January 12, 2026 Council Meeting — Key Takeaways (Website Summary)
Meeting basics
Council approved the agenda, adopted previous minutes, received correspondence, and moved through routine business with no public hearing.
Minutes and public record transparency
Council discussed whether to add more detail to meeting minutes—especially documenting councillor liaison work and including a summary of public questions and answers. Staff explained practices vary by municipality and that council could choose to add more detail, but privacy concerns were raised about recording names.
Wastewater and storm-event impacts
Council discussed recent high-rainfall “atmospheric river” events and wastewater flows. One councillor stated he was told recent discharge exceedances involved treated water, but higher volumes during storm events. Logging on nearby mountains was raised as a concern for runoff and wildfire risk. The Mayor noted prior correspondence with BC Timber Sales and said staff are working with MOTI and residents on flooding issues.
Major decision: Fire Department interior operations
Council unanimously supported moving the Harrison Hot Springs Fire Department’s formal designation from exterior to interior operations. Staff were directed to:
Draft updates to Fire Department Regulation Bylaw No. 1031 (2013) to reflect the interior-operations designation; and
Review and update the mutual aid agreement with the Agassiz Fire Department.
Fire leadership explained interior operations require training standards, “two-in/two-out” staffing rules at structure fires, and improved building pre-plans—especially as the village adds larger/more complex buildings.
2026 election administration appointments
Council appointed Amanda Graham as Chief Election Officer for the 2026 general local election, with Christy Evans and Kelly Ridley as deputy chief election officers.
CAO quarterly update and FOI discussion
The CAO delivered a Q4 2025 operations update and stated that FOI requests require significant staff time and cost. The Mayor provided a detailed explanation of why FOI requests can take longer than general information questions, citing record searches, review, redactions, and third-party privacy steps.
Public input: FOI concerns raised
During Question Period, residents (including Gary Webster and John Allen) challenged the framing of FOIs as a “burden,” arguing that strong proactive disclosure and good records management reduce FOI workload and that FOI processes can feel obstructive. The Mayor disagreed, stating the Village complies with legislation and must protect privacy.
Next steps to watch
Draft bylaw changes for Fire Department interior-operations designation
Mutual aid agreement review with Agassiz
Any council decision on more detailed meeting minutes and public question summaries
Follow-up on forestry/runoff concerns and stormwater/wastewater planning updates