Williams Lake city council’s first regular meeting Tuesday, Nov. 15, began with an address from a local chief and ended with a member from Williams Lake First Nation raising his voice and asking for council’s help.
Esk’etemc Chief Fred Robbins, who was sworn in for another four-year term on Thursday, Nov. 10, addressed council at the beginning of the meeting, noting he is planning a 10th year anniversary truth and reconciliation four-day event for the end of September 2023.
Robbins will be forming a planning committee and said he hopes members of council will be a part of it.
He reiterated what he said at the council inauguration on Nov. 1 that he will be holding each council member accountable for reconciliation and encouraged them to attend First Nation events, saying that has to happen more often.
Just before the meeting ended, Rathor asked if anyone from the public wanted to make a comment.
Arnie Jack, a member of Williams Lake First Nation (WLFN), who had been sitting in the gallery through the entire meeting got up and spoke for about 10 minutes.
Jack said he wanted to share a procedure bylaw with council which he handed to Rathor and aired some of his own frustrations with WLFN.
“I want some democracy in this valley,” he said.”I am seeking support from the Williams Lake council. Not tonight, but I’d like to come back another time.”
Jack said he lives in Lilloett.
Nelson thanked him for the presentation and added that the city council meeting was the “wrong platform” for Jack’s presentation.
Rathor also thanked Jack, told him that staff and council would follow up, and quickly adjourned the meeting.
During the meeting council approved several items.
Staff will apply to Northern Initiative Development Trust for the business facade improvement program in the amount of $20,000.
A geotechnical hazard area assessment and mapping contract will be awarded to Palmer Environmental Group Inc. for $54,840.
An encroachment agreement with Cariboo Dental Clinic for a portion of the existing stairwell that encroaches into the city boulevard at 121 First Avenue North will proceed. It will be for one-time contribution of $1,000 for 20 years. A public notice about the agreement will be distributed.
Coun. Scott Nelson said the community can expect to see five or six more of these types of agreements in the future throughout the city.
Travel expenses for the mayor and a staff member were approved for them to travel to Prince George on Thursday, Nov. 17 to attend a Canada Community Revitalization Funding announcement by Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of Economic Development.
“I want to open the door and start networking,” Rathor said of the reason for attending.
A 45-foot bridge previously in the River Valley at the bottom of Frizzi Road will be donated to the Cariboo Regional District and used at the CRD Transfer Station Landfill on Frizzi Road.
The Central Cariboo Arts and Culture Society’s fee-for-service recommendation report was approved in the amount of $84,500.
Recipients include Museum of the Cariboo Chilcotin, $38,000, Station House Studio and Gallery Society, $22,500, Community Arts Council of Williams Lake, $5,000, Horsefly Historical Society, $4,000, Likely Chamber of Commerce, $4,000, 150 Mile Greenbelt, Trail and Heritage Society, $3,000, Scout Island Nature Centre, $2,500, Women’s Contact Society, $2,000, Cariboo Festival Society, $1,500 and Williams Lake Studio Theatre Society, $2,000.
The Boitanio Disc Golf Course Project is 90 per cent complete, the director of community services told council in a report.
Signage will be installed hopefully in late November, weather permitting, and larger introductory and identification signage will go up in the spring. Fairway groundwork will be completed in the spring and nine dedicated benches will be installed along the course.
There was also a request from the Cariboo Disc Golf Club to leave the Boitanio Park public washrooms open during the winter. The item was referred to staff for a report back.
Gary Muraca, the city’s chief administrative officer, said the washroom is not insulated and the plumbing is not heated for the winter, but it could be added to budget discussions and staff can consider looking for future grant applications to upgrade it.
Coun. Angie Delainey said a winterized washroom in the park would be a benefit to the community and for tourism.
Council approved a request from the Cariboo Chilcotin Métis Association to raise a flag on the city’s flagpole. on Wednesday, Nov. 16 in honour of Louis Riel.
City staff will bring back a report on the city’s COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination Policy to city council at a future meeting as council discerns whether to rescind the policy or not. On the agenda there was a recommendation from the previous week’s committee of the whole meeting that said council should communicate “its intent to rescind the COVID-19 mandatory vaccination policy pending a report from the staff on the operationl impacts and changes required.”
No decision has been made yet on it.
Coun. Nelson said the new snowblower for the airport will be returned because it is not meeting the needs of the airport.
Muraca added the city still has the federal grant - $502,000 - it received to buy the snowblower and is on the hunt for a new one.
monica.lamb-yorski@wltribune.com
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