CITY OF WEST KELOWNA

MINUTES OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

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COUNCIL CHAMBERS
2760 CAMERON ROAD, WEST KELOWNA, BC
MEMBERS PRESENT:
  • Mayor Gord Milsom
  • Councillor Tasha Da Silva (Acting Mayor)
  • Councillor Rick de Jong
  • Councillor Stephen Johnston
  • Councillor Garrett Millsap
MEMBERS ABSENT:
  • Councillor Jason Friesen
  • Councillor Carol Zanon
Staff Present:
  • Trevor Seibel, Deputy CAO / Deputy Corporate Officer
  • Allen Fillion, Director of Engineering / Operations
  • Warren Everton, Director of Finance / CFO
  • Sandy Webster, Director of Corporate Initiatives
  • Brent Magnan, Director of Development Approvals
  • Corinne Boback, Legislative Services Manager/Corporate Officer
  • Lisa Siavashi, Financial Services Manager/Deputy CFO
  • Mark Roberts, Parks Manager
  • Stacey Harding, Fleet Operations and Project Manager
  • Erin Goodwin, Facilities and Recreation Manager
  • Natalie Gerritsen, Parks Planner
  • Melissa Hunt-Anderson, Community & Social Development Coordinator
  • Holden Blue, Planner II (Long Range)

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The meeting was called to order at 3:30 p.m.

It was acknowledged that this meeting was held on the traditional territory of the Syilx/Okanagan Peoples.

This meeting was open to the public and all representations to Council form part of the public record. This meeting was webcast live and archived on the City’s website.

  • It was moved and seconded

    Resolution No.COW009-23

    THAT the agenda be adopted as presented.

    CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
  • It was moved and seconded

    Resolution No.COW010-23

    THAT the minutes of the Committee of the Whole Meeting held Tuesday, June 6, 2023 in the City of West Kelowna Council Chambers be adopted.

    CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

Mayor Milsom informed Council that the Director of Development Approvals presented to the Regional District Board, on the 2020-2040 Official Community Plan to reflect the Regional Growth Strategy.

Mayor Milsom spoke to the letter from Loyal Wooldridge, Chairperson, Regional District of Central Okanagan, regarding the request for an independent public hearing process regarding the Grouse Complex McDougal Creek Wildfire which was initiated by Councillor de Jong's Notice of Motion.

Lindsay Taberner, Executive Director, Clinical Operations Interior Health - South introduced her colleagues, Karen Omelchuk, Director, Mental Health Substance Use, Dr Silvina Mema MD, MSc, FRCPC, Deputy Chief Medical Health Officer, Lindsay Mitchell, Director, Home Health (Interim), Tanya Osborne Community Health Facilitator, Luke Brimmage, Director, Primary Care (Interim) and Wendy Corbett, Director, Long Term Care who was available online. Each guest spoke to the PowerPoint presentation and were available for questions and comments from Council.

Dr. Silvina Mema spoke about public health, building blocks of health, and toxic drug supply.  Dr. Mema, informed Council that 9 people have died in West Kelowna in 2023 due to toxic drug poisonings and 5 people die per week in the interior region.

Wendy Corbett was online and Lindsey Taberner spoke on her behalf regarding long term care services in West Kelowna.

Lindsay Mitchell spoke to Home and Community Care for Seniors.

Luke Brimmage spoke to Primary Care Services along with Primary Care Services for Special Populations.

Karen Omelchuk spoke to Mental Health & Substance Use, 1 in 5 people experience mental health and substance use.

Lindsay Taberner provided an update on Kelowna Renal Program and was available for questions and comments from Council.

The meeting recessed at 5:03 p.m.

The meeting reconvened at 5:11 p.m.

The Chief Financial Officer defined budget primer and presented a PowerPoint  which outlined:

  • how the budget is guided by the Strategic Plan and impacted by the Investment in Infrastructure Pillar.
  • the 2024 Budget Planning, Financial Plan process and Budget deliberations sessions time lines.
  • 2024 draft base budget is projected at 4.10% increase.
  • 2024 draft budget reserve options is at 3% increase.
  • a preview of expenditures, revenues and grants along with the Draft Capital Plan by Project Area.

The Chief Financial Officer was available for questions and comments from Council.

The meeting recessed at 5:30 p.m.

The meeting reconvened at 6:02 p.m.

Brent Magnan, Director of Development Approval provided an introduction on what the Corporate Climate Action Plan is and introduced Holden Blue, Planner II (Long Range), Stacey Harding, Fleet Operations and Project Manager and Erin Goodwin, Facilities and Recreation Manager.

Peter Robinson, Director of Climate Planning & Research, Ali Ergudenler, Project Manager - Community Climate Planning and Katherine McDougall, Community Energy Planner from Community Energy Association were available online for questions from Council.

Holden Blue provided a PowerPoint presentation that outlined how the Plan was initiated in Spring 2023 as per Council’s 2021-2022 Strategic Priorities, Community Energy Association (CEA) and Technical Committee, Our Adaptability in the 2021 Community Vision, Official Community Plan Alignment, and Corporate Climate Action Plan Purpose (Mitigation).

Additionally, the plan consists of the following:

• Energy and Emissions Inventory

• Business as Usual Projections and Emissions Reduction Targets

• Fleet Analysis

• Recommended Actions to reduce emissions and meet targets

• Implementation Tools 

The plan recommends focusing on areas of greatest emissions and costs.

High level fleet analysis was conducted by the consultant - minimize capital costs and maximize vehicle usage.

The plan recommends a corporate GHG emissions reduction target of 30% of 2022 emissions by 2030 and 80% of 2022 emissions by 2050.

The Plan recommends prioritizing three primary actions that will achieve the largest GHG reductions over the next 5-7 years:

1. Implement building energy retrofits recommended by building energy audits;

2. Low carbon heating retrofits for buildings; and

3. Investment in EV’s and EV charging stations.

The Director of Development Approvals provided a brief summary on the first steps in addressing climate action (collectively), a framework for climate action, Council's adoption of the plan demonstrates high level commitment and leadership to address emissions, implementation is key to success, future evaluation of action items required, review in 5-7 years and plan allows City to access grants and incentives and was available for questions and comments from Council.

Natalie Gerritsen, Parks Planner, City of West Kelowna and Jana Zelenski, Principal, Landscape Architect & Engagement Planner, Lanarc Consulting provided a PowerPoint presentation and were available for questions and comments from Council.

Jana provided an update on the public engagement results and how the engagement was conducted (in person & surveys) in May and June 2023.

Identified top five priorities for parks:

  1. New grass sports field
  2. Upgrades to existing sports fields
  3. Continued protection of Mount Boucherie
  4. Updates to waterfront accesses
  5. Extension of waterfront trail connections

Recreational trail priorities:

  1. Expand / add new trails in urban areas
  2. Expand / authorize trails in backcountry areas
  3. Enhance maintenance of existing trails
  4. Establish / improves codes of conduct and trail use guidelines

Jana spoke to the Parks Master Plan Emerging Directions:

Park land quantity & quality management recommendations: Parks operations resourcing and major park acquisition planning.

  1. Park improvement recommendations: athletic fields, courts, outdoor ice skating venue and waterfront access & amenities.
  2. Location - specific recommendations: Gellatly Bay recreation area, Mar Fee Sports complex, Kinsmen Park and Memorial Park / Annette Beaudreau Amphitheatre.
  3. Service delivery recommendations: parks & recreational trails design guidelines, climate change adaptation & resilience and universal accessibility. 

Recreation Master Plan - Emerging Directions:

  1. Trail Planning & Development Recommendations: Recreational Trails Scope, Asset Management, Trailheads ad Trail rating & accessibility.
  2. Trail Management Recommendations: Maintenance and Trail Use Guidelines & codes of conduct
  3. Major Capital Project Recommendations: Goats Peak Trail Network, Waterfront and The Flume trails.

The meeting adjourned at 7:45 p.m.