April 3 Council Notes: Conflict of Interest Bylaw, Committee Workplans/Recommendation, and Other Matters

Last night’s Langley City Council meeting started with a presentation from Lilianne Fuller, a Langley Field Naturalist member. She thanked Council for our ongoing support of their brochure program, which includes pictorial brochures about butterflies and birds in the Nicomekl Floodplain. She also noted that they will host the BC Nature AGM Conference from May 4-7.

Under BC legislation which came into effect in June 2022, local governments must consider adopting a new code of conduct or reviewing an existing code of conduct within six months of a local election. Langley City Council directed staff to develop a code of conduct in March 2022.

Last night, Council gave first, second and third reading to a Council Code of Conduct bylaw. The Code of Conduct outlines how Council members should act, including:

• Interactions with other members of Council, City staff, volunteers, the public and the media
• Conflicts of Interest
• Improper Influence
• The use of City resources, including branding during an election campaign or for a fundraising event
• Gifts
• Social Media

The Code of Conduct bylaw also includes two dispute resolution processes if a Council member believes another Council member has contravened the Code of Conduit bylaw. The first is an informal process, which is the preferred path. The second is a formal process which includes submitting a formal complaint, proceeding with an investigation, and, if an investigation determines that a Council member breached the Code of Conduit bylaw, applying a remedy.

Remedies range from reviewing the Code of Conduit bylaw with a member of Council to limiting a City Councillor from accessing certain City facilities.

Langley City, along with 25 other municipalities in the South Coast, participate in an inter-municipal business licencing system for ride-hailing companies. This system allows a ride-hailing company to get one business license for all participating municipalities. The District of Hope, the District of Kent, and the City of Mission are joining this system. As a result, Langley City Council gave first, second, and third readings to update our Inter-municipal Transportation Network Services Business Licence Bylaw.

Council approved the Arts, Recreation, Culture and Heritage Committee’s 2023 Work Plan. The work plan includes:

• Supporting a new mural at Rotary Park
• Installing signage about former railways through Langley City
• Starting an Artist in the Park program
• Hosting an open-mic night
• Supporting cultural displays as part of the “Voyaguers & Cie Heritage Picnic” at Michaud House and “Global Festival.”

Council also approved a request from the Crime Prevention Committee to ask the City’s Development Service Department “to investigate the feasibility of requiring target-hardening security measures as a standard requirement, as suggested by Canada Post, to deter mail theft for new multi-family development applications.” The investigation would come back to City Council for further action if required.

Council authorized the Langley City Fire Rescue Service to apply for a $30,000 grant from the UBCM’s Community Emergency Preparedness Fund. If the Fire Rescue Service successfully receives the grant, the Service will use the funds to help upgrade our Emergency Operation Centre. This upgrade is required because the Township of Langley recently terminated the joint Langley Emergency Program with the City.

Council approved the Director of Corporate Services to attend the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Annual International Conference in Portland, Oregon, from May 21 to 24 and the Deputy Director of Development Services & Economic Development to attend the Canadian Institute of Planners National Conference in Halifax from June 27 to 30.

Council approved Councillor Paul Albrecht’s request to seek re-election to First Vice-President on the Executive Board of the Lower Mainland Local Government Association (LMLGA) for the 2023-2024 term.

Council approved updating some wording on previously adopted motions correcting minor inconsistencies. The changes were for a motion to apply to the UBCM Poverty Reduction Planning and Action Stream 2 Funding and a motion submitted to Lower Mainland Local Government Association around Municipalities Asset Management Funding. Council also approved sending the Municipalities Asset Management Funding motion to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities for consideration at their September Board Meeting.