Sechelt council gave three readings to a new trapping bylaw that will go to the provincial government for approval before final adoption. Coun. Doug Hockley opposed the move.
"I don't think this bylaw goes far enough. It allows First Nations and government employees and District of Sechelt employees to utilize leg hold traps within the District, and I'm totally opposed to that, so I will not be supporting this," Hockley said during the Nov. 6 council meeting, where the bylaw was considered.
Coun. Tom Lamb was absent; however, votes of the remaining councillors pushed the bylaw through three readings.
It will now be forwarded to the province for approval and come back to a future council meeting for fourth reading and final adoption.
Backlog
A flood of minutes from meetings dating back to the summer came before Sechelt council for receipt and endorsement on Nov. 6.
Councillors accepted five sets of minutes from the airport development advisory committee dating back to July 30 and four sets of minutes from the business development committee dating back to June 19.
Coun. Mike Shanks asked why all the minutes were coming to council so late.
"I believe this has been a matter of staff changing and different people being responsible and finally getting caught up," said Mayor John Henderson.
Airport
Coun. Alice Lutes questioned why no fire protection measures were spelled out for the airport in the marketing plan that council accepted as part of the airport meeting minutes.
She said other airports often have fire trucks "ready and waiting" on site and she was surprised there was no mention in the marketing plan.
Henderson said it would likely come forward in the business plan, and Coun. Chris Moore, chair of the airport advisory committee, noted the Sechelt fire department is "happy with their response time," to the airport.
"They're aware of the issues that can happen up there. Obviously with the expansion of the airport, and when that expansion occurs, they would have to look at some kind of an accelerated, enhanced protection program, right, but we're not going to get in front of that until that happens."
Arts Festival
Sechelt Arts Festival producer Nancy Cottingham Powell reported that the 2013 festival was a "huge success" despite a drop in attendance for the family day this year.
"So we were up a little over 100 [people] from last year. The only thing that was down this year was family day," Cottingham Powell said. "Two factors - it was an absolutely glorious October Sunday and I think everyone just went 'to heck with going inside, let's go play,' and the other thing was this was the first year that second weekend has been the weekend before Halloween."
