Tag Archives: Area A

Politics

Area C Director’s Report: Support Service Allocations

From the desk of Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney

Warm greetings to residents of the Discovery Islands and Mainland Inlets, where the annual tree frog choir has begun its serenade.

Support Service Cost Allocations

As you may have gathered from local media reports, the February Board meeting was a little unusual. During the February 19th Board meeting we got only to agenda item four, where we stalled for the remainder of the meeting. Item four was a report titled “Support Service Cost Allocations”.

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Development, Politics

Area C Director’s Report: the Strathcona Gardens storyline

From the desk of Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney

Hello, Here in the grip of winter, the lengthening daylight reminds us that spring is just around the corner.

The prospect of Area C property owners being tapped to pay tax in support of Strathcona Gardens is understandably causing alarm among many. Along with receiving a steady stream of emails in opposition, I’m also receiving questions about the possible costs and when we’ll know more, and the why of it all. I’ve been reporting as this has slowly unrolled over the last couple of years, and realize it may be helpful to provide a comprehensive snapshot of how we got to where we are and when we may know more: that’s what this Report attempts.

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Arts, Communications

Vancouver Island Regional Library explains 15% Budget Increase

The Vancouver Island Regional Library increased its operating budget for 2024 to $38 million. That is 15% more money than last year ($33 million).  Executive Director Brent Hyman explained that this increase is necessary because the library’s  previous management did not budget properly and more money is needed for wages, benefits and leases. He has been giving presentations to the library’s funding partners. He has already spoken in Victoria, Nanaimo, and some of the other regional districts. Six of the library’s 39 branches are in the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) and he gave a presentation at the SRD Board’s March 27th meeting. 

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Housing

SRD Receives Go Ahead To Establish a Regional Housing Service 

The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) received the go-ahead to establish a regional housing service and authorize loans of up to $10 million on an ‘as needed’ basis. While the SRD can raise funding for projects through property taxes, this money must be repaid once the projects start receiving rents.  

This matter was brought before the board at their January 24, 2024 meeting. 

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Politics

Mark Vonesch’s First Year In Office: Things ‘Accomplished’ and ‘In Process’

Mark Vonesch is very passionate about Cortes Island and his activities as Regional Director. If this were a video, rather than a radio broadcast, you would see this it in his facial expressions. There is a hint of this passion in the words he chose and the tone of his voice. 

Cortes Currents asked him for a recap of this past year and what to expect going forward into 2024.  

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