Tonight’s Art at Council comes to us from the Port Moody Arts Centre. The piece called Untitled 33 is mixed media on canvas by artist Tony Chu. Tony is interested in using different media to create atwork involving sound, images, and audience. Tony focuses on social exploration through visual story. And according to Tony, without the viewer’s responses, work is boring. Tony is joined by artist Angela Gooliaff in the current exhibition Drawing Dialogues. oth artists focus on different social issues and each present a visual story in a provocative manner. Come down to the Arts Centre to view their work, on now until July 8th. More information can be found at www.pomoarts.ca.
In 1792 when Captain Vancouver was mapping the eastern end of Burrard Inlet (later Moody Arm) he anchored his ship, The Discovery, at Birch Bay and was using a cutter (a very large rowboat with sails) for his explorations. At nightfall some of the crew who were sleeping on the rocky beach were rudely awakened by a very high incoming tide that took over their sleeping accommodations. The beach was the rocky foreshore of the present Ioco refinery site.
After Captain Vancouver’s visit, there were no Europeans in the area until Col. R.C. Moody came to the Colony of British Columbia in 1858 with a detachment of Royal Engineers (called sappers). One of his tasks was to safeguard the Colony from any American encounters caused by their Civil War which started in 1861. His fleet of man-of-war on the Fraser River supporting Fort Langley needed safe winter anchorage. He chose Burrard Inlet. In 1859 he cleared a military supply road directly north from Sappertown to Burrard Inlet – hence “North Road”.
Wendy Swalwell, Port Moody, expressed concern about the West Port Moody Property Owners group noting that she lives in the area and has not been contacted, nor have some of her neighbours.
Hazel Mason, Port Moody, suggested there is room for improvement in terms of information on the city’s web site specifically related to public hearings and including written public input in the Public Hearing report. She suggested the written submissions be included in either the posted agenda or minutes.
Fred Soofi raised the issue of relocating the Appleyard House noting that on the city’s web site it says that the province was giving the house to the city and saving this heritage asset. He asked if the province was also contributing to the moving of the house noting that he had previously saved this house from demolition by moving it into its current location. He also questioned why the name of the house is changed to Centennial House rather than continuing to recognize the historical owners of the house.
Jacquie Boyer, Port Moody, applauded Council for accepting the recommendations of the Election Task Force, particularly the signage proposals which will save candidates money, and including brochures in the mailing will be very useful.
Jeff Congram spoke to the shark fin issue noting the positive steps Council is taking related to shark fin harvesting. He expressed the view that in addition to municipalities taking this step the issue should be dealt with at the provincial government level.
Brent Cote, Youth Program Leader, accompanied by members of the Youth Focus Committee made a presentation to request $550.00 to purchase the Youth Focus Committee volunteers hoodies.
Jillian Hull, representing West Port Moody Property Owners, together with Phil Boname, made a presentation on potential development for the western area of the City and requested:
That the scope of the current Port Moody OCP review be expanded to include a future western station.
Report: Corporate Services Department – Financial Services Division dated June 12, 2012 / File: 1820-20-03/BL2935
“City of Port Moody Fees Bylaw, 2010, No. 2857, Amendment Bylaw No. 6, 2012, No. 2935” a bylaw to amend the sewer user charges for metered users.
“City of Port Moody Official Community Plan, 2010, No. 2849, Amendment Bylaw No. 5, 2012, No. 2922” a bylaw to amend the Official Community Plan to permit a terraced building height of 11 storeys.
“City of Port Moody Zoning Bylaw 1988, No. 1890, Amendment Bylaw No. 210, 2012, No. 2923” a bylaw to rezone Lots 17-20 in the 3000 block of Henry Street from Acreage Reserve (A1) to Comprehensive Development Zone 57 (CD 57) and Public Service (P1).
WHEREAS the population of sharks, an important apex predator in our ocean ecosystems, is plummeting around the world largely due to harvesting of sharks for their fins;
AND WHEREAS harvesting of sharks for their fins, primarily as a status symbol rather than any other culinary or dietary reason, is an international conservation crisis as one-third of all shark species is threatened with extinction:
AND THAT staff be authorized to submit a letter of support for the Metro Vancouver regional application to the Provincial Community Charging Infrastructure grant program for the planning incentive.Voting Against: Mayor Clay, Councillors Dilworth, Nuttall
THAT staff initiate a purchasing policy to prioritize plug in hybrid electric vehicles for future purchases of city vehicles where applicable.
5.3 BC Summer Games Bid 2016/2018Report: Community Services dated June 3, 2012 File: 0460-15
Report: Councillor Glumac dated May 15, 2012 File: 0430-01
WHEREAS, as an integral part of the CETA, the EU is requiring full access to municipal procurement; and
WHEREAS the CETA would increase municipal administrative costs by requiring additional reporting and contractmanagement; and
WHEREAS the CETA will limit the powers of local governments
to act in the best interest of its residents:
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City Council ask the Province of British Columbia for a clear, permanent exemption for the City of Port Moody from the Canada-European Union (EU) Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA);
8.2 Notice of Motion - Wireless Smart Meters
Councillor Small introduced the following Notice of Motion:
WHEREAS
1) Port Moody residents have raised concerns about serious health, privacy, security, safety, cost and other concerns, including infringement of their democratic, civil and human rights, regarding the forced installation of BC Hydro’s wireless smart meters on their homes;
2) Many other British Columbian residents have raised similar concerns, prompting 40 BC Municipal and Local Government Councils and the Union of BC Municipalities (2011 Convention) to pass motions calling for a moratorium on mandatory installations of wireless meters and/or an opt-out option for their residents to provide citizens with a choice in accordance with our democratic process;
3) There is growing evidence that electromagnetic radiation (EMR) emitted by wireless smart meters may have negative health impacts on some individuals and that the World Health Organization has recently reclassified radio-frequency electromagnetic fields, such as occur with smart meters, as class 2B carcinogenic to humans, the same category as lead and DDT.
4) Information has not been made readily available to the public on the exact locations within Port Moody of Smart Grid “collector units” or “hubs” where date is received and retransmitted, as well as locations where meters are concentrated in banks such as apartment blocks, which create the potential for increased radio-frequency emissions at these locations;
5) Clarifying information has not been made available to the public concerning the Frequency and Duration of radio frequency emissions from wireless smart meters, which would include information on the Message Type (Meter Read Data, Network Management, Time Synch, Mesh Network Message Management) and the Transmission Frequency of all radiofrequency transmission and messages within a 24 hour period;
6) Provincial Bill 23, Section 83 (1) of the British Columbia Public Health Act states that, if a local government becomes aware of a health hazard or health impediment within its jurisdiction, it must report the health hazard or health Impediment to a health officer or take an action which it has authority to take and provide health officers with information the health officers require; and
7) Smart meters and smart grids can be installed using nonwireless technology, including phone lines, fiber optics, or the Echelon power line technology as used in many European countries.
THERFORE BE IT RESOLVED
THAT the City of Port Moody writes to BC Hydro requesting:
1) That BC Hydro offer opt out options to Port Moodyresidents, whether or not a smart meter has already been installed in their home, at no extra costs to the consumers, which options would include analogue meter or smart meter and smart grid technologies which do not emit radio frequency emissions.
2) That BC Hydro provide public assurance that individual household privacy will be maintained in any public release or sharing of data collected by Smart Meters; and that this data will not be sold to private companies;
3) That BC Hydro provide the City with all locations of wireless smart meter “collector units” and “hubs”, information regarding the maximum number of smart meters in “smart meter banks” and data on radiofrequency emissions exposure (including all Message Types and all Transmission Frequencies per 24 hour period of radio frequency emissions), from smart meters, “collector units”, “hubs”, and multiple smart meter locations.
THAT the City of Port Moody report the concerns and health impacts raised by Port Moody residents regarding the wireless smart meters and wireless smart grid being installed by BC Hydro, as well as information from BC Hydro regarding the wireless smart meter “collector units”, “hubs” and multiple smart meter locations, to BC Chief Medical Officer and the Chief Medical Officer of Vancouver Coastal Health.
Councillor Glumac introduced the following Notice of Motion:
Councillor Glumac introduced the following Notice of Motion:
THAT Council submit the following resolution to the 2012 UBCM Convention:
WHEREAS no provincial legislation currently exists to require that municipalities be consulted when dangerous goods are transported by rail through urban areas, and
WHEREAS Section 36 of the community charter provides authority for city councils to regulate and prohibit in relation to all uses of or involving a highway, yet no such authority exists for rail transport, and
WHEREAS the cities of Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, and Vancouver have passed motions related to greater transparency related to dangerous goods.
BE IT RESOLVED THAT provincial requirements with respect to the transportation of dangerous goods be amended to include municipal consultation guidelines to ensure that residents living close to rail lines will be fully informed about dangerous goods transported near their homes.
9.1 Response Letters of Council
9.3 The following resolutions were released from the May 22, 2012 In-Camera Council meeting:
10. Public Input
Peter Dasniers, Port Moody, noted the proximity of the West Port Moody Property Owners group members to the various sky train stations and the proposed western station in terms of their interest in the western station. He also questioned the process for bringing this forward, suggesting that the developer should be bringing forward a development application. He also spoke to the options for development at the Andres site, noting it is in an industrial area which may not be suitable for residential development.
Terry House, Port Moody, suggested that all Port Moody residents have a vested interest in all things that go on in the city no matter where they live. He suggested the group is looking for steps to be taken to make provision for a future western station, rather than putting something into effect that precludes that in future.