HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-04-22 Workshop Meeting Agenda and Reports.pdfDistrict of Maple Ridge
1.ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA
2.MINUTES –April 8, 2013
3.PRESENTATIONS AT THE REQUEST OF COUNCIL
3.1
4.UNFINISHED AND NEW BUSINESS
4.1 Remedial Action, Complete Abatement of the Noxious Odor Emanating from the
Structure Containing the Medical Grow-op at Units 103, 104 and 105 at 11410
Kingston Street, Maple Ridge, BC
Staff report dated April 22, 2013 recommending that the owner of the property at
11410 Kingston Street be required for perform remedial action requirements
within 30 days of the receipt of a resolution of Council.
COUNCIL WORKSHOP AGENDA
April 22, 2013
9:00 a.m.
Blaney Room, 1st Floor, Municipal Hall
The purpose of the Council Workshop is to review and discuss policies and
other items of interest to Council. Although resolutions may be passed at
this meeting, the intent is to make a consensus decision to send an item to
Council for debate and vote or refer the item back to staff for more
information or clarification.
REMINDERS
April 22, 2013
Audit and Finance Committee Meeting 8:00 a.m.
Closed Council following Workshop
Committee of the Whole Meeting 1:00 p.m.
April 23, 2013
Council Meeting 7:00 p.m.
Council Workshop
April 22, 2013
Page 2 of 4
4.2 Update on LED Street Light Pilot Project
Staff report dated April 22, 2013 providing an update on the District of Maple
Ridge’s LED Street Light Pilot Project.
4.3 Council & Staff Liaison Roles Policy 3.10
Staff report dated April 22, 2013 providing information on the results of the review
of Council and Staff Liaison Roles Policy 3.10.
4.4 Public Art
Verbal update by the Director of Community Services
5. CORRESPONDENCE
The following correspondence has been received and requires a response. Staff is
seeking direction from Council on each item. Options that Council may consider include:
a) Acknowledge receipt of correspondence and advise that no further action will be
taken.
b) Direct staff to prepare a report and recommendation regarding the subject matter.
c) Forward the correspondence to a regular Council meeting for further discussion.
d) Other.
Once direction is given the appropriate response will be sent.
5.1 E-Comm 911 Board of Directors Designate – 2013/2014 Year
Letter dated March 28, 2013 from E-Comm 911 requesting written confirmation
of the designation of one individual for election to the Board of Directors of E-
Comm.
Recommendation: d) Appoint Mayor Ernie Daykin to the Board of Directors for the
2013/2014 term.
Council Workshop
April 22, 2013
Page 3 of 4
6. BRIEFING ON OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST/QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL
7. MATTERS DEEMED EXPEDIENT
8. ADJOURNMENT
Checked by: ___________
Date: _________________
Council Workshop
April 22, 2013
Page 4 of 4
Rules for Holding a Closed Meeting
A part of a council meeting may be closed to the public if the subject matter being considered relates to one
or more of the following:
(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;
(b) personal information about an identifiable individual who is being considered for a municipal award or
honour, or who has offered to provide a gift to the municipality on condition of anonymity;
(c) labour relations or employee negotiations;
(d) the security of property of the municipality;
(e) the acquisition, disposition or expropriation of land or improvements, if the council considers that
disclosure might reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the municipality;
(f) law enforcement, if the council considers that disclosure might reasonably be expected to harm the
conduct of an investigation under or enforcement of an enactment;
(g) litigation or potential litigation affecting the municipality;
(h) an administrative tribunal hearing or potential administrative tribunal hearing affecting the municipality,
other than a hearing to be conducted by the council or a delegate of council
(i) the receiving of advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for
that purpose;
(j) information that is prohibited or information that if it were presented in a document would be prohibited
from disclosure under section 21 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act;
(k) negotiations and related discussions respecting the proposed provision of a municipal service that are at
their preliminary stages and that, in the view of the council, could reasonably be expected to harm the
interests of the municipality if they were held in public;
(l) discussions with municipal officers and employees respecting municipal objectives, measures and
progress reports for the purposes of preparing an annual report under section 98 [annual municipal
report]
(m) a matter that, under another enactment, is such that the public may be excluded from the meeting;
(n) the consideration of whether a council meeting should be closed under a provision of this subsection of
subsection (2)
(o) the consideration of whether the authority under section 91 (other persons attending closed meetings)
should be exercised in relation to a council meeting.
(p) information relating to local government participation in provincial negotiations with First Nations, where
an agreement provides that the information is to be kept confidential.
District of Maple Ridge
COUNCIL WORKSHOP
April 8, 2013
The Minutes of the Municipal Council Workshop held on April 8, 2013 at 9:00 a.m. in
the Blaney Room of the Municipal Hall, 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, British
Columbia for the purpose of transacting regular Municipal business.
PRESENT
Elected Officials Appointed Staff
Mayor E. Daykin J. Rule, Chief Administrative Officer
Councillor C. Ashlie K. Swift, General Manager of Community Development,
Councillor C. Bell Parks and Recreation Services
Councillor J. Dueck P. Gill, General Manager Corporate and Financial Services
Councillor A. Hogarth F. Quinn, General Manager Public Works and Development
Councillor B. Masse Services
Councillor M. Morden C. Marlo, Manager of Legislative Services
A. Gaunt, Confidential Secretary
Other Staff as Required
L. Holitzki, Director of Licences, Permits and Bylaws
F. Armstrong, Manager of Corporate Communications
Note: These Minutes are posted on the Municipal Web Site at www.mapleridge.ca
1.ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA
The agenda was adopted with the addition of the following items:
4.4 Grow Ops
4.5 Cell Towers
4.6 Municipal Auditor General
2.MINUTES
R/2013-138
Minutes It was moved and seconded
March 18, 2013
That the minutes of the Council Workshop Meeting of March
18, 2013 be adopted as circulated.
CARRIED
2.0
Council Workshop Minutes
April 8, 2013
Page 2 of 5
3.PRESENTATIONS AT THE REQUEST OF COUNCIL – Nil
4.UNFINISHED AND NEW BUSINESS
4.1 Transportation Plan – John Steiner, Urban Systems
The Municipal Engineer introduced the process for the development of the
transportation plan. He advised that a discussion involving the Abernethy
Corridor has been incorporated into the transportation plan presentation and
introduced John Steiner from Urban Systems.
4.1.1 Transportation Plan Update
Mr. Steiner gave a PowerPoint presentation providing a progress update on
the development of the master transportation plan prior to public
consultation. He outlined the key issues and the strategic directions for the
road network, pedestrian, bicycle and transit strategy plan and outlined the
next steps in the process.
4.1.2 Abernethy Way Update (Abernethy/128 Corridor)
Mr. Steiner outlined future plans for the Abernethy Way corridor.
Note: The meeting was recessed at 10:31 a.m. and reconvened at 10:42 a.m.
4.2 Customer Experience
The General Manager of Community Development, Parks and Recreation
Services gave a PowerPoint presentation providing an update on the customer
experience initiative project. She highlighted initiatives which have been put
in place since the start of the project and outlined the steps and tools staff
are currently using.
4.3 Field Maintenance Program
The Manager of Parks and Open Space gave a PowerPoint presentation on the
sports field maintenance plan for the District and the process involved in the
sports field management strategy. He advised on the types of fields in Maple
Ridge and Pitt Meadows and the science involved in maintaining the fields.
He outlined challenges of meeting the expectations of various user groups.
Council Workshop Minutes
April 8, 2013
Page 3 of 5
4.4 Grow Ops
The Chief Administrative Officer provided an update on progress in the
development of a grow op bylaw for Maple Ridge. He advised that a bylaw
will come before Council in a few weeks.
4.5 Cell Towers
The General Manager of Public Works and Development reviewed the
resolutions passed by Council relating to the construction of cell towers in
Maple Ridge and outlined work done by staff as follow up to Council direction.
He advised on the outcome of staff requests to various cell phone tower
companies in terms of holding construction of towers in abeyance.
Staff was requested to have further discussion on the issue with Industry
Canada.
4.6 Municipal Auditor General
It was the consensus of Council that a letter be forwarded to the Municipal
Auditor General requesting that an analysis be carried out comparing
contractor pricing for work done for private companies to work carried out for
government agencies.
5.CORRESPONDENCE
5.1 District of Invermere - Action on Concept of Towns with no People and
Appointed Councils
Letter dated March 15, 2013 from Gerry Taft, Mayor, District of Invermere
seeking support on a request to the Union of British Columbia Municipalities
(“UBCM”) Executive to take action on the concept of towns with no people and
appointed councils as per Resolution B55 endorsed at the 2012 UBCM
convention.
R/2013-139
District of
Invermere It was moved and seconded
Support
That a letter be sent to the Union of British Columbia
Municipalities (“UBCM”) in support of the request by the
District of Invermere that the UBCM Executive take action on
the concept of towns with no people and appointed Councils.
CARRIED
Council Workshop Minutes
April 8, 2013
Page 4 of 5
5.2 Metro Vancouver – Waste Flow Management
Letter dated March 18, 2012 from Greg Moore, Chair, Metro Vancouver Board
providing information on an emerging trend of hauling garbage to private
sector disposal facilities and offering the availability of Metro Vancouver staff
to present on waste flow management at an upcoming Council meeting.
Mayor Daykin reviewed the letter.
R/2013-140
Metro Vancouver
Waste Flow It was moved and seconded
Management
Invitation to attend
That Metro Vancouver staff be invited to attend a future
Council meeting to present on waste flow management.
CARRIED
5.3 Fresh Outlook Foundation
E-mail from Joanne de Vries, Founder and CEO, Fresh Outlook Foundation
providing information on the Fresh Outlook Foundation’s Building Sustainable
Communities 2013 Conference.
Mayor Daykin reviewed the letter.
Councillor Hogarth provided information on previous conferences and
suggested the municipality present at the upcoming conference. It was
agreed that the municipality would not present at this conference.
6.BRIEFING ON OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST/QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL
Councillor Hogarth advised on work being done on provincial legislation with
regard to illegal activity on rental property. He expressed concern with the
legislation.
Mayor Daykin requested that Councillor Hogarth provide background material
on the subject to allow for discussion at a future Council meeting.
Council Workshop Minutes
April 8, 2013
Page 5 of 5
7.MATTERS DEEMED EXPEDIENT - Nil
8.ADJOURNMENT – 12:23 p.m.
_______________________________
E. Daykin, Mayor
Certified Correct
___________________________________
C. Marlo, Corporate Officer
Page 1 of 3
District of Maple Ridge
TO: His Worship Mayor Ernie Daykin DATE: April 22, 2013
and Members of Council
FROM: Chief Administrative Officer Meeting: Council Workshop
SUBJECT: Remedial Action for the Complete Abatement of the Noxious Odor Emanating
from the Structure Containing the Medical Grow-op at Units 103-104 and 105
11410 Kingston Street, Maple Ridge BC
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Units 103-104 and 105 11410 Kingston Street (the “Property”) are owned by Arms Holdings Ltd.
(the “Owner”) and are located in an Industrial zoned building. The three units have been combined
into one unit to accommodate a medical grow operation. The tenants of the Property have applied
for a building permit and the other necessary accessory permits however they have not submitted all
the documentation required for the District to issue these permits. Significant renovations have
been made to the Property in order to accommodate the grow operation and a large grow operation
is already in operation without having the necessary municipal permits in place.
The grow operation generates an extremely noxious odour that is disrupting other businesses
adjacent to the Property. The odour is passing through interior ducting and fixtures. The problem is
so significant that two businesses are forced to consider relocating their offices. One of the
neighbouring businesses has had to discontinue marketing sports related clothing because the
odour has made the clothing unmarketable. Staff has attended the site and can attest to the
strength of the odour, both outside of the buildings and inside the adjacent units as well.
Staff have attended this site on numerous occasions and requested that the Owner or the tenants
take steps to mitigate the odour emanating from the Property. Steps taken by the Owner or the
tenants, if any, have not made any significant difference. On December 7, 2012 our Solicitor sent a
letter (attached as Appendix I) to the Owner directing that the necessary steps be taken to mitigate
the odour.
During an inspection of the site on December 13, 2012 attended by the Senior Bylaw Enforcement
Officer, the Director of Licences, Permits and Bylaws and our solicitor, the Senior Bylaw Enforcement
Officer again instructed the property owner and the tenant to take the necessary steps to abate the
noxious odour and gave them until December 19, 2012 to retain a consultant to find a solution to
the odour nuisance problems coming from the grow operation. On December 20, 2012 our Solicitor
wrote to the Owner again to inform the Owner that, having failed to retain a qualified consultant by
December 20, 2012 he anticipated that the matter would be referred Maple Ridge District Council to
adopt a resolution under Section 74 of the Community Charter to declare the noxious odour a
nuisance and order that the owner take immediate steps to abate the odour problem or the District
would conduct the necessary work and bill the costs back to the Owner.
As Council is aware, Section 74 of the Community Charter provides authority to Council to pass a
remedial action requirement requiring an owner or occupier of real property to take measures to deal
with a declared nuisance.
4.1
Page 2 of 3
If a person with notice of this resolution wishes to request reconsideration of these requirements by
Council, written notice of this request must be provided to the Manager of Legislative Services within
14 business days of that person receiving notice of this resolution.
In the event the owner or occupier has not performed all of the remedial action requirements within
the time provided for compliance after the resolution is delivered to them, the District may, by its
own forces or those of a contractor engaged by the District, enter the Property and perform the
remedial action requirements.
In the event the District takes the above referenced action, the District may recover the expense
from the owner or occupier, together with costs and interest, in the same manner as municipal taxes
in accordance with sections 17, 258, and 259 of the Community Charter.
Based upon the above referenced information on this matter staff recommends Council pass the
following resolutions.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
NOW THEREFORE, be it resolved:
THAT Council declare the medical marijuana grow operation at Units 103-104 and 105 11410
Kingston Street, legally described as:
(a) PID 023 969 440, Strata Lot 3 District Lot 280, Group 1 New Westminster District
Strata Plan LMS3029,;
(b) PID 023 696 458 Strata Lot 4 Group 1 New Westminster Strata Plan LMS 3029,; and
(c) PID 023 969 466 Strata Lot 5 District Lot 280 Group 1 New Westminster District Strata
Plan LMS3029 (the “Property”)
a nuisance within the meaning of paragraph 74 (1)(d) of the Community Charter;
THAT THE Owner must, not later than thirty (30) days after receiving a copy of this resolution, shall:
1.Retain a qualified consultant to find a solution to the odour emanating from the grow
operation;
2.Complete the work recommended by the consultant and
3.Maintain the system as recommended by the manufacturer and/or the consultant; or
4.Remove the grow operation from the Structure.
DISCUSSION:
a)Background Context:
The odour emanating from the grow operation located at the “Property presents a significant
concern in the community. The purpose of this report is to recommend Council use the
authority provided under Part 3 Division 12 under Section 74 of the Community Charter to
impose a remedial action requirement on the Owner as recommended in this report.
The Owner leased the Property to the current tenants sometime prior to June 2012.
Renovations on the Property were started without the required District permits. Two joint
inspections were conducted by the Fire, Building, Electrical and Bylaw Departments on June
21, 2012 and July 19, 2012 as with the results set out in Appendix II. Photos were taken of
Page 3 of 3
the site as set out in Appendix IV. Despite numerous requests from staff and the issuance of
Stop Work Orders placed on the Property, work continued. A building permit application was
made by a tenant of the Property on September 17, 2012 but no permit has been issued due
to incomplete submissions by the applicant. District staff has inspected the Property on
numerous occasions since the time the tenants moved in and have continually reminded the
workers on site that no permits have been issued for the work being conducted.
b) Citizen/Customer Implications:
Complaints have been received on a regular basis from tenants of the other units in the
complex, including insurance being cancelled due to the grow operation. The District has
received written submissions from the other tenants in the complex regarding the problems
they have been having with respect to the odour (attached as Appendix III).
b) Alternatives:
For Council to not pass the Remedial Action order and provide staff with alternative direction
in dealing with this nuisance/hazardous Structure.
CONCLUSIONS:
The grow operation creates a significant nuisance for the other tenants in the industrial complex
where it is located. District staff has given the Owner and the tenants ample opportunity to resolve
the situation but it appears that they do not intend to take any action in response to the problem.
District staff recommends that Remedial Action requirements as described in the Recommendation
in this report be adopted.
The recommendations contained in this report have been reviewed by our municipal solicitors.
“Original signed by E.S. (Liz) Holitzki”
______________________________________________
Prepared by: E.S. (Liz) Holitzki
Director: Licences, Permits and Bylaws
“Original signed by Frank Quinn”
_______________________________________________
Approved by: Frank Quinn
General Manager: Public Works and Development Services
“Original signed by J.L. (Jim) Rule”
_______________________________________________
Concurrence: J.L. (Jim) Rule
Chief Administrative Office
Appendices:
I. Letters from Municipal Solicitor
II. Letter from Senior Licence & Bylaw Enforcement Officer
III. List of Property Complaints
IV. Site Photos
"Original signed by Barb Melnick"
1
District of Maple Ridge
TO: His Worship Mayor Ernie Daykin DATE: April 22, 2013
and Members of Council
FROM: Chief Administrative Officer ATTN: Council Workshop
SUBJECT: Update on LED Street Light Pilot Project
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The District of Maple Ridge embraces the pursuit of efficiencies wherever possible. Part of that
pursuit is to reduce energy costs. To that end the District has been employing LED technology in
various areas for a number of years. For example, the conversion of traffic signals to LED began
almost ten years ago and is now 90% complete.
One area where LED technology is undergoing considerable review and analysis is street lighting.
Across North America, there is a full range of LED conversion progress, from those waiting for the
industry to settle, to those like the Province of Nova Scotia, where there is a full-scale requirement to
convert all municipally-owned street lights by 2019.
Equally broad in range are the business cases for those conversion analyses. One key driver in the
business case for conversion is the cost of electricity. In Nova Scotia for example, where the cost of
electricity is over three times the rate in British Columbia, the payback period is much shorter. As
such, the Province is willing to upfront the significant capital cost to convert street lights to LED.
Here in British Columbia, where the cost of electricity is much less, the primary driver behind the
business case is the capital cost of street lights. This report illustrates how significant the capital
cost was to making a positive business case for the District’s LED street light pilot project.
The realignment of Abernethy Way at 224 Street was completed in 2011 with funding received from
the Canada-British Columbia Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (CBCMRIF). A component of this
funding was innovative street lighting and the District, with direction from Mayor and Council, chose
to test Light Emitting Diode (LED) street light technology instead of installing the standard High
Pressure Sodium (HPS) street lights.
After almost two years since completion of the realignment work, the LED street lights component of
the project is generating savings for the District in both maintenance and energy costs. The project
has also proven to be meeting industry standards for illumination. The project is estimated to deliver
a positive financial bottom line, due to a significant capital cost discount and grant funding.
LED technology in a street light application is relatively new, and quickly evolving. Capital costs are
dropping, and in fact are half of what they were when the pilot project began. It is anticipated that
this trend will continue as the use of LED street lights becomes more widespread. It is expected that
the range of quality and the number of vendors will also settle once the technology is more widely
adopted. The District will continue to monitor technology, industry trends and the experiences of
other local governments, continue to collaborate with BC Hydro and government on a collective
solution, and continue to watch BC Hydro for action that signals their confidence in the industry.
4.2
2
Given the District’s commitment to energy efficiency and innovative technologies, l ogical next steps
also include a test retrofit on existing District-owned street lights, and a pilot project to test LED
street lights in a neighbourhood setting with participation from the private sector. A follow-up report
to cover these two topics will be brought forward to Council before the end of the second quarter.
RECOMMENDATION:
That this report dated April 22, 2013 entitled Update on LED Street Light Pilot Project be received for
information; and further,
That staff be directed to bring forward a report outlining a test retrofit on existing District-owned
street lights, and a pilot project to test LED street lights in a neighbourhood setting with participation
from the private sector.
DISCUSSION:
Roadway lighting is part of a safe and efficient road network. A well designed lighting system
provides night time visibility of potential hazards for pedestrians and motorists. The District follows
lighting level guidelines developed by the Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) and
illumination values from the Illuminating Engineers Society of North America (IESNA) for specific road
classifications.
During the completion of the realignment of Abernethy Way at 224 Street, District staff, with
direction from Mayor and Council, used the project as an opportunity to test LED street light
technology. Following the completion of the project in 2011, Mayor and Council requested staff to
report back on the status of the LED street light pilot project.
LED Street Light Technology Overview
LED street lights offer a way to produce a higher light output with a lower wattage that has the
potential to reduce electrical energy use and maintenance costs. The District tested twenty-four 129
Watt LED street lights to put the theory into practice and see whether the savings materialized.
LED technology in a street light application is relatively new and quickly evolving. There are a few
factors that must be weighed off against the potential for cost savings, including product quality
variations and the difficulty for end users to keep pace with product and vendor changes, high initial
capital costs and technology uncertainties. Although the technology offers benefits under the right
conditions, and interest in them is increasing, the use of LED street lights has not yet become
common practice. A listing of the advantages and disadvantages of LED street lights is attached in
Appendix “B”.
Several Lower Mainland communities are conducting LED street light pilot tests. Appendix “D”
provides information that shows the complexity and variety of results and measures taken by other
North American communities when utilizing LED street light technology. District staff will continue to
monitor the industry trends and collaborate with these and other communities.
BC Hydro’s Role
BC municipalities are encouraging BC Hydro to retrofit their own street lights. BC Hydro owns
approximately one-third of the street lights in Maple Ridge. Those lights account for over 60% of the
total District yearly street light cost, because the flat rate charged by BC Hydro includes a
maintenance cost. For a breakdown of the Maple Ridge street light inventory and associated monthly
electricity costs, see Appendix “A”. The District’s approach thus far has been to look to BC Hydro,
with their vast street light inventory across the Province and associated significant potential for
3
energy savings, for action that signals their confidence in the industry. Furthermore, BC Hydro is
working on an initiative that assesses the potential for bulk purchasing discounts and setting LED
street light industry standards among BC municipalities. There is also the opportunity to take
advantage of BC Hydro incentive dollars for retrofit installations.
Abernethy Way at 224 Street Pilot Project Update
After almost two years since completion of the project, the LED street lights are generating savings
for the District in both maintenance and energy costs. The project has also proven to be meeting
industry standards for illumination, meaning that an adequate amount of light is being provided to
the roadway.
Energy Savings
The original lighting consultant, Acuity Brands Lighting Canada, provided a follow-up assessment to
determine, for both the District and future clients, whether the street lights were performing as
intended. The standard practice for an arterial road like Abernethy Way is to install High Pressure
Sodium (HPS) street lights. The HPS street light that would meet the criteria for this road is a 150
Watt fixture. HPS street lights draw a higher wattage due to a loss of energy in the ballast, and
therefore, a 150 Watt HPS street light draws 188 Watts of electricity. BC Hydro charges a flat rate of
$0.0271 per Watt per month for District owned street lights. A 150 Watt street light therefore, costs
the District $5.151 per month.
The chosen 129 Watt LED street lights along Abernethy Way and 224 Street draw 129 Watts of
electricity. LED street lights do not incur an energy loss in the ballast. The District pays $3.521 per
month for each light.
In summary, the LED street lights are generating energy saving of 591 Watts per street light. These
findings are consistent with BC Hydro’s own assessment and correlate with billing rates 1. For a
breakdown of the Maple Ridge street light inventory and associated monthly electricity costs, see
Appendix “A”.
Illumination
A consultant with Great Northern Engineering Consultants Inc. (GNEC) was retained to assess the
illumination and spacing of the LED street lights along Abernethy Way to ensure that adequate levels
of lighting are provided along the roadway and at the intersection. Because LED technology is rapidly
evolving, there is limited information available on industry standards pertaining specifically to LED
lighting. In North America, the criteria and associated lighting levels are established by IESNA. For
more information on street lighting standards, see Appendix “C”. GNEC was able to confirm that the
street light design spacing, number of poles and illumination levels for the test pilot project meet
industry standards.
Economic Performance
The following scenarios show the results of a simple cost analysis over a 20 year time period (the life
expectancy of the LED street lights). In examining the three scenarios it is important to understand
the impact of grant funding on the bottom line. In addition the LED lights for the pilot area were
supplied at a 50% discount.
Scenario 1: Includes 50% discount and grant
For 24 street lights: HPS LED Savings/<Cost>
1 BC Hydro groups a range of fixtures together based on wattages, and therefore a fixture drawing 188 watts is
charged under the 190 watt category. Likewise, the LED fixture drawing 129 watts is grouped in the 130 watt
category. Applying the flat rate of $0.0271 to 190 watts and to 130 watts respectively delivers the cost per
month noted above.
4
Capital Cost $4,800 $8,000 <$3,200>
Energy $29,658 $20,292 $ 9,366
Maintenance $10,500 $ 560 $ 9,940
Total SAVINGS over 20 years $ 16,106
Scenario 2: Excludes discounts and grant
For 24 street lights: HPS LED Savings/<Cost>
Capital Cost $4,800 $48,000 <$43,200>
Energy $29,658 $20,292 $ 9,366
Maintenance $10,500 $ 560 $ 9,940
Total SAVINGS over 20 years <$ 23,894>
Scenario 3: Includes 50% discount but no grant
For 24 street lights: HPS LED Savings/<Cost>
Capital Cost $4,800 $24,000 <$19,200>
Energy $29,658 $20,292 $ 9,366
Maintenance $10,500 $ 560 $ 9,940
Total SAVINGS over 20 years $ 106
The District’s pilot project is represented by Scenario 1, where we expect to achieve a positive
bottom line of just over $16,000 over a 20 year time period. Had we not received the grant funding
or manufacturer discount (Scenario 2), the project would be expected to have a negative financial
return of almost $24,000. Scenario 3 is a break-even situation with manufacturer discount and no
grant.
With British Columbia electricity rates being relatively low, the above scenarios illustrate how the
capital cost is the key driver of the bottom line, whereas for other Provinces2, higher electricity rates
may reduce the impact of capital cost on the business case. Pricing for LED street lights has dropped
by half in the past two years, and this trend is expected to continue. It would be prudent to wait until
product pricing delivers a positive bottom line before wholesale adoption of the technology is
undertaken, and until the industry settles and issues such as product quality and vendor selection
are more stable.
Next steps
Research shows that municipalities across Canada are at different stages with regard to the
adaptation of LED street lights. Nova Scotia has made them mandatory. In the Lower Mainland most
municipalities are still in the testing/pilot stage. Three of the major outstanding concerns are the
lack of standardization, initial capital costs and the long term performance. A new guide focused on
emerging lighting technologies such as LED lights is currently being developed by the TAC, and is
scheduled for completion in 2013. This guide, which is focused on the application of energy efficient
roadway lighting and furthering understanding of the resulting reductions in power consumption and
cost, is being developed by transportation professionals from the public and private sectors. It will
be used to direct lighting technology decisions made by designers, administrators and policy makers
in Canada. It is also understood that BC Hydro is working with municipalities towards
standardization.
While the District of Maple Ridge prides itself on being on the leading edge of technology a phased
approach to the implementation of LED streetlights is prudent.
2 Appendix D shows the business case sensitivity to electricity pricing using Nova Scotia as an example.
5
The pilot project builds upon the District’s steady adoption of LED technology, and was an important
step in the progression toward more energy efficient street lighting. There are several next steps to
be considered:
Continue to monitor technology and industry trends, and the experiences of other local
governments;
Continue to collaborate with BC Hydro and government on a collective solution;
Encourage BC Hydro to retrofit the street lights they own in the community;
Undertake a test retrofit of District-owned street lights;
Undertake a pilot project to test LED street lights in a neighbourhood setting with
participation from the private sector.
CONCLUSIONS:
LED technology in a street light context is relatively new and is continuing to evolve. Preliminary
research shows that it has the potential to save money and reduce energy consumption, although
many municipalities are taking a cautious approach, waiting for the industry to settle, preferring to
do pilot projects to develop their own experience in the meantime and test business case
assumptions. Areas with higher electricity rates find a stronger business case, whereas in British
Columbia, product cost is the key driver of the bottom line.
After almost two years since completion of the Abernethy Way pilot project, the project is generating
savings for the District in energy costs and is anticipated to deliver maintenance cost savings.
However, the positive financial case was dependent upon a significant product cost discount and
grant funding. The District will continue to monitor the industry as costs come down and the industry
matures. A follow-up report will suggest consideration of a test retrofit on existing District-owned
street lights, and a pilot project to test LED street lights in a neighbourhood setting with participation
from the private sector.
“Original signed by Alexandra Tudose”
_______________________________________________
Prepared by: Alexandra Tudose
Research Technician
“Original signed by Laura Benson”
_______________________________________________
Prepared by: Laura Benson, CMA
Manager of Sustainability & Corporate Planning
“Original signed by Frank Quinn”
_______________________________________________
Approved by: Frank Quinn, MBA, P.Eng
GM: Public Works and Development Services
“Original signed by J.L. (Jim) Rule”
_______________________________________________
Concurrence: J.L. (Jim) Rule
Chief Administrative Officer
Attachment: Appendix A – Street Lighting Overview
Attachment: Appendix B – Advantages and Disadvantages of LED Street Lights
Attachment: Appendix C – Street Lighting Standards
Attachment: Appendix D – Current Research and Testing
6
Appendix A - Street Light Overview
Below is a diagram depicting the components of an existing HPS (High Pressure Sodium)
decorative street light that can be seen along 224 Street in downtown Maple Ridge. This
diagram is used in the introduction of this report to ensure consistency in the terminology
used throughout it and during discussions.
Current Street Light Situation
There are approximately 4,800 street lights in Maple Ridge. The District owns approximately
68% (two thirds) of this inventory and BC Hydro owns the balance (32% or one third). From
an electrical energy consumption point of view, in 2012, street lights consumed a total of 2.9
million KWh for a total yearly cost of approximately $450,400. Of the total cost, District
owned street lights cost approximately 39% of the total and BC Hydro owned street lights
cost approximately 61%. Street lights are the second most electricity consuming asset to the
Leisure Centre and the most expensive for the District.
The chart below looks at the current District street light inventory, associated electricity
usage and costs:
Current inventory Quantity 2012 total
cost
2012 total
kW/h Description
District Owned
Street Lights 3250 $175,846 2,174,535
Ornamental street lights that are
installed on metal poles, either
davit arm or on top of straight
poles; use mainly HPS or Metal
Halide technology, range from 95
to 480 watts.
BC Hydro Owned
Street Lights 1542 $274,551 725,509
Overhead street lights that are
installed on wood poles with mast
arms and have a cobra head.
Luminaire (or head)
Arm
Pole
7
District Owned Street Lights
BC Hydro Owned Street Lights
Decorative street light
Street light found in
new developments
Street light
found in most
new
residential
developments
8
Below is a breakdown of the inventory and associated monthly electricity costs:
District-owned street lights BC Hydro-owned street lights
Quantity Watts Rate Cost Quantity Watts Rate Cost
10 95 0.0271 25.75 1 175 0.0886 15.51
1735 130 0.0271 6112.41 26 250 0.0715 464.62
1218 190 0.0271 6271.48 1151 100 0.1412 16252.12
138 250 0.0271 934.95 273 150 0.1122 4594.59
27 305 0.0271 223.17 91 200 0.0972 1769.04
21 310 0.0271 176.42
70 480 0.0271 910.56
7 140 0.0271 26.56
24 130 0.0271 84.55
Total, including taxes/fees 17,707$ Total, including taxes/fees 24,503$
The charge for District-owned street lights is a flat rate per watt per month. This rate helped
us determine the electricity savings of the different street light technologies. The charge for
BC Hydro owned street lights is higher, as it represents wattage plus maintenance costs.
The majority of the street lights in Maple Ridge are HPS (High Pressure Sodium). This
luminaire is relatively inexpensive and has been in use for over 40 years.
9
Appendix B - Advantages and Disadvantages of LED Street Lights
The advantages of LED street lights include3:
Long-term energy and greenhouse gas emissions reductions
Reduced electricity costs
Reduced maintenance costs
Longer product lifetimes, resulting in reduced replacement costs
A quality of light that better approximates sunlight and can contribute to better colour
and contrast perception and enhanced crime prevention
Reduced light pollution because light can be directed where it is needed
Reduced use of environmentally hazardous chemicals, such as mercury, which
requires special handling and disposal
Disadvantages of LED street lighting:
Cost – the unit cost can be quite high compared to standard cobra head luminaires.
Better quality LED street lights can be over $1,000 whereas a typical cobra head
luminaire is typically around $200
Lacking in proven long term performance – as LED roadway luminaires are new to
the industry, long term performance has not been confirmed. This leads to some
level of risk to the owner
Heat – LED luminaires have varying heat management systems, with the higher the
junction temperature, the shorter the life expectancy of the LEDs
Standardization – LED street lights are relatively new to the market and as such
there is a lack of proven luminaire specifications
Difficulty for end users in keeping pace with product changes or sourcing
replacement parts, given the rapid development of LED technology
Potentially higher replacement cost because entire head needs to be replaced rather
than the luminaire, as hardware is not standardized
Wide variation in product availability, options and quality, because the LED
manufacturing industry is still developing
Need to customize design/placement/spacing for each specific location
An example that illustrates the rapid changes in the industry is that the manufacturer of the
224 Street and Abernethy Way LED street lights has already developed an upgrade to the
street lights the District installed in 2011.
3 Municipal Policy Options Guide for Advanced Outdoor Lighting, LightSavers Canada, March 2011
10
Appendix C - Street Lighting Standards
Current industry design standards must be followed when using HPS or LED luminaires for
street lighting. The amount of light provided by a street lighting installation is typically based
on two significant engineering criteria; the classification of the roadway itself (include
major/arterial, collector and local) and the level of pedestrian conflict. In North America, the
criteria and associated lighting levels are established by the Illuminating Engineering Society
of North America (IESNA) publication RP-8. Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) has
published the Guide for the Design of Roadway Lighting that takes the recommended North
American Practice criteria with adaptation to Canadian conditions.
However, there is currently a lack of industry product standards when it comes to roadway
lighting with LEDs. A new guide focused on emerging lighting technologies such as LED lights
is currently being developed by the TAC, and is scheduled for completion in 2013. This guide,
which is focused on the application of energy efficient roadway lighting and furthering
understanding of the resulting reductions in power consumption and cost, is being developed
by transportation professionals from the public and private sectors. It will be used to direct
lighting technology decisions made by designers, administrators and policy makers in
Canada.
11
Appendix D - Current Research and Testing
There has been research done by various municipalities, consultants and consortiums on the
potential to use LED technology in street lights. Below is a summary of the work done by the
City of Vancouver, the City of Richmond, and the City of Port Coquitlam; followed by a
summary of the work done in Nova Scotia and City of Los Angeles. The information below is
provided to show the complexity and variety of results and measures taken by other
municipalities when dealing with LED technology in street lights.
Lower Mainland consultants such as DMD and Associates Electrical Consultants have
produced the Roadway and Outdoor Lighting Design Guide for the Transportation Association
of Canada and were commissioned to study adaptive street lighting for the District of Maple
Ridge in 2010, funded by BC Hydro. LightSavers Canada is a national consortium that aims
to step up the adoption of LED lighting across the country. Furthermore, there is currently a
group of municipalities including Maple Ridge and led by the City of Vancouver that is
compiling results of test installations around the region.
At the City of Vancouver (COV), the LED initiative was launched by the Greenest City Action
Team (GCAT), a group of experts brought together by the COV. The GCAT recommended
showcasing a demonstration street lighting program as part of the 2010 Olympics. The
program was implemented in Yaletown through collaboration between the Yaletown BIA, COV
and BC Hydro. The program was a success; however, a few lessons were learned. Firstly, a
competitive business case for LEDs could not be made due to prohibitive costs; however
because of the special nature of the demonstration project, COV was able to obtain funding
through BC Hydro. Secondly, the pilot project showed the importance of alternative rates for
LEDs, and lastly, on-the-ground measurement needs to be considered to ensure light levels
are actually performing to IESNA standards.
City of Richmond (COR) has a dedicated street light engineer who is testing 11 different LED
manufacturers in an industrial zoned area, namely Fraserwood Way. Manufacturers were
asked to forward to the COR their LED street lights with matching IESNA files that were
suitable for testing at the above test location. Eleven matched IESNA standards and COR
staff are assessing the results of these tests for the purpose of narrowing down the list to
three manufactures that COR can recommend for new development applications in
Richmond. For retrofits, COR does stretches of retrofits based on a budget set aside each
year for maintenance.
The City of Port Coquitlam (CPC) has identified street lighting as a priority emission reduction
measure, due to the high energy consumption costs and corresponding greenhouse gas
emissions. In partnership with BC Hydro and LightSavers Canada, the CPC retrofitted its
downtown street lights with LED lights. The downtown street lights were previously 200W
HPS and retrofitted to 110W LED, reducing the annual energy consumption by 45%.
LED Roadway Lighting Limited (LRL), ecoNova Scotia, Conserve Nova Scotia, and Natural
Resources Canada have partnered in a pilot project to retrofit existing street lights with new
LED street lights in 19 communities throughout Nova Scotia. Eleven hundred (1,100) existing
HPS street lights have been converted to LED street lights, making this to date, one of the
largest LED street light demonstration projects undertaken in Canada. DMD and Associates
were retained to review the design and lighting factors brought forward by the supplier,
review testing procedures and calculate the energy savings for this pilot. The higher
electricity costs in Nova Scotia had generated a reasonable business case for this pilot
project.
12
Scenario 1: Abernethy Way pilot project as experienced, with discount pricing and grant, and
British Columbia electricity rates
For 24 street lights: HPS LED Savings/<Cost>
Capital Cost $4,800 $8,000 <$3,200>
Energy $29,658 $20,292 $ 9,366
Maintenance $10,500 $ 560 $ 9,940
Total SAVINGS over 20 years $ 16,106
Scenario 2: Abernethy Way pilot project case, using Nova Scotia electricity pricing
For 24 street lights: HPS LED Savings/<Cost>
Capital Cost $4,800 $8,000 <$3,200>
Energy $118,961 $95,247 $ 23,714
Maintenance $10,500 $ 560 $ 9,940
Total SAVINGS over 20 years $ 30,454
In Los Angeles, the LED Street Lighting Energy Efficiency Program, managed by the Bureau of
Street Lighting, involved the replacement of 140,000 of the 209,000 existing street lights in
the City with LEDs. This is the largest LED street light replacement program in North America.
Two issues helped in the development of the program: the first was the passing of
Proposition 218 in California in 1996, which limited municipalities’ ability to adjust
assessments for municipal services; the second issue was the inclusion of Los Angeles
among the American cities identified as having high levels of pollution. Most of the funding
for the program came from a loan from the city-owned utility company, the Los Angeles
Department of Water and Power. The remaining funding was provided through an energy
rebate program run by the utility company and the Bureau’s own funds.
District of Maple Ridge
TO: His Worship Mayor Ernie Daykin MEETING DATE: April 22, 2013
and Members of Council FILE NO:
FROM: Chief Administrative Officer MEETING: Workshop
SUBJECT: POLICY REVIEW -COUNCIL AND STAFF LIAISON ROLES
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Staff was directed to conduct an annual review of policies. The Council and Staff Liaison Roles
Policy 3.10 has been reviewed and no changes are recommended.
RECOMMENDATION:
No recommendation required.
“Original signed by Ceri Marlo”
_______________________________________________
Approved by: Ceri Marlo, Manager Legislative Services
“Original signed by Kelly Swift”
_______________________________________________
Approved by: Kelly Swift, General Manager
Community Development, Parks & Recreation Services
“Original signed by J.L. (Jim) Rule”
_______________________________________________
Concurrence: J.L. (Jim) Rule
Chief Administrative Officer
Attachment:
District of Maple Ridge Policy 3.10
4.3
POLICY MANUAL
Title: Council and Staff Liaison Roles
Policy No: 3.10
Supersedes: New
Authority: Legislative Operational
Approval: Council CMT
General Manager
Effective Date: April 14, 2010
Review Date: 2013-04-22
Policy Statement:
Liaison Role
Municipal Council will assign members of Council and/or Municipal Management will assign staff
members to the role of municipal liaison to various community organizations where the
relationship between the Municipality and the organization is deemed critical to achieving the
Municipality’s mandate and goals. The role of liaison is intended to facilitate excellent and ongoing
communication on matters of mutual interest. The intent of doing so is to ensure a continuing
dialogue on how the Municipality and organization can work together to better meet the
community needs they each hope to address.
Council Liaisons
Council members will only be assigned a liaison role where the liaison function is felt to be critical
to achieving the Municipality’s mandate and where ongoing communication and knowledge gained
from that communication and shared with the rest of Council by the liaison would assist Council as
a whole in considering matters of common interest with the organization with whom they have a
liaison function.
Staff Liaisons
A staff liaison may be more appropriately assigned where the organization to which they are
assigned holds a fee for service contract with the municipality for the delivery of a Municipal
service to citizens. While facilitating excellent on going communication is certainly part of a staff
liaison role, monitoring performance to ensure delivery of agreed upon services is also part of the
staff liaison function. Providing expert advice on effective organizational operations can also be
part of the staff liaison function where that expertise may not exist within the organization itself.
Page 1 of 6 Policy 3.10
Prioritizing requests for a Municipal liaison
There may be requests for a Council or staff liaison from community organizations which cannot be
accepted in part because the time available simply does not permit such assignments to every
group wishing a liaison. Where priorities need to be set for assigning liaisons a higher priority will
be given to those organizations delivering services on behalf of the Municipality and, secondly, to
those organizations or networks which are not represented already through a Municipal committee
or Commission and which represent a network of groups and agencies which are critical to
achieving community needs for which the Municipality also has some responsibility. For example
the Municipality would assign a liaison to the Arts Council as well as a staff liaison because it holds
a significant contract with the Municipality but may not assign a liaison to a minor sport
organization because the Parks and Leisure Services Commission has been formed to consider all
of the needs of the sports community.
Assigning Council Liaisons
There is some rationale for considering the availability of various Council members when choosing
which member should be assigned to which group. Those with more flexible schedules may be
more available for liaison responsibilities than others. A Council member’s personal interests and
expertise should also be considered in terms of making assignments along with their involvement
in a particular subject (i.e. they may be involved with a group which is in the middle of an important
initiative and, therefore, under these circumstances, a change in liaison may not be advisable).
Another consideration may be the notion of broadening every Council member’s knowledge by
rotating their responsibilities where that is felt to be beneficial. The benefit of such rotations to the
groups with whom Council members liaise is that more members of Council become familiar with
the organization and the issues it is an advocate for.
Since there are many factors involved in determining such assignments it is not felt appropriate to
prescribe a process or a maximum term for service as a Council liaison. The only guidance to be
offered by this policy statement would be to suggest all of the above be considered along with the
basic principle that Council members should share liaison responsibilities as equitably as possible.
Purpose:
The purpose of this policy is to clarify the roles and responsibilities of Council and Staff liaisons
to independent organizations. It is also intended to provide guidance to those organizations to
whom liaisons have been assigned in terms of their responsibilities and the reasonable
expectations they should have of assigned liaisons.
Definitions:
“Liaison” refers to a position assigned to a Council or Staff member where the primary objective
is to maintain good communication and relationships between an outside, independently
constituted organization and the District of Maple Ridge.
Page 2 of 6 Policy 3.10
Key Areas of Responsibility
Action to Take
Responsibilities of Organizations to whom Council and staff
liaisons are assigned
Such groups should:
a.Ensure assigned Council members and staff members are
provided with sufficient advance notice of meetings and
agendas, given their busy schedules. Establishing a regular
meeting schedule is helpful, however, sending agendas out in
advance is equally important since it will assist the Council or
staff member in determining if their attendance and input
would be helpful to the group and to Council. Sending
agendas out at least four days in advance for regularly
scheduled meetings is a minimum standard. Significantly
greater advance notice and agenda distribution is required for
special meetings outside the regular meeting schedule.
Occasionally, despite regularly scheduled meetings, Council
members in particular must choose between meetings which
have been scheduled and other important community events
and meetings which come up from time to time. Having an
agenda in advance is an important tool in helping a Council
liaison to make that determination and to be effective in their
role.
b.Provide advance notice for the Council or staff member to
address a particular topic of interest to the group at an
upcoming meeting. While not always possible advance notice
of a particular question can be very helpful in ensuring the
liaison has time to complete an appropriate level of
investigation or research if the question happens to be on a
subject with which they are not familiar.
c.Be appropriately constituted, be in good standing with the
Registrar of Societies and function in accordance with the
guidelines which typically govern well functioning Societies.
Such guidelines include sending agendas out in advance,
maintaining minutes, managing meetings in accordance with
appropriate rules of order, holding regular elections,
maintaining proper financial records, etc.
d.Welcome Council and staff liaisons to attend every meeting
they choose to attend (save and except for meetings which
are exclusive to the Board members only which deal with
personnel or legal matters and other confidential matters
such as negotiations with the municipality).
Responsibility
Community Organization
Chair or Representative
Community Organization
Chair or Representative
Community Organization
Chair or Representative
Community Organization
Chair or Representative
Page 3 of 6 Policy 3.10
e.Respect a Council liaison’s time by moving those items which
the liaison may need to address to as early a place in the
agenda as possible and not expect the liaison to stay beyond
dealing with that subject, unless the liaison chooses to stay
(not to participate in the Board’s further discussions but to
learn more about the organization and what is important to
the Board to further the relationship). The staff liaison in
particular may wish to stay in order to fulfill their responsibility
of monitoring the group’s performance of contracted services.
f.Appreciate a Council liaison should not be expected to attend
every meeting of the organization. Of course a liaison should
attend on a reasonably regular basis in order to fulfill the
function as best as he or she can. However, attending every
meeting is, in all probability, unrealistic given the number of
liaison and committee responsibilities each Council member is
assigned on top of their formal Council responsibilities. In
addition, some Council members have career and
professional responsibilities beyond their Council role. In some
cases where it is felt that very regular representation from
Council is required then an alternate may also be appointed.
A staff liaison’s attendance will likely be more consistent given
the limitation on the number of groups for whom they have a
liaison responsibility.
g.Not expect a liaison to participate in group discussions as if
they are just another member of the Board of Directors. The
organization should definitely not give the staff or Council
liaison a vote. Doing so may put the Council liaison in a
conflict position with respect to matters which come before
Council having to do with the group. A Council member cannot
vote at Council on matters related to another organization with
whom they have a fiduciary responsibility (voting at a Board
meeting constitutes acceptance of such responsibility) and
must not participate in any debates on such matters at
Council. In fact they are required to declare the conflict and
leave the meeting room when such conflicts occur while the
matter in question is being discussed by the other members of
Council.
Responsibilities of Council and Staff Liaisons
Assigned Council and staff liaisons should:
a.Attend as many of the organization’s meetings and functions
as necessary to achieve the desired end result of good
communications and a positive working relationship with the
group. Recognizing regular monthly attendance may not be
possible the Council liaison should discuss their intention to
attend on whatever schedule makes sense with the group
Community Organization
Chair or Representative
Community Organization
Chair or Representative
Community Organization
Chair or Representative
Council Liaison
Council Alternate Liaison
Staff Liaison
Page 4 of 6 Policy 3.10
President at the outset of their assignment, to ensure clarity
and avoid higher than can be delivered expectations. Having a
staff liaison in attendance may provide a greater sense by
Council members who are assigned liaison responsibility that
the Municipality’s interests are being represented to some
degree and may permit less frequent attendance by a Council
liaison. If a staff and Council liaison have both been assigned
to a group each should bring the other up to date on those
matters of mutual interest to both the municipality and the
organization which were discussed at a meeting their
counterpart was unable to attend.
b.Let the organization’s President or Secretary know when they
are unable to attend a meeting at which they might otherwise
be expected, and, if an alternate has been appointed, notify
the alternate Council representative they will be unable to
attend and determine if the alternate is available to cover the
meeting. If they are available forwarding the agenda to the
alternate is also required.
c.Not vote and avoid participating in group debates as if they
were a member of the organization’s Board of Directors. (see
“g” above)
d.Not make commitments on behalf of the Municipality which
are not already covered by policy or a previously approved
standard of service. Of course a Council liaison should be
prepared to look into any request, passing that along to the
appropriate senior staff member to investigate. The staff
member’s obligation is to ensure the Council liaison is
informed as to the outcome and response to the request.
Council Committee and Commission Roles and Responsibilities
(referenced here only to clarify the difference between liaison and
committee roles and responsibilities)
Council members will also be assigned to a variety of Municipally
established committees and commissions whose role is to
advance the Municipality’s mandate in their various areas of
responsibility.
The role of a member of Council on such committees is very
different than that of liaison to an independent organization.
To be more specific Council members who are assigned to such
groups are expected to participate fully in the discussion and
debate on subjects before such committees and are generally
expected to vote along with the other appointed members of the
committee or commission. All such groups are duly constituted by
bylaws of the Municipality to carry out the Municipality’s business.
In some cases they are advisory and in others they have been
Council Liaison
Council Alternate Liaison
Staff Liaison
Council Liaison
Council Alternate Liaison
Staff Liaison
Council Liaison
Council Alternate Liaison
Staff Liaison
Page 5 of 6 Policy 3.10
delegated the authority to act independently within parameters
established by Council and allowed by the Community Charter and
Local Government Act.
In all cases the Council members assigned to these groups are
expected to bring a Council perspective to the table.
The legal opinions we have available to us indicate there is no
conflict of interest for a Council member who participates in
debates and discussions and votes on matters at a municipal
committee or commission meeting and then considers and votes
on a recommendation from the committee or commission at
Council. This is because the committee or commission is a child of
the Municipal Government and the business being conducted is
therefore being carried out by the Municipality for the Municipality
and not by an independently constituted organization.
Role of Council members appointed by Council to legislatively
constituted Boards involving organizations made up of several
Municipalities collaborating on the delivery of services
(referenced here only to clarify the difference between liaison
and regional Board appointee responsibilities)
Members of Council can be appointed by Council or by the Mayor
to represent the Municipality on Boards of Directors of agencies
which have been duly constituted to deliver services on behalf of
several Municipalities acting together. Examples of this include
the Fraser Valley Regional Library or the Metro Vancouver
Regional District. In such cases the appointed member
participates fully on the Board to which they have been appointed
and are generally tasked with the obligation to vote as they
personally feel is appropriate on matters that come before that
Board. That is because it is assumed that, due to their
involvement, the Council member sitting at the Board table has a
greater appreciation for the broad responsibility of the Board than
other Councilors not on the Board whose context is only the
services provided locally. It is understood that a Council cannot
compel a member representing the municipality on this type
Board to vote in accordance with Council’s wishes expressed by a
resolution of Council. With that said most of the Council members
who serve as Board representatives to regional bodies do consult
with the rest of Council to obtain their views before a particularly
challenging subject is voted upon at a regional Board level.
We are advised by the District’s legal advisors that despite the
independence described above there is no conflict for a Council
member who is appointed to sit on such a Board who then
participates in debates and discussions at the Council table
about the municipality’s continuing involvement in such a
regional function or any other debate related to Council’s
involvement with the regional body involved.
Page 6 of 6 Policy 3.10
5.1