SRD sent four representatives to Cortes island by water taxi on June 6th to conduct a community consultation meeting on two tax service referenda: the long-delayed and controversial hall tax, and the first-responders training tax. Present at the meeting from SRD were: Chair Michele Babchuk, CAO David Leitch, Tom Yates (Senior Manager), and Aniko Nelson [Parks and Planning Manager]. Present at the meeting from Cortes were approximately 80 community members.
Continue reading Cortes Community Consultation Meeting On Tax Service ReferendaTag Archives: David Leitch
Cannabis & FOCI – The EASC Meeting of July 24, 2019
By Roy L Hales
While a couple of Director Anderson’s actions contributed to the confusion, she was almost invariably on the receiving end of the abuse. The July 24th Electoral Area Service Committee (EASC) meeting was plagued by confusion, misunderstandings and misguided allegations. The principle Cortes topics were cannabis & a FOCI Grant-in-Aid application, but the responses to a report on the BC Rural Economic Forum may provide more insight into how EASC functions .
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Thank-you Strathcona Regional District Board & Staff
By Roy L Hales
Over the past few months I’ve focused on some of Cortes island’s problems with the Strathcona Regional District. There are times this is needed, but even if my reporting is 100% accurate the resulting impression is inherently flawed because there is always much more to the story than problems. I’ve seen much in the Strathcona Regional District Board that deserves respect.
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Cortes Delegations Address The Strathcona Regional District Board (Part 2)
By Roy L Hales
The Southern Cortes Community Association presentation was next. Though we have exchanged emails, Julian Ayers and I have never met and I didn’t think to have someone point him out to me. Nor I did not tell him that the little black device on the lectern, that looks virtually identical to a remote, was actually my recorder. Consequently, you will hear a lot of paper shuffling throughout this presentation.
Continue reading Cortes Delegations Address The Strathcona Regional District Board (Part 2)
Cortes delegations address the Strathcona Regional District Board (Part 1)
By Roy L Hales
The Boardroom was not large enough to contain us. We spilled out into the hallway. The final count was 36 Cortes residents, all but six of whom are known to support a hall tax to supply core funding for the island’s two community halls. The trip to Campbell River consumed the better part of our days. Collectively speaking, we spent about $1,000 in gas and ferry charges to get there. It was worth it. We came to hear two Cortes delegations address the Strathcona Regional District Board on Feb 28, 2019.
Continue reading Cortes delegations address the Strathcona Regional District Board (Part 1)