Council Minutes - November 4, 2024

Council Minutes - November 4, 2024

Meeting Information

• Date & Time: November 4, 2024, 7:00 p.m.
• Location: Council Chambers & Electronic Meeting
• Meeting available by teleconference.

PRESENT

• Mayor S. Goodmanson
• Councillor K. Guiry
• Councillor C. Harder
• Councillor M. Morley
• Councillor L. Szpak
• Councillor M. Wagner
• Councillor K. Yacucha

ATTENDING

• D. Kiedyk, Chief Administrative Officer
• B. Hutchins, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer
• M. Watmough, Director of Legislative & Protective Services
• M. Baldwin, Director of Development Services
• L. Stohmann, Director of Community Planning & Climate Change
• M. Dillabaugh, Director of Finance
• K. Balzer, Director of Engineering and Public Works
• Y. Nielsen, Director of Parks, Recreation and Facilities
• D. Petrie, Senior Manager of Business Development and Events
• S. Rose, Inspector, West Shore RCMP
• T. Corpus, Senior Application Developer/Analyst
• B. Boisvert, Legislative Services Administrative Coordinator

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1. CALL TO ORDER

Mayor Goodmanson called the meeting to order at 7:01 pm.

2. TERRITORIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Councillor Wagner read the City of Langford's Territorial Acknowledgment.

3. MEETING CONDUCT RULES

M. Watmough, Corporate Officer, read the City of Langford's meeting conduct rules.

4. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

MOVED BY: GUIRY
SECONDED: SZPAK

THAT Council approve the agenda as amended with the addition of item 11 Correspondence, 11.1 Letter of Withdrawal from Regional Units received from the RCMP dated October 29, 2024 and renumber the remainder of the agenda accordingly.
Motion CARRIED.

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5. PRESENTATIONS

5.1 Westhills YW/YMCA Langford Aquatic Centre - Matthew Douglas, Colliers Project Leaders

• Matthew Douglas, Colliers, delivered a presentation to Council regarding the potential purchase of the Westhills YW/YMCA Langford Aquatic Centre and neighbouring parking lot.

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6. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

• L. Foxall, Langford Resident - re: item 5.1 - The speaker spoke in support of the current service agreement with the West Hills YMCA and expressed concern in relation to the matter. re: item 9.1.2 - The speaker requested that the per diem stipend not be raised. re: item 9.1.1 - The speaker requested that the Community Gardens project be managed by a local farmer.
• S. Rossander, Langford Resident - re: item 5.1 - The speaker requested a town hall meeting for the discussion of the purchase of Westhills YMCA and expressed concern in relation to the matter.
• W. Hobbs, Langford Resident - re: item 9.1.2 - The speaker requested more information regarding dependent care. re: item 9.1.1 - The speaker expressed concern regarding the security of the proposed community gardens and suggested a playground be installed in the gardens.
• M. Wignall, Langford Resident - re: item 5.1 - The speaker expressed disappoint that the information regarding the purchase of the Westhills YMCA was not made public sooner. The speaker expressed they were grateful for the transparency. The speaker questioned the management of the Westhills YMCA. re: item 9.1.1 - The speaker spoke in support of a playground at the community gardens. re: item 9.1.2 - The speaker requested that Council limit the number of members attending conferences.
• B. Armstrong, Langford Resident - re: item 5.1 - The speaker inquired if the proposed increase to property taxes is based on a possible population growth and whether the lease to the Greater Victoria Public Library is a cost to the City of Langford. The speaker inquired if the cost and maintenance fees of the Westhills YMCA facility has been compared to other facilities in the Greater Victoria area. The speaker inquired about a cost sharing agreement with other local municipalities. re: item 9.1.2 - The speaker requested that Council limit the number of members attending conferences.
• N. Johal, Langford Resident - re: item 5.1 - The speaker inquired if the Westhills YMCA pays property taxes. The speaker inquired if Colliers has a conflict of interest in relation to the matter. The speaker inquired regarding rental costs. re: item 9.1.2 - The speaker questioned the per diem amount allowed for meals.
• F. Johnson, Langford Resident - re: item 5.1 - The speaker inquired about the approval of electors, either in the form of a referendum or an alternate approval process. The speaker questioned the use of a loan from the Municipal Finance Authority. The speaker inquired about the market value of the property. The speaker expressed concern regarding the lack of the life cycle costs for purchasing the Westhills YMCA. re: item 9.1.2 - The speaker expressed that the daily per diem rates have not increased in 18 years. The speaker encouraged Council to consider the motion for staff to explore dependent care as a qualifying expense.

Second time presenters:

• W. Hobbs, Langford Resident - re: item 5.1 - The speaker requested that a partnership with the Westshore municipalities.
• L. Foxall, Langford Resident - re: item 5.1 - The speaker inquired about a board member of the Westhills YMCA who is also employed by Colliers.

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7. CONSENT AGENDA

• Minutes of the West Shore Parks and Recreation Society Board of Directors Meeting - September 12, 2024 (RECEIVE)
• Minutes of the Special Council Meeting - October 21, 2024 (ADOPT)
• Minutes of the Council Meeting - October 21, 2024 (ADOPT)
• Minutes of the Community Advisory Committee Meeting - October 29, 2024 (RECEIVE)

MOVED BY: HARDER
SECONDED: GUIRY

THAT Council adopt the recommendations for each item of the Consent Agenda as presented.
· Minutes of the West Shore Parks and Recreation Society Board of Directors Meeting - September 12, 2024 (RECEIVE)
· Minutes of the Special Council Meeting - October 21, 2024 (ADOPT)
· Minutes of the Council Meeting - October 21, 2024 (ADOPT)
· Minutes of the Community Advisory Committee Meeting - October 29, 2024 (RECEIVE)
Motion CARRIED.

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8. CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA

• None were removed.

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9. COMMITTEE RESOLUTIONS

9.1 Community Advisory Committee Meeting Resolutions - October 29, 2024

9.1.1 Community Gardens Council Policy POL-0174-PARKS - (Proposed New Policy)

MOVED BY: YACUCHA
SECONDED: HARDER

THAT Council approve POL-0174-PARK, Community Gardens Council Policy.
Motion CARRIED.

9.1.2 Travel Expenditure Policy Refresh - (Proposed Policy Amendment)

MOVED BY: YACUCHA
SECONDED: MORLEY

THAT Council approve the proposed changes to POL-0042-FIN titled “Council and Staff Reimbursement for Expense” with the following amendments:

1. THAT the proposed draft Council and Staff Travel Expense Policy POL-0042-FIN be amended by adding the following statement at the end of Section 4:
   Where more than one traveller is travelling for the purposes listed under Section 2, travellers are expected to limit expenses through carpooling, sharing taxis, or other similar modes by combining transportation charges.

2. THAT the proposed draft Council and Staff Travel Expense Policy POL-0042-FIN be amended by replacing the proposed wording in Section 3 (b) in its entirety with the following:

Where meals are provided at no additional cost to the traveller, such as part of an event registration fee or included with the cost of accommodation, no expense claims may be made for equivalent meals. Exceptions may be granted at the discretion of the Chief Financial Officer in limited circumstances.

3. THAT the proposed draft Council and Staff Travel Expense Policy POL-0042-FIN be amended by removing the wording “inclusive of” in Section 4 (a)(ii) and replacing with “including but not limited to”.

4. THAT the proposed draft Council and Staff Expense Policy be amended by adding "outside of the Capital Regional District" under Section 4(a)(i) after the word "Hotels".
   Motion CARRIED.