Council Meeting Highlights for May 6, 2019

Council Meeting Highlights for May 6, 2019

Click on button to watch the video of the Committee of the Whole and Regular Open meetings.

  Committee of the Whole Regular Open
 
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING
 
Business

• CAO Romanko will contact the RDOS to set up a meeting with council in early July to identify issues which need to be resolved or mutually beneficial opportunities to be pursued over the next year.

 REGULAR OPEN MEETING
 
Delegations

• Tessa King, an Auditor from Grant Thornton, and Town of Osoyoos Director of Finance Jim Zakall presented the audited Financial Statements for the Town of Osoyoos and Sun Bowl Arena. 

 Correspondence

• At the request of the Okanagan Basin Water Board Council approved providing a letter of support to the Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, as well as the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, for reducing conflict between native mussel protection and invasive milfoil control in the Okanagan.

 Bylaws

• 2019 Osoyoos Tax Rates Bylaw was adopted. The bylaw is in line with the 5 year financial plan and includes a 2.93% increase in property taxes.
• 5 Year Financial Plan Amendment Bylaw No. 1349.01, 2019 was read three times. The bylaw amendment, if adopted, would add Evacuation Route Planning for the Town of Osoyoos, which is fully funded through the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund.

 Business

• Council approved borrowing $3,500,000 from the Municipal Finance Authority of BC for the Main Lift Reconstruction Project. Council also approved requesting the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen to consent to the Town of Osoyoos borrowing over a 20 year term. 
• Council appointed Brendan Gojevic as the Bylaw Enforcement Officer for the Town of Osoyoos as of May 13, 2019. All previous appointments of Bylaw Enforcement Officers made by Council were rescinded immediately, with the exception of Patricia Arsenault, whose appointment will expire on May 31, 2019.
• Council selected Option 1 (Supply, install, and maintain a 2.43 m (8 ft.) high construction fence) for the partial closure of the Cottonwood Beach area at the quoted price of $12,842.48.
• Council rejected the use of epaulettes on the Bylaw Enforcement uniforms and chose instead to only make use of the Osoyoos branding on arm patches.
• Council approved the expenditure of $1,500 from the Community Development budget to assist with the delivery of the Odd Squad drug use prevention program.

 Reports

• Councillor King attended the Easter Eggstravaganza and thanked the Osoyoos Festival Committee.
• Councillors King, Harvey, and Rhodes attended the Spirit of Osoyoos BBQ.
• Councillors Bennett and Harvey attended the Affordable Housing conversation in Oliver hosted by Desert Sun and Community Foundations.
• Councillor Bennett attended the Primary Care Network meeting in Oliver.
• Councillor Bennett congratulated the Town of Oliver on their Community Garden Award.
• Councillor Harvey volunteered picking up garbage on the Canal Pathway with Pitch-In Canada.
• Councillor Harvey did a ride-along with the Osoyoos RCMP.
• Mayor McKortoff and Councillors King, Bennett, and Harvey attended the SILGA Conference.
• Mayor McKortoff attended the Highway 3 Coalition meeting.
• Mayor McKortoff encouraged the public to attend the Naloxone Training at the Sonora Centre on May 6th.
• Mayor McKortoff encouraged residents to try Lawn Bowling as they are offering three free lessons.

 PUBLIC HEARING

• Council received notification that MDC Forbes Inc. is withdrawing their Zoning Proposal and will not be proceeding with a cannabis retail store at 8131 Main Street.

 Copies of reports are available within the Council Agenda packages located on the Town’s website www.osoyoos.ca.
 
The public is encouraged to attend the Committee of the Whole meetings which take place in Council Chambers at 9:00 am on the morning of the Regular Open Council meetings at 2:00 pm to learn additional in-depth information regarding upcoming business.