 9:02 am. | ||
| MINUTES | ||
| Present: | ||
| Chair: | W. Cole-Hamilton | City of Courtenay |
| Vice-Chair: | J. Kerr | Town of Comox |
| Directors: | D. Arbour | Baynes Sound-Denman/Hornby Islands (Area A) |
| V. Brown | Village of Cumberland | |
| K. Grant | Town of Comox | |
| E. Grieve | Puntledge/Black Creek (Area C) | |
| R. Hardy | Lazo North (Area B) | |
| D. Hillian | City of Courtenay | |
| M. McCollum | City of Courtenay | |
| W. Morin | City of Courtenay | |
| Staff: | J. Warren | Chief Administrative Officer |
| L. Wiwcharuk | Chief Financial Officer | |
| J. Martens | General Manager of Corporate Services | |
| D. DeMarzo | General Manager of Community Services | |
| A. Mullaly | General Manager of Planning and Development | |
| M. Rutten | General Manager of Engineering Services | |
| L. Dennis | Manager of Legislative Services | |
| ATTENDANCE: | ||||||
| Director Brown was not in attendance when the meeting was called to order. | ||||||
| RECOGNITION OF TRADITIONAL TERRITORIES: | ||||||
| The Chair acknowledged that the meeting was being held on the unceded traditional territory of the K’ómoks First Nation and read the following Call to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action report:
Call to Action 64: Education for Reconciliation: We call upon all levels of government that provide public funds to denominational schools to require such schools to provide an education on comparative religious studies, which must include a segment on Aboriginal spiritual beliefs and practices developed in collaboration with Aboriginal Elders. | ||||||
| PUBLIC INPUT ON THE 2025-2029 FINANCIAL PLAN: | ||||||
| L. Wiwcharuk, Chief Financial Officer, provided a summary of public input received in regards to the 2025-2029 proposed financial plan and the specific CVRD services under consideration. | ||||||
| Members of the public may submit comments, questions or feedback on the 2025-2029 proposed financial plan at: www.engagecomoxvalley.ca/budget | ||||||
| PRESENTATIONS: | ||||||
| 2025-2029 FINANCIAL PLAN | ||||||
| L. Wiwcharuk, Chief Financial Officer, introduced the 2025-2029 financial planning process. [Item] | ||||||
| All the financial planning information can be accessed through the following link: https://www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/currentbudget | ||||||
| Director Brown entered the meeting at 9:21 am. | ||||||
| FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION CORE SERVICE - 2025-2029 FINANCIAL PLAN | ||||||
| L. Wiwcharuk, Chief Financial Officer, J. Warren Chief Administrative Officer, and J. Martens, General Manager of Corporate Services, presented an overview of the Finance and Administration Core Service. [Item] | ||||||
| The Finance and Administration Core Service budget details may be accessed through the following link: www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/strategicplan/finance-administration | ||||||
| SERVICE 100 MEMBER MUNICIPALITY ADMINISTRATION | ||||||
| L. Wiwcharuk, Chief Financial Officer, presented information regarding the proposed 2025-2029 financial plan for Service 100 Member Municipality Administration. [Item] | ||||||
| D. Hillian/W. Morin: THAT the proposed 2025-2029 financial plan for Service 100 Member Municipality Administration, be approved. | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| SERVICE 130 ELECTORAL AREA ADMINSTRATION | ||||||
| J. Warren, Chief Administrative Officer, and J. Martens, General Manager of Corporate Services, presented information regarding Service 130 Electoral Area Administration. [Item] | ||||||
| J. Kerr/V. Brown: THAT the proposed 2025-2029 financial plan for the Service 130 Electoral Area Administration, be approved. | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| SERVICE 110 ADMINISTRATION & GENERAL GOVERNMENT
| ||||||
| L. Wiwcharuk, Chief Financial Officer, J. Warren, Chief Administrative Officer, and J. Martens, General Manager of Corporate Services, presented information regarding Service 110 Administration and General Government.
[Item] | ||||||
| 208 | ||||||
| J. Kerr/M. McCollum: THAT the proposed 2025-2029 financial plan for Service 110 Administration and General Government, be approved. | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| SERVICE 550 COMOX VALLEY TOURISM | ||||||
| L. Kilpatrick, Community Development and Resilience Manager, presented information regarding Service 550 Comox Valley Tourism. [Item] | ||||||
| M. McCollum/V. Brown: THAT the proposed 2025-2029 financial plan for Service 550 Comox Valley Tourism be amended to remove the $25,000 for the EV charger, and be approved. | ||||||
| 209 | Carried | |||||
| The meeting recessed at 11:09 am and resumed at 11:24 am. | ||||||
| OTHER - SERVICES 150, 190, 275, 400, 630 | ||||||
| K. Broughton, Manager of Financial Planning, provided an overview of the following services:
* Service 150 Feasibility (Regional) * Service 190 Municipal Debt * Service 275 9-1-1 Answering * Service 630 Vancouver Island Regional Library * Service 400 Cemetery [Item] | ||||||
| D. Hillian/J. Kerr: THAT the proposed 2025-2029 financial plans for Service 150 Regional Feasibility, and Service 190 Municipal Debt, be approved. | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| M. McCollum/W. Morin: THAT the proposed 2025-2029 financial plans for Service 275 9-1-1 Answering, and Service 630 Vancouver Island Regional Library, be approved. | ||||||
| 209 | Carried | |||||
| D. Hillian/J. Kerr: THAT the proposed 2025-2029 financial plan for Service 400 Cemetary, be approved. | ||||||
| 209 | Carried | |||||
| WATER SUPPLY CORE SERVICE - 2025-2029 FINANCIAL PLAN | ||||||
| M. Rutten, General Manager of Engineering Services, presented an overview of the Water Supply Core Service. [Item] | ||||||
| Information regarding the Water Supply Core Service can be accessed through this link: www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/strategicplan/water-supply | ||||||
| SEWAGE TREATMENT CORE SERVICE - 2025-2029 FINANCIAL PLAN | ||||||
| M. Rutten, General Manager of Engineering Services, presented an overview of the Sewage Treatment Core Service. [Item] | ||||||
| The Sewage Treatment Core Service budget details may be accessed through this link: www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/strategicplan/sewage-treatment | ||||||
| ELECTORAL AREAS CORE SERVICE - 2025-2029 FINANCIAL PLAN | ||||||
| J. Warren, Chief Administrative Officer, presented an overview of the Electoral Areas Core Service. [Item] | ||||||
| The Electoral Areas Core Service budget details may be accessed through this link: www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/strategicplan/electoral-area-services | ||||||
| REGIONAL SUSTAINABILITY CORE SERVICE - 2025-2029 FINANCIAL PLAN | ||||||
| A. Mullaly, General Manager of Planning and Development Services, presented an overview of the Regional Sustainability Core Service. [Item] | ||||||
| The Regional Sustainability Core Service budget details may be accessed through this link: https://www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/strategicplan/regional-sustainability | ||||||
| SERVICE 450 EMERGENCY LAND ACQUISITON | ||||||
| L. Kilpatrick, Community Development and Resilience Manager, presented information regarding Service 450 Emergency Land Acquisition. [Item] | ||||||
| D. Arbour/V. Brown: THAT staff present the foundational option for Service 450 Emergency Shelter Land Acquisition proposed 2025-2029 financial plan at the February 28, 2025 Board meeting. | ||||||
| 209 | Carried | |||||
| SERVICE 451 HOMELESSNESS SUPPORTS | ||||||
| L. Kilpatrick, Community Development and Resilience Manager, presented information regarding Service 451 Homelessness Supports. [Item] | ||||||
| M. McCollum/V. Brown: Pending the result of the Alternative Approval Process, that the proposed 2025-2029 financial plan for Service 451 Homelessness Supports, be approved. | ||||||
| 209 | Carried | |||||
| SERVICE 512 REGIONAL GROWTH STRATEGY | ||||||
| A. Mullaly, General Manager of Planning and Development Services, presented information regarding Service 512 Regional Growth Strategy. [Item] | ||||||
| D. Hillian/V. Brown: THAT the proposed 2025-2029 financial plan for Service 512 Regional Growth Strategy, be approved. | ||||||
| 208 and 212 | Carried | |||||
| TRANSPORTATION CORE SERVICE - 2025-2029 FINANCIAL PLAN | ||||||
| A. Mullaly, General Manager of Planning and Development Services, presented an overview of the Transportation Core Service. [Item] | ||||||
| SERVICE 780 TRANSIT COMOX VALLEY | ||||||
| M. Zbarsky, Manager of Transit and Facilities, presented information regarding Service 780 Transit Comox Valley. [Item] | ||||||
| D. Hillian/M. McCollum: THAT the proposed 2025-2029 financial plan for Service 780 Transit Comox Valley, be approved. | ||||||
| 209 | Carried | |||||
| RECREATION CORE SERVICE - 2025-2029 FINANCIAL PLAN | ||||||
| D. DeMarzo, General Manager of Community Services, presented an overview of the Recreation Core Service. [Item] | ||||||
| The Recreation Service Core Service budget details may be accessed through this link: www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/strategicplan/recreation | ||||||
| REGIONAL EMERGENCY SERVICES CORE SERVICE - 2025-2029 FINANCIAL PLAN | ||||||
| D. DeMarzo, General Manager of Community Services, presented an overview of the Regional Emergency Services Core Service. [Item] | ||||||
| SERVICE 200 VICTIM SERVICES | ||||||
| H. Siemens, Manager of Emergency Programs, presented information regarding Service 200 Victim Services. [Item] | ||||||
| D. Hillian/W. Morin: THAT the proposed 2025-2029 financial plan for Service 200 Victim Services, be approved | ||||||
| 209 | Carried | |||||
| SERVICE 205 COMMUNITY JUSTICE | ||||||
| H. Siemens, Manager of Emergency Programs, presented information regarding Service 205 Community Justice. [Item] | ||||||
| V. Brown/J. Kerr: THAT the proposed 2025-2029 financial plan for Service 205 Comox Valley Community Justice, be approved. | ||||||
| 209 | Carried | |||||
| SERVICE 265 COMOX VALLEY SEARCH AND RESCUE | ||||||
| D. DeMarzo, General Manager of Community Services, presented information regarding Service 265, Comox Valley Search and Rescue. [Item] | ||||||
| Director Hardy left the meeting at 3:00 pm. | ||||||
| M. McCollum/E. Grieve: The proposed 2025-2029 financial plan for the Service 265 Comox Valley Search and Rescue be approved with an additional $100,000 contribution per year for the five-year financial plan (2025- 2029) to further support Comox Valley Ground Search and Rescue’s facility needs. | ||||||
| 209 | ||||||
| M. McCollum/E. Grieve: THAT the motion be amended to add “to reserves” before “per year”. | ||||||
| 209 | Carried | |||||
| The vote was taken on the main motion, as amended, as follows: | ||||||
| The proposed 2025-2029 financial plan for the Service 265 Comox Valley Search and Rescue be approved with an additional $100,000 contribution to reserves per year for the five-year financial plan (2025- 2029) to further support Comox Valley Ground Search and Rescue’s facility needs. | ||||||
| 209 | Carried | NAY: J. Kerr | ||||
| The meeting recessed at 3:29 pm and resumed at 3:35 pm.
Director Morin was not in attendance when the meeting resumed. | ||||||
| SERVICE 270 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT | ||||||
| H. Siemens, Manager of Emergency Programs, and C. McIntyre, Emergency Planning Coordinator, presented information regarding Service 270 Comox Valley Emergency Management. [Item] | ||||||
| V. Brown/D. Hillian: THAT the proposed 2025-2029 financial plan for Service 270 Comox Valley Emergency Management, be approved. | ||||||
| 209 | Carried | NAY: D. Arbour | ||||
| TERMINATION: | ||||||
| M. McCollum/D. Hillian: THAT the meeting terminate. | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| Time: 4:04 pm. | ||||||
| Confirmed this 28th day of February, 2025: ____________________________________ Will Cole-Hamilton Chair | |
| Certified Correct: ____________________________________ Jake Martens General Manager of Corporate Services / Corporate Officer | |
| Recorded By: ____________________________________ Lisa Dennis Manager of Legislative Services |