As 2021 enters its final months, Harrison Hot Springs councillors prepared for the new year.
During the Nov. 1 council meeting, village officials approved the 2022 calendar of regular council meetings.
With the exception of stat holidays and peak tourism season (during July, August and September), council meetings usually take place twice per month, every first and third Monday, at 7 p.m. January also has only one council meeting next year.
Since last spring, meetings have been held at Memorial Hall on Esplanade Avenue as the regular council chambers are too small to safely space all attendees out to avoid spreading COVID-19.
RELATED: Harrison Council approves funds for virtual council meetings, events
Village officials are in the process of bringing live Zoom accessibility back. During the Oct. 18 meeting, councillors unanimously approved using $6,000 from the COVID-19 restart grant funding to continue hosting hybrid electronic-live meetings at Memorial Hall. Part of the funding would be used to pay for a Zoom subscription that would allow for up to 5000 participants per meeting and would pay for security and storage of broadcasting equipment. The grant funding would also allow Memorial Hall to be used for future events produced by the Harrison Festival Society and Tourism Harrison River Valley.
With funding secure, one more step remains. During the Nov. 15 meeting, councillors will discuss and likely vote on amendments to a council procedure bylaw to update the technology provisions for regular and special council meetings, which opens the door for live Zoom access on a more indefinite basis. The bylaw amendment would allow for live, online meeting access beyond the requirements of meeting-related health orders set out by provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.
Meetings continue to be archived on the village’s YouTube channel, usually within two days of the meeting itself.
RELATED: Harrison Council approves Zoom meetings for council and public
In other council business, council appointed Coun. Gerry Palmer to the Fraser Valley Regional Library Board
Mayor Leo Facio acknowledged the death of Dr. Lachlan MacIntosh, who was a pillar of the community in a number of ways, including establishing Healthy Communities and supporting the Kent-Harrison Foundation.
“Lachlan was a real Scottish-style family doctor who always had time for you, never rushed you,” Facio said during his report. “He was very involved in the community in many ways. I can’t say enough what a generous, kind and what a wonderful doctor he was. It’s a tremendous loss to our communities.”
District of Kent Mayor Sylvia Pranger acknowledged MacIntosh’s death during the Oct. 25 council meeting in Agassiz.
The next regular council meeting is scheduled for Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. at Memorial Hall, located on Esplanade Avenue in Harrison.@adamEditor18
adam.louis@ ahobserver.com
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