June 13, 2022 Council Highlights

Posted June 27, 2022

The following is a summary of decisions made by Town Council during its June 13, 2022, Regular Meeting. For an audio recording of this meeting please check the bottom of this page. The agenda and attachments are available here: Peace River – Document Center (civicweb.net)

For any additional details on each item, please click on the appropriate heading to access the related documents.

Presentations

1. Peace River Arts Club – Culture Days

A motion for Administration to bring back a Briefing Note regarding the Peace River Arts Club and their requests was carried. 

Bylaws

1. Request for Decision re: 2120 Cemetery Bylaw VII

This Request for Direction is merely to amend typos and add clarification to excepts in the previous Cemetery Bylaw, No. 2089. The list of sections or words amended is available in the link to the RFD provided directly above.

The motions to provide first, second and third readings to 2120 Cemetery Bylaw were carried.

New Business

1. Request for Decision re: Canada Day Event

Administration would like to invite Mayor and Council to the July 1st event and for the Mayor or designate to be enabled to bring greetings at the flag raising.

The Town’s annual July 1 celebrations will begin at 11:30 at the Peace River Museum, Archives and Mackenzie Centre, then move to Riverfront Park for afternoon festivities.

More information can be found here:

Canada Day 2022

The motion to enable Council to attend the July 1st event and for the Mayor or designate to bring greetings at the flag raising at the Peace River Museum Archives and Mackenzie Centre at 11:30am was  carried.

2. Request for Decision re: Repeal of Obsolete Directives

In the regular review of existing Policies and Directives, several items have been identified as obsolete and as such, are up for repeal.  The list of Directives suggested for repeal, along with the reasoning behind the repeal, are available in the document linked directly above.

The motion to repeal:

  • D-80-2004-07-01 Information Technology Usage;
  • D-15-1994-01-01 Irregular Lots;
  • D-66-1976-01-01 Lot Sizes in Lower West Peace;
  • D-61-1998-03-01 Notification of Development Permit Relaxation;
  • D-66-1998-02-01 Purchase of Easements, Public Utility Lots; and
  • D-23-1993-01-01 Watermain Flushing & Hydrant Testing

was carried.

3. Request for Decision re: Council Remuneration Policy

Council’s Remuneration, Travel and Expense Policy’s two-year rate update was due in 2021 but was held over for the new Council term. The existing Policy included a complex cost of living modifier (based on housing) which was intended to provide compensation that reflected both the nature of the role and the conditions of the local economy. The Policy was always intended to provide a fact based, unbiased approach to Council compensation by creating an administrative calculation for regular rate adjustments. Unfortunately, this calculation was not only difficult to understand, but the data it relied on is no longer available.

As such, Staff has revised the Policy based on Council’s direction. The lists of updates made to the Policy, comparators for Council’s renumeration by population, and current vs. proposed monthly and annual remuneration amounts are available in the document linked directly above.

The motion to approve the P-XX-XX-X– Council Remuneration, Travel and Expense Policy and that it be implemented effective January 1, 2023 was defeated. 

The motion to approve the P-XX-XX-X– Council Remuneration, Travel and Expense Policy and that it be implemented effective January 1, 2024 was defeated. 

This means that the policy will not be updated.

4. Request for Decision re: Donations and Charitable Receipts Policy

The Donations and Charitable Receipts Policy governs the issuing of tax receipts for donations. The issuing of these receipts is closely governed by Revenue Canada. This Policy provides the process for controlling the issuance of tax receipts to ensure the Town remains in compliance.

The Policy has been reviewed by the Director of Corporate Services and the Finance Manager, along with other staff whose duties may include issuing tax receipts. The list of sections amended is available in the document linked directly above.

The motion for Council to approve the draft Donations and Taxable Receipts Policy as presented was carried.

5. Request for Decision re: Organizational Review

The Town of Peace River secured a consultant to complete an organizational and compensation review of the administration of the Town.

Western Management Consultants completed a thorough analysis of the organization utilizing the following methodology as outlined within the final report.

A five-stage process was used which included:

  1. Kickoff and Material Review
  2. Stakeholder Survey
  3. Survey Design and Application
  4. Data Analysis
  5. Recommendations and Presentation

The data was used to consider:

  • Analysis of Peace River’s administration organization structure, capacity, and capability to support service delivery now and in the future;
  • Development of recommended organization, business process, and service delivery improvements, including shared services and other alternative service delivery methods;
  • Identification of any potential savings and any investments required to achieve them; and,
  • Assessment of potential innovations and use of new systems and technology.

The final report was presented at the Governance and Priorities Committee meeting on June 6th, 2022.

The motion for Council adopt the Organizational and Compensation Review Report was carried.

6. Request for Direction re: Department Monthly Reports

Administration provides Council with monthly significant events reports. The intent of the reports is to inform Council of activities and information from each work area of the Town. The reports are compiled and presented by department.

They currently include statistical information based on each relevant function area, such as visitor numbers at facilities, program numbers, Peace Office/Bylaw ticket information and Fire calls, water consumption and various other statistics. In addition, Administration provides general highlights and commentary on activities from the previous month.

The content and format have evolved over several years. Administration would like to check in with Council to ensure the reports are providing relevant and substantive information for Council.

Council suggested for the Departments to create a report that they deem as formatted in the most effective way for the next couple months. 

7. Request for Decision re: Write off of Dated Accounts Receivables

For the past eight or so years, no write-off of uncollected collection agency and corporate services receivables has taken place, nor has a general cleanup of the entries occurred. The balance is now at $111,793 and has been confirmed as either uncollectible by staff or are errors made on our part requiring our correction. This item is an extension of previous and ongoing efforts to provide general cleanup and write offs of uncollected amounts.

The motion to approve the write off of $111,793 in uncollectible collection agency, corporate services and general receivables was carried.

8. Request for Decision re: Attendance at Pow Wow

June 4-5 marked the first Pow Wow since the start of the pandemic and Council were pleased to be invited to this occasion. Due to scheduling, Council’s endorsement of attendance and the Mayor
bringing greetings was done informally. However, staff suggest that there is value in formally recognizing that those who were able to attend were contributing to our relationship with the
Indigenous community.

The motion for Council to consider Pow Wow to have been an enabled event was carried. 

9. Request for Decision re: PRHS Graduation Ceremony

Peace River High School is holding their first public graduation event since 2019. As part of the ceremony, they have invited key figures from the community, including their very distinguished staff alumnus, Mayor Manzer, to bring greetings to the graduates on behalf of the Town.

The motion for the Mayor and Deputy Mayor or designate be enabled to attend the June 30 graduation ceremony and bring greetings on behalf of the Town was carried. 

Reports

1. Engineering and Infrastructure Monthly Report
2. Corporate Services/CAO Monthly Report
3. Community Services Monthly Report
4. May 31, 2022 Quarterly Policing Report
5. Peace Library Annual Financial Report
6. Briefing Note re MPC Minutes

All reports were accepted for information. 

Information

1. Letter from MP Stubbs re Federal Funding for Rural Communities

Letter accepted for information.

Comments from the Public

Ted Sisson provided comments to Council.

Meeting Audio

Related

Mayor & Council