[00:00:04]
[1. Opening Statement]
LOCATED IN CHIEF DRYGEESE TERRITORY.FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL, IT'S BEEN THE TRADITIONAL LAND OF THE YELLOWKNIVES DENE FIRST NATION.
WE RESPECT THE HISTORIES, CULTURES AND LANGUAGES OF ALL OTHER INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, INCLUDING THE NORTH SLAVE METIS AND ALL FIRST NATIONS, METIS AND INUIT, WHOSE PRESENCE CONTINUES TO ENRICH OUR VIBRANT COMMUNITY.
[2. Approval of the agenda.]
JUST WONDERING IF ADMINISTRATION CAN PROVIDE A BIT OF AN UPDATE THEN ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD TO THE AGENDA? THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I'D LOVE TO IF MY COMPUTER WOULD COOPERATE.I'M ABOUT TO THROW IT OUT THE WINDOW AFTER THE WAY IT'S BEEN THIS WEEKEND.
SO FORGIVE ME ON THIS. YES, WE'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS AND [INAUDIBLE] FIRST NATION AND THE TOWN OF HAY RIVER, AND WE HAD UNDERSTOOD YESTERDAY EVENING THAT THINGS WERE ON A BIT MORE OF A HIGH ALERT.
OUR EMERGENCY LEAD RECEIVED AN OUTREACH AT ABOUT 11:00 LAST NIGHT SAYING THAT CONFIRMING THAT THE TOWN OF HAY RIVER HAD BROUGHT ALONG THE EVACUATION ORDER FOR THE COMMUNITY.
WE KNEW THAT KFN HAD DONE THEIR EVACUATION EARLIER IN THE EVENING TO HAY RIVER, BUT WITH THE STATUS OF THE FIRE, WE GOT WORD, AND SO WE STARTED THE PREPARATIONS RIGHT AWAY AFTER THAT, AND OUR STAFF, ALONG WITH STAFF FROM GNWT AND THE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICE AUTHORITY FOR YELLOWKNIFE, HAVE BEEN WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK SINCE THAT CALL CAME THROUGH TO SET UP THE RECEPTION CENTER AT THE MULTIPLEX RIGHT NOW, WHERE ANY EVACUEE IS ASKED TO PLEASE GO AND REGISTER THERE. THERE ARE ACCOMMODATIONS THERE.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT KNOWING FULL WELL THAT LOTS OF FOLKS IN HAY RIVER HAVE RVS.
MANY OF THEM MAY BE BRINGING THEM UP.
WE'RE LOOKING AT WHEN FRED HENNE IS FULL AND OF COURSE, IS DONE THROUGH GNWT PARKS.
ONCE WE GET THE WRISTBAND SITUATION SORTED OUT WITH THE RECEPTION CENTER AND WORKING TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE CAN BE AS COMFORTABLE AS POSSIBLE IN THESE REALLY DIFFICULT SITUATIONS. WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE FLOODING LAST YEAR WHEN WE AGAIN HAD RECEIVED HAY RIVER EVACUEES, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S CLEAR INFORMATION ON ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT'S AVAILABLE, THE ACTIVITIES FOR PEOPLE TO DO, WHERE THEY GO FOR TO GET WATER, FOR THEIR RVS, TO PUMP OUT HOW TO GET TO THE LIBRARY, WHERE THE POOL IS, WHERE DIFFERENT PLACES ARE, PLACES OF NOTE FOR PEOPLE.
WE KNOW THAT THE CAREER CENTER IS OPENED UP FOR COMPUTER ACCESS, SO WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF PUTTING THAT TOGETHER AND WE SHOULD HAVE THAT ON OUR WEBSITE SHORTLY SOMETIME TODAY, AND WE'LL HAVE IT POSTED AS WELL AT THE MULTIPLEX FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THERE.
LOTS OF REQUESTS ARE COMING IN FROM PEOPLE ALREADY.
HOW CAN I DONATE? HOW CAN I HELP? AND THAT'S SO TYPICAL OF THE NORTH, SO TYPICAL OF YELLOWKNIFERS.
AT THIS POINT, UNITED WAY IS ACCEPTING DONATIONS FROM FOLKS WHO WANT TO DONATE CASH.
CASH IS IDEAL RIGHT NOW, AND IN SPEAKING WITH THE UNITED WAY REPRESENTATIVES, THEY ARE LOOKING AT PARTNERING WITH NGOS SO THAT THEY CAN THEY NEED TO DISBURSE MONEY THROUGH NGOS, AND THEY'RE DOING SO TO MAKE SURE THAT GIFT CARDS ARE AVAILABLE SO THAT FOR WHATEVER IT IS THAT THE EVACUEES NEED, THEY'RE ABLE TO GET THAT NOW , AND ALSO THEN, OF COURSE, THERE WILL BE UNITED WAY FUNDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE ONCE THEY GET HOME.
WE KNOW THERE'S LOTS OF INTEREST IN, HEY, CAN I DONATE CLOTHES? I'VE GOT BLANKETS, I'VE GOT DIFFERENT THINGS.
THERE MAY BE SOME CALL OUT FOR THAT THROUGH THE YELLOWKNIFE HEALTH AUTHORITY.
I BELIEVE THAT THE SALVATION ARMY IS LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY STEPPING UP TO BE ABLE TO COORDINATE THAT BASED ON WHAT PEOPLE NEED, BUT WE DO ASK RESIDENTS IN YELLOWKNIFE TO JUST BE RESTRAINED. IT'S WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER IT IS THAT'S BEING DONATED IS OF USE AND THAT PEOPLE CAN BE ABLE TO USE IT.
WE'RE WORKING THROUGH SOME OF THE ISSUES AROUND PETS AS WELL, THAT PEOPLE HAVE COME WITH THEIR PETS.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE CAN'T HAVE THEM IN THE MULTIPLEX.
THAT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT FOR PEOPLE THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE PET -FRIENDLY.
YES, LOTS IS UNFOLDING AND WE ARE CERTAINLY OUR PRAYERS AND THOUGHTS ARE WITH EVERYONE IN HAY RIVER.
WE'RE DOING A RAIN DANCE, OF COURSE, HOPING FOR SUBSTANTIAL RAIN THAT CAN REALLY HELP IN THE SOUTH SLAVE AND TO MITIGATE SOME OF THE FIRES THAT WE'RE SEEING ACROSS THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR.
[00:05:01]
APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S DESIRE TO HELP AND GENEROSITY, AND IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN DONATING, YOU CAN CONTACT THE UNITED WAY.[3. Disclosure of pecuniary interest and the general nature thereof]
NEXT, WE HAVE DISCLOSURE OF PECUNIARY INTEREST IN THE GENERAL NATURE THEREOF.DOES ANY MEMBER HAVE A PECUNIARY INTEREST TODAY? JUST RECOGNIZING WE'VE GOT THE GRANT REVIEW COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO IF YOU OR SOMEBODY WHO LIVES IN YOUR HOUSE IS ON THE BOARD, THEN YOU WOULD JUST DECLARE A PECUNIARY INTEREST AND EXCUSE YOURSELF BUT THAT'S IT.
[4. A memorandum regarding whether to adopt the recommendations set forth by the Grant Review Committee for the awarding of the 2023 Grant Funding and consideration for the 2023 - 2025 Multi-Year Funding Recipients.]
THE 2023 TO 2025 MULTI-YEAR FUNDING RECIPIENTS.MS. BASSI-KELLETT, IF YOU'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE ITEM.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.
SO EVERY YEAR THE GRANT REVIEW COMMITTEE DOES THE HARD WORK OF REVIEWING ALL OF THE GRANT FUNDING REQUESTS THAT COME TO THE CITY PURSUANT TO OUR GRANT FUNDING POLICY, AND THE GRANT REVIEW COMMITTEE, OF COURSE MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS THEN TO GPC AND COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL FOR 2023, THE ANTICIPATED $468,000 THAT ARE AVAILABLE PENDING A FEW OTHER FACTORS.
495,000, FORGIVE ME, HAS BEEN ALLOCATED USING 28,000 OF THE GRANT RESERVE.
SO DECISION WAS MADE TO GO A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN THE PROJECTED AMOUNT THAT WE HAD BASED ON 2022 PROJECTIONS, AND SO IF WE DO USE THAT AMOUNT THAT'S IN THE GRANT RESERVE, IT WOULD LEAVE $40,000 IN THE GRANT RESERVE FOR FUTURE USE.
OPENING IT UP TO QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, DISCUSSION.
AT OUR GRANT REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING.
I UNDERSTOOD THAT THERE WAS SOME UNSPENT MONEY FROM LAST YEAR, BUT THAT THIS.
THIS MONEY WASN'T NECESSARILY AVAILABLE THIS YEAR.
JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY IF THIS MONEY IS AVAILABLE THIS YEAR.
I KNOW THE TIMING OF OUR MEETING WAS A BIT DELAYED THIS YEAR.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.
YES, MISS WOODWARD, I'LL ASK YOU TO RESPOND, PLEASE.
SO THIS PART OF THE TIMING ISN'T UNUSUAL.
SO IT APPEARS THAT THE GRANT REVIEW COMMITTEE, WHEN YOU WENT INTO YOUR DECISION MAKING MEETING, WAS PROVIDED WITH THE 2022 CARRYOVER AMOUNT OF ABOUT $23,000, AND THAT AROSE FROM LAST YEAR'S COUNCIL MAKING A MOTION THAT REFLECTED A DELIBERATE UNDERSTANDING OF THE BUDGET 2022 ALLOCATION. DURING 2022 YEAR END WORK BY ADMINISTRATION, IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT SEVERAL OF THE 2022 GRANT RECIPIENTS DID NOT SIGN CONTRIBUTION AGREEMENTS AND THEREFORE, BASED ON NOTE IN THE BUDGET, THAT MONEY WILL GO BACK INTO THE GRANT RESERVE AND THAT WILL LEAVE A BALANCE OF YEAR END DECEMBER 31ST, 2022 OF ALMOST $68,000.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE.
WE WILL BRING THIS FORWARD TO OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, WHICH IS TUESDAY, MAY 23RD AT 7 P.M..
[5. A memorandum regarding whether to authorize the expenditure of $10,000 from the Heritage Committee budget to help fund the Yellowknife Historical Society’s Museum Projects.]
NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS ZOOM IN.ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION? COUNCILLOR COCHRANE.
AS YOU HAVE READ THROUGH THE MEMO, IT MEETS ALL THE CRITERIA OF THE GRANT FUNDING POLICY.
IT IS ON THE CUSP OF BEING FINISHED HERE.
THIS ALLOCATION OF FUNDING WILL GO A LONG WAY TO HELP FINISHING IT, AND NOT ONLY WILL THIS BE A DIRECT BENEFIT FOR OUR CULTURAL INDUSTRY, BUT ALSO OUR TOURISM INDUSTRY IN THE LONG RUN. NOW I KNOW IT WILL NEVER MAKE UP FOR THAT OLD DINO ACTION FIGURE MUSEUM WE HAD UP IN OLD TOWN, BUT I THINK THE SECONDARY MUSEUM WILL BE A GREAT ADDITION TO OUR CITY.
COULD MAYBE DO A LITTLE FRONT ON THE MUSEUM WITH FUTURE FUNDING.
I JUST WANTED CLARIFICATION ON THE HERITAGE COMMITTEE POLICY.
WITH THE FUNDING IS IT NOT MEANT FOR NEW PROJECTS, NOT ONGOING AND OLD PROJECTS?
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IT HAS TO BE MONEY THAT WILL BE SPENT IN THE FUTURE.SO FOR THIS, IT'S NOT WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE IN THE PAST.
SO IT IS ELIGIBLE, BUT IF YOU APPLIED WE HAD A PROJECT AND THEY THEY RECEIVED FUNDING AND THE PROJECT WENT OVER BUDGET, AND SO THEN THEY CAME BACK AND WANTED TO TRY TO GET MORE FUNDING TO COVER OFF, AND SO THAT WASN'T ELIGIBLE BECAUSE THE COMMITTEE HAD ALREADY FUNDED THAT PROJECT, BUT MS. BASSI-KELLETT ANYTHING FURTHER TO ADD FROM ADMIN? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I AM UNABLE TO OPEN THE POLICY RIGHT NOW.
I'LL SEE IF MS. WHITE HAS ANYTHING TO ADD.
COMPUTER PROBLEMS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I DO HAVE THE POLICY OPEN, SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CRITERIA, AND WHAT WAS PROPOSED FOR THIS YEAR WAS THREE ADDITIONS TO THE ACTUAL STRUCTURE OF THE BUILDING TO SUPPORT ACCESSIBILITY, AND IT WASN'T WORK THAT WAS COMPLETED UNDER PREVIOUS REQUESTS TO THE HERITAGE COMMITTEE.
SO THIS WOULD MEET THE CRITERIA OF OUR CURRENT POLICY, AND BECAUSE IT IS GREATER, THE REQUEST IS GREATER THAN $5,000, UP TO A TOTAL OF $10,000 IT CAN COME TO COUNCIL FOR YOUR REVIEW AND APPROVAL.
ANYTHING FURTHER? SEEING NONE.
WE WILL BRING THAT FORWARD TO OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING ON TUESDAY, MAY 23RD AT 7 PM.
[6. A memorandum regarding whether to approve the draft 2023-2026 Council Strategic Directions for public review and engagement.]
MS. BASSI-KELLETT.THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.
WITH PLEASURE. SO, COUNCIL MEMBERS, AFTER YOUR ELECTION AND AFTER YOU WERE ELECTED TO OFFICE IN OCTOBER 2022, YOU OF COURSE ENTERED THE POLITICAL REALM, EACH BRINGING INTERESTS AND PRIORITIES TO YOUR ROLE.
SO COUNCIL MEMBERS WORKED VERY HARD TO DEVELOP SOME STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS WITH THE SUPPORT OF AN EXTERNAL CONSULTANT AND THE RESULTS ARE PRESENTED HERE IN DRAFT FORM FOR COUNCIL'S REVIEW SO THAT YOU CAN SEEK PUBLIC INPUT BEFORE FINALIZING AND BEFORE FINALIZING I WOULD LIKE TO PUT A PLUG FROM ADMINISTRATION.
WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE THIS FINALIZED BY THE END OF JUNE AT THE LATEST, AND THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE THE SOONER THAT WE HAVE COUNCIL'S DIRECTIONS THAT ARE VERY CLEAR, ENDORSED BY COUNCIL, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO GUIDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF MANY, MANY WORKS AND PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE UNDERWAY.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, OF COURSE BEING BUDGET 2024, WORK HAS ALREADY BEGUN ON THAT AND WE HAVE TAKEN THE LIBERTY OF USING COUNCIL'S STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS IN DRAFT FORM TO GUIDE THE WORK TO DATE SO FAR.
OPENING IT UP TO QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, DISCUSSION.
I'M EXCITED TO HEAR WHAT RESIDENTS THINK ABOUT THE PRIORITIES.
THIS DOCUMENT MOSTLY TALKS ABOUT A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE IN ECONOMIC TERMS. SOMEONE WITH AN ECONOMICS DEGREE WHO HAS WORKED FOR SEVERAL SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES, I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR THE CITY TO FOSTER AN ENVIRONMENT CONDUCIVE TO A ROBUST ECONOMY. HOWEVER, FOR ME, THIS WORK MUST GO HAND IN HAND INDEED BE LED BY WORK TO ENSURE OUR COMMUNITY IS RESILIENT, ADAPTABLE AND DOING OUR PART TO MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF A CHANGE IN CLIMATE.
THESE THIS WORK CAN BE DONE IN A NUMBER OF WAYS.
EXAMPLES WHERE I'LL BE LOOKING FOR THE CITY TO PLAY A ROLE IN REDUCING CARBON EMISSIONS ARE THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE REVIEW, THE LIC HOME RETROFIT PROGRAM, THE DISTRICT HEATING FRAMEWORK AND THE RENEWAL OF THE COMMUNITY ENERGY PLAN, AMONG OTHERS.
THE FACT IS THAT WITH CHANGES WE'RE SEEING IN THE ECONOMY, WORK SUCH AS THIS CAN NOT ONLY LOWER OUR IMPACT ON THE CLIMATE, BUT CAN ALSO SAVE INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES MONEY AS WELL. ONE SPECIFIC PLACE I FEEL THE DOCUMENT DOES NOT PROPERLY REFLECT THE DISCUSSIONS WE HAD AS A GROUP IS IN ITS FAILURE TO MENTION FOOD SECURITY AS A STRATEGIC PRIORITY.
AS CAME UP MANY TIMES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS DOCUMENT, I BELIEVE THERE IS A LOT THE CITY CAN DO TO PROMOTE FOOD SECURITY IN OUR COMMUNITY, FROM IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CITY'S GROWTH STRATEGY TO INCENTIVES FOR AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATION.
ITS FOCUS SKEWS TOWARDS THE DELIVERY OF CORE SERVICES, ENGAGEMENT AND GOOD GOVERNANCE PRACTICES.
[00:15:04]
THAT BEING SAID, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DO NOT FORGET ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES WE FACE, AND WE DO NOT NEGLECT THE NECESSITY TO ACT.OUR CLIMATE IS BECOMING WARMER AND MORE ERRATIC.
SO FOR PAGE SIX, ONE OF THE GUIDING DOCUMENTS IS GROW THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE STUDY.
WOULD YOU WANT A KEY INITIATIVE TO BE HIGHLIGHTED THERE, SUCH AS IMPLEMENTING THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE STUDY? IS THAT SUFFICIENTLY CAPTURE WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR OR? YEAH, JUST SOME SORT OF SPECIFIC CALL OUT.
SO SOMETHING LIKE THAT I THINK WOULD BE APPLICABLE.
OKAY. ANYTHING FURTHER FROM COUNCIL? FOR MYSELF, ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO SEE FOR THE FINAL VERSION AFTER WE COMPILE THE COMMENTS WOULD BE PAGE THREE AND FOUR ARE THE SAME KIND OF UMBRELLA AND SO JUST ADDING IT AS PUTTING IT AS ONE PAGE JUST LIKE THE OTHER.
TWO OF SERVICE EXCELLENCE AND SUSTAINABLE FUTURE I THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL.
IT'S KIND OF CONFUSING AND IT MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT MORE CLEAR.
NICE TO JUST PRINT OFF THE THREE PAGES.
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM. THESE ARE THREE PILLARS.
DON'T HAVE TO SEE THAT CHANGE BEFORE IT GOES OUT TO PUBLIC CONSULTATION, BUT ONCE WE TAKE COMMENTS SUCH AS COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN ABOUT PERHAPS ADDING A KEY INITIATIVE OF BOOM IMPLEMENTING THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE STUDY.
MS. BASSI-KELLETT WOULD YOU FOR ADMINISTRATION LIKE DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL THAT THIS COME BACK TO GPC WITH COMMENTS BY JUNE 5TH, AND SO THAT GIVES ADMINISTRATION THE NEXT 2 OR 3 WEEKS AND ADMINISTRATION AND COUNCIL TO RECEIVE COMMENTS, MAKE CHANGES AT THE JUNE 5TH AND APPROVE IT AT OUR JUNE 12TH MEETING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.
DEFINITELY BY THE END OF JUNE, MAKES SENSE.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S THAT RIGHT BALANCE FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO HAVE THE TIME TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE AS IS APPROPRIATE, AND WE WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SUPPORT HOW COUNCIL WANTS TO ENGAGE IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUAL COUNCILLORS VERSUS A PUBLIC MEETING.
WE'VE USED PLACESPEAK IN THE PAST.
SO WE COULD DO HAVE IT HAVE COMMENTS BACK IN BY.
YES. LOOKING MOVING IT BACKWARDS.
BASICALLY, WE'LL NEED TO GET IT TO THE GPC ON THE 19TH.
MEANS WE WOULD NEED ALL THE COMMENTS IN BY JUNE 9TH.
SO IF COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE ANYTHING PARTICULAR IN REGARDS TO ENGAGING WITH THE PUBLIC, WE CAN DO THE PLACESPEAK. IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT COUNCILLORS WOULD LIKE, ANOTHER FORMAT THAT COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO ENGAGE WITH RESIDENTS BESIDES PLACESPEAK, INDIVIDUALLY, OF COURSE YOU CAN DO THAT YOURSELVES, BUT SEEING NODDING HEADS FOR PLACESPEAK AND A BIT MORE OF AN ORGANIC COUNCIL TO PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT. OKAY.
SO YES, IF WE CAN GET THE COMMENTS IN BY JUNE 9TH AT THE LATEST SO IT CAN GET TO THE GPC ON THE 19TH WITH THE APPROVAL ON THE 26TH. SEEING NOTHING FURTHER ON THIS ONE.
THE NEXT ITEM IS DISCUSSION REGARDING THE 2023 HIGH LEVEL WORK PLAN.
[7. A discussion regarding 2023 High Level Work Plan.]
MS. BASSI-KELLETT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU.OH, THIS IS A DIFFERENT MIC THAN MINE.
SO IN GPC'S PACKAGE TODAY, YOU WILL SEE THE HIGH LEVEL WORK PLAN THAT ADMINISTRATION HAS LAID OUT TO GIVE YOU AN INDICATION OF THINGS THAT ARE ON OUR RADAR, THINGS THAT ARE DRIVING OUR WORKLOAD OUTSIDE OF COUNCIL AND GPC MEETINGS AND OTHER COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
[00:20:01]
SO IT'S MY PLEASURE TO BE ABLE TO GIVE SOME CONTEXT AND PUT SOME PARAMETERS AROUND THAT INFORMATION THAT YOU SEE.SO, OH GOSH, NOW I'M REPEATING MYSELF, BUT HERE WE GO.
SO HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PROJECT, IF YOU LOOK THROUGH THIS.
YEP, AQUATIC CENTER, WATER LICENSE, WATER SUBMARINE LINE.
1 OR 2 WORDS ON A WORK PLAN DON'T COME CLOSE TO LAYING OUT REALLY SOME OF THE REALLY MASSIVE WORKLOAD THAT IS INVOLVED WITH THESE PROJECTS, AND I THINK COUNCIL IS QUITE AWARE YOU'VE SEEN THE WORK UNDERWAY WITH THE AQUATIC CENTER, YOU'VE HAD THE TOUR ONGOING.
WE'RE PROVIDING THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT FOR THAT PROJECT.
IT INVOLVES COMMUNITY SERVICES, PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING, CORPORATE SERVICES, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, LEGAL COMMS. BECAUSE THAT WORK IS ONGOING.
THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT FACETS TO THAT.
THERE ARE MONTHLY ISSUES CONSISTENTLY THAT COME UP.
SO EVERY ONE OF THESE PROJECTS HERE, THE WATER LICENSE YOU'VE HEARD BEFORE FROM OUR PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING UNIT, THERE ARE A LOT OF REQUIREMENTS IN THE WATER LICENSE THAT WE NEED TO FIND SOLUTIONS FOR ENGINEERED SOLUTIONS, AND THERE ARE MANY CASES WHERE WE'RE NOT QUITE SURE WHAT THOSE ARE GOING TO LOOK LIKE YET.
THE WATER SUBMARINE LINE IS A BIG ONE FOR US.
WE KNOW THAT COSTS ARE INCREASING.
OF COURSE, THERE'S OUR ONGOING WORK AS WELL, THE BREAD AND BUTTER OF WHAT IT IS THE CITY IS HERE TO DO, WHICH IS TO DEVELOP AND PROVIDE CORE AND ESSENTIAL MUNICIPAL PROGRAMS AND SERVICES TO RESIDENTS.
MAKE SURE THAT WHEN YOU TURN YOUR TAP ON, THE GOOD STUFF COMES OUT.
MAKE SURE WHEN YOU FLUSH, THE BAD STUFF GOES AWAY.
YOU REMEMBER SNOWMAGEDDON IN NOVEMBER.
THIS IS THE CORE WORK OF THE CITY.
WE PRESENT THIS TO YOU REGULARLY TOO, SO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT'S DRIVING WORKLOAD, BUT WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AROUND THIS IS THAT WE DON'T JUST DO THIS IN ISOLATION AND GO, GREAT, WE'RE DOING OUR OWN THING.
YOU GUYS SET YOUR DIRECTION, ISN'T THAT GREAT? WE'LL DO US. YOU DO YOU.
OBVIOUSLY, WE REALLY LOOK TO YOU AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ARE LAYING OUT WHAT YOUR STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS ARE, BECAUSE ABSOLUTELY, WE ARE STRIVING TO DELIVER OUR CORE WORK, BUT WE ARE ALSO VERY, VERY KEEN AND ADAMANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE DO IS DONE IN THE CONTEXT OF WHERE YOU WANT TO GO.
YOU ARE THE ELECTED LEADERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
YOU BRING THAT DIRECTION TO US AND WE WANT TO REALLY ALIGN THE WORK THAT'S GOING ON.
SO BUT YOU MAY LOOK AT THE WORK PLAN AND THINK, REALLY LIKE, WHERE DOES THIS STUFF COME FROM? ARE YOU GUYS COOKING UP STUFF AND DREAMING UP THINGS? REALLY, THE PROJECTS COME FROM THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ESSENTIAL SERVICES.
THE THINGS I TALKED ABOUT BEFORE WATER, SEWER, ROADS, SIDEWALKS, FIRE, AMBULANCE, ASSET MANAGEMENT.
UNDER OUR AUDIT, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE TO PRODUCE THAT OUR WATER LICENSE IS IMPORTANT.
WE HAVE A DUTY UNDER LABOR LAW, FISCAL MANAGEMENT, DEVELOPMENT PERMITS.
THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WERE LEGISLATED TO DO.
THEN THERE ARE A LOT OF PROJECTS THAT COME TO US THAT WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A CHOICE.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A SAY IN HOW THAT PROCESS GOES AHEAD, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE MANY, MANY OTHER PLAYERS, MANY OTHER DRIVING STRATEGIES AROUND THAT, BUT WE HAVE A ROLE IN THAT. ROLLING OUT ATIPP.
WE'RE CONSTANTLY ASKED FOR INPUT ON DRAFT LEGISLATION THAT THE GNWT IS LOOKING AT, AND I GOT TO SAY, THE WAY THE PROCESS WORKS FOR THEIR ELECTION CYCLE, THERE ARE A LOT OF BILLS THAT ARE COMING TO A HEAD NOW WITH PRESSURE TO GET THEM APPROVED BEFORE THE END OF THE CURRENT LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY.
SO WE DON'T WANT TO SAY, OH, SORRY, WE'RE TOO BUSY.
BACK OVER TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY COMMUNITY BOUNDARY.
[00:25:07]
THERE ARE BIG THINGS LIKE RECONCILIATION, THE AQUATIC CENTER.THESE HAVE COME THROUGH COUNCIL DIRECTION.
SO JUST RECENTLY THERE HAVE BEEN SOME DISCUSSIONS AROUND THINGS LIKE CAN THE ADMINISTRATION COME BACK AND PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT ON THE TIMING AND ROLLOUT AND FLOW OF THE MEETING PACKAGES THAT YOU RECEIVE FOR GPC FOR COUNCIL? CAN WE DO SOME WORK AROUND WORK CAMPS TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS THE ABILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WORKERS HAVE SPACE IN TOWN GIVEN OUR HOUSING SHORTAGE RIGHT NOW? SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT OF COURSE DRIVE OUR WORKLOAD AS WELL, AND THEN THERE'S JUST THE OPERATIONAL CHURN, RIGHT? THE DAY TO DAY STUFF THAT WE NEED TO DO.
IF WE DON'T, WE DON'T REMAIN COMPETITIVE IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO HIRE THE BEST STAFF FOR THE CITY.
WE KNOW THAT OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY BECOMES MORE AND MORE COMPLICATED WITH GOOD CAUSE, OBVIOUSLY, BUT IT DOES ADD A LOT OF TIME AND INVESTMENT, I THINK OF FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT KNOW THE SEASON'S GREETING SIGN THAT GOES UP OVER CITY HALL DOORS 20 YEARS AGO THAT TOOK TWO GUYS AND A LADDER TO PUT UP AND PROBABLY AN HOUR, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE UNDERSTAND NOW THAT MIGHT HAVE HAD SOME RISK WITH IT.
SO WSCC RULES SAY THAT'S NOW THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT RULES WITH THAT IT TAKES US A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS THAT WITH GOOD CAUSE, OF COURSE. THINGS LIKE OUR I.T.
UPGRADES, WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT PROGRAMS LIKE CITY VIEW ARE REALLY RELEVANT AND SUPPORTIVE OF THINGS LIKE OUR ASSET MANAGEMENT PLAN, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT PROVIDES GOOD INFORMATION TO US.
WE'RE REPLACING LEGEND RIGHT NOW.
WE JUST REPLACED THAT THREE YEARS AGO, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? LEGEND IS NO LONGER SUPPORTING IT.
SO WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO GO OUT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE GET A REPLACEMENT FOR THAT.
WE'VE GOT TO RECRUIT LIFEGUARDS.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE DOUBLE THE SIZE FOR OPERATIONAL SUPPORTS WHEN OUR NEW AQUATIC CENTER OPENS IN Q4 OF 2024, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO HAVE LIFEGUARDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE IDEALLY COMING FROM THE COMMUNITY.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE HIRING LIFEGUARDS FROM OUTSIDE OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO ALL OF THESE THINGS DRIVE WHERE THESE PROJECTS COME FROM.
I DON'T HAVE MS. WOODWARD'S SKILLS AT PUTTING TOGETHER NICE VISUALS.
YOU SET THE TONE, YOU SET WHAT IS REALLY CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR US AS A CITY TO BE ABLE TO DO, AND SO OUT OF THAT, THEN COME ALL THE ACTIONS AND DELIVERABLES THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO.
SO HOW DO WE PRIORITIZE ALL THESE THINGS, RIGHT? THIS IS A REALLY BIG THING, AND SO WE REALLY LOOK TO YOU TO HELP US PRIORITIZE THAT, AND SO WE KNOW THAT AND WE TRY TO BE AS REALISTIC AS POSSIBLE, AND PLEASE FORGIVE ME IF AT TIMES I SOUND LIKE A BIG WHINY CRYBABY TO TALK ABOUT LIMITED RESOURCES, LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.
WE KNOW THAT AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN WE SAY, LOOK, WE'RE DOWN THE ROAD ON BUILDING THE AQUATICS, AND I'LL USE THAT AS AN EXAMPLE, IF THIS COUNCIL TURNED AROUND AND SAID, OH MAN, THAT'S A GARBAGE IDEA, LET'S TOSS THAT OUT, WE'RE TOO FAR DOWN THE ROAD TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
SO THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE NEED TO STAY THE COURSE ON BECAUSE WE ARE SO INVESTED.
THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT WE KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO COME AND SAY, LOOK, THIS IS AN EMERGING ISSUE.
WE NEED THIS TO BE DEALT WITH.
WORKCAMPS COULD BE A PRIME EXAMPLE OF THAT.
THERE MAY BE NEW OPPORTUNITIES THAT COME ALONG.
THAT COUNCIL SAYS, BOY, WE CAN'T LET THIS PASS US BY.
SO WE REALLY NEED TO ADD THIS TO THE TOP OF THE LIST FOR WORKLOAD.
WHEN A NEW PRIORITY IS ADDED, THOUGH, WE WILL LOOK TO YOU TO SAY, OKAY, THEN WHAT GETS PUSHED DOWN? BECAUSE IF WE'VE GOT A FINITE SET OF RESOURCES, A FINITE SET OF STAFF, HUMAN RESOURCES, FINANCIAL SUPPORT RESOURCES, FORGIVE ME, WE NEED TO MANAGE THOSE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER WHAT YOU NEED, AND IF THERE ARE NEW AND EMERGING PRIORITIES, WE WILL REALLY LOOK TO YOU TO SAY, HELP US PRIORITIZE WHAT COMES DOWN AND WHAT WE DEFER TO NEXT YEAR, WHAT WE DEFER TO LATER IN THE YEAR.
WE KNOW THAT CONSISTENT DIRECTION.
ONCE THAT'S SET, THAT'S REALLY CRITICAL FOR US, WE RUN WITH IT, AND SO I'M NOT GOING TO NAME NAMES, BUT I KNOW THAT THERE IS ANOTHER COMMUNITY IN THE NWT THAT ON ONE ISSUE THEY WENT BACK AND FORTH. COUNCIL COULDN'T AGREE BACK AND FORTH OVER 20 TIMES.
THAT'S NOT GREAT FOR ANYONE, RIGHT? THAT LEVEL OF YES, WE SHOULD.
NO WE SHOULDN'T. YES, WE SHOULD, AND THAT'S NEVER HAPPENED HERE, BUT WE KNOW THAT ONCE DIRECTION IS SET, WE'RE GOING TO RUN WITH IT, AND THERE'S A LOT OF MOMENTUM THAT COMES WITH THAT. I CAN'T TALK ABOUT THIS WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT SOME OF OUR CONTEXT AROUND THIS.
[00:30:07]
OUR CAPACITY IS SEVERELY CHALLENGED RIGHT NOW AND WE'RE FINDING POST-COVID, MAN, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO COME OUT OF THIS.SO IT'S NOT JUST A YELLOWKNIFE ISSUE.
IT IS AN ISSUE THAT COMES OUT OF POST-COVID.
IT COMES OUT OF A BURNOUT THAT PEOPLE HAVE FELT, AND OF COURSE, WE ARE DEALING WITH A COUPLE OF OTHER FACTORS, TOO, IS COMING OUT OF THE STRIKE AS WELL, BUT WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS WE HAVE STAFF VACANCIES.
SOME JOBS ARE HARDER TO STAFF THAN OTHERS WHO KNEW THAT LIFEGUARDS WOULD BE SUCH A CHALLENGING POSITION TO FILL, RIGHT? WE SEE LONG TERM DISABILITY.
WE HAVE PARENTAL LEAVES, WHICH I'M SUPER HAPPY ABOUT.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF OF MALE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE OFF ON PARENTAL LEAVE, WHICH I'M SO HAPPY ABOUT, BUT BOY, WE KNOW WHAT PEOPLE WERE DOING THROUGH COVID AND I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT. ACCUMULATED LEAVE, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF STAFF THAT COULDN'T TAKE TIME OFF DURING COVID AND SO OR THEY REALLY MISSED BEING ABLE TO VISIT WITH FAMILY.
THERE'S A LOT OF LEAVE REQUESTS THAT ARE COMING IN RIGHT NOW AND SO WE SEE THAT HAPPENING QUITE A BIT AND CATCHING UP FROM THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2023 WHEN THERE WASN'T A LOT OF WORK DONE. WE REALLY ARE SEEKING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO CATCH UP ON WORK AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BUILDING A REALLY GOOD CORPORATE CONTEXT COMING OUT OF THAT.
SO THERE IS A LOT OF WORK AROUND THAT'S IMPACTING OUR ABILITIES TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER AT 100%.
SO HOW DO WE INTEGRATE COUNCIL'S DIRECTION AND ADMINISTRATION'S WORK? SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THE STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS FINALIZED THAT THEY LAY OUT THE REALLY THE WAY YOU WANT TO SEE WORK DONE OVER YOUR TERM OF OFFICE.
THE OTHER PART THEN IS AROUND RESOURCING AND THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS TO SEE PRIORITIES THAT YOU HAVE TRANSLATING INTO ACTION, AND I'LL TAKE AN EXAMPLE THAT COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN JUST RAISED AROUND FOOD SUSTAINABILITY, AND SO THE GROWTH STRATEGY, WHEN THAT WAS IMPLEMENTED AND IT WAS DEVELOPED AND IT WAS BROUGHT FORWARD AND THERE WERE A NUMBER OF OTHER COMPETING PRIORITIES AT THE TIME, THE COUNCIL DIDN'T NECESSARILY PUT RESOURCES TOWARDS THAT.
SO THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE ON GROWTH HAS BEEN BASICALLY AMPLIFYING OTHER PARTNERS WORK WITHOUT A LOT OF BUDGET BEHIND IT, AND I'M PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE TO DATE BUT CLEARLY IF COUNCIL SAYS, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'VE GOT TO GET BEHIND FOOD SUSTAINABILITY MORE, THEN I WOULD EXPECT THAT WE WILL SEE SOME DIRECTIONS FROM COUNCIL AROUND FUNDING THE GROWTH STRATEGY AND OTHER THINGS.
WE ARE GOING TO LOOK WHEN YOUR STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS ARE DONE.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING IS ALIGNING, THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DRIVING PROJECTS THAT ARE SUPPORTING AND ADVANCING WHAT YOUR STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS ARE, AND WE'VE HEARD YOU LOUD AND CLEAR ON THINGS LIKE PEOPLE FIRST, WE'VE HEARD YOU LOUD AND CLEAR ON GOOD GOVERNANCE AND ON A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.
HOW DO WE DO THESE THINGS NOW? HOW DO WE LOOK AT THAT WORK PLAN AND HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT THE WAY THAT WE ADVANCE PROJECTS IS ABSOLUTELY RESPECTING, HONORING AND ADVANCING HOW YOU WANT TO SEE WORK DONE, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE TAKE.
ONCE YOUR STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS ARE FINALIZED, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THAT THEN AND COME BACK WITH OPTIONS AROUND HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE ADVANCING THIS, AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO REPORT OUT TO YOU ANNUALLY TO SAY, BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO LIKE, HOW'S IT GOING? WHAT ARE WE DOING? YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO KNOW THAT AND WE WILL TAKE PRIDE IN COMING BACK TO YOU AND SAYING, YOU SET THIS OUT FOR US, YOU MADE THESE PRIORITIES.
SO HOW DO WE DO THIS? HOW DO WE MAKE PROGRESS AND ALIGN STRATEGIC DIRECTION SUCCESSFULLY? IT'S REALLY GREAT WHEN COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATION ARE ALIGNED AND THAT REALLY IS HELPFUL TO US.
WE REALLY ARE SO RESPECTFUL AND APPRECIATE THE CLEAR AND CONSISTENT DIRECTION THAT YOU PROVIDE APPROPRIATE RESOURCES, RIGHT? MAKING SURE THAT WE'VE GOT THE RESOURCING TO BE ABLE TO DO THE PROJECTS THAT NEED TO BE DONE, AND DEFINITELY WE SEE THAT YOUR STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS GUIDE OUR FOCUS AND WORK PLANNING. SO FOR EXAMPLE, I MENTIONED WE HAVE STARTED BUDGET 2024 PROCESS.
IT'S BEEN IN THE WORKS SINCE PROBABLY WELL, IT'S A FULL 12 MONTH CYCLE, BUT OUR SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM WAS SAT DOWN LAST FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND WE WERE PLOWING THROUGH OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR 2024 AND WE WERE USING YOUR DRAFT STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS TO INFORM AND PRIORITIZE THROUGH THE EVALUATION MATRIX THAT WE USE.
WE'VE STARTED USING THEM ALREADY.
SO WHEN I SAID, BOY, IT'D BE GREAT TO HAVE YOUR STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS NAILED DOWN BY JUNE.
SO OUR WORK PLAN TO DATE, HIGH LEVEL, IT LAYS OUT THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE ON OUR RADAR.
WE WILL BE WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ALIGNING THAT WITH THE STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS OF COUNCIL.
AS YOU FINALIZE THOSE AND AS WE GET THEM CEMENTED DOWN FOR YOUR TERM OF OFFICE.
[00:35:01]
I'M WILLING TO HAVE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.COUNCILLOR HENDRICKSEN. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR, AND THANK YOU, MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AS WELL.
ACCOUNTING FOR THE COMMENTS MADE BY MAYOR ALTY, COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN, BEFORE I AM, THE REASON I DIDN'T PUT MY HAND UP BEFORE IS I JUST FIGURED I'D WRAP IT ALL INTO ONE PRESENTATION, BUT THANK YOU FOR NAILING DOWN THE STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS.
SO ACCOUNTING FOR THOSE COMMENTS AND WORKING THOSE IN, STILL REALLY APPRECIATE YOU MANAGING TO WORK TOWARDS GETTING ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS TOGETHER IN A PLACE WHERE IT WILL DRIVE THE WORK FOR THE NEXT THREE AND A HALF YEARS.
THE QUESTION, THOUGH, COMES WITH GOING FORWARD.
WE HAVE THE HIGH LEVEL WORK PLAN HERE.
WILL WE SEE AT SOME POINT THE PLACE WHERE THE WORK PLAN MEETS THE DIRECTIONS, NOT JUST FOR YOURSELVES, WHICH CLEARLY IT DOES IN TERMS OF WORK PLANNING, BUT IN TERMS OF THAT REPORTING BACK TO US, AND ALSO THEN BECAUSE THIS IS ALL PUBLIC DOCUMENTATION FOR RESIDENTS OF YELLOWKNIFE TO SEE WHERE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF THE WORK PLAN ACTUALLY HIT THOSE STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS.
SO HOW WILL WE MAKE SURE THAT'S REPORTED THAT THE WORK THIS IS HAPPENING BECAUSE OF STRATEGIC DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL? BECAUSE AS I SAID, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE ALL DOING THAT WORK PLANNING, IT'S SORT OF ONE OF THOSE THINGS IF IT'S NOT A STRATEGIC DIRECTION OR IT'S NOT A, YOU KNOW, LEGISLATED, REGULATED REASON, WE HAVE TO BE DOING SOMETHING.
WE REALLY DO NEED TO BE ASKING WHY ARE WE DOING IT? AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S EVERY ORGANIZATION.
SO JUST MAKING SURE HOW WILL THAT CONNECTION BE MADE IN THE FUTURE? THANK YOU, MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, AND I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME THINGS THAT ARE AN ABSOLUTE DIRECT COUNTERPOINT TO OR THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT WORD TO USE CAUSE AND EFFECT. IF IT'S LAID OUT IN THE STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS, WE WILL HAVE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE ADVANCING THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED WITHIN THE STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS DOCUMENT ITSELF.
WE KNOW THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO BE INDIRECT PROJECTS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON THAT ARE ADVANCING AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE REFLECTIVE OF THE OVERALL SPIRIT AND INTENT OF THOSE THREE KEY PLATFORMS, THREE KEY THEMES THAT COUNCIL HAS LAID OUT, AND SO WE'RE GOING TO WANT TO MAKE SURE THEN THAT WORK THAT WE DO ON I'LL TRY TO THINK OF SOME I WON'T EVEN THINK OF AN EXAMPLE, BUT THAT THEY ARE INFUSED WITH AND SUPPORTING WHAT THE ESSENCE AND THE INTENT THAT COUNCIL HAS HAD AROUND THINGS LIKE PEOPLE FIRST AND THE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.
IT'S NOT JUST ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY, IT'S ENVIRONMENTAL, IT'S FOOD.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO REPORT OUT ANNUALLY TO COUNCIL, TO BE ABLE TO SAY, OKAY, YOU GUYS SET YOUR STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS, HERE'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT IS WAS EXPLICITLY GIVEN AS EXAMPLES WITHIN THE STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS DOCUMENT.
HERE'S HOW WE'VE ADVANCED IT, BUT HERE ARE OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON AND WHETHER OR NOT IT'S PART OF OUR CORE WORK OR WHETHER OR NOT IT'S ONE OF THOSE EXTERNALLY IMPOSED THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO, HERE'S HOW WE'VE MADE SURE THAT IT'S INFUSED WITH THE ESSENCE OF THE STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS OF COUNCIL.
SO WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO REPORTING OUT ON THOSE ANNUALLY.
YEAH, NO, I JUST AND I KNOW SOMETIMES PEOPLE WILL LOOK AT STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS AND WORK PLANS AND GO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS STUFF THAT YOU JUST HAVE TO DO AND YOU JUST HAVE TO MAKE THE LINK BUT I THINK EVEN JUST MAKING THOSE LINKS IS ALWAYS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT HELPS PEOPLE.
IT MAKES BOARDS--COUNCIL IN THIS CASE--UNDERSTAND THAT STAFF HAS THOUGHT THROUGH THOSE DIRECTIONS AND HAS ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, BEEN TAKING THAT KIND OF STRATEGIC THINKING TO HEART WHEN MAKING THE WORK PLAN AND WHEN ACTUALLY DOING THE WORK.
THANKS, MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU.
YEAH, MAYBE IT'S A COLOR-CODED SYSTEM WITH LIKE A LITTLE DOT BESIDE THEM BECAUSE TO YOUR POINT OF IS IT A STRATEGIC, IS IT A LEGAL OR IS IT JUST SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO DO? IT CAN BE HELPFUL AS OPPOSED TO US ASKING LIKE, WHY IS IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY THAT'S PAST COUNCIL A MOTION OR SOMETHING.
COUNCIL CAN LIKE SKIM OVER THAT.
NEXT I HAVE COUNCILLOR COCHRANE THEN COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, YOUR WORSHIP.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND ALL THE WORK.
IF YOU COULD ELABORATE A LITTLE MORE OF WHAT THAT ACTUALLY ENTAILS, THAT'D BE HIGHLY APPRECIATED.
THANK YOU. MISS BASSI-KELLETT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WITH PLEASURE. BOY, TALK ABOUT PUTTING OUR CLERK ON THE SPOT.
HE HAS BEEN ACTING IN THIS POSITION SINCE JANUARY.
[00:40:10]
IT WAS SUCCESSFUL, IT WORKED WELL, BUT THERE WERE A FEW GROWING PAINS, IF I CAN PUT IT THAT WAY.SO THESE ARE THINGS CERTAINLY THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOCUMENTING, THAT WE ARE ABLE TO LOOK AT OPTIONS TO MITIGATE IN THE FUTURE.
WE'RE ABLE TO LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES TO BE ABLE TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION TO NEW WAYS AND MORE MODERNIZED WAYS OF BEING ABLE TO HOLD MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS WHILE MAKING SURE THAT THE INTEGRITY OF THE ELECTORAL PROCESS IS UPHELD 100%.
PERHAPS WHAT I'LL DO IS I'LL ASK MS. THISTLE AS OUR WEARING A HAT OF CITY SOLICITOR IF SHE'D LIKE TO WEIGH IN.
THERE WERE A FEW THINGS THAT CERTAINLY DURING THE ELECTION CYCLE AND SHE WAS ACTING FOR ME AT THE TIME LEADING UP TO THE ELECTION THAT SHE HAS SOME VERY VIVID EXPERIENCES I'M SURE SHE WOULD LOVE TO SHARE.
YEAH, REALLY, FOLLOWING UP FROM OUR DEBRIEF, TAKING PROACTIVE STEPS TO MOVE FORWARD TO THE NEXT ELECTION, THERE WERE THINGS ABOUT WHERE BALLOTS COULD BE PRINTED, HOW EARLY THEY HAVE TO BE ORDERED, EVEN THINGS LIKE WHERE ARE WE GOING TO PUT THE BALLOT, HOW BIG THE BOX CAN BE WE RAN INTO DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES HAVE DONE AND, YOU KNOW, BIGGER THINGS THAT COULD BE LOCATED IN THE DOWNTOWN, THINGS OF THAT NATURE THAT NEED TO BE THOUGHT OF WELL IN ADVANCE SO THAT THEY CAN BE SCOPED OUT, PERHAPS PURCHASED INFORMATION DIGESTED BY ADMINISTRATION TO DECIDE WHICH PATH TO TAKE FORWARD, AND THEN FOR THE ELECTION ITSELF, EVEN THOUGH IT SEEMS FAR AWAY, WE'RE ALREADY SIX MONTHS IN AND THERE'S A LOT OF PRE-PLANNING THAT GOES INTO THIS EVEN WITH RESPECT TO THE LEGISLATIVE DATE.
SO THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE STARTS ON THE ELECTION CALENDAR QUITE A BIT AHEAD OF TIME, AND THEN, AS MS. BASSI-KELLETT REFERRED TO, THERE'S A NUMBER OF OTHER STEPS THAT WILL BE TAKING BEFORE THE NEXT ELECTION TO MAKE IT EVEN MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN IT WAS THE LAST TIME.
DOES THAT MEAN THAT A PRESENTATION ON THIS WILL BE THIS YEAR, OR ARE WE THINKING MORE WITHIN, LIKE, I'M GUESSING 2026? MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
WE HAD NOT THOUGHT ABOUT IT IN TERMS OF A PRESENTATION.
PERHAPS I'M OUT OF THE LOOP OR IF WE HAD, BUT I KNOW WE HAD BEEN LOOKING AT.
WE MUST BE LEARNING FROM THESE THINGS GOING FORWARD.
SO WE OBVIOUSLY WANT TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH COUNCIL AND WITH THE PUBLIC AND REFINE ANY OF THE ACTIONS THAT WE TAKE IN PLANNING LEADING UP TO THE NEXT MUNICIPAL ELECTION. SO, GOSH, THE IDEA OF PLANNING IS JUST SO WONDERFUL.
WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT IF WE COULD PLAN? BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE HAVEN'T HAD THE ABILITY TO PLAN SINCE 2020 WITH BETWEEN COVID AND RESPONDING TO VARIOUS EMERGENCIES, BUT WE ARE WE HAVE DONE THE DEBRIEF.
WE HAVE LOOKED AT THE ITEMS THAT WE NEED TO FOLLOW UP ON, AND MANY OF THOSE ARE IN PROCESS.
I'LL ASK MS. THISTLE IF BECAUSE I REMEMBER SOME OF THOSE THINGS WERE IMMEDIATE, THAT WE COULD ADDRESS, SOME REQUIRED A LITTLE BIT MORE FORESIGHT AND PLANNING, BUT I'LL ASK HER IF SHE'D LIKE TO RESPOND.
I CAN'T SPEAK OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
PART OF THE WORK THAT WE WOULD BE DOING IS CONNECTING, LIKE I SAID, WITH ANY CONTRACTORS YOU MIGHT NEED, EVEN THINGS LIKE IS A PARTICULAR KIND OF PAPER AVAILABLE IN THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES IS CAN YOU PRINT THINGS LIKE THAT HERE? IT'S VERY SPECIFIC.
SO THOSE KIND OF CONVERSATIONS CAN TAKE QUITE A BIT OF TIME AS WE LEARNED THE LAST TIME AS WELL.
LOTS OF OTHER MUNICIPALITIES ARE HOLDING ELECTIONS AT THE SAME TIME.
SO IT'S GETTING IN THE QUEUE AND WE'RE VERY STRICTLY LEGISLATED OF WHEN OUR ELECTION MUST BE HELD.
THERE'S NO FLEXIBILITY THERE UNDER THE TERRITORIAL LEGISLATION, SO WE'RE A LITTLE LESS FLEXIBLE THAN SOME OTHER JURISDICTIONS, BUT YEAH, NO SPECIFIC DECISION OR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT A PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL SPECIFICALLY, BUT LIKE I MENTIONED, IF THERE WAS ANY BYLAW CHANGES REQUIRED, THEN IT WOULD DEFINITELY BE BEFORE COUNCIL IN THAT MANNER, BUT REALLY IT WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY THINGS THAT WE NOTED FROM THE LAST ELECTION WE WERE WELL ON TOP OF FOR THE NEXT ONE BECAUSE IT WAS SUPER SUCCESSFUL, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.
SO THANK YOU, MUCH APPRECIATED.
THANK YOU. COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.
THANK YOU. THANKS TO STAFF FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE. I JUST HAD A QUESTION, A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
I DON'T SEE THE DISTRICT HEATING FRAMEWORK ON THE WORK PLAN.
JUST LOOKING FOR AN UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF THIS WORK AND WHY IT ISN'T IN THERE?
[00:45:04]
MS. BASSI-KELLETT.IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT FALLS UNDER THE COMMUNITY AND CORPORATE ENERGY PLAN.
THE CURRENT COMMUNITY AND CORPORATE ENERGY PLAN WAS FROM 2015 TO 2025, AND IN 2020 WE CAME FORWARD AT THE HALFWAY MARK TO COUNCIL TO SEEK SOME DIRECTION ON SOME OF THE OPTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE LATTER PART OF THE TIMEFRAME FOR THE ENERGY PLAN AND COUNCIL'S DIRECTION AT THAT TIME WAS TO FOCUS ON A DISTRICT ENERGY DEVELOPMENT OF A DISTRICT ENERGY POLICY, AND SO THAT HAS BEEN UNDERWAY.
THE WORK ON THAT WITH A CONSULTING COMPANY HAS BEEN IN DEVELOPMENT.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE OPPORTUNITIES TO DO SO.
SO THE WORK IS UNDERWAY UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THE COMMUNITY ENERGY POLICY OR COMMUNITY ENERGY PLAN.
THANK YOU, AND THAT WAS MY NEXT QUESTION.
I DON'T SEE THE COMMUNITY, CORPORATE AND COMMUNITY ENERGY PLAN IN HERE EITHER.
EITHER TO DO WITH THAT PROJECT OR FOR WORK ON THE RENEWAL.
IS THAT JUST UNDER A DIFFERENT LABEL THAT I'M MISSING OR.
MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IF IT'S NOT IN HERE, IT WAS A COMPLETE AND UTTER OVERSIGHT BECAUSE THE WORK IS UNDERWAY ON THAT AND CERTAINLY YOU WILL BE SEEING AS PART OF BUDGET 2020 FOR SOME MONEY THAT IS BEING IDENTIFIED WITHIN THE CAPITAL PLAN TO PLAN FOR THE RENEWAL OF THE COMMUNITY AND CORPORATE ENERGY PLAN.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR POINTING THAT OUT.
YEAH, I THINK IF WE ADDED IN PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING THAT AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIC PLAN.
YEAH, I JUST I THINK THOSE ARE VERY IMPORTANT WORK AND YEAH, JUST NOTICED THEIR ABSENCE MAYBE, AND YEAH, IF IT IS ONGOING AND JUST NEEDS TO BE PUT IN THERE, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO SEE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, DISCUSSION ON THIS? FOR MYSELF, STARTING WITH THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK, COMMITTEES OF COUNCIL.
ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE GOVERNANCE REVIEW WAS ABOUT DOING ONE CALL FOR COMMITTEE MEMBERS PER YEAR, AND SO THEN WE COULD DO ONE ORIENTATION AS OPPOSED TO OUR CURRENT PRACTICE, WHICH IS THE ONGOING SEARCH FOR MEMBERS.
JUST WONDERING IF IF ADMINISTRATION WILL BE CONSIDERING THAT OR WHETHER THAT'S 2023 OR 2024? MS. BASSI-KELLETT.
YES, WE RECALL THAT DIRECTION AND WE HAVE BEEN PUTTING A LITTLE BIT OF THOUGHT INTO THAT.
OTHER WORK SEEMS TO HAVE ECLIPSED IT, BUT PART OF OUR CHALLENGE AROUND THIS IS THAT WE HAVE DIFFERENT SKILL SETS FOR DIFFERENT COMMITTEES, AND SO IF WE PUT A CALL OUT FOR A VERY WIDE SCOPE, WE MIGHT GET SOME PEOPLE, WE MIGHT HAVE SHORTAGES DUE TO RESIGNATIONS OR OTHERWISE THAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO A CALL PARTWAY THROUGH THE YEAR.
WE LOVE THE IDEA OF BEING ABLE TO DO ONE OVERALL COMMITTEE ORIENTATION THAT WOULD BE REALLY EFFICIENT AND REALLY TIMELY, BUT RECOGNIZING THE CYCLICAL NATURE OF THE SKILL SET THAT WE NEED, THE TIMING OF THE APPOINTMENTS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE FIND WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE CONTROL OVER BASED ON PEOPLE'S AVAILABILITY IF PEOPLE RESIGN FROM COMMITTEES AND WE NEED TO FILL.
SO THERE ARE A FEW ISSUES WITH THIS.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE WRAPPING OUR HEADS AROUND.
I'LL SEE IF OUR CITY CLERK WOULD LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
YEAH, AND MY UNDERSTANDING OF IT WAS THAT WE WOULD DO A CALL OUT FOR THE GRANT REVIEW COMMITTEE.
THE HERITAGE COMMITTEE, THE [INAUDIBLE].
ET CETERA. ET CETERA, AND WE WOULD BE LISTING WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IN EACH COMMITTEE, AND AS OPPOSED TO RIGHT NOW, IT'S THAT ONGOING AND RECOGNIZING THAT WE MAY HAVE TO DO A CALL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR IF ONE PERSON RESIGNS FROM A COMMITTEE, AND WE REALLY NEED THAT SKILL SET, BUT YEAH, AND IT WOULD REQUIRE BASICALLY US REAPPOINTING EVERY SINGLE COMMITTEE MEMBER SO THAT EVERYBODY'S TERM IS BEGINNING, SAY, JANUARY 1ST OF 2024, BUT YEAH, I THINK THERE IS SOME OPPORTUNITY TO SAVE ADMINISTRATION SOME TIME BY LOOKING AT THAT RECOMMENDATION.
THE OTHER ONE WAS CORPORATE SERVICES ESTABLISHED THE SOCIAL PROCUREMENT FRAMEWORK.
GREAT INITIATIVE, I ASSUME, BUT DO WE HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO IT THIS YEAR OR WHETHER WE SHOULD BE PUTTING IT TO 2024? MS. BASSI-KELLETT THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'M VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE AROUND PROCUREMENT, AND I STILL THINK BACK WITH I CAN'T EVEN EXPRESS HOW MUCH RELIEF I HAVE THAT JUST BEFORE COVID, WE HAD GONE TO AN ONLINE SYSTEM FOR OUR AWARDING OF CONTRACTS.
I'LL ASK MS. WOODWARD IF SHE CAN SPEAK TO THE SOCIAL PROCUREMENT ANGLE.
[00:50:06]
THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.THIS ONGOING ITEM REALLY GREW OUT OF SOME DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL IN SUPPORT OF RECONCILIATION.
WE LOOKED AT HOW OUR PROCUREMENT STRATEGY MIGHT ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE ISSUES.
WE ALSO PAID A LOT OF ATTENTION TO WHAT WAS GOING ON ELSEWHERE AND REALIZED THAT REALLY A BETTER ROUTE FOR THE ORGANIZATION WOULD BE TO HAVE A BROADER PROCUREMENT FRAMEWORK THAT UNDERSTOOD OR TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION A NUMBER OF FACTORS.
SO WHILE IT PROBABLY WON'T COME INTO FRUITION THIS YEAR, IT IS CERTAINLY ON OUR WORK PLAN.
WE'RE ALSO RELYING ON OUR LEGAL TEAM TO PROVIDE SOME INSIGHT THERE.
SO DELIVERABLE, PROBABLY NOT 2023, BUT WE WANT TO KEEP WORKING ON IT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE AT LEAST FOLLOWING WHAT IS GOING ON AND TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
I SHOULD NOTE THAT IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, THERE WAS ONE KEY INITIATIVE THAT I THINK THE WORDING HAS TO CHANGE AND IT'S REGARDING SERVICE EXCELLENCE AND WHAT IT SAYS IS ALIGNING ORGANIZATIONAL SERVICE LEVELS WITH CAPACITY, AND REALLY I THINK IT SHOULD BE ALIGNING CAPACITY WITH ORGANIZATIONAL SERVICE LEVELS, AND THIS WILL GO INTO MY NEXT POINT, WHICH IS REGARDING PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.
SO I WANT US TO ALIGN OUR CAPACITY WITH OUR STRATEGIC DIRECTION, WHICH IS WHY I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE NOT ALIGNING OUR SERVICE LEVELS WITH WHAT OUR CURRENT CAPACITY IS BECAUSE LET'S BUMP UP THE DIVISIONS IF THAT'S OUR STRATEGIC DIRECTION.
SO REGARDING THE LIGHT INDUSTRIAL AREA EXPANSION, WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO START THIS YEAR? IS IT MORE STAFF? IS IT ONE PERSON, TWO PERSON, A CONTRACTOR, RECOGNIZING THAT CONTRACTORS STILL TAKE WORK AND SO JUST WONDERING WHAT WOULD IT TAKE? AND ALSO RECOGNIZING THAT WE'VE APPROVED THE BUDGET SO WE CAN'T ADD MORE STAFF THIS YEAR, BUT AGAIN, LOOKING TO 2024 AND ONWARDS OF HOW MANY STAFF DO WE ACTUALLY NEED IN THE DIVISION TO ENSURE THAT THESE PROJECTS MOVE FORWARD? MS. BASSI-KELLETT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.
I'LL ASK MISS WHITE IF SHE CAN RESPOND.
SO FOR THE EXPANSION AREA, WE ACTUALLY HAVE CREATED A WORK PLAN.
PART OF THAT WORK PLAN DOES INCLUDE GOING OUT AND SEEING IF THERE ARE CONSULTANTS AVAILABLE TO HELP US SPECIFICALLY WITH THE PUBLIC CONSULTATION PIECE AS WELL AS SOME OF THE PLANNING AND BACKGROUND WORK.
SO WE DO HAVE A PLAN THAT WE COULD PUT IN PLACE WHEN WE START TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
AS YOU SAY, MAYOR ALTY, IT'S NOT JUST HAVING THE CONSULTANTS COME IN AND DO THE WORK.
IT'S WE ALSO HAVE TO HAVE THAT MANAGEMENT AND OVERSIGHT.
IF THE OPPORTUNITY COMES UP, IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE READY TO GO AS WELL.
SO WE IF IT DID START THIS YEAR, IT WOULD BE IN THE FALL, AND THAT WOULD JUST BE A FUNCTION OF BEING ABLE TO LOOK FOR THE CONSULTANT AND CONTRACTORS FROM THE SUMMER STAFF TO WORK WITH THEM. WE ALSO HAVE THE ADS OUT FOR LOOKING FOR THOSE STAFF.
SO IF YOU KNOW ANYONE, BY ALL MEANS SEND THEM OUR WAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, AND I DO WANT TO SET REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS.
I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO PUT AN X AND SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO START THIS IN Q3, BUT IF THAT'S NOT REALISTIC, THEN I ALSO WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT'S NOT REALISTIC.
WORK'S GOING TO BEGIN IN 2024, BUT YEAH, THAT ONE HAS BEEN PUNTED A NUMBER OF YEARS, SO REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'VE GOT ENOUGH RESOURCES NEXT YEAR TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
FOR THE NEXT THREE, IT'S PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO PUBLIC SAFETY, THE EMERGENCY MEASURES BYLAW.
I KNOW WE APPROVED THAT IN OUR LAST TERM AND LOOKING TO AMEND IT ALREADY.
JUST WONDERING WHAT WHY WOULD NEED AN AMENDMENT ALREADY.
MS. BASSI-KELLETT THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THERE'S SOME CLARIFICATION AND HOUSEKEEPING THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED AS MR.
[00:55:04]
MCLEAN HAS TAKEN THE REINS ON EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.HE'S TAKING IT VERY SERIOUSLY.
FOUND SOME THINGS IN THERE THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY ALIGNING WITH BEST PRACTICE.
THE NEXT ONE IS THE ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL STUDY.
JUST LOOKING FOR MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT THAT IS.
ABSOLUTELY, I'LL ASK MR. MCLEAN TO SPEAK TO THIS AND THEN I KNOW THAT MISS THISTLE HAS SOME THOUGHTS ON IT AS WELL.
THANK YOU. THANKS FOR THE QUESTION.
SO ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL IS MORE OR LESS NEW TERMINOLOGY THAT A LOT OF MUNICIPALITIES HAVE ADOPTED FOR NOT ONLY DOG CONTROL, WHICH OUR BYLAW REFERS TO, BUT IN GENERAL, PETS AND ANIMALS IN THE MUNICIPALITY.
WHAT WE'RE CONTEMPLATING WITH REVIEWING OUR BEST PRACTICE, AS YOU MAY RECALL FROM COUNCIL ORIENTATION IN 2022, 17 TO 18% OF OUR COMPLAINTS COMING TO MED CONTINUE TO BE DOGS.
WE HAVE A OUTDATED DOG IMPOUND BYLAW FROM 1994.
SO WHAT WE'RE PLANNING TO DO NEXT YEAR IN 2024 IS TO DO SOME RESEARCH INTO WHAT CURRENT MUNICIPALITIES ARE DOING, HOW THEY'RE PERFORMING AS BEST PRACTICE.
WE DO HAVE A BIT OF AN OUTDATED CONTRACT.
THERE'S SOME HISTORICAL PRECEDENTS AND THERE'S SOME MISSING DOCUMENTATION.
WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT URBAN AGRICULTURE, THERE WAS LARGE CONCERNS ABOUT THERE BEING ANIMALS IN URBAN AREAS, SPECIFICALLY BEES, CHICKENS, GOATS, THAT KIND OF STUFF.
SO AT THE TIME, ADMINISTRATION HAD COMMITTED TO DOING SOME RESEARCH INTO ESSENTIALLY AN ANIMAL CONTROL BYLAW RELATING TO ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL ABOUT WHETHER THERE WOULD BE ANY REQUIREMENTS TO REALLY ADOPT ONE.
RIGHT NOW, WE ONLY HAVE A DOG BYLAW, SO WE ONLY REALLY CONTROL DOGS.
LOTS OF MUNICIPALITIES HAVE ANIMAL CONTROL BYLAWS.
SO AT THE TIME WE COMMITTED TO DOING THE RESEARCH INTO THAT.
SO IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO WHAT MR. MCLEAN WAS REFERRING TO, BUT ALSO CAME UP AS PART OF THOSE URBAN AGRICULTURE DISCUSSIONS.
THE NEXT ONE IS THE PARKING STUDY.
SO I KNOW WE DID IS THAT REFERENCING LIKE THE OLD TOWN, I KNOW WE'VE GOT OLD TOWN EMERGENCY CIRCULATION REVIEW AND PARKING STUDY OR IS THIS A NEW PARKING STUDY? MS. BASSI-KELLETT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WILL TURN THIS TO MR. MCLEAN, BUT THIS REALLY DEALS WITH THE ISSUES THAT WE SEE ACROSS THE CITY WHEN WE HAVE DIFFERENT SIZES OF STREETS WITH DIFFERENT WIDTHS AND WE HAVE ON STREET PARKING.
I'LL ASK MR. MCLEAN TO ELABORATE.
SO AS MS. BASSI-KELLETT ALLUDED TO, YES, WE DO HAVE VARIOUS PARKING RESTRICTIONS OR CONTINGENCIES, I GUESS, IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY BASED ON STREET.
SOME OF OUR PARKING METERS ARE AGING.
THE BRAINS THAT DRIVE THOSE METERS ARE STARTING TO EXPIRE.
WE DO HAVE SPARE PARTS AND SPARE METER RESOURCES WHICH ARE ADEQUATE FOR IMMEDIATE NEEDS, BARRING ANY UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS TAKE A LOOK INTO RESEARCH AND DIFFERENT PARKING STRATEGIES IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE FOR METERED SPACES FOR BEST PRACTICES AND WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO COME OUT OF THIS IS A PHASE ONE WHERE WE CAN DETERMINE JUST SOME DUE DILIGENCE ON HOW WE CAN LOOK AT FUTURE METER REPLACEMENT, WHAT THAT FUTURE LOOKS LIKE, AND THEN THAT WOULD FORM SOME INFORMATION AS A BASIS FOR A LATER PHASE ON OUR LARGER PARKING ISSUES ACROSS THE BROAD SCOPE OF THE CITY.
WHY ARE YOU PICKING ON ME? SO APPRECIATE THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCILLOR WARBURTON, AND THEN COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN.
[01:00:01]
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.WHERE IS IT? SORRY, THE LAND ADMIN BY-LAW QUARTER TWO QUARTER THREE.
I GUESS UPDATE ON KIND OF BROAD TIMELINE.
DOES THAT COMING BACK TO COUNCIL AT THAT TIME? MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'LL ASK MS. WHITE TO RESPOND.
WE ARE DEFINITELY CLOSE TO BRINGING FORWARD A DRAFT FOR NOT JUST COUNCIL CONSIDERATION BUT FOR PUBLIC DISCUSSION AND THE TIMELINE ON HERE. WILL, WE'RE ON TRACK TO MEET THAT TIMELINE AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
NEXT ONE IS AROUND DMO AND VISITOR SERVICES, SAYS QUARTER TWO QUARTER THREE.
IS THAT STILL ON TRACK BASED ON OUR RECENT LABOR ISSUES? MS. BASSI-KELLETT. MS. THISTLE. WE'RE STILL AIMING TO MEET THOSE TIMELINES.
I'M HAPPY TO SAY WE DID FILL TWO POSITIONS IN MY DEPARTMENT, SO WE'RE VERY KEEN AND STILL AIMING TO MEET THOSE BY Q2, Q3, MOST LIKELY Q3, BECAUSE WE'RE ALMOST AT THE END OF Q2.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? LITTLE CLARITY.
MS. BASSI-KELLETT. HI, I'M JUST SEARCHING.
IS THAT COMMUNITY CORPORATE SERVICES? YEAH. CORPORATE SERVICES. YEAH.
SUPPORT ENERGY RETROFITS, LOCAL IMPROVEMENT CHARGE PROGRAMS. THIS IS ONGOING.
OKAY. OKAY, I'LL ASK MISS THISTLE IF SHE'D LIKE TO RESPOND.
SO THIS IS A MULTI-DEPARTMENT INITIATIVE.
LEGAL AND PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING.
REALLY, PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING HAS BEEN A BIG LEAD ON IT, BUT CORPORATE SERVICES IS CLOSELY LINKED WITH US, BECAUSE IF AND WHEN THIS IS APPROVED BY COUNCIL AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, THERE WILL BE A ROLE FOR CORPORATE SERVICES IN PASSING THE BYLAWS, COLLECTING THE MONEY AND ACCOUNTING FOR IT.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING WITH OUR CONSULTANTS TO FINALIZE A REALLY RESEARCH PAPER THAT THEY'VE DONE FOR US TO GIVE US SOME OPTIONS AND PROGRAMING THAT MIGHT WORK FOR THE CITY AND ALSO INVOLVES PLANNING AND LANDS.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, ALL THE DEPARTMENTS ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO ROLL THIS OUT.
AS A RESULT OF THE LABOR DISRUPTION.
WE DID GET DELAYED FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS AND GETTING THAT FINALIZED WITH THE CONSULTANT.
WHEN THE CONSULTANT IS FINISHED WITH THEIR PAPER, THEN WE ANTICIPATE BRINGING THAT FORWARD TO COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION AND THEN WITH DIRECTION FOR US ON HOW TO MOVE FORWARD. I DON'T KNOW IF MISS ALEXANDRA HAS ANYTHING TO ADD.
THANK YOU, I THINK CARRIE SUMMED IT UP VERY WELL WITH THE STATUS OF THIS.
THANK YOU. BEFORE WE GO TO THE SECOND ROUND.
ANYTHING FURTHER? SEEING NONE.
THANK YOU. YEAH JUST CURIOUS, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT COMES TO A COUNCIL MEETING FOR ADOPTION JUST TO SEE SOME OF THOSE CHANGES AND MAKE SURE COMMUNITY ENERGY PLAN IS IN HERE? OR IS THIS JUST SORT OF AN INFORMATIONAL THING FOR COUNCIL? GENERALLY INFORMATIONAL, BUT MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THE REQUEST HAS COME IN FOR MAKING SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY ENERGY PLAN IS ON THERE.
WE'LL PUT THE STRATEGIC WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN ON THERE AS WELL, BUT I MUST SAY THAT GIVEN STAFF CAPACITY AT THIS TIME AND THE KEY PLAYERS WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THIS BEING ON PARENTAL LEAVE, WE'RE LOOKING AT A 2024 BEGINNING START FOR THAT.
THANK YOU. OKAY, YEAH, TOTALLY UNDERSTANDABLE, AND THANKS.
AGAIN, THAT LAST ONE WAS FOR INFORMATION.
SO THAT IS THE END OF OUR AGENDA.
IF I CAN GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
MOVED BY DEPUTY MAYOR ARDEN-SMITH.
SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR HENDRICKSEN.
HAVE A GREAT DAY, EVERYBODY.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.