Posted on: March 1, 2017
Council Highlightssmík’ʷtən (December) 19, 2016, spáqtan (January) 23 and 30 and sknir’mn (February) 14, 2017
yi səxʷḱʷinaʔməm (Council) approved a revised Terms of Reference for the siyaʔ Celebration. The main revision to the terms was making the Owner of Primary Responsibility the Sncəwips Heritage Museum which simply means that the Museum will now oversee the establishment and work of the Committee that plans the event. For more information, please contact Jordan Coble, Sncəwips Operations & Cultural Administrator, at 778-755-2787 or jcoble@wfn.ca.
Representatives from the John Howard Society of Central and South Okanagan met with Council to provide an overview of its restorative justice system that is now in its 11th year of operation. Representatives expressed their willingness to support WFN in establishing a restorative justice program if that is something WFN wished to do.
yi səxʷḱʷinaʔməm receive an update from the Allotment Commission. The Commission is always looking for ways to improve the allotment process as well as for ways to help educate Members in home ownership. The Allotment Commission is preparing to allot a home on Falcon Lane that was allotted but then declined. For more information on the Allotment Commission, please contact Llana Teichroeb, Chair of the Commission, at llanateichroeb@yahoo.ca.
yi səxʷḱʷinaʔməm gave Stage 1 Conceptual Development Plan Approval for Lot 25-9 Plan 3836R RSBC and Lot 25-10-2 Plan 3918R RSBC, located on Cougar Road, Tsinstikeptum Indian Reserve No. 9. The development plan included an amendment of the zoning designation from Single Family Medium Density to Single Family High Density. The applicant, who is a WFN Member, wishes to develop the properties into a small lot single family development, with the lot sizes being of a similar size to those in the neighbouring Sage Creek development.
yi səxʷḱʷinaʔməm approved the Development Plan for the Spland Road Townhomes development located on Tsinstikeptum Indian Reserve No. 10. The developer wishes to construct a 69-unit townhouse development.
yi səxʷḱʷinaʔməm approved the Development Plan for Lot 270-9 Plan 94956 CLSR, Tsinstikeptum Indian Reserve No. 10. The property, which is located on Lindley Road, is owned by a WFN Member who wishes to construct a cabin and connect to the existing sanitary sewer which terminates on the adjacent property.
yi səxʷḱʷinaʔməm gave initial consideration to a temporary use permit for Lot 194-2 Plan 76195 CLSR located off Westside Road for a concrete recycling (crushing) operation. The temporary use permit would be valid for 1 year and could be renewed for an additional 1 year term.
yi səxʷḱʷinaʔməm gave final approval to an amendment of the land use designation and zoning for the properties described within Neighbourhood Plan 10-6 which encompasses the lands in the area from Horizon Drive and Westside Road to the Okanagan Lake Bridge. Areas identified for neighbourhood planning are typically larger tracts of undeveloped land where significant levels of development are anticipated. Neighbourhood Plan 10-6 consists of an area of around 19 hectares in size. The lands were redesignated from strictly medium density to low and medium density and rezoned from multi-family low density to multi-family residential medium density and planned unit development.
For more information on the above developments, please contact Graeme Dimmick, Senior Planner, at 250-769-4999 or gdimmick@wfn.ca.
yi səxʷḱʷinaʔməm approved the Stage 2 Development Permit and Servicing Agreement for Phase 4 of the Tesoro Arca development located off of Cougar Road on Tsinstikeptum Indian Reserve No. 9. The development currently consists of 52 multi-family units. Phase 4 consists of an additional 6 units. An a-dditional 17 units remain before project completion. For more information on this development, please contact Jayden Riley, Planner, at 250-769-4999 or jriley@wfn.ca.
yi səxʷḱʷinaʔməm approved the use of a 4 acre parcel at the end of Red Cloud Way on Tsinstikeptum Indian Reserve No. 9 for a Heavy Equipment Operator Training Program offered in partnership with Velocity Training Canada Inc. and the Southern Interior Construction Association. The program started on spáqtan (January) 16, 2017 and will run for 18 weeks. For more information on this program, please contact Raf De Guevara, səxʷtəɬm iʔ l scənq’aʔils (Manager of Inter-Governmental Affairs), at 250-769-4999 or rdeguevara@wfn.ca.
yi səxʷḱʷinaʔməm approved the lease of a 2017 compact wheel loader in the amount of no more than $120,000 over a 5 year period. The reason for the lease is to replace an again tractor and bobcat skid steer to improve the safety and efficiency of equipment operations within Public Works. Leasing, rather than purchasing, will help lessen the impact on the capital budget and free up funds to replace other equipment that needs replacing. For more information on this lease, please contact Loretta Ghostkeeper, Manager of Engineering, at 250-769-4999 or lghostkeeper@wfn.ca.
In response to the request from səxʷk’ʷinaʔmam Eli to step down from serving as Council representative to the Elders Group, səxʷk’ʷinaʔmam Derickson was appointed to replace him. səxʷk’ʷinaʔmam Alexander will serve as the alternate representative.
yi səxʷḱʷinaʔməm gave First Reading to the proposed amendments to the Advisory Council Law. A Special Membership meeting will be scheduled to review the amendments. For more information on the amendments, please contact Della Elliott, Legal Services Supervisor, at 250-769-4999 or delliott@wfn.ca.
yi səxʷḱʷinaʔməm also gave First Reading to WFN Russell Building Lower Floor Renovation Capital Expenditure Bylaw No. 17-TX-01 for the expenditure of up to $60,000 for the required upgrades to the basement of the Russell Building to accommodate needed office space for Public Works. For more information on these upgrades, please contact Lori Ann Swite, Superintendant of Property Management, at 250-769-4999 or laswite@wfn.ca.
In June 2016, the B.C. Government invested $7.5 million to support youth who are at risk of substance-use and mental health concerns by establishing a new Integrated Youth Services Initiative. Kelowna was chosen to be the home of 1 of the 5 sites to be located throughout the province. This centre, named the Foundry, will provide a network of health services for youth and families. In response to the request for WFN representatives to sit on the Canadian Mental Health Association’s B.C. Integrated Youth Services Initiative for the Foundry, yi səxʷḱʷinaʔməm made the following appointments:
- səxʷk’ʷinaʔmam Derickson to the Leadership Advisory Council; and
- Janessa Collins, Wellness Mentor, to the Clinical Advisory Council.
yi səxʷḱʷinaʔməm met with the School District No. 23’s (“SD23”) Board of Education and other representatives to get acquainted and receive an update on how things are going with WFN’s students. SD representatives informed Council that WFN students have a 100% graduation rate with all graduating with their Dogwood certificate which means that they have everything they need to qualify for a university education.
yi səxʷḱʷinaʔməm received an update on Whiplash Cable Wake Park when the Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of the waterpark attended Council to present them with an aboriginal-design wakeboard that will be displayed at the new Youth Centre in appreciation for the opportunity to use WFN lands for the wakeboard park. Over the past 5 years, the wakeboard park has catered to riders ranging in age from 2 to 78. This past year they celebrated their 10,000th rider. With some of the most world-class ramps and obstacles, Whiplash Cable Wake Park is credited with being one of the chief cable wake parks in the world. This past year they were approached by the International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation regarding hosting national and international events which the CEO envisions would bring a significant amount of business and television coverage to the area, especially in light of wakeboarding becoming a new sport in the 2020 Olympics. For more information on the Cable Wake Park, please contact Conrad Wiker, CEO, at 250-878-9090 or conradwiker@gmail.com.
yi səxʷḱʷinaʔməm received a presentation from a group of students from Mount Boucherie Secondary School’s (“MBSS”) Student Voice Club on the results of the City of West Kelowna’s Mayor’s Youth Forum. Around 75 people, including the Mayor, a City Councillor, and representatives from transit, police, and fire, attended the forum and voted on the importance of addressing various issues. Some of the issues that were identified as great importance to address included culture, safety (especially lighting) and emotional support (such as a wrap-around mental health centre). For more information on the Student Voice Club or the Mayor’s Youth Forum, please contact MBSS Teacher Tom Harbour.
yi səxʷḱʷinaʔməm received a presentation from the Chief Negotiator for the Okanagan Nation Alliance on a couple of revenue sharing models to support the Syilx Okanagan Nation Decision-Making Protocol regarding the distribution of nation benefits. The models were collectively developed by the Chiefs Executive Council for further discussion by each member band’s Council and community. Council reviewed the two models that were narrowed down from many more and agreed to support them in principle as long as there was a mechanism to revisit them if it became apparent that there were insufficiencies with them once implemented. Further discussion on the models will take place at the next Chiefs Executive Council meeting.