Council approves request to send Water infrastructure planning to RFP process, but more information to come for public

City Council moved forward towards an RFP process for planning for the
City's Water Treatment project

Prince Rupert City Council approved a request to begin the process of seeking our Requests for Proposals for the City's next water infrastructure project, though the conversation from the Council Chamber called for continued transparency on how the process would move forward.

The item up for discussion was one that was Originally included as part of the consent agenda, for Tuesday's Council session  but was shifted over to the main Agenda at the start of the Tuesday session. ,  

The topic, as we outlined on Tuesday morning, was a Technical Memo related to the options ahead when it comes to the construction and operation of a Water Treatment Facility for the community.

The Conversation from Tuesday evening included a request for Council to approve taking the proposal to the RFP process. Mr. Pucci noting for the council membership that it was not a commitment to move forward, until Council was fully aware of what the proposal look like.  

But  rather that it was a way to move the process forward  and get to the next step and get more in-depth information related to the options.

"We are putting forward a recommendation to receive the report as well, but to direct staff to proceed to the RFP. 

So during the last little while we have gone through the RFEI, so it was an expression of interest and there was interest from proponents that are interested in our Water Treatment Project.

And the idea was that we would move forward with an RFP, the RFP is still a process where we would not be committing, or moving forward with anything until Council was fully aware of what the proposals look like.

But it is a procedure to get us to the next step,  to find out proposals and get a little bit more in-depth with the proponents and what the opportunities are.

So you have the memo that was requested by council, with recommendations.  

And then what staff would like is the opportunity to move forward with proposals and bring those proposals later review back to Council for a review." -- City of Prince Rupert Operations Director Richard Pucci

In follow up comments, Councillor Nick Adey noted of the past interest by a public advocacy group in the plans, and noted that it would be important that they have a chance to respond in some way to the detailed look at the advantages and disadvantages of the proposals. 

"Just reflecting on the experience that we had with this proposal that was a public advocacy group that was very interested in the directions that it suggested. 

So I don't have any objections to you know moving to next steps as it were, but I do think it would be important for us to identify a point at which those people who had concerns about the original idea have a chance to respond in some way to what is you know I think a very detailed look at the advantages and disadvantages of various options. 

Which is part of what I think is something that was being sought after, I do think that there may be an interest in the public in coming back for another discussion about those.

So, I guess my question is, if we move this forward and give you the direction to go to the RFP. Is there still within that process a point at which the public is going to have a chance to respond"  -- Councillor Nick Adey

In reply the Director did affirm that there would be opportunity and wold take the guidance of Council as to how to approach that. Mr Pucci also noted that the City would be posting a live infrastructure page that will answer a number of the questions posed previously by the group.

"Yes, this is still a non-binding process where we are truthing out and going through to find out a little bit narrower where this project can go and what the effects of it will be. 

I will say that we have taken that groups questions ... we were waiting to put that out live until after Council has received this memo.

So tomorrow, if we move forward with this, all the questions that were brought forward will be answered on an infrastructure page that will be ready to go live. I know that there were several questions and we have answered all of them fully. 

And again, yes we would not be committing anything at this point except moving forward with the proposal process. And we can take Council's direction on when to sit down with this group, or if and at what type of venue and how in depth. If it's during the process, before the process or after the process.

But again, this not a time where we're signing anything we are just narrowing the information gap that we have right now" -- City of Prince Rupert Operations Director Richard Pucci

Councillor Cunningham observed how the City and City council needs to be very transparent towards this process, noting of some misconception in the community towards the different elements of the project which has a range of varying degrees to it and how being transparent was key to getting it out to the public.

"I think we have to be very transparent on this, there's a lot of misconception out in the community about different things to do with this. 

And it's also a very involved project, with a lot of different varying degrees to it and I think that this is something we have to be very  transparent on and get it out to the community.  

So I mirror your comments exactly Nick" -- Councillor Barry Cunningham

Council then approved the motion to send the process to Request For Proposal stage.

You can review the full Technical Report that was provided for council on Tuesday as part of the Agenda Package, it can be found on page16.

The infrastructure page that Mr, Pucci referenced in his presentation can be found as part of the City's Rupert Talks initiative which you can access here.

The video of the discussion on the Water Report starts at the 25 minute mark

More notes on the proposed water treatment project can be explored through our archive page here.

A look a other themes from Tuesday's Council session can be reviewed here.