By Andrea Arnold
Acting Deputy Mayor Peter Caputo called the August 8th McBride Council meeting to order at 7:00pm. Mayor Gene Runtz attended via Zoom.
Petitions and Delegations
Roy Howard of the Fraser Headwaters Alliance and Sean Prockter of the Ozalenka Alpine Club presented concerns regarding Forest Service Licensee Road deactivations to trailheads for backcountry recreation. Prockter specifically addressed the recent notice regarding the deactivation of the South Dore beyond 15.7km. If this deactivation were to occur, the trailhead for the Ozalenka Alpine Club created Avalanche Valley would no longer be accessible.
Both Howard and Procktor wondered why the Community Forest hasn’t stepped up to help keep some of these road deactivations from happening. Howard asked if they still have a recreation and tourism mandate.
Howard said the big issue is finding an organization willing to take on the liabilities that come with maintaining the roads, but that a solution needs to be found.
“Trail accesses are important to the community,” he said.
Meeting with Northern Health
Council directed Administration to schedule a half hour meeting during the Union of BC Municipalities Convention and Awards event in September with Northern Health President Ciro Panessa and Chair Colleen Nyce. They requested the date Sept 20th. Further, Council discussed some of the topics they would like to bring to the meeting including medical services, equipment availability, staffing and lodging for staff. More topics may be submitted before the deadline on September 5th.
2022 Water report
Council received the Village of McBride 2022 Annual Water Report. This report is required by Northern Health’s water license/permit conditions. It must be produced by the Senior Water Treatment Plant Operator. The report states that the McBride water system supplied 141,995,520 litres of potable water to approximately 1200 people. This was an increase by 12, 798,520 litres from the previous year. The increase was attributed to several water main breaks within homes that were not detected right away as well as record breaking heat partnered with less precipitation in 2022. The report will be available to the public through the village website.
New Interim CAO
Council appointed Leslie Groulx as Interim Chief Administrative Officer for the Village of McBride as per Community Charter Section 247. This appointment is on a contract basis effective Aug 8th for a term of three months on an as-needed basis.
In Camera
Council proposed to move to an in-camera meeting for consideration of matters of the Community Charter related to Section 90 (1) (a) personal information about an identifiable individual who holds or is being considered for a position as an officer, employee or agent of the municipality or another position appointed by the municipality and (e) the acquisition, disposition or expropriation of land or improvements. If the council considers that disclosure could reasonably be expected to hear the interests of the municipality.
The public meeting was dismissed at 7:34pm.
