December 4, 2007
Transcription
December 4, 2007
City of Surrey Intergovernmental Affairs Committee Minutes Present: Absent: Councillor Hunt - Chair Mayor Watts Councillor Hepner A. Executive Boardroom City Hall 14245 - 56 Avenue Surrey, B.C. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2007 Time: 11:15 a.m. File: 0540-20 Staff Present: City Manager General Manager, Engineering (part) General Manager, Finance & Technology (part) City Solicitor Deputy City Solicitor (part) Manager, Economic Development (part) Executive Assistant, Office of the Mayor (part) J. Sowik Legislative Services ADOPTION OF MINUTES 1. Minutes of the June 29th, 2007 Intergovernmental Affairs Committee meeting to be adopted. It was Moved by Councillor Hepner Seconded by Councillor Hunt That the minutes of the Intergovernmental Affairs Committeeof held on June 29, 2007, be adopted, as circulated. Carried It was Moved by Councillor Hepner Seconded by Councillor Hunt That The order of the items on the agenda be amended so that Item E.4 may be addressed as the first item after adoption of the Minutes. Carried B. DELEGATIONS C. BUSINESS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES E. OTHER BUSINESS 3. Memorandum of Understanding Between the City of Surrey and Simon Fraser University File: 0510-20 Simon Fraser University has forwarded the latest Draft MOU for review and acceptance. Representatives from the University Liaison Office were in attendance and provided the following comments: h:\intergovernmental affairs committee\minutes\2007\12047openiac.min1.doc TM 06/23/10 02:54 PM Page 2 Intergovernmental Affairs Committee- Minutes December 4, 2007 Enrolment is high at the SFU Surrey Campus where it appears soft at all other Universities; it is expected that the Surrey Campus will be out of space by 2009. Previously 25% of students were from South of the Fraser and currently 49% of the students are from South of the Fraser; Proximity of Campus makes the difference in enrolment numbers; 25% of the students are Scholarship winners; 50% of the Scholarship winners are enrolled in the science programs; Need to generate momentum to step up investment to expand facilities; The developer is at the permit stage for a $60 million capital project for student residence towers, construction should be underway in January; Need to generate more Provincial Government funding; appears that Provincial interest has moved elsewhere as overall university enrolment is down for the rest of BC; Need publicity, a media push, to get the message across that in Surrey enrolment is up, the City is growing, the School District is growing, and the program and space requirements need to grow to keep pace; Future to expand research capacity and science and technology programs; Kwantlen can not expand their program; UCFV graduates approximately 20 students a year in their Science programs; SFU looking for innovative partnerships (private) for a new building for expansion of Science and Technology Program including core science, bio-tech and business incubator program; it was requested that SFU speak to the City first before moving beyond the City in this regard; The Mayor was thanked for her letter of support addressed to the Premier. The City Manager stated that a significant stakeholders meeting would be held in January to generate ideas and linkages to expand upon. Gordon Smith will be invited to this meeting to assist discussion. The Committee suggested that representatives from SFU attend a CIC meeting in January to do a presentation then attend the evening session for a public ceremony to formally sign the MOU and announce the groundbreaking for new tower. The agenda continued to be varied due to time constraints on the participants. D. ITEMS REFERRED BY COUNCIL 1. Corporate Report No. R014 Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation Emergency Centre Campaign File No. 0460-01 At the Regular Council – Public Hearing meeting of February 12, 2007, Council referred C/R R014 to the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee and the Health Care Task Force for recommendations. Council noted that a significant contribution is being made to an Authority under Provincial jurisdiction and felt that the City should receive consideration from the Province for additional support for City initiatives. h:\intergovernmental affairs committee\minutes\2007\12047openiac.min1.doc TM 06/23/10 02:54 PM Page 3 Intergovernmental Affairs Committee- Minutes December 4, 2007 It was Moved by Councillor Hepner Seconded by Mayor Watts That this information be received and further that the City continues to lobby the Province for consideration and additional support for City initiatives in this regard. Carried 2. Corporate Report No. R145 Update on 2007 Salmon Habitat and Restoration Program “ShaRP” File No. 4807-905 At the Regular Council – Public Hearing meeting of June 25, 2007 Council referred C/R R145 to the Environmental Advisory Committee and the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee for discussion. It was Moved by Councillor Hepner Seconded by Mayor Watts That the Mayor sends letters to the appropriate Federal and Provincial Ministries requesting that there be a reinstatement of funding consistent with past funding initiatives to the ShaRP program. Carried It was Moved by Councillor Hepner Seconded by Mayor Watts That the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee meet with the local MLA’s and MP to discuss the variety of funding issues discussed at this Committee. Carried 5. Corporate Report No. R274 Sister City Relationships File: 0697-01 At the Regular Council – Public Hearing Meeting of October 1, 2007 Council referred discussion on strengthening our relationship with our sister City of Zhuhai, China to the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee. The Manager of Economic Development supplied copies of current agreements in place with our Sister Cities and provided the following comments: No official delegations to Koto-ku in ten years, May 2005 last delegation to Zhuhai. Zhuhai has sent 17 delegations to Surrey and Koto-ku has sent 15 delegations to date. Surrey entered into a “Friendship” Agreement to differentiate from “Sister” Agreement as it was considered a less aggressive relationship with fewer expectations and demands on staff time. Recently, either type of relationship has become very demanding and more assertive. Sister relationships India tend to be quiet, China is much more aggressive. h:\intergovernmental affairs committee\minutes\2007\12047openiac.min1.doc TM 06/23/10 02:54 PM Page 4 Intergovernmental Affairs Committee- Minutes December 4, 2007 Successful Sister City relationships typically include a number of citizens and business people appointed by Council, a School District representative, a staff member and a member of Council. There is a need to establish a Committee to deal with outreach and include members from Surrey organizations outside of the Corporation of the City of Surrey; Staff should create a Plan/Strategy to bring forward to Council to address our relationships successfully. IAC members commented as follows: Need to develop a Communications Plan Must understand protocol for doing business in these other countries Education When we go as a delegation or accept a delegation it must be planned well, and we must do it well and make it relevant Consider making an application to Western Diversification for funding Need to develop a five year Plan and bring it to the Ning-bo Expo and then on to a visit to present it to Zhuhai A discussion ensued as to whom to invite to sit on such a Committee and the following suggestions were made: A person from Employment & Immigration Health Authority School District SFU/Kwantlen Chamber of Commerce Business Community It was Moved by Mayor Watts Seconded by Councillor Hepner That staff develop a comprehensive five year Strategy Plan for addressing our Sister City relations to bring forward for Council consideration. Carried It was E. Moved by Mayor Watts Seconded by Councillor Hepner That Council receives this report. Carried OTHER BUSINESS 1. Invitation to visit the City of Jincheng , China File: 0697-01 Correspondence from the Honorable Zhengui Xia, Mayor of the City of Jincheng in the Province of Shanxi, China dated July 3rd, 2007, inviting the Mayor and a delegation to discuss and exchange ideas on the promotion of mutual cooperation h:\intergovernmental affairs committee\minutes\2007\12047openiac.min1.doc TM 06/23/10 02:54 PM Page 5 Intergovernmental Affairs Committee- Minutes December 4, 2007 as it relates to the development of Coal Bed Methane, city construction, education, environmental protection technology, business and other trade relations for the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee’s discussion. 2. Strengthening Surrey & Zhuhai Sister City Relationship & Cultural Ties File: 0470-20 Correspondence received from Ms Bernadette Law in this regard. It was 7. Moved by Mayor Watts Seconded by Councillor Hepner That Items E. 1 and 2 be received. Carried Corporate Report No. R237 Truck Parking File: 5480-01 At the Regular Council Meeting of November 5, 2007, Council referred this report to Intergovernmental Affairs Committee for discussion. A discussion on both local and regional truck parking ensued. These were some of the comments made: Surrey has 9000 trucks registered and parking for 20% of them It is not only a local problem, Langley and Abbotsford burdened with this issue as well Gateway Project has not addressed the management of trucks once implemented or the management of increased truck resources for the construction phases of the Project The issue should be forwarded to Metro Vancouver as a regional issue to be addressed on a regional basis A letter should be sent to the Minister of Transportation to expand the TOR for Gateway to address the truck parking issues Need to gather and lay out statistics so that the issue may be fully appreciated Port Authority should be included in issue It was Moved by Councillor Hepner Seconded by Mayor Watts That staff bring a report outlining truck parking as a regional issue forward to Council to be used as a basis for a letter to Metro Vancouver Regional District requesting that this issue be addressed by the Board of Directors on a regional basis. Carried h:\intergovernmental affairs committee\minutes\2007\12047openiac.min1.doc TM 06/23/10 02:54 PM Page 6 Intergovernmental Affairs Committee- Minutes G. December 4, 2007 MOTION TO HOLD A MEETING IN A CLOSED SESSION It is in order for Council to pass a resolution to close the meeting to the public pursuant to Section 90 (1) (a) (e) (g) and (i) of the Community Charter. It was Moved by Councillor Hepner Seconded by Mayor Watts That the meeting be closed to the public pursuant to Section 90 (1) (a) (e) (g) and (i) of the Community Charter. Carried 3. Corporate Report No. C019 Community Charter and Local Government Act Municipal Powers Compared to the Vancouver Charter File: 0125-50 At the Council-in-Committee Meeting of October 1, 2007 Council referred CO19 to the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee for discussion. The City Solicitor discussed the principal powers that the City of Vancouver enjoys under the Vancouver Charter that are not contained in the Community Charter or the Local Government Act. He outlined that in Ontario all of the larger cities had their own Charter due to the special complex issues that each city faced. He stated that he could request that each Department draft up comments in regard to how the Community Charter or Local Government Act encumbers them in doing the City’s business. Legal Services could use those comments and draft a Surrey Charter. This Charter would act to accompany the Community Charter and not replace it and it would not be as prescriptive as the Vancouver Charter. Some of the comments were: Legislation should be tiered to accommodate the different requirements of the different sized municipalities; It was mentioned that the Province has gotten away from tiering by population trying to simplify the legislation; Many of the encumbrances experienced are due to the legislation addressing these smaller sized municipalities; Need to analyze how to get our needs accomplished through other approaches; Surrey needs to address four or five issues may not be beneficial to go to the Province for our own legislation as Richmond, Burnaby etc may follow creating issues at the Province. It was Moved by Mayor Watts Seconded by Councillor Hepner That staff brings back a report outlining the issues and encumbrances working within the current legislation for Surrey and recommend alternate approaches to address these legislative issues. Carried h:\intergovernmental affairs committee\minutes\2007\12047openiac.min1.doc TM 06/23/10 02:54 PM Page 7 Intergovernmental Affairs Committee- Minutes 4. December 4, 2007 Corporate Report No. R056 TransLink Governance Review File: 0500-01 At the Regular Council – Public Hearing Meeting of April 2, 2007 Council referred this report to the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee for further discussion. It was Moved by Mayor Watts Seconded by Councillor Hepner That Corporate Report No. R056 TransLink Governance Review is received as information. Carried E. OTHER BUSINESS 4. Major Industrial Tax Rates – Port Properties File: 1970-01 A summary on how property taxes are calculated and what discretion Council has to distribute the taxes across the different land assessment classes. The General Manager of Finance and Technology discussed the Memo entitled Major Industrial Tax Rates – Port Properties dated November 27, 2007. She noted that the Province has extended the property tax cap on ports property for ten more years and has provided a new process for providing grants to the municipalities with ports properties. The new process exempts the City of Surrey from any compensation paid to offset lost tax revenues as Surrey has retained its tax rates on these properties just below the cap. This process is unfair as Surrey is being penalized for being responsible and keeping tax rates comparatively low through careful management. She recommended that the provincial compensation should be paid on an equitable basis to all of the municipalities having ports properties. It was Moved by Councillor Hepner Seconded by Mayor Watts That the Mayor write a strongly worded letter to the Minister of Finance stating that although Surrey supports the continuation of the tax rate cap for another ten years, the City strongly objects to the fact that compensation will only be paid to those municipalities that exceed the cap and feel that each municipality with Ports properties should be paid on a standard province wide flat rate per $1,000 of assessed value. Carried h:\intergovernmental affairs committee\minutes\2007\12047openiac.min1.doc TM 06/23/10 02:54 PM Page 8 Intergovernmental Affairs Committee- Minutes 5. December 4, 2007 Corporate Report No. R274 Sister City Relationships File: 0697-01 At the Regular Council – Public Hearing Meeting of October 1, 2007 Council referred discussion on strengthening our relationship with our sister City of Zhuhai, China to the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee. Dealt with earlier in the meeting. 6. MADD Canada – Project Red Ribbon Campaign File: 0320-05 / 0550-20-10 At the Regular Council Meeting of October 22, 2007, Council referred the information related by this delegation be referred to Intergovernmental Affairs Committee for discussion. It was agreed that given the number of alcohol related crimes and deaths in Surrey that MADD had referred to in its presentation to Council, the matter should be referred to the Crime Reduction Strategy Committee for discussion. It was Moved by Mayor Watts Seconded by Councillor Hepner That information from MADD be referred to the Crime Reduction Strategy Committee. Carried 7. Corporate Report No. R237 Truck Parking File: 5480-01 At the Regular Council Meeting of November 5, 2007, Council referred this report to Intergovernmental Affairs Committee for discussion. Dealt with earlier in the meeting. E. OTHER BUSINESS 1. Invitation to visit the City of Jincheng , China File: 0697-01 Correspondence from the Honorable Zhengui Xia, Mayor of the City of Jincheng in the Province of Shanxi, China dated July 3rd, 2007, inviting the Mayor and delegation to discuss and exchange ideas on the promotion of mutual cooperation as it relates to the development of Coal Bed Methane, city construction, education, environmental protection technology, business and other trade relations for the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee’s discussion. Dealt with earlier in the meeting. h:\intergovernmental affairs committee\minutes\2007\12047openiac.min1.doc TM 06/23/10 02:54 PM Page 9 Intergovernmental Affairs Committee- Minutes 2. December 4, 2007 Strengthening Surrey & Zhuhai Sister City Relationship & Cultural Ties File: 0470-20 Correspondence from Ms Bernadette Law in this regard. Dealt with earlier in the meeting. 3. Memorandum of Understanding Between the City of Surrey and Simon Fraser University File: 0510-20 Simon Fraser University has forwarded the latest Draft MOU for review and acceptance. Dealt with earlier in the meeting. 4. Major Industrial Tax Rates – Port Properties File: 1970-01 A summary on how property taxes are calculated and what discretion Council has to distribute the taxes across the different land assessment classes. Dealt with earlier in the meeting. 5. Proposal for Sister City Relationship - City of Salinas File: 0697-01 Mayor Watts introduced a letter dated November 5, 2007 from Mayor Dennis Donohue asking to explore the possibilities of establishing a formal Sister City relationship with Salinas. It was Moved by Mayor Watts Seconded by Councillor Hepner That the letter dated November 5, 2007 from Mayor Dennis Donohue be referred to staff to make connections and explore the opportunity of establishing a formal Sister City relationship with Salinas, California. Carried h:\intergovernmental affairs committee\minutes\2007\12047openiac.min1.doc TM 06/23/10 02:54 PM Page 10 Intergovernmental Affairs Committee- Minutes F. December 4, 2007 NEXT MEETING The next meeting is at the call of the Chair. H. ADJOURNMENT It was Moved by Mayor Watts Seconded by Councillor Hepner That the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee meeting do now adjourn. Carried The Intergovernmental Affairs Committee adjourned at 12:30 pm. __________________________________ Jane Sowik, Deputy City Clerk h:\intergovernmental affairs committee\minutes\2007\12047openiac.min1.doc TM 06/23/10 02:54 PM ___________________________________ Chairperson Marvin Hunt Intergovernmental Affairs Committee Page 11