FRASER ROOM, 1027 ALDOUS STREET, SMITHERS, B.C., ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2008, AT 12:00 NOON.
Committee Members Present: Mark Bandstra, Chair Councillor Jo Ann Groves Councillor Cress Farrow Brian Atherton Colin Bruintjes Robin Curry Kelly Ehalt Bonnie McCreary George Whitehead.
Committee Members Excused: Mayor Jim Davidson
Ted Bobb Richard Norton.
Town of Smithers Staff Present:
Deborah Sargent, Chief Administrative Officer Susan Bassett, Director of Corporate Services Penny Goodacre, Recording Secretary. Public Present:
Heather Gallagher, Smithers and District Chamber of Commerce.
1. CALL TO ORDER
M. Bandstra, Vice-Chair, called the meeting to order (12:06 p.m.). 1A-1. SUPPLEMENTAL ITEMS
None.
2. DELEGATION
None.
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
3.a) Bruintjes/
THAT the minutes of the Economic Development Committee meeting held September 16, 2008, be adopted.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
Discussion:
5.a) from the minutes of the Economic Development Committee meeting held September 16, 2008
The Committee raised the issue of receiving time sensitive issues after the date and requested that the correspondence be circulated in a timely fashion.
6.b) from the minutes of the Economic Development Committee meeting held September 16, 2008
D. Sargent, Chief Administrative Officer, informed the Committee that the paving issues on the CN overpass has been resolved. The pavement in front of NEWPRO will be a 75ml thickness and the same pavement thickness will be placed on Dahlie Road.
4. BUSINESS ARISING FROM MINUTES AND REVIEW UNFINISHED BUSINESS
4.a) Review the “Unfinished Business List”:
The Committee reviewed and updated the “Unfinished Business List”. May 20, 2008 5.d) 2010 Commerce Centre:
Curry/
THAT the Committee request that the Town of Smithers reserve a trade show booth at the 2009 Minerals Roundup in Vancouver or ask to be placed on the wait list;
AND THAT the funds to be taken from the Economic Development Committee’s budget.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
February 19, 2008 4.a) Downtown Merchants Brainstorming Summary: Place the “Top 5 Priority” list on the December 16, 2008 Committee agenda. October 18, 2007 4.b) Top 5 Projects:
Place the “Top 5 Projects” list on the December 16, 2008 Committee agenda. 4.b) Draft Community Profile:
The Committee reviewed the revised draft the Town of Smithers Community Profile and will submit any typos to S. Bassett, Director of Corporate Services, by Monday, October 27, 2008.
The Committee discussed the possible placement of the completed Community Profile as a link on the following websites: a) Town of Smithers; b) Simply Exceptional; c) Smithers District Chamber of Commerce; d) local Realtor offices; e) D. Mackay, MLA Bulkley Valley-Stikine; and f) N. Cullen, MP Skeena-Bulkley Valley. As well as providing them with hard copies of the Profile.
Ehalt/
THAT the Committee investigate the costs of producing 100 disks and printing colour copies of the Community Profile to a maximum cost of $2,000, to come from the Economic Development Committee’s budget.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
THAT the Committee approve the Community Profile, October 2008 edition.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
5. REPORTS/CORRESPONDENCE – A ITEMS – ACTION
5.a) Northern Development Initiative Trust, Capital Investment and Training Rebate program information:
Whitehead/
THAT the Northern Development Initiative Trust, Capital Investment and Training Rebate program information, be received (6750-20).
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
Discussion:
The Committee discussed the Capital Industry Attraction Rebate that provides financial assistance directly to communities in northern British Columbia to hire appropriate resources to create jobs through industry attraction. Eligible use of the funds include, “travel for meeting with executives of companies identified within the Marketing Plan that have indicated they are currently ready to expand operations”.
The Committee requested that this item be placed on the follow-up list for future reference.
6. REPORTS/CORRESPONDENCE – B ITEMS – RECEIVE FOR INFORMATION
6.a) to 6.n)
Ehalt/
THAT the following correspondence be received for information:
a) Economic Development Committee budget for the period ending September 30, 2008.
b) Report DEV 08-0 dated, 2008, from M. Allen, Director of Development Services, providing the Development Services Department Report for August 2008 (4560-20).
c) Report ADM 08-0 dated , 2008, from K. Zacharias, Airport Manager, providing the Airport monthly report for August 2008 (8400-03).
d) Email dated September 9, 2008, from H. Gallagher, Smithers District Chamber of Commerce, regarding the Community and Business Awards Nomination forms (0230-20).
e) Email dated September 9, 2008, from J. Froese, Blue Pearl Mining Ltd., regarding the Open House being held on September 22, 2008 90510-20).
f) Letter dated August 27, 2008, from A. Groulx, Hull-Chelsea-Wakefield Steam Train, regarding economic development opportunity with a train for sale (0360-20).
g) Email dated September 18, 2008, from N. MacRae, Sherwood Copper Corp., regarding the Minto Mine (5280-18).
h) Email dated September 19, 2008, from NovaGold, regarding Rock Creek Mine in Nome, Alaska (5280-18).
i) Email dated September 23, 2008, from Commerce Resource Corp, regarding Blue River Tantalum-Niobium Project (5280-18).
j) Email dated September 23, 2008, from NovaGold, regarding TSX Listed Warrants (5280-18).
k) Letter dated September 16, 2008, from Blue Pearl Mining Ltd., inviting K. Ehalt, EDC member, to join the Blue Pearl Community Advisory Panel (0510-20).
l) Email dated September 30, 2008, from K. Borden, NDI, regarding the BC Business Advantage Program (6750-20).
m) Email dated October 7, 2008, from T. Bobb, Chair, Economic Development Committee, providing the EDC’s comments to A. Walker, Planner, regarding the Official Community Plan.
n)
Northwest Economic Development Course, held August 17 to 22, 2008, in Ellensburg, Washington, attended by D. Sargent, Chief Administrative Officer.CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
6.k) Blue Pearl Community Advisory Panel:
R. Curry stated she would contact Blue Pearl Mining Ltd. to request a list of their Blue Pearl Community Advisory Panel membership.
6.m) Official Community Plan:
D. Sargent stated that there is still time to make comments regarding the draft Official Community Plan and that there will be an Open House on Saturday, October 25, 2008 at the Old Church from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. She added that the new Council would be adopting the final draft in the new year.
6.n) Northwest Economic Development Course:
D. Sargent informed the Committee of the Northwest Economic Development Course that she attended in August. She stated she has many informative handouts and publications available for the Committee to review.
The Committee suggested that the yet to be created Economic Development Officer attend the conference next year.
7. SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA ITEMS APPROVED FOR DISCUSSION
None.
8.a) Reversing the Tide Conference:
Both M. Bandstra and B. Atherton attended the Reversing the Tide Conference in Prince George on behalf of the Committee. B. Atherton will provide a written report to the Committee for the next agenda.
8.b) Economic Development Office:
The Committee discussed how their presentation to Council went on October 14, 2008, regarding the Boomtown to Sustainable Town and Council’s decision to table the report until January 2009.
Curry/
THAT the Committee proceed with the investigation of a structure for an Economic Development Office;
AND THAT the Committee meet on Wednesday, November 5, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. in the NEWPRO Room to discuss, no recording secretary is required.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
9. NEXT MEETINGS
A Special Meeting of the Economic Development Committee is scheduled for Wednesday, November 5, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. in the NEWPRO Room.
The next Regular Economic Development Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 18, 2008 at noon in the West Fraser Room.
10. ADJOURNMENT
Curry/
THAT the meeting be adjourned (1:22 p.m.).
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
________________________________ ______________________________________ Mark Bandstra, Chairperson Penny Goodacre
Economic Development Committee Recording Secretary
DS/plg
Certified a True and Correct Copy of the
Minutes of the Economic Development Committee Meeting held on Tuesday,
October 21, 2008, in the West Fraser Room, 1027 Aldous Street, Smithers, B.C.
___________________________________
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
FOLLOW-UP OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE HELD OCTOBER 21, 2008
3.a) Minutes of Economic Development Committee Meeting:
Get the minutes of the Economic Development Committee meeting held
September 16, 2008, signed. Penny√
4.a) 2010 Commerce Centre:
Booking space to promote Smithers at the Minerals Roundup in January 2009.
Downtown Merchants Brainstorming Summary:
Place the “Top 5 Priority” list on the December 16, 2008, Committee agenda.
Top 5 Projects:
Place the Top 5 Projects on the December 16, 2008, Committee agenda.
Deborah√
Penny
Penny
4.b) Draft Community Profile:
Investigate the costs of producing 100 disks and printing colour copies of the Community Profile to a maximum cost of $2,000, to come from the Economic Development Committee’s budget.
Susan√
5.a) Northern Development Initiative Trust, Capital Investment and Training Rebate program information:
Placed on the follow-up for future reference. 6.k) Blue Pearl Community Advisory Panel:
Contact Blue Pearl Mining Ltd. to request a list of their Blue Pearl
Community Advisory Panel membership. Robin
8.a) Reversing the Tide Conference:
Provide a written report to the Committee for the next agenda. Brian√ 8.b) Economic Development Office:
Investigate the structure for an Economic Development Office.
Meet on Wednesday, November 5, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. in the NEWPRO Room to discuss, no recording secretary is required.
Committee√ Committee√
