The Regular Meeting of City Council was held in the Council Chambers, City Hall, 200 Craig Street, Duncan, BC at 7:30 p.m., February 14th, 2000.

Present:
Mayor Michael Coleman;
Councillors Mike Caljouw, Sharon Jackson, Martin Lukaitis, Geoff Maxwell and Ernie Moon.

Also Present:
Paul Douville, City Administrator.

Absent With Prior Notice:

Councillor Phil Kent.

His Worship Mayor Michael Coleman opened the Council Meeting with a prayer and called for order.

Adoption of Minutes
Movd. Councillor M. Lukaitis
Secd. Councillor M. Caljouw
THAT the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of City Council held on January 24th, 2000 be adopted.
Carried.

Delegation

Warm Land Specialty Food Cooperative
Representing the Warm Land Specialty Food Cooperative, Karen Bruce and Godfrey Ferguson addressed Council. For consideration was a submission dated January 18th, 2000 from the Cooperative.

The Warm Land Specialty Food Cooperative is a not-for-profit organization located in the Cowichan Region. They have undertaken to establish a certified value-added food processing facility which will support the economic viability of agriculture on Vancouver Island, and more specifically, within the Cowichan Region. Their Board of Directors is composed of local farmers and food processors who have volunteered countless hours to-date in order to develop the cooperative, identify proposed uses of the kitchen and identify additional equipment needs.

They are developing a full-service, federally certified kitchen at the Cowichan Community Centre for this endeavour. They are seeking a grant in the amount of $700.00 from the City to assist with the cost of kitchen rental for the first year of operation. Their monthly rental for this kitchen is $700.00 per month. Services will include the use of the inspected commercial kitchen, business and marketing planning, training, bulk buying discounts, distribution services and the opportunity to market products under a cooperative label. During this project, a full-time coordinator will be hired and trained, who will then carry on the work after this project reaches completion.
The need for this facility is supported by a number of local community economic development events including, but not limited to, the Agriculture Survival Forum held in March 1998 in Duncan and the Regional Economic Development Initiative (REDI) of the Cowichan Region (May 1999).

The delegates used the example that a bushel of wheat sells for approximately $2.00 and with processing can achieve revenue of $213.00. There are 570 farms in the Cowichan Valley, many of which are small-holders. The concept is to pursue the success attained by the "Taste of Oregon". They hope to develop the concept of a "Taste of the Cowichan Valley".

It was noted that the Cowichan Community Centre Commission will only be utilized when it is not required by others. The $700.00 per month rental fee provides them with 100 hours of use per month.

Movd. Councillor M. Lukaitis
Secd. Councillor M. Caljouw
THAT the January 18th, 2000 grant request from the Warm Land Specialty Food Cooperative be referred to the Finance Committee for recommendation.

Carried.

Jim Kocurek and Emily Arsenault (Montmagny Quilt)
Former Councillor Jim Kocurek introduced Emily Arsenault advising that she wished to present a quilt to the City Administrator.

On Community Leaders Exchange visits to the City of Montmagny, the City Administrator was successful in garnering the ties being worn by two successive Mayors of the City of Montmagny as souvenirs. In a radio interview prior to his departure for Duncan with a delegation from Montmagny, Mayor Jean Croteau asked the community to supply him with ties for his trip to Duncan since the City Administrator of Duncan had taken his favorite tie as a souvenir.

At the closing banquet in Duncan on March 27th, 1999, Mayor Croteau presented Mr. Douville with 158 ties supplied to him by Service Organizations and individuals in Montmagny. The presentation was taken in a very friendly and jovial manner.

The majority of the ties were given to Emily Arsenault, who has sewn them into a City of Duncan quilt. She presented this quilt to the City Administrator.

The quilt will be available for viewing at Duncan City Hall for a time and then forwarded to the City of Montmagny as a gesture of goodwill and friendship.

Communications

Trade Negotiations and the Impacts on Local Governments
Movd. Councillor M. Lukaitis
Secd. Councillor M. Caljouw
THAT the Council of the City of Duncan endorse the December 16th, 1999 letter from the UBCM to the Honourable Pierre Pettigrew, Federal Minister for International Trade, regarding trade negotiations and the impact on local governments in Canada.

Carried.

Trans Canada Trail 2000 Day
For consideration was a memo dated February 2nd, 2000 from Ernie Mansueti of the District of North Cowichan.

Movd. Councillor S. Jackson
Secd. Councillor G. Maxwell
THAT April 11th, 2000 be proclaimed as "Trans Canada Trail ~ 2000 Day" in the City of Duncan.

Carried.

It was noted that the relay will travel through Duncan on the morning of April 11th, 2000. Water from the Arctic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean is being carried via the Trans Canada Trail (16,200 kms) to a ceremony in Ottawa on September 9th, 2000. The ceremony will be staged in Duncan in the City Hall Courtyard at approximately 10:30 a.m. on April 11th.

12th Annual Mining Week in BC
Movd. Councillor M. Caljouw
Secd. Councillor S. Jackson
THAT the Council of the City of Duncan proclaim May 8th - 13th, 2000 as "Mining Week" in the City of Duncan as requested in the February 2000 letter from the Mining Association of British Columbia.

Carried.

Freedom to Read Week
Movd. Councillor E. Moon
Secd. Councillor G. Maxwell
THAT February 27th to March 4th, 2000 be proclaimed as "Freedom to Read Week" in the City of Duncan as requested by the Vancouver Island Regional Library Board Chair in his February 1st, 2000 letter.

Carried.

Leukemia Awareness Month
Movd. Councillor M. Caljouw
Secd. Councillor S. Jackson
THAT the Council of the City of Duncan proclaim June 2000 as "LEUKEMIA AWARENESS MONTH" in the City of Duncan as requested in the January 25th, 2000 letter from Leukemia Research Fund Canada, BC Region.
Carried.

Heritage Week
Movd. Councillor M. Lukaitis
Secd. Councillor G. Maxwell
THAT the Council of the City of Duncan proclaim the week of February 21 to 27, 2000 as "Heritage Week" in the City of Duncan as requested by the Honourable Ian Waddell, Minister of Small Business, Tourism and Culture in his letter received January 26th, 2000.
Carried.

BC Homecoming 2000 Activity
For consideration was a letter and attachments from Jane Burnes, Director, British Columbia 2000 regarding the BC Homecoming 2000 endeavour.

Movd. Councillor S. Jackson
Secd. Councillor M. Caljouw
THAT the Council of the City of Duncan request the Rotary International Club of Duncan to organize a BC Homecoming 2000 activity, perhaps in conjunction with the July 1st Canada Day celebrations organized by the Chesterfield Sports Society;
AND THAT if the Rotary Club agrees, the following items be forwarded to them for use as they deem appropriate:

* Banners
* Posters
* BC 2000 T-Shirts
* Balloons/Temporary Transfer Tattoos
* Application Form ($500.00 available for hiring local entertainment).
Carried.

(Note: On request, the BC 2000 Organization will send special postcards to fellow British Columbians, who may be living away from their hometowns, inviting them to return to their hometowns throughout 2000.)

Local Government Awareness Month
Movd. Councillor S. Jackson
Secd. Councillor G. Maxwell
THAT the Council of the City of Duncan proclaim April 2000 as "LOCAL GOVERNMENT AWARENESS MONTH" in the City of Duncan as suggested in the February 7th, 2000 memo from the Union of BC Municipalities.
Carried.

Roundhouse Museum Society - Tourist Train
For consideration was a letter dated February 7th, 2000 from the Roundhouse Museum Society.

Movd. Councillor S. Jackson
Secd. Councillor G. Maxwell
THAT Council express appreciation to the Roundhouse Museum Society for naming one of the newly-acquired passenger cars for the new tourist train as "CITY OF DUNCAN";
AND THAT the Society be referred to Priscilla Davis of the Cowichan Historical Society as a local source of railway-related history.
Carried.

Agricultural Sector on Vancouver Island
For consideration were letters dated February 4th and 8th, 2000 from North Cowichan Mayor Rex Hollett to the BC Minister of Agriculture and Food and to Duncan City Council.

Movd. Councillor M. Lukaitis
Secd. Councillor G. Maxwell
THAT as requested by the District of North Cowichan, Council write to the Honourable Corky Evans, Minister of Agriculture, firstly to express its support for the government's action to improve the structure of the Chicken Marketing Board and to freeze any further transfer of chicken quota off Vancouver Island until December 31st, 2000, and secondly, to assert that unless the government gives urgent attention to addressing those issues, particularly policies and regulations that place Island farmers at an unsustainable competitive disadvantage with their mainland counterparts, there is a very real danger that it will become too late to reverse a very disturbing trend of livestock farm closures and job displacement off the Island;
AND THAT copies of this resolution be forwarded to the Chairs of the Select Standing Committee on Agriculture in Maple Ridge and Oliver.
Carried.

Reports of Standing Committees

Finance Committee

Warrants No. 12-99 and No. 01-00
Movd. Councillor E. Moon
Secd. Councillor M. Caljouw
THAT Warrant No. 12-99 covering General Account cheque numbers 100580 - 100821 in the total amount of . . . . . $421,948.73
Payroll Account
- Payroll #25 covering cheque
numbers 0889 - 0992 in the total
amount of . . . . . . . 46,433.99
- Payroll #26 covering cheque
numbers 0993 - 1010 28,990.77

GRAND TOTAL . . . . . . $497,373.49;

AND THAT Warrant No. 01-00 covering General Account cheque numbers 100822 - 100863 in the total amount of . . . . . $104,174.12
Payroll Account
- Payroll #01 covering cheque
numbers 1 - 18 in the total
amount of . . . . . . . 31,632.14
- Payroll #02 covering cheque
numbers 19 - 43 33,078.19
- Payroll #03 covering cheque
numbers 44 - 53 26,765.36
GRAND TOTAL . . . . . . $195,649.81
be ratified.
Carried.

Planning Committee

Advisory Planning Commission
As Chair of the Planning Committee, Councillor Jackson reported that the formation of an Advisory Planning Commission is still under active consideration. She advised that we are looking into methods of avoiding undue pressures being placed on volunteer members of an Advisory Planning Commission. With new amendments to the Municipal Act, all meetings must be open to the public and the media and this may create a difficult situation for APC members.

Reports of Special Committees

Building Statistics - January 2000
Movd. Councillor M. Lukaitis
Secd. Councillor G. Maxwell
THAT the Building Statistics Report for January 2000 as prepared by the Building Inspector, be received, the contents noted and filed.

Carried.

Budget Review Committee

Trunk Road Median-TCH to
Festubert
Movd. Councillor M. Caljouw
Secd. Councillor S. Jackson
THAT the existing median on Trunk Road between the Trans Canada Highway and Festubert Street be removed and replaced with low-profile cement barriers in the present format configuration;
AND THAT $20,000. be appropriated from the Government Street Reserve for this project.

Carried.

Paving and Sidewalk Construction
Movd. Councillor G. Maxwell
Secd. Councillor S. Jackson
THAT as recommended by the Public Works Superintendent, the following paving and sidewalk construction projects be approved for 2000:

a. Trunk Road - Lakes to Olsen Place, including construction of new sidewalk on north property boundary
$127,000.
(including net GST)

b. Coronation Avenue - Trunk Road to Chesterfield Street (including intersection)
$33,140.
(including net GST)

Total: $160,140.

Carried.

Charles Hoey Park - Lighting
Movd. Councillor M. Caljouw
Secd. Councillor S. Jackson
THAT $6,000. be reallocated from lighting Kenneth Street Parking Lot No. 1 to lighting Charles Hoey Park;
AND THAT $8,000. be added to this $6,000. for this project;
AND THAT the overhead lights installed be identical to the ones installed along the east boundary of the 2-hour parking lot north of the Train Station.
Carried.

Fire Hall - Seismic Evaluation
Movd. Councillor G. Maxwell
Secd. Councillor M. Caljouw
THAT Stantec Consulting Ltd. be authorized to conduct a structural seismic evaluation of the Duncan Fire Hall in accordance with the conditions outlined in their December 7th, 1999 letter;
AND THAT the maximum cost of this evaluation be $6,000.
Carried.

Miscellaneous
Councillor Caljouw reported that the February 7th, 2000 Heart & Stroke Celebrity Breakfast was a great success. He said that the Heart & Stroke Foundation will be conducting a TAG Day on February 26th.

Councillor Moon reported on the following items:

1. On February 8th, he attended the Three Valley Highway Link Committee meeting. He said that all of the newly elected members of various Councils on the Committee were briefed on activities of the Committee to-date.
2. At recent Cowichan Community Centre Board meetings, planning, strategy and the setting of goals were focused upon.
3. The February 12th, 2000 New Ventures Showcase at the Cowichan Community Centre was excellent with a large and well-represented presentation.

Unfinished Business

Species Recovery Plan - IWA
For consideration were the following items:

1. Letter dated January 17th, 2000 from the I.W.A. Canada
2. January 24th, 2000 Notice of Motion from Councillor S. Jackson.

Movd. Councillor S. Jackson
Secd. Councillor M. Lukaitis
THAT the Council of the City of Duncan correspond with the Government of Canada urging that the plan for endangered species protection in Canada and any resulting legislation include provisions for financial support for workers and communities whose livelihood is disrupted as a result of a species recovery program;

AND THAT the Federal Government be asked to take into consideration the human suffering and economic loss that will result from the plan;
AND THAT affected workers be provided with real retraining programs that are properly audited and with results thoroughly tracked at no cost to the participants in the program.

Carried.

149 First Street - Inspection Violations
For consideration was a letter dated January 21st, 2000 from the Building Inspector to the owner of 149 First Street.

Movd. Councillor S. Jackson
Secd. Councillor G. Maxwell
THAT if the trailer is still located on 149 First Street, the Building Inspector correspond further with the owner advising that occupancy of the trailer as a residence is not permitted but the trailer can be stored (unoccupied) on the property.

Carried.

Reports of RCMP Inspector at Council Meetings
For consideration was a memorandum dated January 31st, 2000 from the City Administrator.

Movd. Councillor S. Jackson
Secd. Councillor G. Maxwell
THAT as requested by RCMP Inspector Linton Robinson due to computer software reporting parameters, the following resolution adopted at the January 24th, 2000 Council Meeting be rescinded:

"THAT the RCMP Inspector be invited to the Council meetings held on the second (2nd) Mondays of April, August and December each year to present a quarterly report of RCMP Activities in the City of Duncan.";

AND THAT the RCMP Inspector be invited to the Council Meetings held on the fourth (4th) Mondays of January, May, and September each year to present tri-annual reports of RCMP activities in the City of Duncan (7:30 p.m.);
AND THAT the RCMP Inspector be asked to note that when such a Monday falls on a Statutory Holiday, the Council Meeting is held the very next evening (Tuesday).

Carried.

(Note: Monday, May 22nd, 2000 is Victoria Day and therefore the Council Meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 23rd, 2000.)

VSO - Grease Interceptor Exemption
For consideration were the following items:

i.) Letter dated January 29th, 2000 from the Valley Seniors Organization of Duncan
ii.) Memo dated February 3rd, 2000 from the Building Inspector.

Movd. Councillor M. Caljouw
Secd. Councillor E. Moon
THAT Council exempt the Valley Seniors Organization of Duncan from having to install a grease interceptor, noting the facts outlined in the January 29th, 2000 letter from the VSO subject to the proviso that a grease interceptor may be required at some future date should it be found that grease discharge from the VSO building is a problem.

Carried.

Cowichan Native Village - Proposed New Conference Centre
For consideration were the following items:

i.) Letter dated January 28th, 2000 from Kurt Pyrch, General Manager, Best Western Cowichan Valley Inn.
ii.) Letter dated January 31st, 2000 from Alice Hung, General Manager, Silver Bridge Inn.
iii.) Letter dated January 26th, 2000 from the City Administrator to the Cowichan Native Village.

Movd. Councillor M. Caljouw
Secd. Councillor S. Jackson
THAT the letters dated January 28th and 31st, 2000 from the Best Western Cowichan Valley Inn and the Silver Bridge Inn be received, the contents noted and filed.

Carried.

Lakes Road Lane
For consideration was a letter dated February 2nd, 2000 from Mr. Holt Gold of 1031 Lomas Road.

Movd. Councillor M. Caljouw
Secd. Councillor S. Jackson
THAT the subject of vehicular traffic on the Lakes Road Lane and the letter dated February 2nd, 2000 from Mr. Holt Gold of 1031 Lomas Road be referred to the Public Works Committee for recommendation.

Carried.

SPL - U. and D. Scharnberg
Movd. Councillor S. Jackson
Secd. Councillor G. Maxwell
THAT the February 10th, 2000 letter from Uwe & Doris Scharnberg, wherein they express displeasure with the possibility of the Septage Processing Ltd. Plant on Boal Road being taken over by the CVRD, be received, the contents noted and filed.

Carried.

126 Ingram Street - Green Door Society
For consideration were letters dated December 28th, 1999 and February 11th, 2000 from Carol-Ann Rolls of the Green Door Society. Also for consideration were questions dated February 11th, 2000 from Councillor Ernie Moon.

Movd. Councillor S. Jackson
Secd. Councillor M. Caljouw
THAT the Council of the City of Duncan endorse the Millennium Bureau grant application of the Green Door Society for the proposed upgrading of house and grounds at 126 Ingram Street, Duncan, BC as outlined in the December 28th, 1999 letter from the Society.
Carried.

Bylaws

Streets Bylaw, 1976, No. 1127, Amendment Bylaw No. 1896, 2000 (Schedule "H")
Movd. Councillor M. Lukaitis
Secd. Councillor G. Maxwell
THAT "Streets Bylaw, 1976, No. 1127, Amendment Bylaw No. 1896, 2000 (Schedule "H")" be reconsidered, finally passed and adopted.

Carried.

New Business

Ken Evans Ford Sign
For consideration were the following items:

i. Memo's dated February 4th and 11th, 2000 from the Building Inspector.
ii. Letter received February 10th, 2000 from Terry Evans, Agate Properties Ltd., providing their commitment not to add any additional copy to their new Ford of Canada Brand Sign.
iii. Development Variance Permit Application dated February 8th, 2000 from Agate Properties Ltd.

Movd. Councillor M. Lukaitis
Secd. Councillor G. Maxwell
WHEREAS the new Ford Brand Sign at 439 Trans Canada Highway (Ken Evans Ford) is the same sign that now appears at each of some 600 Ford of Canada Dealers across Canada;
AND WHEREAS Agate Properties Ltd., the owners of the property, have committed in writing not to add any additional copy to their new Ford of Canada Brand Sign;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council approve of a Development Variance Permit for the Ford of Canada Brand Sign (i.e. Ken Evans Ford Sales Ltd.) on Lot A, Plan 44109, Section 17, Range 6, Quamichan District (439 Trans Canada Highway) to Agate Properties Ltd. authorizing the following variances subject to no additional copy beyond "Ford" and "EVANS" being added to the sign:

1. Height: 8.1 metres (26.5') rather than Bylaw requirement of 8 metres (26.25') for an over-height variance of 0.1 metres (4")
2. Area: 23.6 metres² (254 ft²) rather than Bylaw requirement of 6 metres² (64.5 ft²) for an oversize variance of 17.6 metres² (189.5 ft²).

Carried.

Adjournment
Movd. Councillor S. Jackson
Secd. Councillor M. Lukaitis
THAT this meeting of City Council do now adjourn.

Carried.

At 8:35 p.m. the meeting adjourned.

Michael Coleman
Mayor

Paul Douville
City Administrator

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