Transcript: Council Meeting - 22 Jun 2026

Good evening. Good evening everyone. Welcome to the June 22nd, 2026 council meeting. Before we begin, I just want to give a territorial acknowledgement. I want to acknowledge the co sailor people specifically the Shanu a first nation on whose territory this district of a chosen building building stands. I also want to recognize our neighbors to the east or southeast. Uh the the um Esquyimal nations, the Kosapsson uh first nations as well as are the First Nations to the west, the Suk First Nations as well as the Pchidat. Uh we recognize and respect the First Nations governments, all of whom have a long-standing relationship with the land, the sea, and the waters that continue to this day. So, thank you. So, council, before you we have the council agenda. We've also got a number of correspondents uh on the supplemental agenda. Uh number one, we have uh correspondence received for item 6A, the mayor's report from uh Karen Hoffman, uh Dean Plank, G. Walsh, Astrauss, C. Voit, JNK Burrell, and B.

Sawatski O. Clark. And number two, the supplemental item correspondence received for item 6A, mayor's report, and draft Mitch's environmental advisory select committee bases management correspondence from Bacon. And uh with the other notation, staff have asked that item number eight be pulled uh from this agenda to be discussed at another time. With that, I'll take a motion that captures all of that. Moved by councel Donaldson, second by councelor Schukan. All in favor? Post carried. That's great. And delighted to say that we have a presentation this evening. Uh we've got uh two presentations. The first presentation is from uh BC Transit Victoria Regional Transit Plan Update. This is a presentation by Jake Jacob Burnley, transit planner and Elise Ren, the government relations manager. So welcome to Machosen. I understand this is your 13th presentation of 14. So thank you for your resiliency and your efforts. Go ahead. Am I live? Yes.

Yeah. To speak right into the mic. At least Okay. Uh thank you, Mayor Little and Council for having us this evening. Um if we want to bring up the presentation, I'll be ready to go. That's okay. Um I'll start by saying, um I'm the government relations manager and Jacob is our transit planner for the 25-year plan. Um, I'm just going to give you a really brief overview of uh the BC Transit model and how service works here in Victoria. Um, and then Jacob's going to take it away and tell you about the 25-year plan. I'm going to try and be very brief because uh 25-year plan is uh a lot to talk about in 10 minutes. So, here we go. Um, so just a reminder, um, it's been a while since we visited the chosen council. So, uh, the Victoria Regional Transit System is really a regional system for the CRD. Uh, we have 58 transit routes, uh, with 100,000 boardings per day for our fixed route transit. Um, and this is served over our

double deckers, heavy duties, and electric buses. Um, and then we have custom transit as well. So, this is our handydandy dart service. This is our door-todoor accessible service. Uh, there's 22,000 registered unit users. Um, but really that translates into active users. So people who've used it over the the last three months about 3,000 to people to keep that in perspective. Um and then we have an inter interreional connection as part of our transit system as well. We have the Kouchin Valley commuter uh which is Victoria to Cowan 7 days a week. And then just a reminder of how the funding model works. So it worked in a partnership uh between uh BC Transit and the province um and the Victoria Regional Transit Commission. So the province appoints the commission. So these are eight counselor or sorry eight mayors um and counselors. So six mayors, two counselors that sit on the Victoria Regional Transit Commission and they are appointed by the province. So chosen by the province um and they um set the

regional uh transit priorities and routes. They set the service levels. They approve the budget. They set the fairs um and then uh also set the local tax subsidy for our residents. Um BC Transit then turns those priorities um into reality on the road operating. Um we work with the province to access funding as well for provincial funding. Um and then um basically all the rest of the stuff manage uh our capital program engagement um keep the the buses on the road. And then our local government contribution um is bus stops and shelters and then collaboration on other infrastructure as well. Um, and then we try to match our planning with uh OCP planning from local government uh partners to make sure that we're on the same uh path in terms of of transit. Um, so then there I have the the breakdown of funding sources for 2425 and I can go into that further should you need to when we get to the question and answer period and then over to Jacob to talk about the 25-year plan.

Hi all. Yeah. So, my name is Jacob Burnley, transit planner with PC Transit. I'm here to provide a bit of an update on the Victoria Regional Transit Plan. Um, so as Elise mentioned, this is our 25-y year vision for the regional network. Um, hoping to align a lot of this work with the anticipated growth and uh population changes uh and travel pattern changes across the region. So, it is a regional plan. Um, there are some specifics that I'll speak to related specifically to Machosen. um but also thinking about the greater transit network across uh the greater Victoria region as a whole. Um as part of this plan, we are looking to develop uh comprehensive network and route design guidelines um really to identify uh some of those key regional connections uh that are needing needing to be made based on the data that we're seeing um in terms of uh the changing travel patterns and growth in the region. Um [music] the plan also aims to guide

future investment related to infrastructure. So, as we add more buses on our roads um and as we look to expand the service, we obviously need the capacity [music] for our fleet vehicles um and for space at transit exchanges, etc. Um and we'll be touching on that as part of our plan. So, it's been quite some time since BC Transit did a full regional plan. Um that was back in 2011. Um and more recently, we did a we did look at some key corridors around the region. um and are using that analysis to inform this plan today. Um we also have been looking at um our our rapid bus implementation strategy. So obviously we have the route 95 uh the the blink bus between downtown Lanford and downtown Victoria and we are looking at expanding our suite of services um similar to the rapid bus in other areas around the region.

Um so as you can see here there's a a uh a map here this travel data from the CRD and as you can see the westshore uh to core is is sort of a key is a major and and ever growing connection in the region. Um and there's definitely need to modernize the service particularly between the west shore and and downtown Victoria uh to support some of those mode share and and travel uh travel pattern um changes. Um and then also just the fact that there's some major land use changes. Um and at BC Transit, we oversee a development referral program where we engage with municipalities about major development projects, be it commercial, mixeduse or residential. Um and what we're seeing is is a lot of growth in Langford and Cwood specifically, but across the region um to which we want to be responding to with our services.

So, just to speak a bit to uh BC Transit's accomplishments in recent years, um there's been a number of milestones that we've achieved on the programming side and on the infrastructure side that I think are worth mentioning to really set the scene for where we're looking at going in the future. Um one of those obviously is the establishment of rapid bus. So, um the route 95, like I mentioned, this is a our most successful route to date currently. Um we see about 11 to 12,000 boardings on an average day on that route. Um, and then we also have obviously dedicated laneways uh along the majority of of the route between downtown and six mile um to improve uh travel times and and really build a competitive product that people can can effectively and efficiently use. Um we've also obviously on the programming side launched free fairs for uh youth 12 and under um as well as the Yumo uh contactless payment platform and more recently um added debit and credit uh tap to uh to our suite of services.

So uh as Elise mentioned uh we have a pretty comprehensive system um across the region but I'll speak a bit to Machos specifically in a moment. Um we have like I said 58 routes we're seeing about 26 million uh annual boardings. Um and just to put that in context when we look at other transit systems around the country um greater Victoria um does exceed the peer average in terms of ridership per capita but also in terms of the service hours per capita. So how many service hours essentially how many hours are buses on the roads um and and we we do exceed that tier when we look at similar sized communities or similar sized metropolitan areas around the country.

Um in terms of services in Machosen um I'm sure you're all aware but we have the route 54 55 and 64. Um these are very much local coverage routes. Um they offer um variable frequency. There's about 10 round trips a day on the 54 and 55 reduced service on the on the 64. Um and when we look at our bus stop um our bus stop specific data, we are noting about 60 um about 60 to 70 average daily boardings across the district. Um I'll mention that the predominant based on the trip analysis data that we have the predominant travel pattern is people traveling into either Royal Bay or or Lanford Exchange uh connecting into other services. So part of this plan really does talk to rapid bus between the west shore and downtown. I think there'll be some translate translatable benefits uh for machosen as we look to improve those services as well.

Uh so as part of the Victoria regional transit plan we we conducted a quite significant engagement program. Um we engaged with an online survey. Uh we hosted local government partner workshops, open house events. Um really to just better understand uh local experience, user experience and and some of that future need and demand in the region. Um, we heard some pretty universal themes and when we exported the data for Machosen versus other communities, three things that came up that was consistent really across the region was just the desire for overall frequency of service, but also service reliability um and on-time performance is huge. So, what is our where where are our buses at versus the posted schedule?

Um, and how how reliable are those services day-to-day? Super important. Um, rapid transit obviously is a key interest. um especially for outlying communities connecting in to uh that rapid service. Um if we have more rapid service on our core, then any of those broken connections that you're making as you're going in are less critical. Um obviously still important, but rapid transit is is sort of the the the core of a hub and spoke style network that we aim to achieve long term. Um and then obviously just also the desire for simplified routes and direct connections. So, we did ask people um if they thought uh that transit should stay on main corridors. Um should they deviate? How often should transit deviate into side roads? Um and there was also not only a willingness for to keep transit direct as possible, as direct as possible, but also to um consider um the fact that there there is a willingness among some riders to walk further to stops if the conditions of

those stops are safe and accessible. Um so there's there's obviously a role for BC transit to play and the municipality to play in working at supporting infrastructure improvements from a transit standpoint. Um in terms of network and route design guidelines. So this is a bit more long uh bit more higher level but really we are aiming to establish some guidelines just to better give local governments and our riders an expectations of what type of service they should expect based on what their community looks like. Um so how should we be how should we be connecting major major centers um shopping areas to major residential areas um and just providing a bit better understanding on like I said the type of service that's expected with different development patterns. Um this is something that we're actively working on and we'll be analyzing further through our root network restructuring that will come out of this plan and likely there'll be additional engagement uh forthcoming uh related to root network design guidelines. just sort of setting

the setting the uh the the scene there for what is to come. So couple of the big pieces out of this plan is we're identifying about 10 sort of major key milestone big move goals for the transit system. Um these are regionwide. Um but like I said I think some will have some translatable benefits uh for Michosen. Um I think the first one we want to talk about and I'll I'll just breeze through this slide but we have sort of background on each one. Um the first one is about not modernizing the network and really building out our frequent transit grid. When when we're talking about frequent transit, we're talking about service that comes every 15 minutes or better um throughout the service day. Um and this is really to provide uh more reliable service and to ensure that the connections that people um need to make throughout the network um are are met.

Um there is also interest for limited stop service to provide more fre more fast and frequent travel options on some trips. So there could be a scenario where we run a service where it stops at every stop. Other services may not stop at every stop and provide sort of an end-to-end express style service. Um and then there's also an opportunity for us to look at some of our lower density and rural areas and look at digital on demand as a potential solution to to better tailor the service to community need. Um I'll just mention for frequent transit, you'll notice uh the loop there, the route 52, which goes down to Royal Bay, Happy Valley, and up into Langford. [music] Um, a lot of the the data that we see from riders from the chosen is that people are connecting in either in uh Lanford or at Royal Bay.

So, there'll be a knock-on impact if you're improving service on the 52 and amongst other uh rapid services and frequent services in the west shore. So, just noting that there. Obviously, we want to be considering our handedout service as well. And this is a critical piece of BC Transit service offering. Um, there's a number of major pieces that that are coming to play with custom transit right now. um and and a number of improvements um forthcoming. There's a bunch of work happening right now around the registration, booking and trip planning process. Um one thing that we heard quite um quite consistently over the last number of years is the challenges in registering for handy dart in booking those trips in the wait times for trips etc. Um and so our custom transit team is uh working on some some tech solutions to allow for online bookings. Um, we obviously recently opened up a a handydart facility in V Royal. Um, and this allows us to support greater investment in the capacity of service, more fleet vehicles. Um, so we can we can reduce uh and address some of

that late reduce the the the weight times and and address some of that latent demand that we're seeing with with uh with Handy Dart. Um, the standards and guidelines as well are also being updated. So uh what what sort of the thresholds are for performance when it comes to Handy Dart is something that we're reviewing. Um but um but also we're looking at onboard technology as well. So um as people are booking trips we are looking at technological solutions on board the buses um where then we can expedite route we can uh expedite routing and and make the service overall more efficient. Happy to speak to that a little bit more uh if there's interest.

Uh higher order rapid transit is another piece that we're looking at and this is really this this is a broad term but can encompass anything from rapid bus to something like light rail service. Um, obviously the west shore to to downtown demand is is massive. Um, and we are exploring uh opportunities to uh to to to to look at higher order technology uh for for future transit connections to the west shore. Um, with this um we are still reviewing alignment opportunities to Lanford, whether or not uh rapid bus or a higher level of service would run via the highway to Milstream and then down into [music] Lanford or via Cwood Corners and Goldstream. Um regardless of the alignment that's taken in conversation with local partners, there will be additional rapid transit to fill in those gaps in the west shore. Um and then obviously feeding into the local services that are coming in from places like the chosen [music] um places like souk as well.

Um so we talked a bit about that but I think the other piece too is around mobility hubs, exchanges and parking rides. Um we heard quite consistently an interest in parking ride facilities um as well as for improved exchanges especially when we're thinking about those local routes connecting into to frequent routes um and when people are returning home in in the uh in the evenings the the extended wait times um at at exchanges that um may not may not always be um rider and pedestrian friendly as much as they could be. Um so we are looking at some of those infrastructure improvements. That's obviously a lot of engagement with our local municipal partners. Um but just identifying a couple of locations where we are going to need additional capacity uh for for vehicles and and for uh for pedestrian amenities uh going forward.

The other thing I'll mention here is just around transit priority. Um, and this might not have as much direct relevance to Mosen, but will have translatable impacts for their users coming in from Machosen is we are working with uh with Langford, Colwood, and a number of other municipalities on transit priority investments, whether that's Q jump uh Q jumpers at uh intersections to give transit uh a head start at those key intersections or dedicated lanes so they can move effect effectively and efficiently through traffic. Um and again like I said those will have some knock-on impacts for people coming in uh from a chosen uh to our our more frequent routes.

Then the last piece here I'll just speak about on demand service. So um beyond looking at you know uh looking at routes individually there is an opportunity for us to investigate on demand transit um as a potential future service option for some of these lower dens some of the lower density lower ridership areas. Uh on demand transit is currently being triled in Colona, in power river and in Squamish. Um and with on demand riders can request uh it's essentially a dial ride service. Riders can request a ride through uh the on demand app that PC Transit offers um or via phone. Um this allows for a bit more flexibility um and potentially improve service efficiency um with better access to areas um that are currently underserved with transit that might only arrive every two three hours. Um, one thing I will mention is that uh we we do we do we will be looking at a rootbyroot basis in some of our rural areas to see if this is uh something that is usable and there's another opportunity for us to do a flex style service where there's a potential

we could run the route a route that we currently run um during those peak times in the mornings and the evenings and then when the ridership drops and it's lower in the middle of the day or later at night we could offer an ondemand service. So, there's an opportunity to have sort of a hybrid model to this. Um, but again, we're still triing this. Um, and as we get more data back, it'll help inform how we want to proceed with engagement. But this is likely a study that we'll we'll want to engage in. Um, and if there's interest from from from council and from from uh from your residents, it's something that we can explore further.

So just in terms of next steps obviously um we're we're going around to uh various municipalities around the region and presenting um sort of this draft and some of these high level conceptual goals. I will mention that um out of this plan we will be looking at at a a larger root and network review. And with that we'll have additional uh public uh local government and operator engagement to really delve deep at a root level and at a sub region level um on what those needs are. Um we're engaging with some of our key stakeholders and rights holders. So we have some conversations engagement that we're that's ongoing. Um and we are looking at going to the commission in July to present this draft uh the draft plan and some of these draft key concepts uh for for uh for comment. So that's really all I have here. Happy to answer any questions we back up and uh yeah, thank you for your time.

Okay. Thank you. Are you willing to answer a few questions? Yes, indeed. Well, thank you very much. Um, I see you both at the uh BC Transit Commission. I'm a commissioner appointed by the province and so it's always great to see you both and thank you for your good work. So, council, do you have any questions for Elise? Go ahead, councelor uh Gray then council Donaldson through the chair. Thanks so much for the presentation. That's really nice to see the work that's been going on in the vision for the future. I wondered about the um on demand services you were just describing. That sounds like a great idea of here in Machosen.

Would that replace the the regular routes or is it in addition to the regular routes? How does that or or maybe it's a hybrid of the two through the merit council? Um yeah, it's it's an interesting one. There's an opportunity like I said for sort of a hybrid model that could be explored. I know in Colona um that's that's what they operate. the the service in Colona right now um there's a lot of ridership around the school times and so they keep the regular route in place during those school times and then outside of that period they offer on demand service um we would we would likely utilize the existing service hours that we have for the service for this um so it would not necessarily be an addition to the 10 round trips a day that you're seeing say on the 54 or 55 um we also need to consider service area as well um so on demand is successful when you have a

relatively compact service area and a designated drop off pickup point. So I could think of it in the sense of you would offer on demand in Machosen feeding into say Royal Bay um versus service all the way into Lanford where you already have existing uh routes. Um but again that's more of a discuss that that'll be a larger discussion as we go into public engagement restructuring. But there is an option like like you asked for for sort of flexibility in the model. Yeah. Okay. And a second question which is just have you considered um I noticed the routes only work on the weekdays and I'm thinking of people in town who might like to come out to the CRD parks who don't have vehicles. Has there been any thought given to that kind of a run to council? Um it's an interesting question. I had some engagement recently uh with Callwood about uh the national urban park discussion. Um and they had asked a similar question around sort of recreational oriented transit use. Um it is something that was explored um at a

high level in the Westshore um local area plan that was produced in I believe 202122. Um that'll likely be a component of the root and network restructuring discussion um in the next year to two years. Um but there is some demand on that front. It's it's hard to quantify and and assess what that demand could look like, but we likely when we do engagement, we'll likely be going out with questions such as that around use of transit beyond work, school, etc. Great. Thank you very much. Thank you. Anybody else wish to go ahead council Donaldson? Thank you very much for your presentation. Uh several of us were in a six-hour workshop today to do with transit, which was uh good. Learned lots lots of great engagement. room was packed full of stakeholders throughout the region. Uh, two questions. Um, what are the wait times for the handy dart currently with the system that's in place through the mayor? [music] Um, do you mean the wait times on the phone?

Well, well, can maybe you can explain um they they register to book and then is it like two weeks in advance? Is the same date that sort of thing? Yeah. So um currently the wait time or they have to book 14 days in advance um which we at BC Transit feel is unacceptable um and as do our our riders as well. So this is part of the um the software upgrade that we are just embarking [music] on. Um it's being trial in another transit system. We don't typically trial things in Victoria because we're so big and we don't want to be the guinea pig. So we're triing in a smaller system and Victoria will be next. Um so this is software that is online software. So either the rider or their caregiver [music] um can book online or um the um the rider or caregiver can also phone as well. But this what what this will do is it will take the pressure off of the phone lines because that's currently the only way

that they can um call for service. And then also what the software does is a little bit like um a little bit like Uber um or Uber Eats where it prioritizes rides um within its software. Um so it will be able to move people and buses more efficiently than just a human can with uh with pen and [music] paper and how they do it currently. So the um the 14day window now um because we're still triing it, we don't know how far down we can get it. Um but at the moment we're we're saying uh seven days like cutting that in half. Okay. Yeah, that's great. That was the feedback that I got from Yes, absolutely. We agree with you. Accessibility.

I do have a second question uh regarding uh bikes and buses. Is it still currently just two bikes to a bus? Uh through the through the mayor. Yes. Um and the reason for that is the headlights. Um, so if you to put two bikes on a bus, if you put any more, it obscures the headlights and then it becomes a safety concern for [music] the the transit operator. Um, also, um, what we are finding with our bike racks is that if they're the big fat tires, um, then it it limits the the ability even more. Okay. And so, because I haven't used that mechanism at this point, uh, how does that work? you you if a bus comes up to a bus stop and you're on your you're waiting with your bike and it's full, you have to wait till the next bus. Yeah. Yes. Okay. Good to know. Thanks.

Thank you, Councelor. Shukan, do you have any comments? I don't except to say uh thank you for the presentation and the information. Thank you very much. Very [clears throat] useful. Okay, next we have uh 2B and under presentations we have the M chosen Equestrian Society project updates. We have a presentation by Anna Whitten and Stella French of the Mosen Equestrian Society. Thank you, Mayor Little and Council for having us this evening. Um this is uh super brief just uh an update uh to bring back to your attention the stalls that we are talking about building. Uh so a much abbreviated um presentation than what came last time but uh here we go and now I control this.

Okay, I need to go back to the barn. Okay. Uh, so just a brief overview for you. Last time we were here, you I thank you for your um acceptance in principle so we could go asking for some grant money. We were able to um receive $5,000 from the emergency preparedness from horse council BC, so our provincial body. Um, and then of course last year's and this year's um grant in aid that has uh bolstered these efforts. And then we've also raised um $8,000 to date. Uh we're still working on other fundraising events. More grant applications are still out and we're securing corporate sponsors. Uh just to bring back into your um memory banks as it were, this is our proposed location there in bright yellow. So the big gray rectangle is the existing riding ring. Can really tell by that one how not square it is. Hey.

Uh the grandstands you can see they look like a set of stairs there. So this is the open grassy area that is right beside it where we've done the petting zoo on machosen community day and that kind of thing. This is an AI generated sketch just so we have a visual on what we're talking about. It is a freestanding structure um on uh poured footings just uh the square footings there. That is sort of what it will look like when we get our panels that we already have purchased inside the freestanding structure. Uh and so what [clears throat] I can't picture is that the the turf would have to be cut back, right? And the the ground would have to be prepped for horses to be on or we will well horses just Yep. [laughter] So, all we're asking for is a yes or no to proceed uh so that we can move forward on the engineering stamp and securing a building permit, hiring the contractor, and then finally break ground.

Okay. Thank you. Do you want to say anything as well? Nope. Nope. For moral support. Okay, great. Yeah, we can all use moral support. Yeah. Okay. Council, do you have any questions for the equestrians? Go ahead, council. Great. Thank you very much, Marittle. Um, through you the just remind me again the overall budget for the project you're looking at. I thought it was 25. That's my number two. Yeah. Okay. We we have received quotes up to 22,000 um and that was with consideration of um no no assistance from um other outside agencies. We have been gifted already uh engineering stamps and architectural drawings. So uh and the support of a developer in Langford to help us.

Nice. So, we have, like I said, previously estimated 22,000, but we're getting lower and lower. Okay. And just to be clear, tonight, you're not asking for any funds from the district. We expect nothing from you guys other than what we've received in the grant and aid. Okay. Just your approval is what we're looking for. Okay. And um one other question. I believe that the full consideration of this will come a little later in the agenda under correspondence. Okay. Great. Thank you. Any other questions? Council Gray. Yes. Through the chair. I wonder if you when you're looking forward and this um facility is built um would it be available when it's not in use for other other people I I guess I'm imagining and I I don't want to suggest that the uh garage sale that would expand out that far but but that I just wonder about other people on the grounds and it looks like a Skookum facility but mostly for emergency use and or I guess events that you're holding. So at other times would it be reasonable for others to use it or what do you think?

No, absolutely. I mean just like the we have partnered with not partnered [clears throat] been good neighbors with the garage sale or with the um the farmers market stands, right? We can in kind share it back again, right? Yeah. the the panels inside there are like machine movable. So it could be a freestanding thing with much effort um or or clear span space, right? But it would be much effort. Thank you. Great. Thank you. Oh, go ahead, Councelor Dson. Thank you. Do you have any plans for lighting to go into the structure? No, no lighting. is naturally occurring. Well, um what I'm what I was thinking is because solar panels are related to climate action and there are more grants for solar than not um the uh museum they did that a number of years ago. So that's that is an option to consider in the future if you would need it especially if it's an emergency uh preparedness shelter and things do happen in the winter with floods etc. Um might be an idea just yeah we have we have those sorts of things come across our desk from time to time so doesn't necessarily have to be hardwired.

No that's a really good point because it would also be good roofing space for that kind of thing whether it feeds that building itself or somewhere else. Yeah. Great. Thank you. Great. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. And uh we'll just acknowledge that we would love to have the BC Transit Commission um staff here, but if you want to leave, we we understand. Thank you. Okay, councils. Uh the next on the agenda is public participation should you wish to speak at the microphone. You have four minutes per person to a maximum of 45 minutes. Everybody's welcome. Please state your name and your uh road and we are respecting um everybody's time and we are receiving respectful comments.

Everybody's welcome. Hi uh Jill Colri Kangaroo Road. Good evening uh mayor and counselors. Tonight I am excited to give you an update on the new primary care clinic coming to Mosen. For the last eight months I've been volunteering almost full-time working on this project. um working very closely with the South Island Primary Care Society, which is a local nonprofit, to find um better ways to improve access to health care here in Machosen. That's meant a lot of public engagement, weekdays, evenings, and weekends talking with residents about their experiences with health care, where the gaps are, and how we can build services to fill them. I've also been meeting regularly with the mayor and various counselors to plan how to move this forward uh this project forward together.

I want to start by saying how grateful I am for the chance to meet so many people in our community and to hear their stories. Some of what I heard was very hard to listen to. Stories of people without a family doctor or nurse practitioner. stories of people who do have one but couldn't get in fast enough for urgent issues like infections. I heard from people who couldn't get into walk-in clinics or urgent care and ended up sitting in the emergency department for hours just to get a simple prescription. These stories are exactly why the nonprofit society and I are working hard to bring this clinic here.

And true to form, for a community like Mosen, people here have really stepped up to help us with this initiative. We've had generous individuals and groups come together to help fund the renovation of a classroom into the old school building in um to make our medical clinic. I want to especially thank the Seniors Resource Center for collecting donations on our behalf and the Mosen Arts and Cultural Center Association for organizing a fundraiser for us of their own initiative. Both have made a real difference our fundraising efforts so far. I also want to thank you mayor and counselors for the time that you've taken to understand our mission and for your verbal support on this initiative. And also thank you to everyone in the community who came to our info session last week, ask really great questions, and stayed engaged with this work. One thing I heard loud and clear over the last 5 months is that Machosen doesn't just need more long-term family care. It also needs a walk-in clinic that's open to everyone, whether or not you already have a family doctor. So, we've adjusted

our model to include both long-term ongoing family care as well as walking care for anyone who needs it in the community. Our community is our top priority. That's why we're excited to announce a new partnership with the Mosen Pharmacy where we'll be able to offer some limited services starting this summer. We don't want to wait any longer to start helping people. So stay tuned for opening dates this summer when we'll begin offering long-term family care, walk-in care for everyone, and counseling services. As for our longerterm plans, we're currently pursuing grants and fundraising to support our expansion. We're fully committed to opening this clinic, and we will see it through, but the timeline depends a lot on how fundraising goes.

With the district's support and the mayor's advocacy though, we could potentially still open the full clinic services as of November 2026. So, thank you um mayor and council for your support this evening. It means a great deal to us. Thank you. Thank you. Uh deputy corporate officer, we're going to set the timer again. There we go. Uh, good evening. Richard Simpson, 1287 Boulder Path. I'll be very brief. I'm attending tonight to witness the approval of the Bufferland Park dedication bylaw. I want to express my gratitude to this council, district staff, and Mitch Mitchen community for making this bylaw happen to protect the 113 acres of green space adjacent to Langford Center Mountain Industrial and Residential Developments. It was only 5 years ago that previous actors tried to sell off the buffer land at a fraction of its value and with zero consultation.

We still have a way to go to put all the pieces in place to ensure this incredible green space is protected in perpetuity for all machosites, but council will take a huge step forward by passing this bylaw tonight. Thank you. Thank you. Anybody else? Sorry. Anybody else wish to speak this evening? I hadn't planned on speaking, but I will. Uh, Glendabar, move your move the microphone down just a we bit. Yeah, perfect. Yeah, thanks Glenn. Um, Glendabar, Lind Home Road, and I I wanted to um speak in support of the medical center and uh council possibly providing some fundings for the renovations. I noticed that someone had written a letter saying, "Uh, what good is this for someone who already has a doctor?" And I can't say how many times I've heard people say, "I just found out my doctor's leaving. I had no idea this was going to happen, and I don't know what to do." So, I think that we shouldn't be so complacent. And I think this would be just a a wonderful service

to provide in in Machosen and the sooner the better. So thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you for leaving that on. So it's Wendy and it is uh 580 Woody Beach Road. This thing is really long. So, we received $2.4 million three years ago, and you're proposing to spend it now in the last four months of your term on what? An ultimate sports court, [snorts] bike paths, pedestrian pathways. Last month, it was a state-of-the-art uh fireh hall and now a sports court. We can order one of those online for a million dollars, I discovered, but it doesn't include the land or the parking or the toilets.

So, who's demanding these services? You ran on a platform of supporting rural machosen. Bike lanes and ultimate sports courts are not rural. We have beaches, parks, trails, lakes. We've got excellent roads to access them. This is the height of hubris. And do I need to define hubris for you? It's the display of arrogance and overconfidence in one's abilities. And it usually results in miserable failure for all those involved. Consider the health clinic and consider the fireh hall. These matter to macho nights. Keep the money in the bank earning money and start thinking rural. Thank you. Thank you. I I invite you to stay for the mayor's report where we're going to discuss this.

Okay. Anybody else wish to speak this evening? Mo Oregon Machosen Road I would like to suggest keeping the money for the fire hall. That's definitely a debt that's going to come up and we should be looking forward. Just a few months back we couldn't afford to give the charities that were chosen their tax-free status. So now I sort of feel that we aren't in position to start building sports plexes and all those kinds of things. We do have a tennis court. I'm not sure what its state is. We have a playing field of people want to run around to kick a ball and so I would agree with a lot of these very good letters bringing up very good points here and so I would say keep the money for the fire hall. Thank you.

Thank you. And just a reminder we're receiving respectful comments this evening. Um, that's the second time you've asked me to provide respectful comments. And in 26 years, I have never once been disrespectful to anyone in this chamber. Your time is started. That's okay. I have more than enough time. So, I wanted to speak tonight in regards to the item on the agenda, which is in your mayor's report. And um when these monies were gifted to you by the province at the beginning of your term, there were people that came forward and they were concerned at that point in time that um how the monies would be spent and and how it would be looked at because there was numerous projects that needed to be looked at.

And at the time you Mayor Little stated that there would be public consultation for the monies and how they were going to be spent. I would suggest that your proposal tonight of asking to spend monies or looking at ways to spend monies four months before your time at this table may be up would probably be disrespectful and reckless. Thank you Kier Kaha Kawa Perry Crossro. Thank you. Anybody else wish to speak this evening? Okay, let's move along in the council agenda. Item number four, we have adoption of minutes. We have the minutes from June 1st, 20 26 regular council meeting for adoption. Move. So moved.

Moved by council Gray, seconded by councelor Schukan. Discussion. All in favor? Opposed? No one opposed. We've got the receipt of the minutes. Um, do you want to take them as a whole or does somebody want to pull one in particular? Yep. Yep. Okay, I'll take them. Uh, all of the minutes. This is from the April 24th, 2026 draft Peninsula Area Agricultural Commission packs. May 5th draft Agriculture Advisory Select Committee minutes. May 19th, draft parks and trails advisory select committee minutes. May 26 draft healthy communities advisory select committee. May 26 draft the chosen environmental advisory select committee. Uh move for information by council Schukan. Second by council Donaldson. Comment.

Call the question. All in favor? Opposed? Carried. Great. Thank you. Moving right along to uh item number six, the mayor's report. Uh I just wanted to say to all of you, good evening and um this is an important meeting. Um, not only is uh the items on the mayor's report, but more importantly, uh, this is an important meeting in the life cycle of council and staff fulfilling our statutory obligations with the production and the approval of the 2025 annual report and it's also for the public sorry for the publication of the Sophie report um that is required under the financial acts of the province and that's for receipts. So this is the purpose of this meeting and we've given notice um as is uh due process and is a requirement for the annual report. Moving along to items in my mayor's report. Um I'll go through uh uh quite a bit of it. Uh we've received letters on the South Island Primary Care Society, the Mosen Clinic. Um, Miss

Kicker was here um earlier this evening to talk about uh the clinic and to give you a lot of the detail. So, I just wanted to preface this by saying about six months ago um a member of the community uh Miss Cow asked for a meeting with the mayor and staff regarding the proposal for the new Mosen centric holistic healthcare clinic. CFO Creek and I met with Jill and we immediat realized the potential of such a proposal. Jill asked if we had any space in the municipal hall building and CFO Creek mentioned the potential space of the municipallyowned former Mosen Elementary School. Jill was very impressed with the classroom's face and uh she's presented her ideas to council before as a followup to the initial discussions and conversations that Jill had about once a week at the community um coffee shop at the Broken Paddle and at the mayor's tease where she attended.

I organized an open house on June 11th, 2026. The South Island Primary Care Society. Uh, Miss Carowleck and other allied healthc care professionals attended that open house. The purpose of the gathering was to explain the proposed clinic and to explore how the community, organizations, individuals can collaborate to be part of bringing uh to a reality the access to primary more primary care in Machosen. Um this open house was held in classroom one at the old school. Uh beside m zero uh about 35 to 40 or 50 interested community members attended. Some came and came and went with the pickle ballers. So the what's really important is that it's not just Miss Cow as the nurse practitioner that is leading this.

She's partnered with the South Island Primary Care Society in opening their sixth uh primary care clinic and this will be in in our village here in Mosen. So, two classrooms in the old M chosen elementary school building beside mile zero will be renovated with fully functional um uh equipment for the medical clinic bringing much needed highquality primary care to over 1,800 residents um of machosen feature pay and souk and they will offer primary and palative care for nurse uh from nurse practitioners counseling with a registered clinical counselor. Um, specialist services including pediatrics, midwiffery, physical medicine, and geriatrics. Future expansion to include registered nursing and additional clinicians as provincial funding grows and coordinated care with Island Health Homeare Nursing, Beer Bay Health Team, and Pearson College. As you heard tonight, they're also uh changing their model somewhat to have a drop in clinic there as well. So, the timeline, as Jill mentioned, is uh is possible from July to December of 2026. And the funding model is really unique uh for British Columbombians. Um

once the clinic is open, day-to-day operations of the and clinical clinician uh compensation will be covered by the provincial government funding. However, there's currently no more government funding available for the renovation costs needed to transform the classroom space into the med medical clinic. So, this is why the South Island Primary Care Society is fundraising for the $180,000 that they expect uh it to take uh that's the upper limit to renovate the classrooms and make these renovations possible. um they're calling on individuals, businesses, community groups, organizations um to help uh get them there. Every contribution brings primary care one step closer to the community. And this is a nurse practitioner uh led care um a little bit of a different uh uh model for for Canadians or for for British Columbombians. I know for sure that in the states um many many uh people have only uh nurse practitioners as their primary health care provider. Uh they provide excellent equivalent care for that of family doctors. They have a

scope of practice. Okay. They have a scope of practice uh similar. They're able to diagnose and prescribe as a family physician would. Um, currently we're told that there's upwards to 1,400 people imitate chosen that are unattached to a primary care provider. Um, and this temporary clinic is anticipated to open between early July and August. uh and um it would be uh much needed primary care access additional access to my chosen residents who are currently face significant barriers in obtaining timely medical services. I get a glass of water for council. You're good. Okay. Okay. Uh let's see what else. Uh so the benefits to the community the community are pretty clear. Improved access to walk-in primary care for Mosen residents. Reduce pressure on emergency departments and urgent care facilities.

A community-based nonprofit model that prioritize patient outcomes over profit. A conveniently located clinic within our community in a municipallyowned building. So phase one um are underway now which is very exciting to temporarily lease space in the machosen pharmacy uh for the nurse practitioner le walk-in clinic. Um there's enough room at the back. Um I've seen the space. It's not very large but it's it's probably about the size of two average uh clinical rooms uh uh in your doctor's office. I think it for a temporary solution I think it's great. Um and they could this could be implemented in in July or August of this year. So that's phase one. I think this is a meaningful opportunity for our community uh with the possibility to improve health and well-being of some of our residents. So this is not a new issue. It's not just before the election. This came about um at least six months ago. And uh the South Island um uh Primary Care Society has been fundraising. I understand they've raised about 15,000 so far. Um and so they they have 165 or so to go.

At the meeting the other night, there were a number of individuals who said, "Why doesn't the municipal municipality um pony up for some of the money? It's not for the clinicians. It's not for uh operations. What it is for is for renovation of the space. It's renovation of our space, the municipal owned. And so the um the the proponents uh they actually haven't come to us, they haven't come to council yet with a business case, and I'm sure they will. um they were asked whether they could provide a business case and as I've already said they've they've this will be their seventh clinic. Uh so they could provide a business case. Right after that meeting we received a number of letters some against but many many many um that were in favor and if a business case is brought forward um then those letters will include uh that business case. So, I wanted to ask council to ask staff to explore funding options for the proposed infrastructure

for the Mosen Health Clinic. So, I'm not asking council to talk about giving money tonight. um asking them to ask staff to make um to uh provide funding options for the proposed infrastructure for the Machosen Health [music] Clinic because I want you as councils to have as much information to make evidence-based decisions um about this money. So I also went on to say that these options may underlined include use of reserve funds from the growing communities fund and um directly or a portion of the interest earned on the $2.4 million growing communities fund. So as community members have pointed out we received the grant in 2023. We haven't spent a dime of it. I'm not sure and council can remind me. I don't know if we have uh a council resolution that says we are going to spend uh the or uh earmark the 2.4 million for the fireh hall. What we have I think a general consensus that that is what Mosen needs and um and I think we were all in agreement that the

2.4 [music] 4 million. What I was saying is that we have been so uh fiscally responsible, we haven't spent a dime and that grant has accured interest and it's now sits at 2 67 or 76 2.76 million. So there's a differential there. So what I'm I'm suggesting is that we could uh provide some funding. I'm suggesting that staff come up with those options. So maybe we give a portion um to this society and they are they are a bonafideed society uh with fundraising abilities. They can issue a tax receipt. We may not want to give them the whole $165,000. We may say we'll give you 20, 30, 40, and you can um uh they will fund raise the rest. We may ask them a chosen community house, for instance, if they want a partner because I understand they have in excess ofund what is it 150,000 or something in the bank and or 100,000 maybe they want to partner with uh the municipality. Uh so this is funding options. I'm not asking you to make a

decision about spending money uh from that growing communities fund but for what I'm suggesting is we've occurred incurred interest on that because we've um invested it wisely and there is some money there uh that we could spend but keeping the 2.4 4 million earmarked for the fireh hall which I agree with all the letter writers that is exactly what Mosen needs. So the motion would be to ask staff to explore funding options for the pro proposed infrastructure for the machosen health clinic. These options may include use of reserve funds from the growing communities fund GCF directly or a portion of the interest earned on the $2.4 million growing communities grant awarded to Machosen in 2023.

This was this is now 2.76 million. So there's a differential there of $376,000 we could spend or we could earmark all for the fireh hall. I think this is uh important. I agree with some of the letter writers that uh healthc care is the provincial responsibility and I've spoken both to our MP and to our MLA. There's no money coming from our provincial government. There's no money coming from the federal government for this. Um, but it does say in the community charter that we're responsible for the health and well-being of our citizens. So, public safety absolutely um for rebuilding of the fireh hall and I'm really very um heartened and um I I think it's absolutely wonderful the letters that we've received regarding the need for the fireh hall but we also need a clinic in Mosen and many many people uh say that that that is something that they would like to put not only their money behind it but uh money that we have at the municipal um at the municipal hall. So with that,

I will make that motion. Does anybody need to um It's up on the board. Does anybody want to second the motion to explore to ask staff to explore the funding options for the proposed infrastructure for the Machosen Health Clinic? And if I have a seconder, I will motivate further. So Mayor Little, just a point of clarification, the motion up there covers both the sport court and the active. We're going to take them one at a time. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Okay. So I'll second for discussion. Okay. Great. And I'll motivate further. Um so the district has chosen as I mentioned received that $2.4 million uh growing communities fund in 2023. We haven't spent a penny of it. We've invested it wisely. Um and uh the reserve fund has was required by the province uh to put it into a reserve. It is sitting in the reserve and it can be earmarked for for different projects.

Hopefully the fireh hall rebuild is the main one. Since these funds were originally distributed, uh, municipalities have until March 2028 to spend the money on eligible projects. So, it's not like we can keep it in perpetuity. It says right in the grant application, it needs to be spent uh by March 2028. As you've observed, if you uh come to these meetings, you've observed that we've had significant delays in the fireh hall project. And if this continues, it could mean that the district chosen may have to return the grant to the province. I would hate to see us return the growing communities fund that was awarded to us in 2023 [music] and invested wisely.

And so we need to spend it. It looks like it will be spent perhaps in some of this term and in the next term. And I hope tonight we could have a council resolution that the majority of these funds should go to the fireh hall. Of course, we can't tie the hands of future council, but it would be a recommendation to the future council. Uh let's see what else. Yeah, about the question about I have a doctor and so how does this affect me? I'm not supporting it because I have a doctor. We had uh one community me member mention that many people say I have a community doctor. I have primary care physician and now they're retiring.

What am I going to do? They go on the registry. Also, this was mentioned, this exact sentiment was mentioned the other day at the mayor's tea and our um our MLA Dana Leaness said, "Hm, that's not very community-minded." Um, sort of pushing back on that sentiment that I've got a family doctor, so I don't care about about other people. And I think it is good to think about other people. I mean, we pay taxes. We pay school taxes, and I don't have any kids in the school system. We pay those taxes. I support other uh initiatives that um my family doesn't use the the bike jump. Uh lots of other things in in the community that that I personally won't benefit from. Um but uh we support that.

Okay. Does anybody wish to comment on the motion on the table? Councelor Sh. Thanks, Mayor Little. Um, yeah, I'm supportive of the motion the and and what I think we all know is access to public health care is a serious issue in the province and of course locally as well. Um, one thing about Machosen as we all know is we do have an a like an older demographic here that and I think one of the favorite sayings in Machosen is we're not getting any younger. So that's going to continue. Um I believe that there is a significant public interest and public good that we can support in advance by what is going to amount to a very reasonable spend if you look at the full extent of the community um building fund. Um what I understand is that um $180,000 is apparently what is needed to get all of the um one of the classroom set up to be a clinic. Um but fundraising has also been underway as well. So I don't think we're being

asked to foot the entire bill. Uh there are some complexities with all of this though and I think should need to be explored. Um, one of which is like whether there's a break in the ongoing lease that the classroom would have and what that means in terms of financial impact and burden on the taxpayers or um yeah and and again also where the fundraising is and the potential of grants that um South Island Primary Care may get for this clinic. So, there's a lot of things to uncover and I think it is a good direction for staff to um as they're able to get into some provide us with some options.

Okay. Thank you. Does anybody else wish to speak? Council N. Thank you. Um I don't think anybody's denying that this is um having a primary care unit in Mosen is a great idea. Um I' I've yet to hear anybody say that. Um, I met with Jill early this spring to explore fundraising as is something I've done a lot of in uh the last couple decades and we uh jotted down an extensive list of different kinds of fundraising. Having said that, when we go into the spring and this community is phenomenal with their volunteering and their fundraising, there are a lot of spring fundraisers uh in Machosen. Um and you know, farmers are out in the fields planting, so they're not available. Uh MCA does their big garage sale, you know, community garden does a plant sale. Bring Cafe did um their um display of of uh ceniality of having people together for for their event and and and the list just keeps going on and

on. Um I'm not aware of what I I do know that the um this society has applied to extensively for grants and are hoping to hear anywhere from three to six months from some of those those grants. Uh so that's that's uh positive. Um I have not heard what um efforts or plans there are for the fundraising. Um that that I'm not um aware of. I know that my capacity is limited until at least January. I'm willing to help but cannot organize. Uh but the question for me is have we ever helped the other um tenants in the building with their renovations? For example, did we um offer up to help with renovation of the chosen wellness collective or the preschool? Preschool did have some grant funding in that in their efforts, mile zero, that sort of thing. So, is this something that um we're prepared to go to those businesses and say, "Hey, we'd like to uh you know, soft soften soften the shoe a little bit

with their uh their uh tenency or um is this just a or we're just going to focus on on this this one business?" Uh I I think what I'm looking at here is is what what is equitable for uh the tenants in the building and what is the um what's the word the diplomacy of um investing our funds that we have you know greatly um put into um a reserve and it's or into an [music] account where it's making some money and stuff. We've not had any discussions about that and I'm trying to find that balance. But I guess the big question is how have we helped the others?

Yeah. And I think a lot of those answers to the questions will be in the staff report because remember we're not talking about equity at this at this meeting. We're talking about asking the staff to explore funding options for the proposed infrastructure for the Mosen Health Clinic. I'm not asking you to make a decision tonight on that which you would need. I agree all that information regarding fundraising, how much they've raised, uh their uh grants they they've put out. Uh I'm asking you to ask staff to explore the funding options. So staff will also comment on the answer to some of your question. what we've done for the preschool, what we did for Mile Zero Brewery, and you remember what what that was. And so, um, that's that's what I'm asking you to do.

Yes, I I I know that you're asking that. Um I was also as I was going through this agenda reminded that at our strategic planning meeting there was so many months left in our term and tasks that we need to deal with including the workload of our staff. Uh so is this the optimal time to um add to that [music] uh workload? Um I'm not comfortable with that but uh we could ask the CEO. Yeah, we could ask the CEO since it would be him that's preparing report. Did you want to comment now CEO Payatt or shall I finish here and then you can comment.

Maybe just continue on and I can comment at the end. Okay. Whether you have the capacity I think is is the uh question. Okay, Councelor Gray. Uh, I'm quite surprised to see us on the agenda tonight. Um, you're just talking about our strategic plan. There's nothing in our strategic plan like this. And I think we committed that we wouldn't spend staff or money on things that weren't in the plan. Was one of our first items was to be careful of our use of uh funds and staff time. But more importantly, this seems offcycle to me in terms of our budget discussions. We've already passed our five-year plan and um I think the timing is unfortunate um in that way. So I would prefer to see us come up in the regular cycle. Um as to the role of our community, I'm not convinced um that we have a role. We were asked um or we were the the project was described to us as something that we wouldn't be funding and that money actually this renovation cost would come from private um

[clears throat] individuals and organizations. No request for us for dollars. While the fundraising is going on though, um my understanding is that the staff have um held back on renting those rooms to other people. So we're actually at the moment incurring costs, rental costs um that we've forgone in order to support the clinic coming. So the community is already in this for um some significant dollars at the moment. Months of rent has gone where we haven't um filled those rooms and I believe our practice of the wellness clinic was and one of the things that held them up and made it was difficult for them was the leaseold improvements and we did not assist them in that. And I'm not sure why we would do it in this instance.

U Mayor Li, you said this is a different model and by golly, it sure is. This is a model where I know this council's talked about the unfortunate situation of provincial downloading. This is where we'd be choosing to to have downloading occur. We'll take that on instead of the province paying what would rightfully be theirs. Ecom is enough of a problem for us. I don't see the validity of municipal taxes being used to fund healthcare. I think it's a bad model and to have our MLA come here and confirm in fact they don't have any money for it. That means it's not a provincial priority. They just completed an agreement or are completing agreement with the doctors of BC and I'm sure there's plenty of money there. Um but it's being used for other purposes increases in pay and things like that I expect.

So I'd also say we heard a bit here about we you know received many many many letters. I think we received five letters last week or was it four? Um I wasn't sure where they came from and I appreciate your explanation today to say all this came out of a meeting the open house that was held and some people there said hey we should pay for it. I think what we've seen so far the public response has not been particularly strong. Um we had the Macka fundraiser was held which was quite a success. I understand there's a pickle ball tournament being planned. Um, we've offered or talked about a community hall fundraiser. I'd like to counselor Donaldson. I met with um the proponent Jill Shuk Jill Kendrick and also Alicia from the primary care society. Um, we we provided community contacts, shared fundraising ideas, encouraged the establishment of fundraising committee.

Um, my family's made a personal donation. I'm not really clear that we shouldn't just let the group continue on with their fundraising efforts and um and see where they get to. I don't see a big role for us at the moment. I'll have more to say in a moment. Okay. Yeah, I can respond to them, but go ahead. I'll respond to them, then we'll ask the CEO. Okay. Go ahead. Um just just picking up on a few points from councelor Gray. Um, yeah, I recognize that this is not in our strategic plan and um, still I believe it is a a great opportunity and one that we should actually seize and not wait too long to. Um, and of course I don't there's very few things that are more fundamental to humans than good healthcare. Um, but the other thing just to be clear is the the group the big thing that they're looking for is the funds to get the clinic set up. Now, again, I mentioned

this before, it's $180,000 is the projection. Um, and there's fundraising that's been done already. So, whether and how much the district might contribute needs to be sort of to my mind should be explored. And that's I think what the the motion is uh is looking at. um whether from there we decide we're going to um proceed with funding um we'll make that decision at that time but I think having a look is is a good opportunity and a good thing to do and I'll also mention Langford supported a healthcare clinic and as we all know Cwood has basically opened one and has hired staff and I think to much success in their communities. So, not the same thing here, but I think this is for us it's a a tip toward better health care.

One final point. Um, whether or not it's a bad model, whether or not the province should do more, where we're at kind of right now is where we're at and it's unlikely to change. So, I think we should respond and take up the opportunity that will actually serve our residents and for the betterment of those residents. So, I'm I'm in favor of going ahead and exploring some options for funding. So, okay. Thank you. I'll respond and then you can have a second chance to uh speak. Councelor Gray, that okay? Okay. Regarding the grants, I think it's laudable that they are applying for grants and for fundraising. Uh they have raised $15,000. Many at this table have already uh contributed. So, uh good on you for that. That's wonderful. Um, councelor uh Donaldson, you mentioned there's many spring fundraisers. Well, um, the spring fundraisers have come and gone regarding that. This wasn't in our strategic plan. I didn't know she was going to come forward in December,

January. I didn't [music] know I don't have a crystal ball. I didn't know that they were going to move quickly and open up phase one at the pharmacy. And I agree with all of you that that health care and funding health care is a fundamental responsibility of the feds and the province. I'm just impatient. I'm I'm tired of waiting for uh a clinic in Machosen. I'm tired of waiting and it just breaks my heart uh that 1,400 people in Machosen are unattached. We heard the other ne evening and it's too bad councelor gray that you weren't able to join the rest of us at that meeting and you would have seen how many people spoke passionately that night about this is exactly what we need IM chosen to augment the primary care that is provided by other healthcare providers.

This is exactly so it's too bad that you weren't there. It was a very powerful meeting and there was some skepticism. Absolutely. And there were some questions because people aren't familiar with this model. But this society, this will be their seventh clinic. They partnered with the city of Lanford. The city of Langford gave $1.8 million towards that clinic in addition to a dollar per year. As councelor Shukan said, Cowwood has taken a different approach and partnered with the Pison uh company working out of a pharmacy. Um, and so every community is doing something differently that they probably didn't have in their strategic plan and because as I mentioned this is a federal and provincial responsibility but we are in the community charter responsible for the health and well-being of our community and I think that is also um healthcare um about the downloadings uh that this ads to the downloadings. Uh ecom uh for instance, there was no consultation that was downloaded. U there was a time where the province was saying we will help with clinics, we will help with the

infrastructure, but as you've seen, they're in austerity budget mode. We've we've heard from the MLAs. Actually, I heard, and perhaps you weren't listening, but I heard in 2023 that there would be no more grants. And that's why I was so insistent that we apply for that fireh hall grant last year because, and everybody said, not everybody, some people said there's going to be more intakes. I was told in 2023, money that is committed is committed. We will honor that. But there's not going to be a lot of grants. And look at where we are with the BC government. I mean, how many billions of dollars are they in deficit? They're not going to be giving out money. So, I'm just a practicalist. Practicalist.

I wrong word. I believe in practicality. And um I think this is a practical thing. But again, we're not having the conversation whether we should fund them or not. The question I'm asking is ask staff to explore options, including using the interest earned on that $2.4 million grant, the growing communities fund that we must use by March of 2028. So, I I'll move to CEO Payet and then we'll go for a second time to councelor Gray. Go ahead. Yeah, thanks. So on the capacity question, um we have the uh one council meeting July 13th, I believe, which is agenda is full already. We have staff uh trying to take a bit of time off this year. Be nice. Next meeting will be in September. So I couldn't promise maybe a wholesome report in September. Thank you.

So for September, councelor Gray, did you want to go? Yeah, I think the just, you know, touching on the strategic plan idea and that we wouldn't take up staff's time on projects that aren't in the plan. Um, you weren't able to predict that, but I still think that we should stick with our plan. There's a lot of work going on right now that needs to be done. Um the what I find sort of strange is that we haven't been asked for money and we're stepping forward in our we're in a very difficult financial situation that we find ourselves in. We have a you know that the school site cost us $170,000 a year at least it did in 2025 and just saying we're going to double that cost for 2026. You know equivalent to a 5.5% tax increase. You say well we'll pull it from a reserve that's what we'll do so we'll avoid a tax increase. But this is the people's money in Machosen at the

moment. And I think that we're it's kind of a chaotic situation to be here right now asking for money for something that doesn't fit in our plans. Hasn't been predicted. We spent almost $100,000 a few weeks ago on an unplanned expense on a fire service vehicle. Uh we've got a $3 million annual infrastructure funding gap. We've got the RCMP building. We just heard may go from $75,000 a year to $441,000 a year. Mayor Little, you didn't want to look into it, but we are going to look into it. Um, we need to um deal with the fireh hall. $21 million was the floated with a $7 million debt.

Uh, we've got unknown costs with the Westshore Parks and Wreck expansion plans how many million dollars that might be. We're stretched to a limit here and we heard from um Jill Cowick and we heard from her companions of the South Island Primary Care Group that they didn't want money from us. they're getting from other people and now we're jumping and saying we'll save the day. We're spending money right now with those rooms empty. Uh we're supporting the clinic. We'd like it to succeed. I don't see the point of us putting more money into that at the moment given our financial situation. Well, you were saying that you're heartbroken by the 1400 people.

Well, I think we heard that $15,000 has been raised and I understand 10,000 came from a single individual. Maybe if those 1400 people are interested, they might donate more money or people like myself who have a family doctor can donate some money, but I don't see the district having a role in this except to support the clinic as we've committed to do the meetings that we've held. Um, still there's fundraising to be done and I I had understood that things were looking up and and the fundraising is going fine. Again, I don't understand why we would jump in. Certainly we'd received if it was five letters and you were a meeting with more people. Um but I that's not the way to do it from my perspective. We heard tonight from the microphone uh we committed to talk to people to consult with the community.

What do we want to spend this growing community funds on? The other thing that I note and perhaps we can get clarification through the chair to the CFO the growing community fund when I read the eligibility criteria could not be used for this purpose. Um, is it true that the interest earned on that money can be used for this purpose or is it also limited to the eligibility criteria of the growing community fund which would not include the renovations of this clinic? Yeah. So that would be included in exploring the options. I'd like to ask tonight through the chair rather than wait. It's pretty clear it's not eligible for the growing community fund. Can the interest be used?

Um, CEO Payet, what would you like to do? Would you like to include that in your report and ex and options? Yeah. Yeah. So, they would like to have some time. I think that's only fair uh to look into that. Go ahead. Um we can [music] we can do a complete um report for sure with all the details. Um we have like CFO has knowledge right now on the basically what you can use that grant money for. So if it helps with the discussion, we have the basic information on that grant tonight. That would be helpful. Yeah, thank you. And just to uh correct you, the uh fireh hall, the price tag was $16 million with contingency fees as the CFO has um outlined uh to the tune of 21 million. The price tag was 16 million as articulated by the JDA architects. uh when they saw the 21 million they said we said 16 million and uh our CFO Creek has added the contingency fees on top of contingency fees and so the the price tag uh what really is uh 16 million.

Yeah. Okay. So back to the question. I hear your passion. I hear your passion and I really do trust we can get back to this. I think we can achieve the goal of answering the question and the motion on the table uh with the information that you have. Perhaps I could ask then you say in your note you would like an evidence-based decision. What evidence are you looking for? We what evidence what evidence I'm looking for is what can we can we use the growing communities fund? Can we use the interest? Is there another option? Is it is it possible that the uh society puts in 50%, we put in 50%, they put in 80%, we put in 10%, 20%. Just the different funding options. Uh so that you have the facts when you're making those decisions. And I agree this is out of the cycle of the budgeting. Uh they missed that. They haven't You're right.

They haven't asked us, but they certainly haven't said, "No, we won't take any of the funding." If you were at that meeting, you would have seen people that are attached to primary care physicians and who have complex needs and they're having difficulty accessing their primary uh doctor, their primary care provider. And there were two or three gentlemen in the room who said, "Thank you for opening a uh a clinic there. Thank you for discussing or or the potential of having a walk-in clinic because I would use it even though I'm attached to a doctor." Um, let's see what else can I say about that. The CEO's offered to tell us the answer to the question. So why don't we hear that tonight?

We can get the evidence as you put it on whether or not the growing community fund interest is eligible to be used in this way. And we just heard the CA tell us tonight. Okay. Sure. Let's uh turn to CEO Payet. Do you have that information? Okay. [clears throat] CFO Creek, that'd be great. Thank you. through the chair. Uh so the interest earned on the growing community fund reserve uh is only eligible to be used for the eligible projects that's listed for the growing community fund. Could we make when we when we heard about the growing communities fund uh Mitsy Dean said it's fairly wide open.

Could we make a specific request to the province regarding the growing communities fund through the chair? Yeah, we could we could ask the province uh about this project specifically. Um I think based on some of the information that I know about the project and its uh potential involvement or having people from Beer Bay end up using the medical facility, it would fall under the municipal or regional capital projects that service directly or indirectly neighboring First Nation communities. So they're but we get a confirmation from the province correcting that. Yeah. because it's in it's infrastructure that the funding is for. It's not for the health care. It's for infrastructure. It's capital expenses.

And that's why I thought that the interest uh could be used. Councelor Gray, if I can ask a question. Um, so if an individual donates to the project at the moment and the project doesn't go ahead, what happens to your donation? I can't answer that. I I can't answer that. that's with the South Island uh primary care society to to answer and unfortunately her family is sick and she couldn't be here this evening. And perhaps you could clarify the South Island Primary Care Society, they're the individuals or they're the group who would rent the space at the at the at the school. Yes, they would uh retain the lease with uh the district mosen. So it's not the individual primary care providers, the nurse practitioner, the pediatrician, the geriatrician, the counselor. They would not hold the lease. The South Island Primary Care Society would.

Do any of the society members live in Machosen? Uh I don't know. Um I suspect I suspect yes. uh the uh major proponent uh Miss um Andre's Alyssa Andre uh lives right at the border of Kwood and we're chosen. So I understand the the um in the discussions we've had that the society then would um rent the space run the clinic and they would contract with the nurse practitioner. So the cor the nurse practitioner is a business person. they're in they have a contract relationship. Um who's responsible for renewing the nurse practitioner contract? In other words, is there a role if any for the community? Let's say we um the clinic gets set up, Miss Kyri is working there and then the the SSI decides not to renew the So this is a basic thing. Do we want to support this kind of a model where we don't really have input and we could very we don't know how all of that works. Um, and we're not asking a CFO to

look in or CEO to look into that. I'm just curious who are we contracting with when we rent the clinic and what um considerations or asurances do we have that when the rel patient um nurse practitioner relationships are built that they would be maintained for any length of time. You know, a lot of these questions uh could have been addressed the other night had you you met. Um and so I don't have those answers, but I can see that you're thinking several steps ahead. Uh which is valuable. Absolutely. Uh but I want to check to whether um you're creating a little bit of alarm um around something that isn't quite in our lane yet. This is what I'm asking is uh uh I I think um [music] that it's a bit alarming to people and I'm just wondering if there's a more appropriate time uh for these concerns to be identified at the next meeting. Uh let's let's bring it back. I I acknowledge that your concerns are valuable. Let's bring it back to the motion on the

table. And that is I'll remind everybody to ask staff to explore funding options for the proposed infra infrastructure for the machosen health clinic. It's infrastructure and I understand all the concerns because this is this is different different than what we're used to. But this isn't the first clinic that the South Island uh primary kiss care society has uh opened. This will be their seventh. So they got a track record. It's working in other places. It's working in Langford. And about the question of do the South Island Primary Care Society members reside in Machosen. I mean if they don't reside in Machosen, I think good on you for wanting to provide service for Machosen residents. I think that's very laudable.

Absolutely. And as Mayor Goodmanson often says, um, borders and dotted lines are for maps. They're not for people because I go to V Royal from for my primary care. Um, some people that I know go into the city of Victoria. And to say that or to to imply that the South Island Primary Care Society members are outside, I think that's even more reason we should thank them uh for for considering partnering with one of our residents who is a nurse practitioner who was working and is still affiliated with the BC Cancer Agency. She's given up a lot of her time, a lot of her potential earnings uh to volunteer. it is volunteering. She's not getting paid to try and get this clinic off the ground. And there was considerable interest in that. They didn't ask at that meeting. They didn't ask for a dime. It was people in the room and and particular one person at the back of the room, uh, Mr. Brown said, "Why don't we got money? Why don't we give it to them?

This is needed. Absolutely needed." And so, uh, those letters came in organically uh, at that meeting. They didn't ask. You're absolutely right, but they didn't say we don't want your money either. I think perhaps what's what's difficult for me is while I appreciate the comments of the individuals there, um, we actually don't have a lot of money. We're actually short. We're we're in a we're in a difficult financial situation here. And I would say we need to be spending our money on the assets that we have um and mining that first. and we have cost pressures that don't include um office renovations when there's already a fundraising scheme in [music] place that is moving along and as reported to me doing relatively well and let it take its course.

Yeah, I understand. So, I'll I'll stop it there, but and you don't need to respond to every comment I make to to argue back and forth. Um I'm just making my comments and they can they can sit there and move to Yeah, thanks for that. I agree. Go ahead, Councelor Schukan. I think we should call the question. Yeah. I don't know anymore. Anybody want any other further clarification on the question to ask staff to explore funding options? No. Okay, I'll call the question. All in favor? Those opposed? That motion fails. Okay, let's move on to the next uh question. This is to ask staff to explore options to use a portion of the growing communities fund for other community amenities which is in the grant. um the the terms of reference uh for instance for an multi-purpose sport court, a tennis, pickle ball courts, basketball hoops, um an area for leisure play uh such as ball hockey and football scrums like the infrastructure that has been constructed

in Esuk. If I can get a seconder to that motion, I will motivate further. Okay. And I just wanted to remind council that uh the village initiative uh that came before council um close to the budgeting system uh the budgeting season they only wanted $5,000 and this was for the village initiative um that represented over 70 organizations for youth and family. And this council denied that even though community members saw value and they ponyied up for that money. And so this is an opportunity for uh to provide amenities for youth. We've heard from youth uh that they would like to stay in this community and to play [music] in this community. And I when I saw the one at uh Esuk last week, I thought, wow, East Souk has a great facility for kids. Uh but yet we don't. Yeah, go ahead.

Just like to uh um express um a little bit of information, backup and background information on what you just said, Mayor Little. Are you seconding the motion or No, excuse me to sorry to interrupt. Could we stick to the agenda? Um there was no motion the um sorry no seconder on that motion. So if we could move on to the next agenda item. So I don't have a seconder for that. Okay. Um Okay. We'll move on to the next one which is uh funds to complete and implement some of the initiatives identified in the M chosen active transportation network plan which was in our strategic plan. We have discussed it. The plan is sitting there waiting for a grant and as I've already mentioned grants are not available. So the plan is incomplete. There are public safety concerns identified in the plan and there are options and there are initiatives that they've suggested we can do. We just don't have the money to do it. And I'm saying perhaps we can use a portion of um our other funds or the

growing community fund uh for those safety um concerns, safety improvements, connectivity, community engagements. Um dedicated cycling pass um to foster safe passage and neighborhood connections. So that is an additional ask. Does anybody wish to entertain seconding that motion? That's the active transportation network plan. We have the plan. If you remember, this was councelor Sherry Ep's initiative. It's in our strategic plan. Okay. Uh so that one um is not seconded either. Okay. So, I'll move along in my mayor's report. Um, secondly, um, the military cadet squadron was a ceremony in Langford along with Mayor Goodmanson and [music] Mayor Kobayashi, MP Kibble, MLA Parmer, and other dignitary. I was delighted to be invited to the officer, staff, and cadetses of 263 Beacon Hill, the 47th annual ceremonial review on June 4th. It was an absolute marvelous event. It was there that I I met with some Machosen youth as well as other youth. Um, and some of the comments that they made to me was that, you know, we

would like to stay in Machosen to meet with our friends, but there's not a much in chosen to keep us here. Um there um it was an absolute wonderful night. The mayors all enjoyed themselves uh hearing from these youth and their dedication to their squadron and their country. So um there's no request from me. Um number three, I often report um in writing regarding what's happening at the CRD. The CRD was jam-packed the the last time, but one of the reports that was uh provided was a wildlife attractant toolkit. Um, and that's available here. There's a a link here. I thought it was of interest to council and to the um and to the public. It's it's absolutely a wonderful toolkit. uh talking about get bear smart um and u uh wild wise attractant uh bylaw toolkit.

Uh let's see what else. Oh, and the um of course the loan authorization bylaw for the Westshore RCMP expansion project uh went through it was adopted. I have all the links in my report um there uh for your review. So the two bylaws for the west shore which is the servicing bylaw and the loan authorization bylaw for the westshore expansion RCMP detachment expansion loan authorization bylaw. Okay. And that's it for my mayor's report. Thank you. So number seven on the the council agenda uh we have the business arising the draft but chosen environmental advisory select committee invasives invasive management uh council gray do you wish to yeah I'll move the council direct staff to facilitate volunteer invasive species control and habitat restoration efforts on district parks and properties.

This is seconded by council Schukan, first by councelor Bray. We heard from the Machosen Invasive Species Cooperative um that they were interested in working in the Machosen parks and um while we don't want to overload staff in terms of you know getting things organized so maybe this is an aspirational request um we think it's a good idea that we have volunteers in our parks of course we have PAS and MSK the chosen spec species cooperative has worked in the past with MISK and Um this links well with our strategic plan and the biodiversity planning report that we did. Um councelor Schukan and PAS and staff I think have all been working on the volunteer policies and and the park steward policies and I recently shared some contacts with councelor Schukan about Sanch parks volunteer coordinator and resources. So there's material to look at and then we see some correspondence from Bev Bacon supporting the idea but um asking about various different issues and I was

thinking that would be fleshed out in the policy or by staff but I would just like to support the group doing the work um in joining in on the invasives um battle on our properties. Thank you councelor Schukan and um I I want to thank Mr. Payet because he's actually underway with much of this. Um he's been a big help with friends of the buffer land and getting them on the buffer land to um do invasive removal. I understand MISK has had um a poll re invasives recently and uh and there's still some things to refine um in terms of waiverss and sign off and management and how we do that. But um Mr. Payet is well underway and I mean the I'm happy to support the motion. Um it's perhaps a bit redundant but but again it's um yeah I mean why not in a way but um yeah councelor Donaldson do you wish to weigh in?

No I'd be happy to support this as well. Yeah thank you. So MSK has uh reported to us before they've presented um I'm one of the founding members with the Mitchos invasive species um cooperative. Uh they have been working with CEO Payatt. So I do see this as redundant. Um and I take note, thank you for reminding me about Bev Bacon's letter. Um, she says, "While I'm strongly in support of the invasive species control and habitat restoration in the chosen district parks and properties, I'd like to see some specificity in the request to staff." So, she is a qualified yes. And she has a number of uh components that that need to be addressed. Which staff member will direct the program?

Which volunteer group? Um, will you consider approaching William Head Prison to help with the uh the restoration? Will you consider approaching the scouts? What budget will you provide for purchase of the tools and the gloves and for staff time? I guess what budget will you provide for refreshments for the workers? What arrangements will be made for roadside pickup and disposal? How will you advertise to volunteers? Finally, staff will need to know that the level of priority to assign to the invasive rem removal does it rank high enough for the formation of another district advisory committee. Um, so I take to heart uh all of her comments uh plus the fact that that this is redundant. Uh our CEO was already working with them. Uh so I was a bit confused why this would come uh from uh did it come from remind me did it come from me ask or did it come from you personally?

As I said we were asked by MISK to me ask. I see. So we discussed it. I think um I think maybe you were with the MISK group when they met the CRD and there was something happened there that changed their relationships a little bit. So, as a result, they were in touch and um I said I'd bring it up at MIAS and we did that. And so, this is that to do with the CRD had nothing to do with me. I'm with MISK, but it had nothing to do with me. That had something to do with the the head of the MISK and the CRD. Um so, that doesn't change the relationship here with our with our our staff and staff is already looking into this.

You asked me the genesis of the request. I'm sorry. I was responding to your question about the genesis of the request. You may ask. Okay. Okay. So, uh staff, there's no harm in this. You're already doing it. Uh so, we're directing you to do what you're already doing. So, I guess might as well do that. That's okay. Yeah. Everybody is okay with that? You said council Donaldson, you'd be in favor of this. Yeah. Yeah. Go ahead. Yeah. In regards to Miss Bacon's uh several of her questions, um they're all thoughtprovoking, but uh we have in our past uh invasive polls, whether it's with PASK or uh Friends of the Buffer Land uh and MISK had access to tools, whether they're our own um or I think PTA has their theirs as well, right? So, uh, some of those things, again, you could use the word redundant, but people come equipped. Uh, as far as administration, I'm I'm it sounds like our staff is taking care of things like the waivers, etc. Uh, but, you know, staff's not going to provide things like refreshments.

So, so some of those things are already um things that good to see them in writing, but we've already done those sorts of things in the past. So actually last couple decades they've had equipment and gloves and that sort of thing. Yeah. Working in 100 acre wood uh removing I think it was thousands and thousands of holly. Yeah. So they have a president's CEO Payet. Yeah. Through the chair. Um so the volunteer our volunteer program is um is getting more complicated seems every day. We we rely heavily on PAS parks and trails coordinator position. That uh position changes every few years. um were relying on me ask um individual who's a resident and seems like he'll be you know willing and able for many years. Um so my concern with increasing the complexity of the volunteer program is we we have to sustain the program and um if we put steps and processes in place um and people come and go um the sustainability is difficult. So I'm merely concern not concerned [music] but I'm just like maybe stating the obvious

that volunteer program is based on the volunteer strength and we second is that we uh the insurance requirements over the last couple years have in increased the regulatory requirements with our insurance provider MIA municipal insurance association um and they're the the risk management tolerance is lower based on incidents that have occurred over the past few years and not in our municipality but in others but they're kind of a pan a global insurance agency and so the regulatory um requirement to meet um is we have to keep on top of it takes time and most every volunteer event um I have to analyze it and make sure we're meeting that criteria of MIA takes time.

And third is that I really I'm getting tired of comparing our programs to Langford and Cwood who have hundreds of staff. Okay, I'm I'm tired of it. They have full-time volunteer coordinators. Okay. So, please stop comparing Mosen to Langford and Cwood and their programs and ours. It's like apples and oranges. Thank you. Yeah, thank you. I was reminded about how much uh Cwood had when I was attending the municipal leaders uh health forum the other day. uh they have I think uh Mayor Kobayashi said 110 employees at uh COID. So let's be mindful of that as well as we mentioned in our strategic plan. Uh so with that I will uh vote against this motion and um uh it's got nothing to do with the Mosen invasive species is uh staff is overloaded.

Okay, anybody else? I'll call the question. All those in favor? Opposed. Mayor Little opposed. Okay, let's move along. We've got reports for action. This is the Machosen Equestrian Society license of occupation renewal. We've got a report. Um here, this is from uh Miss Hansen to uh CEO Payatt. Did you want to introduce it? Deputy Corporate Officer or CEO Payet. Go ahead. Either one of you is fine. Good evening, council. Um, the Mosen Equestrian Society's current license occupation will expire on July 31st. The proposed uh license before you maintains the existing arrangements between the district and the society and would re renew the term until December 31, 2027.

Um [music] and in accordance with sections 24 and 26 of the community charter, the [music] district must provide uh public notice of the property disposition and the notice and the notice of assistance. Um, so the recommendation for this evening is that council approve the license of occupation for the period August 1, 2026 [music] to December 31, 2027 and that the mayor and CEO be authorized to execute the license on behalf of the district subject to the required public notice. Councelor Schuker may little move the recommendation that Miss Hansen just read up. Okay. Moved by councelor Schukan, second by councelor Gray. you wish to motivate on it? I don't.

Uh, councelor Gray makes good sense. Oh, thank you. We've had uh many other license of occupation renewals. This one for the Mosian Equestrian Society. Okay, with that, I'll call the question. All in favor? Post? No one opposed. Great. Thank you. Moving right along in your agenda. Just let me get there to the next item.

This is uh 8 uh C uh annual meeting to consider the 2025 annual report. This is on page 93 of your council agenda. Miss Hansen. Thank you, Chair. The draft 2025 annual report was introduced at the June 1st regular council meeting. It was then made available to the public on the district's website and at [music] the um front counter of the municipal health. The purpose of this evening's um of this evening is to hold the annual meeting to receive public input on the annual report. Notice of the annual meeting was published in the Gold Seam Gazette on both June 10th and [music] June 17th. Great. Thank you. Let's put the motion on the table where this is to adopt the go. there is a public input component for for the annual mean and if there is anybody in the public who would like to um make comments speak to it. Yeah, thank you for our statutory obligations. Uh so this is uh for the public anybody that's remaining if you wanted to comment on the uh 2025

annual reports you're more than welcome to. At this time I'm seeing shaking of heads uh for a second time. Does anybody want to comment and seeing none for a third time? Shaking of heads. Well, thank you anyways. Um regarding the go ahead and and now uh approve the 2025 annual report moved by council schin second by council Donaldson. wish to motivate again just say brilliant work from our staff and particularly Miss Hansen. So again these reports seem to be getting better and better every year. So thank you councelor Donaldson. Yeah I I I second that comment as well. Um yeah very thorough always a pleasure to read and to recap um all the things that have taken place in our community um seeing the pictures of our community and our community members. Um, it's a great report to it's an easy read and it's a it's good piece of history to to go back on and and reference. Thank you.

Okay. Thank you. Yeah, congratulations, Miss Hansen, and and the rest of staff or small staff that put this together. Um, I beg the community to go back and look at previous um uh annual reports and this remarkable change and and I I thank you for upping the game. It really is a wonderful report and as council Donaldson says, it was it's a good read. Council Gray, I'll add my thanks to staff. It it is very well put together and much appreciated indeed. Okay, I'll call the question on approving it. All in favor and that's unanimous. Thank you. Okay, moving on right along to the reserve fund policy F100.52 amendment. We have a report. Um, let's just get to that. Page 197 or thereabouts. What page is it on your electron 197 or 95? What does it say on your screen?

Oh, okay. Okay. I'm just trying to get through the annual report here. Anybody else have it? The page No, the page number is not not marked electronically. Sorry, the page number is not marked on the electronic version. Okay, let's I'm just having a bit of a technical looking in the agenda package. It's um yeah, I still need to get to it on my my screen here. Yeah, page 93. Uh here we are. Uh this is uh yeah this is on page 199 um of your in the electronic format. This is from Jeffrey Creek the chief financial officer. Go ahead Mr. Creek. Thank you. Thank you through the chair. Uh so back in May, council adopted the new buffer land reserve uh bylaw number 714 in respect to allocating $15,000 from the length tax sharing revenue uh to this new reserve. This report uh now just updates the actual reserve and surplus policy F100.52 to include the new buffer land reserve. Um and that's basically it. Nice and easy. Any questions?

Okay, thank you. Thank you for your report. Councelor Shukan. Sorry. I would move that council approve the reserve and supply policy F52 as amended to include the buffer land reserve. Okay. This is moved by councelor Shukin, seconded by councelor Donaldson. Go ahead. Um, no, it's pretty straightforward as Mr. Creek was mentioning and thanks again for moving on this and uh providing the allocation and then getting into the policy. Okay, thank you. Go ahead, councelor Donaldson. Um thank you. Yeah, I appreciate councelor or um CFO Creek um guiding us through this and bringing it uh full circle. uh this will be um a helpful uh investment for uh that green space uh should the time come when we need to enhance um gates, signage, culverts, that sort of thing. So, uh we'll see how uh the work progresses uh in the future.

Okay. Thank you. Just a question to the CFO. Um when did we have our budget into the province? What was the deadline? Could you remind me our budget? our fin five five-year financial plan. What what date was that in? Through the chair. So the deadline was uh May 14th. May 14th. And this uh this was we considered this at the May 25th meeting. So this was technically outside the budgeting uh season since we had those uh documents into the province uh regarding our uh uh commitments to the province. Through the chair. Yeah. So we actually allocated this funding in 2015 or sorry 2025 my bad of $15,000 from that reserve or surplus.

So it just kind of lines that way. But and this is for uh how much this is for 15,000 a year. Correct. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Good. So we've got a motion on the floor. I'll call the question. All in favor? That's unanimous. Great. Okay. Thank you. Next on the agenda is reports for information. We have the statement of financial information or the Sophie report for 2025. Uh this is around page 2000 or sorry two feels like 2000 209. Here we go. Uh this is on page 211. Uh this is from Bob Payet, our chief administrative officer. Uh uh from Jeffrey Creek, our chief financial officer. Go ahead CFO Creek.

Through the chair. Thank you. Uh so this is a one more provincial requirement that has to be done uh has to be done by June 30th of each year. And so the statement of financial information just shows a copy of the financial statements that were previously approved by council and our auditor. And then we also attaching additional information relating to wages paid to council staff if they made over $75,000 in a year. And then as well as our um contractors and service providers who were paid more than $25,000. So same information just uh updated each year. Um, and then it's been posted on our website now for a few weeks, available for any input. I haven't seen any questions come in myself, but if anybody at the council table like to ask any questions, happy to answer.

Okay, thank you. Does anybody have any questions regarding the Sophie report? Okay, so the motion this is to receive. We don't need to adopt um the we receive it for information. U moved by councelor Schukan, second by council Donaldson comments with u many thanks for preparing this. This this is wonderful. Okay, I'll call the question even for information. All in favor? Those opposed? No one opposed. Thank you. Okay, moving right along. We have next the district of machosen building inspection department report. This is on about page 255. Just one moment. I'll get to it. What page is it, Council Donaldson, on yours? 255. Is it 255?

That's not the updated version. Okay. The updated version is 257. We've got it all on your screens. Okay. Uh you've got this before you. You receive these um every month. Anybody have any comments or questions? If not, I'll entertain a motion to receive for information. Moved by council shook and seconded by council Donald said. All in favor? Carried. I had thought that this might be something we could have on a consent agenda since we see it every month. So perhaps we'll move to a consent agenda in the near future. I think staff would be happy with that as well. And next we have uh let's see, we have a letter, don't we?

Yes, we have Oh, we have the district materials and public communication statistics report. I'll move receipt. This is moved by councelor Gray, seconded by councelor Schukan. Comments. All in favor? Oppose? Carried. Thank you. And then we have uh next we have correspondence number 10. Oh, there we are. This is from on page 261 of your council agenda. This is from uh Miss Stella French, Miss Anna Witten, president and vice president respectively of the Michosen Equestrian Society. We ask for council's approval of uh on behalf of the the chosen equestrian society to build stalls on our lease property. With mayor and council approval, we can move forward with the engineer stamp on the [music] plans, securing a building permit, hiring a contractor, and finally to break ground. Yeah. Okay. So, this is uh a request from the Machosen Equestrian Society. Uh, CEO Payet, do you have any concerns moving forward?

Um, thanks through the chair. I don't have uh any concerns. Um, I I just want to thank the the representatives for all the work they've done and bringing information to council periodically has been good. Um, if council supports the request, one thing that I noticed now that I've seen the picture, the faximile is um is that we have a wind problem [music] at the market and if it's possible to orientate the building so it might potentially help block the wind. So, just a thought. Yeah. So, uh, is there puzzled looks out there? Do you understand what? Yeah. Okay. But the the comments are are there. Um any other comments from the table?

Councelor Donaldson. That's through the chair to Mr. P. As we talk this evening about um liabilities and this will be this building is being proposed uh a couple different uses. It will be used for um activities like shows and whatnot to um house um horses during those times, but also for emergency preparedness uh should there need be a need for evacuation of livestock during those times. Um we've had our well we've had some questions uh answered um by these ladies as far as how it's going to be managed. Do we know from our from MIABC um what our risk is? Should an animal get loose uh hurt um in hurt or die on our property, are we liable as a district?

Okay. I'm not sure. Uh, CEO Payet, can you comment on whether we're liable if a a livestock animal is where a horse is kept in that facility or that stall and is injured or gets loose? I [snorts] don't really I don't really know the exact answer, but I know that we um we would be we're liable for everything on district property. So, it sums it up. we have to have our we have to have our uh you know risk mitigation in place for every document every agreement. So in this case we would we would include it on their lease agreement that they have this um facility and that they take full responsibility and um like all of our other agreements we have those kind of that kind of language in them so they take responsibility for their own programs and actions. So that's how we mis risk Medicaid. Even when we do all that, we still we still get named unclaimed and whatnot. So we we just do our ultimate best um to have as the least risk as possible.

And don't forget council Dolison, I know you don't forget this, that they do have their insurance from the Horse Council of BC. my daughter and both actually both of us have had um horse council BC insurance and and I [music] think they've I know that they've assured us that they have their uh BC horse council insurance. Yes, I'm I'm aware that the um members of the club have horse counsel and the directors have director's insurance. What I'm asking is it's emergency preparedness for livestock. So it could be uh farm animals coming in and that so that's a little bit different. Uh, one of the questions I'd asked previously, would there be a caretaker on on site during those times or not? So, I haven't seen a risk management plan. I'm assuming staff has.

So, I'm just wondering if the staff uh I know it's unusual, but I'm going to ask with your consideration if if their proponents could come to the microphone right in the middle of the meeting if that's okay with council. Yes. Miss Witten, Miss Anna Witten, could you come to the microphone and shed some light on this, please? It's actually Anna Whiten, but thank you so much. Is it Whiten? It's Whiten. White. I'm sorry. Like the color. Yep. And the see-through skin. Um, so what we have currently is insurance as a club. Okay. Through SERA through HCBC, the Horse Council of British Columbia. Um, your waiver and requirements as a municipality states that we must have every person [music] that uses the property to be MEES members. Our insurance covers people who are not MEES members as a club already. So if we as a club in a state of emergency grant permission for somebody else to use it, we are not abiding by your rules, but we still have our own insurance coverage for ourselves and the

use of our facility. So that is stating that um your risk with the stalls would be less than what it is currently because you have nothing. What we are doing is adding capability and we would already be covered by your insurance policy and we have verified that with a SEAR um multiple times to be clear. Okay, that's great. And this we are talking about a massive emergency if people want to evacuate. We're not talking about a massive emergency. We only have six stalls. We're talking about one car going through a fence. We're talking about one barn being flooded. Okay? We're talking about smallcale emergency preparedness. We're not capable of looking after hundreds of animals. We're looking after six or less.

Okay. Okay. It's hard to imagine that a judge would say you're you're liable when it was an absolute emergency, but I'm not a judge. Uh but as I take the point uh CEO Payatt that the district and you in particular um have to manage this uh that it is a liability. Yeah. Okay. Good point that we need to uh be aware of that. Thank you for that. Any other questions for Anna White? Uh, councelor one, how are how do you want to refer to the stalls like the horse stalls, the animal stalls, the temporary stalls? Temporary stalls. Okay. So, they're only to be used temporarily and they are stalls that can be used for horses. They can be used for any livestock. Okay.

That um would potentially require [music] short-term stay. Okay. Okay. We are not housing animals there for more than 48 hours. So, I'm I'm just trying to think of if we went ahead with the motion to support this, would it be something like uh council support the development of temporary stalls and supporting infrastructure? Because I think the covered area isn't [music] temporary. You you want to build it there and make it permanent. Is that as as our president Stella French mentioned earlier, we have the stalls purchased. Okay. They require machinery to move. Yeah. um they're not they're they're considered temporary in the fact that you cannot house animals there, okay, for long periods of time, but but you also want to build a covered structure and I'm just trying to think how to make how how to be clear that you've got the okay to do that because I think that's what you want to that's absolutely what we would like. So the so the um supporting roof and found

foundation and pillars and all that. So yeah. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. No. Yeah. Okay. I don't see any other questions. So, thank you. Thank you for that. Okay. Go ahead, council. So, Mayor Little, I'd like to move that council approve the Machosen Equestrian Society to build the structure and have the space for the temporary stalls, animal stalls. Second that. Go ahead. Want to motivate further? Um I think uh Miss French and Miss Whiten make a good case for it. They brought us uh regular updates and you know there comes a time when you have to ask yourself why wouldn't I approve this? Why wouldn't I go with this? And I'm I'm just not seeing any valid reasons to not support. Um and a great response from Miss Whiten about club's insurance. Um so seems like a a good move to me. And I just take their point that they're not asking us for money at this point and maybe never, but other than, you know, the grant, all that.

Yeah, I'll I'll motivate it as well since I seconded the motion. Um u they they are a great group to work with. They're very communicative. Um I like their designs. It's in keeping with the stalls that are already at the farmers market. So they've taken into consideration the the sensibility of of the look. And I would be in favor of this. I think it's a great uh service for our our community and very community-minded. Okay. Not seeing any others. I'll call the question. All in favor? That's unanimous. Okay. Thank you. We'll move along to the next letter. This is a letter written by uh Miss Leah Wilson, Moses and Residents. She's suggesting trying a small music in the park program during the summer months. Uh many municipalities she says are doing it.

Callwood for example hosts two hour uh hosts two-hour evening concerts. Um Langford does very similar. She'd like to see something um the same here. Um as you'll remember we have had um every [music] year a volunteer appreciation concert and I think it's brilliant to rename that music in the park. it it does uh sound better and I would be in favor of this. And as I mentioned uh to you uh when you were asking questions about it over email that um I have secured uh one um uh band uh for July 16th actually it is uh but certainly we have money in the budget for another one. Um as uh Miss Wilson's uh mentioned [music] um that she believes that we should have uh um music in the park, we should employ local museum m musicians and we should pay them. And so like other years we would uh pay the musicians. And so the one in July and I think we should rename it Music in the Park um is in July. The band is booked.

I've asked them to work with the healthy communities select committee um who are interested in positive things generating positive messages. Um they haven't reached out. They were waiting the chair of the healthy communities was waiting for our decision and then she was going to reach out to Miss Wilson. Okay, I'll call u I'll put the motion on the floor. How about that? Or did we already? Nope, we didn't. Okay. So, the the motion would be to uh provide uh a summer concert, Music in the Park in the summer. We do already have it in the budget. We can work with them, rename it to Music in the Park. Um and um potentially, depending on what Healthy Community says, we could have one in August. We have that money available and I'm sure there are bands, there's multiple bands in Machosen. Leah herself actually is a very talented musician and an incredible singer.

So, it's in the budget. It's not that we're we're spending money that we haven't already. It's it's in the budget. Hello. Does anybody want to speak to this? Yeah. Go ahead. Sorry, I didn't know. I thought you were waiting for a sec here. Yeah. Well, actually, I'll move the motion and I have a second, please. Okay, I I will second. Uh, and I have a question. Is this just um how frequently is is this happening? Well, she suggests in her letter that we start slow, sort of as a pilot project. And in actual fact, we have started really slow. We've uh done it once a year for three years. Um, and that's pretty slow. I think we could up it to two this this summer. Um, we would need a staff member there, but I know that CEO Payet was very happy to be there uh dancing to the music last year, so I'm sure he'd be dancing this year with us.

That's a that is a a staff member. We would need some um receptacles as well, some rubbish bins. So, is this a is this a suggestion for the district to take on or is this something that Miss Wilson wants to do on her own initiative and maybe more frequently? Yeah, I haven't talked to her honestly from the from the letter. Um, it looks like she wants the district to do it because it comes with a component of of paying which we've already discussed. I mean, it's in the budget. Uh, $1,400. See, nodding heads is in there. uh 700 uh will go to the July 16th uh musicians. 700 uh could be used for an additional concert. We'll leave it I think we could leave that up to healthy communities um to discuss whether they have the capacity to help with the August event. But it'd be great if we pass this and then the chair of the healthy communities can discuss this with Leah which is uh following process.

Okay. So, are the motions on the floor? Are you speaking to the motion? Uh, yes. Okay. Um, I I'm I'm actually uh find myself quite reluctant to commit to this this year just because I'm I'm unsure how the event and the planning is going to go. And this is something I don't want to force on to staff. Um, and I mean I trust that healthy communities would, you know, get into this if they have the people who are there in the summer. Um, but at the same time, even their involvement is going to involve staff time as well. You know, my my preference would be to ask Miss Wilson if she can get involved in the already booked event in July, kind of understand what our processes are and look toward next year um for, you know, a schedule of events and understanding what our staff needs are.

But like, yeah, I I really personally I don't want to be involved in this this summer, if only because of just other things going on. Mhm. So, have you been involved in in volunteering with the other U music events in the last few years? No, but they went off. So, there was there was me, myself and I the first year and I remember councelor Gray saying if you do the work and it's a success I will consider supporting it. So, I did the work, it was a success and um we have one event uh so far booked this year. If it's up to you if you don't uh see the value in a second or even letting the healthy communities uh discuss this.

Okay, that's fine. Councilor Gray perhaps. Um I I don't know if this would help councelor Schugan, but if if it's about the discretion of committee, whether or not they can take it on really is the question I think that's in front of us. Um, so are we forcing it on the healthy communities or are we asking them I didn't quite get the motion actually. We're not forcing it on them. They're we're considering um it that we're asking them to consider it. Uh the healthy communities has expressed at the mayor's tease that they want to do good in the community. They see too much vitriol and toxicity. They want to pump out positive things. And so I think uh the I think the healthy communities would be delighted uh to be involved with this, but I don't know. I've talked to the chair and and she's mentioned positivity, but she wanted to follow process. She hasn't reached out to Miss Wilson um as of yet. She was waiting for

this and then she would reach out to Miss Wilson. Okay. Can I hear the motion one more time? Sorry. Oh, I'm sorry. That council refer the correspondence to the healthy communities advisory select committee for consideration and recommendation. That's just what I'm hearing based on discussion. Yeah. The what the intent is. Okay. I'll I'll amend my motion to include uh the words that how about if we start over I can't remember what the motion that I articulated was it was similar to that but I'll if it's okay with the seconder um that council refer the correspondence to the healthy communities advisory select committee for consideration or recommendation. Thank you for that.

Yeah, I just was wondering if we um want them to consider it for this summer or for the following uh for the following, but we can't tie the Highlands the hands of a future council if they decide this is not worth worthy. Um it would set a precedence um possibly. Okay. You're okay with that? I am. Okay. So, that's the motion then. Everybody clear about the motion? I'll call the question. All in favor? That's unanimous. Great. Thank you. And then the next is also uh just information. This is from the uh who is it from? Uh Maryanne Kouls BC Hydro the North Langford substation. Uh regarding that and that's for the community to um hear and understand as well. uh growing demand, new substation. The location um the North Lanford substation will be located in Lanford Heights Visters Park on Caribou. Is that Caribou? Yeah. 2161 Caribou Drive near Milstream Road.

They've got a timeline here. They're just keeping us informed. Okay. I'll take a motion to receive for information. Moved by Council Donaldson, seconded by Council Gray. All in favor? No one oppose. Moving on right along. We're going to item number bylaw 11A, park dedication. This is the bufferland bylaw 2026 number 721. Got a background here including resolutions where we are now. Council Shupin, did you want to move this? I I would. But I I do have one question though. How about if we get it on the floor? This is the report from our our planner. Let's get the motion on the floor regarding this bylaw and then we'll discuss it.

Okay. I'm sure if I can ask Yeah. Right at the very top. Would you like me to read it out? The recommendation is that council give first, second, and third reading to propose park dedication buffer land bylaw 2026 number 721. Do you want them in two motions? uh deputy corporate officer. Oh, all in one. You can you can do it all in one. Okay. And that council authorized the mayor and CEO to execute form C to register a section 219 covenant on the buffer land legally described as lot A section 93 94 96 and 108. the [music] chosen district plan EP69605 to support long-term protection of the buffer land.

So, Mayor Little, I would really like to sorry, I didn't want to interrupt you. I I think we should take these separately because um there's some I think the um the covenant document is actually fairly complicated. Okay. And I think so you would prefer to it would have been helpful if you had mentioned that. So let's let's just take the first recommendation that council give first, second, and third reading to the proposed park dedication buffer land bylaw 2026 number 721. That's the motion moved by councelor Schukin, seconded by council Donaldson. Go ahead and motivate. Sure. Um, thank you very much for getting this together. It's it's actually pretty simple and it does what I believe we need to do with the buffer land. My one question and I think I'm suspecting this is a question with everyone is section 3.2A where we have the option of um providing expanded transportation utility facilities including water supply distribution network storm water etc etc. So I I suppose I can see the rationale for that.

Um, councelor Shu, can can you tell everybody where they can find that in the documents? Sure. It's page 274 and it's section 3.2A. Thank you. And again, it just gives the district the option of putting infrastructure into the buffer line should they need it. Um, Mr. Payet, I wonder if I threw you, Mayor Little, if I could ask Mr. pay if there's any clarity or um discussion around all this. Um I think clear for clarity it would be for any future purposes that we unforeseen type things that we put in there now instead of having to re redo it um over and over again. So, just kind of an overall cover all type of language.

I don't see us putting any infrastructure in there. Okay. But, um, we don't really know yet what the trails are going to be, what the entrances are going to look like, lighting, we don't know a lot of stuff yet. So, I don't see any harm in it. Um, we have so much eyes on this project, nothing's going to go in there that's uh objectionable, I'm sure, of that saves save amendments in the future. Yeah. And sorry, one with the covenant, I think there is a another extra layer of protection. So, yeah, I'm Yeah, it's just that that's the thing that jumps out. So, do do you want to articulate your concerns more fully? So we Oh, it is simply that um it reserves again the bylaw especially reserves the authority of the council of the district to adopt bylaws or undertake works that provide for new or expanded transportation and utility facilities including but not limited to water supply distribution utilities and all opportunes therefore there too. So, it does allow a future council, you know, put it in a substation or something like that or um um or a water pump facility.

And who knows, maybe one day um that might be an advisable thing and there might be a public good to it. So, I don't know. That's the thing that kind of I get hung up on a little bit. So, but okay. Curious to hear my colleagues. Yeah. Let's move to councelor Donaldson. Did you have any comments regarding anything to do with this that in particular? Uh no, I'm comfortable with what uh Seth has uh just stated. Um and I I understand the concern that but I think this is good. This is um been a lot of work and and quite a long timeline [music] to get to it and I think this is sort of I I before I speak a second time I'll I'll I'll note see nobody else wants to talk. So I do want uh to admit that it does say storm water monitoring station.

So there's one there. What if it I mean it has been on the fritz a few times, right? And so there have to be there has to be some mechanism for uh going into that and as CEO Payatt mentioned it's great that it will be in this bylaw [music] so that we don't they don't have to go back to council uh for in particular what I see is that storm water monitoring station which is going to change we may want to uh change the metrics of that storm water rather than just flow uh maybe contamination that that kind of thing council Uh, Gray. Yeah, I take the concern that councelor Schugan's raising. The um planner talked about this at our last meeting and I think the CEO's explanation is a good one.

This we um we have some trust that this will that our intentions will be followed that this allows us to proceed without limiting actions that we would like to see in in the bufferland in future. So, I'm I'm supportive. Go ahead. Yeah. And yeah, just I've been thinking it through a little bit and and great point about the monitoring station. I I think the bigger risk though is delaying this and sorry the Oh, delaying it. Yeah, I agree. So, yeah, delaying any project is really risky. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah. Um Yeah. Okay. Okay. That's great. Okay, I'll call the question. All in favor? Opposed? Was that an opposed? Councelor Gray, you're opposed to this. Um, no. I'm in favor. Oh, in favor? Okay, that's unanimous.

Thank you. Okay, then the second question. Councelor Schukan. Do you want me to read the recommendation? Okay. Uh the re the second part of it is that is and that council authorize the mayor and CEO to execute form C to register a section 219 covenant on the buffer land legally described as lot A sections 939496 and 108 the chosen district plan EP69605 to support long-term protection for land. Councelor Schukan, do you want to move this motion? This is moved by councelor Schukan, seconded by council Donaldson. Councelor Schukan, go ahead if you want to motivate. Yeah. Um, I find that I get a little nervous reading the covenant document.

Um mainly because there's a there's a lot here. Um and and so we we we did go over this quite thoroughly when the planner was here. Had I thought there would be questions regarding a bylaw, which is the end stage, we we would have asked the planner to be here. So at the in the report, it outlines when we've spoken about it. May 25th, 2026, December 15, 2025, October 28, 2024, October 23rd, 2023. So I'm a bit puzzled that you have concerned at this date. Oh, no. This is the first time we've seen the actual covenant text, if I'm not mistaken. I [music] thought we had saw a draft.

No, did Yeah. Um, and you know what? I I think it's probably fine. Yeah. Except somewhere in here there's a little gremlin that's going to come and bite us at some point. I I'm I'm just sensing. So, so, and I shouldn't be this candidate at the table, but I um or come with uncertainty and confusion, so I apologize. Um, so for example, like section 2.2, to it talks about subdivision uh section H. Of course, the grtor shall not subdivide the lands unless the grtor obtains the prior written consent of the district. Random further acknowledges and agrees with the district that they're not obligated to approve any subdivision of the lands. So I I mean I guess it allows for the option of subdivision, but that's part of maybe what we're trying to avoid. Um, so, so if I could uh maybe provide some clarity, the section 219 covenant is there to to protect. It's not there to to deter from the property. It's there to protect. Remember we had talked about

in the future we may want to add additional covenants provided by another entity such as uh habitat acquisition trust or islands trust or some other trust uh that we uh could partner with. What we talked about as I remember at the last meeting is let's get this done. Let's not delay it. We've got the ability of of uh adding the 219 covenant. I remember the planner saying I hear you your concerns about adding another entity but right now the importance of get getting this done and [music] that will it will be sufficient now with the 219 covenant don't remember that yeah okay yeah I I recall her saying something like that councelor Gray yeah Yes. And in that discussion, the idea is that we get this done today if this helps um and then later add another player um if we want and another player would certainly deal with this issue.

Yeah. Yeah. That's that's exactly what I just said. Yeah. Any other comments? Council Donaldson, you've been involved with this with Council Schukan since the beginning in 2023 and I thank you both for your work. Yeah. No, it's it's it's been a very good and thorough pro thorough word uh process. Uh the planner has been u very helpful and useful in explaining those steps, especially this last time answering all of our questions. Um pertinent to the covenant question as [music] well. Um I I I always sense with covenants they're never an absolute [music] surefire but I'm I'm happy that we actually have this at least and and that it actually has the park zoning and that's different again than where [music] we had first started and we debated that in the working group as well to some some degree. So yeah yeah good good point. This was discussed with your group uh the bufferland consultation group did you name it?

working group working group. Yeah, that was a recommendation of that group. Okay. Yeah. And uh Mr. Simpson did speak to it uh this evening as well. Yeah. The the one other thing um and this is a more I'm saying it to myself to you know relieve my anxiety that I should not be expressing right now. But okay. The the thing about this is it actually uh is part of the process of lifting the other covenants on title. So that's as I understand it, it's part of that whole thing too. So that's a net benefit as well. So great. Thank you very much. Okay, I'll call the question. All of those in favor. That's unanimous. Okay.

Thank you. Moving along to um other business. We have number 12, the wayfinding sign at the chosen school, Council Donaldson. Uh uh on about page 285 or so. I'll just try and get to it here. What page are we on? Councelor Gray on the agenda package says page 285. Yeah. Uh we're supposed to be using our tablet. So I'm trying to get to the report. If if you set up your agenda on your tablet, then you can just click on it on the report and it will bring you to it. That's what I've been doing. So I don't I've been looking at any page numbers.

Thank you. that the uh staff recommended I try the PDF version. So that's what there I've got. Oh, page 287. Thank you for that. Council Shelley Donaldson, chair of finance committee. Do do you want to speak to this item? Thank you. So, uh, this was brought up previously as a recommendation out of, um, my counselor's update and, um, in turn, the council had recommended I, I, I speak with the stakeholders, uh, regarding the proposal of putting a wayf finding sign out the front of the building, uh, to help with the navigation of um, locating their businesses as well as uh, potential names. So, I did. I went around and spoke to every one of the stakeholders in the building. Uh giving them an invite to an evening to have a conversation. It was about an hourong um consultation. Uh for those who uh work evenings, uh they obviously could not uh attend but were all supportive. So I'm happy to report that it was um um a

positive exchange of information, passionate at times. Uh so keeping on track with an agenda and I had a PowerPoint so that was good. Um all sorts of um great ideas and new things that were identified as well. So just trying to keep with the first step and stage of um um locating where their businesses were uh wayfinding sign out at the street to say yes we are open for business. Uh two years ago we had talked about you know where were we going to be with naming who was the tenants [music] that sort of stuff and I'm have to say staff been remarkable in in um leasing out the spaces so in in a in a shorter period of time than I I thought we would have had.

So this is great. So um it was identified that you know deliveries and people finding places it was difficult because the building has many entrances. Uh so wayfinding sign up the front at least tells you some of what's going on in the building. The other thing that was identified was having maps on the inside of the of the three main entrances where like a you are here type of thing. So that's another stage in the future. Um I did show what the design would look like. Uh I believe there's a drawing here, an updated drawing a little bit too. Um Mr. Art Brennan who was the person that's designed this uh has uh been going through every step of the way. We've also met with building inspector Chris Watkins to understand where the location would be. I do have a sort of a Google map there. That is just an estimate because it's really hard to put those little squares draw them on on uh on a on a on the internet here. Um it does have to be on the property. So inside the property, not out on the

boulevard, obviously. And so he just looked at it in the way of sight lines coming in and out of the driveway. Um Mr. Brendan did find out for me that uh the size of the lettering has to be 4 in in a 40k zone uh for highway sign. So that was an interesting uh fact that we have to stick with the the representatives which were the chosen senior association chosen preschool chosen medical health center chosen pickleball club art pod chosen arts and cultural association all participated that evening. Um and then there were others that that were absent. uh they wanted a bigger sign, but we have a sign bylaw, and the sign bylaw is uh only going to allow us to have approximately six uh signs given the dimensions. So, we had to reiterate that. Since then, I've also uh worked on putting a bit of a criteria together for um for staff. It'll need some work. I did give that to Mr. Creek. So that's uh

again another another layer that um staff will need to use or would need to apply to anything that council would be using to determine who goes on on the sign. Uh and then we talked about naming considerations. Uh councelor Schukan was uh um shepherd that in there and uh so we talked a couple of different things even including uh family namesakes and stuff like that. Um but it was uh Village Commons definitely was one that was favorable um mostly because it reflects the site's role of a shared gathering uh place and the function of commerce, recreation, services, education and community activities. There's um there was u nobody said an absolute no. So that was that was also positive. Um yeah. And so I think you've read probably the rest of the report. Um I'd be happy to answer any other questions, but I do have a recommendation um for this.

Why don't we have a discussion? I think all of us were there at that meeting. Were you you were there? Oh, councelor Gray, you weren't there, but it was uh a very good discussion. Um did you want to comment on the discussion? Sure. want to move um that we extend the meeting past 10 p.m. moved by councelor Schukin, second by uh council Donaldson to go past 10. All in favor? Opposed? Carrie. Go ahead. Great. Um and thank you for hosting that meeting, councelor Donaldson, and I thought it was a really good discussion and it did open my eyes to a number of things that we still have to work through around the school.

name, purpose, wayfinding, etc., etc. Um, I have to confess though that I didn't see you certainly not universal support for the sign or the name. Um, I I did see a great I from my perspective and vantage point, I did see a fairly great diversity of thought in terms of the best way to proceed. So based on simply that meeting and what I heard and saw, I I don't know if I could support this tonight. I think that there's there is more work to do, but we we have to do that work. The school is no longer a school. It is a community center. It is a recreational center. Um it's possibly going to be a medical facility one day.

So I think we need to move beyond the school. I like the idea of doing a sign, but at this point, I feel like there's still a bunch of unknowns to doing this right. So, that's that's my sense right at this moment. Okay. Um, in defense of the project, uh, Art Brennan has worked very hard on this project. Shelley Donaldson has worked extremely hard on this process. I understand there's not a lot of trust at this table and I think the community can see that with a two two vote all the time. However, I'm going to support this. Um I did uh not I didn't actually hear the support for the name a village common. What I heard was if someone is googling village common, they're going to get something in Nebraska or in uh New York or or in Vancouver. [music] They what I heard from a number of the participants at the workshop was that it should have machosen village common machosen community center just like there's a picture here. Yeah, I think it

says machosen map and bike rack or something. It really needs to If you're going to put in a Google search for the Machosen Elementary School, Mosen's there. If you're going to put uh um Village Common, it needs to have Machosen in there, even though it may seem redundant. And so um I've recently uh come in I come to understand staff's um really frustration with this because when they are talking about renting that out uh classroom one it's next to the so it's at Machosen Elementary School classroom one next to the brewery beside the machosen collective in front of the preschool beside MKA that is the term term they're using. Can this council not agree on one name? Councelor EP suggested the Orca Center. Uh councelor uh Donaldson suggesting Village Commons.

I say let's go with what the people said at the meeting. Machosen Village Commons. I like and I'm uh not a hill I'm gonna die on but I like Machosen Community Center [music] and we can name it colloally as the Met and I think that's uh that we can say I'll meet you at the Met. Machosen Community Center MCC. So it's MCC or the Met. I think we should make a decision tonight. Have some trust in Art Brennan. have some trust in your fellow council member. I wasn't at the other engagements. You weren't either. She she went around to all of the stakeholders and received comments. So, I think we should decide on one of those four names. Councelor Gray.

Yeah. I just I don't think that's a fair statement. I don't didn't hear um councelor Schugan saying he didn't trust anybody. He was talking about what he thought was a good idea in the situation. Yeah. Um so I'm u I'm interested in the in the sign. I think it's a neat idea. It sounds like u just the reporting from the from the group or from that particular meeting that Machosen would be in the name, but we haven't we haven't been talking about the name just yet. I thought tonight we were talking about the sign itself and what it would look like. My question was uh or is um have we already voted on putting a sign there in a capital project or when did we do that and what will the cost be estimated?

Yeah, Council Donson, can you reiterate what was discussed at the last meeting? The cost was was it 15,000? No, but I would uh I would defer that to um CFO Creek. Okay, please. Let's Let's ask CFO Creek. CFO Creek, what what was the cost through the chair? Right now, we've got an estimate of 10,500. 10,500. Was that in the budget? Uh, Council Ballson, I believe that comes from the um possibly the business reserves. Okay. So, another reserve and this is outside of the budgeting process and it wasn't at budget time. We've been talking about way finding for some time. So um when I had talked to I can't even remember the beginning of this conversation.

It was um actually I do remember because it was when CIO [music] pay first came to us and we had this surplus of funds in 2024 and he asked all of us what would we like to do with those surplus funds and that was one of the things I put on my list. Fast forward to um more recent times. Um and so we had a design by Mr. um Brandon and uh started looking at those other components to fit it in with the village based on the OCP and the design you know guidelines etc. Mhm. So, um, so the question was is is it in the budget that we've just passed CFO Creek?

I [snorts] was just wondering is the 10,500 in the budget that we've just passed through the chair? So, it it be included in the total capital that we allocate for uh [snorts] building repairs for the school. And so, there's more enough in in the budget. There's more than enough, but this specific item wasn't listed in the budget. No, it wasn't broken out. Yeah. Okay. But we do have funds uh made available from the reserve for this item that wasn't discussed at the budget time. That's fine. I'm still willing to support it. I think it's a great idea. But the problem is uh councelor Bray is councelor Donisonson wants to know if they go ahead and construct the sign there's a place above it for a name and she's suggesting village commons people at the at the meet and greets said I like village commons too but you need to have machosen in front of that because people are searching for directions for the village commons so what I'm saying is let's move on this. We can decide on a name. We've talked about it I don't

know how many times almost it feels adnauseium what the name is uh going to be councelor EP when she was here suggested orca center. We've got the mosen village commons MVC the mosen community center which is sort of overarching and it's not just about a common area. Um so there's uh one, two, three options that council Donaldson then council gray. Thank you. So um when we discussed this last time was the exact same discussion about putting chosen in front of it. And so when we think about other towns, cities or communities, I'll give Victoria as example. We don't have the Victoria Johnson Street Bridge. We just have the Johnson Street Bridge. [music] the same with the Victoria Conference Center, but we have the Crystal Gardens. We have the um let's see what's what was their pool? I can't remember what their pool is called. So, they have a variety of different names for their landmarks and and and placeholders.

Um a very large city with a lot of creativity. [laughter] They're a very tiny community and for some reason we still need to use um or overuse the name we chosen unfortunately. Um, and I've put that in my report here that it's already prominently uh represented. Um, and at least five of these um, tenants have that name. There is only so much room on the sign. And so when I had first started doing uh, research on this in January, just trying to apply for a grant, the chosen elementary school, I didn't put elementary school. If I just put my chosen [music] school, it already profiled me as a school. So, we want to get away from that obviously, but we want to, you know, and I've explained that previously as well. So, Village Commons was short and sweet. It commons covers everything in um the gathering place, a rural community. Village is already in our OCP. It's been there since 1984. Um we have the village core.

A wayfinding sign is just an an you know um is a standard that follows with the other structures already in the core as well as opposed to having all these um little different kinds of signs and designs um sandwich boards that sort of thing. Not to say it's going to eliminate the those sorts of things is certainly we will look a lot more professional in this asset that we call u the school site which is a shorter version. It's gradually getting shorter. Um we are open for business. We must become the responsible landlord and put a wayfinding sign out there to promote and support those businesses that are paying us rent which is what we wanted.

We wanted revenue generating. Uh this it's just a very a professional approach to doing it. Village Commons fits. Um it was considered favorable. I spoke to a couple of proponents that couldn't make it that night what they thought. I listened. I didn't put anything out to them. They did the Google search differently than what I've done and said it came up no problem, but each to their own searches, search engines. um they're super happy to see uh the wayfinding signs going up. I got positive feedback from people. Uh so I have no reservation with the sign going in and where it's going to go in. Uh staff is going to check for the, you know, call before you dig, what kind of utilities are underneath. It'll probably be engineered uh probably the same uh um construction company as that did the uh is it the bike shelter.

I I don't hear any discontent at the table regarding the need the necessity the value for the waistbinding sign and the people at that I heard also I think excuse Hanica was next. Yeah, I I'm just I'm just commenting on what she said. Um what what um what we heard at that meeting was concerns about the vi the the name village common. So they like the sign. So so I don't think you need to further motivate us on the sign itself. Their comments uh were regarding you know can they be removed? Yes. uh art uh explained those signs can be removed. What they also explained was they thought that the machosen should go go before it because when they searched for it when they searched for it to give that address to pickle ball players in Cwood or Langford to get the address they came up with other entities and I did the search myself and what it's a Google search it's not my search engine.

So there the first is Village Commons, Cortez Island, Royal Bay, Cortez Island, Cara, Calgary. Uh the Village Commons um uh I don't know where this is. Looks like Europe construction begins on village columns in Calgary's east mahogany village commons. So that's that was their concern that they thought it should be machosen village common. So, and it would solve the problem with our staff as well. Um, telling people where to go, um, so that people can Google it, get the directions. Do you do you understand what you're saying? When somebody wants to know where the Machosen Senior Center is, seniors Resource Center is, they will Google Machosen Seniors Resource Center and an address will come up which will be on the [music] sign. um if they want to know where the Machosen Medical Health Center is. Same thing. And we did talk about QR codes and we talked about not having them on there because each one of these businesses will have a website or an electronic way of finding them.

What's missing is they get to the parking lot and they don't even know where to go as to, you know, which entrance and stuff. So, at least we know we can put put where that is. Hence having the maps on the inside as well. We did discover there were other many other uh layers to how to find business once they visited and this was one of the proponents uh taught to me afterwards say once they've been here first first visit then they're fine even with the double doors on the classroom most of the second doors are you would try it if it wasn't the right place you would go on to the next one you wouldn't keep doing that six visits later you would understand um probably after your first visit where to go and some cases the second door is locked. I even suggested maybe put arrows, but they said it's not a problem. So, this is just feedback I've gotten with following up with these businesses. I'm trying to support what they have asked for uh

after this proposal. Um the the name can stay off of it, but the sign I have no reason why see a reason why we can't start that. If we want to go and take a poll of all those businesses and the businesses change, are we going to change the name each time there's new business? We are the landlords. We need to make a decision. You mean change uh if Mile Zero Brewing moves out and another brewing moves in, of course. Maybe another maybe another business comes in or two or three come in and say, "Well, we don't like Village Commons. Let's change the name." That's what I mean. Like we make it and we make a decision. We're the landlords. I'm not sure if we need to poll everybody, but if that's what you're suggesting, you leave the name off of it.

No, that's not what I was suggesting at all. Councelor Gray and then councelor Shukan and then I'll Oh, actually CEO Payatt would like to uh speak. Go ahead. I'm just looking around and we're not we're not really following much at this point. It's getting too late and it's it's uh should we table this for further discussion? It's just it's just that we're not keeping track right now. Would you like to table this for further discussion for another time? Okay. Okay. Let's do that. If I could just ask a question that I've been waiting to ask. Um the mayor is suggesting the um location have the name Machosen in front of it.

So the title at the top would have machos and some other words. And then I think I heard from councelor Donaldson that letters need to be four inches tall. And so it's not clear to me. Can you have the word machosen and all these other words and it still fit on this particular sign as designed? Is that part of the issue through the chair? Did you want to answer that? So just there's a is [clears throat] there a limit to how big the how long the words can be? Just a practical question. Yeah. Uh, go ahead and answer that. And and, uh, staff is looking for us to defer this. We, we can't come to a conclusion. Um, did you want to answer that question?

So, as you add more letters or the length title of something, it it does get crowded. So, in the case of say Mosen Senior's Resource Center, that might be two lines. If you're putting the title of the wayfinding sign at the top and it's succinct, you'll be able to see it much better. There's like a heading, right? Thank you. Thank you. So, um, on page 295, you have an example of the Machosen Map and Bike Center, right? Um, what I know that you're trying to give voice to the renters and the people in the building, but you did ask people to come for consultation. What I heard, what council Schukan heard was that there were some cons concerns regarding village comments. And so, um, yeah, that's I'd like to make a motion. I'd like to make a motion we defer this to a future council meeting.

Well, uh, motion by council Gray, seconded by councelor, uh, Schupin. All in favor? Opposed? Opposed by council Donaldson. Okay, that's deferred uh, for a future council meeting. And uh, where are we? Okay, we've got question period if before 9:30 which it's after. Call for move by councelor Shuk and seconded by councelor Kay. All in favor? Post carried. Great. Thank you. [snorts]