Tag Archives: John Rice

Housing

SRD Staff Looking Into Temporary Occupancy Permits for Tiny Homes

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At their June 11 meeting, the Electoral Areas Service Committee (EASC) heard a staff report on tiny home initiatives in the Regional District of Nanaimo. This followed an ongoing discussion that began with a motion from Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney, of Area C, last November.

Director Mawhinney:“I noticed that in other regional districts, temporary use permits are being used for a variety of purposes—potentially to permit tiny homes as long-term temporary accommodation, if you want to call it that.

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Housing

Allegations that Rural Directors Bullied Area D; Who bullied who?

At the May 27 SRD Board Meeting, Mayor Kermit Dahl of Campbell River accused Regional Directors Mark Vonesch, Robyn Mawhinney and Gerald Whalley of bullying Regional Director John Rice:    

“For example, when Director Rice was outvoted on a development in Area D by three electoral area Directors who wanted to show him, ‘Stay in line or else we’ll show you.’ They could stop him from succeeding in moving Area D forward.”

This is not the first time Campbell River Directors have made this allegation.

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Politics

Mark Vonesch Removed; Susan Sinnott New Vice-Chair of the SRD

Mark Vonesch was removed from his position as Vice-Chair of the SRD through a non-confidence vote, and Campbell River Director Susan Sinnott was elected in his place.

The voting followed what is becoming a familiar pattern: the five Campbell River Directors and their allies voted to remove Vonesch, while the Directors from Gold River, Tahsis, and Electoral Areas A, B, and C supported him.

The Alleged Plot

The vote was preceded by a roughly two-hour in-camera session, after which Campbell River Mayor Kermit Dahl addressed the public meeting.

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Politics

Quadra is one step closer to paying for Strathcona Gardens

The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) voted 7-6* that Quadra Island taxpayers should also pay for the Strathcona Gardens Recreation facility. The proposed amount has been reduced to 80% of their property’s assessed value, and amounts to about $446 for the average property owner. This decision is to be ratified by a referendum of all Campbell River, Area D and Quadra residents at the next election.

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Politics

Campbell River’s Acropolis: Power, Politics and the Price of Strathcona Gardens

The Acropolis is now perceived as a pinnacle of human achievement, yet 2,500 years ago many Greek city-states viewed it as a monument to tyranny. The funding for monuments like the Parthenon, Erechtheion and the Temple of Athena Nike came from the Delian League—a coalition originally formed to resist the expanding Persian Empire. However there came a point when the Persian campaigns were more about the Athenian Empire than liberty. The traditional date for this transition is 454 BC, when the great Athenian statesman Pericles transferred the Delian League’s treasury from Delos to Athens. Plutarch described this as the moment the city lost its integrity and reputation. The funds raised to free Greek cities were instead used to adorn Athens with ‘costly statues and temples worth their millions.’ (Plutarch, Life of Pericles, 12.)   

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