Qualicum Beach Coun. Scott Tanner is in hospital in Victoria after some kind of health incident— his wife Annette said Wednesday morning they were still waiting for test results.
"All I can say is we're in excellent hands, he's being taken care of really well and they're doing further tests," she said from Victoria General Hospital, adding they hoped to know more late Wednesday or early Thursday.
Mayor Teunis Westbroek mentioned Tanner's absence at the Sept. 29 council meeting saying only that he was in the hospital but was doing well.
• In his absence, the rest of Qualicum Beach council passed Tanner's motions instructing staff to provide options to discourage the use of helium-filled balloons at community events through a waste reduction policy and to report on options to increase recycling options at public functions.
Tanner had suggested that the environmental impact of non-biodegradable balloons has caused power outages and been ingested by marine life, leading to prohibitions in many U.S. states. Staff will report options back to council.
• Citing the dark, more out of the way feeling of the usual Christmas Tree light up location at the Qualicum Beach Community Hall on Memorial Avenue, council supported Coun. Mary Brouilette's motion for staff to provide options for a tree lighting in Glassford Square at town hall to kick off the moonlight madness event, "The Island's largest pyjama party" hosted by the QB Downtown Business Association on Thursday, November 20.
• Council passed first reading of Bylaw 695 which sets a $6.5 million maximum loan authorization for construction of the new fire hall under construction on Rupert Road. Financial administrator John Marsh pointed out there is no minimum and they will continue to seek grants and other ways to reduce the amount the town will have to borrow, which he doesn't expect they will have to do until the fall of 2015. The town expects to spend $2.5 million in 2014 and $3.75 million in 2015, with the early funds coming from five years of one percent property tax increases that started in 2013.
• Council referred a vote on a development variance permit for 623 Belyea Road to their Oct. 6 meeting to get options from staff on ensuring the hedge currently screening the accessory building remains in-place.
• In the absence of the corporate administrator, the chief administrative officer, Daniel Sailland and the deputy chief administrative officer, John Marsh will be assigned the responsibilities of the corporate administrator.
• Council passed two bylaws (692 and 693) exempting specific properties, including places of worship from taxation, and gave Bylaw 694 - Financial Plan 2015-2019 second reading.