Tag Archives: Mark Baker

Making room for Cortes, Quadra and other rural areas within the SRD

The Strathcona Regional District’s rural Directors often feel they do not have much input in Board decisions. The topic came up at the May 10 meeting, when the Board passed a resolution that staff prepare a report on methods to increase public consultation for regional services.’ A second resolution calls for a policy to have the Municipal Services Committee refer new services to the Electoral Areas Services Committee (EASC) for public consultation prior to a feasibility study.

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More questions than certainty about the April Point parkland

Fifteen years ago April Point Developments submitted a subdivision application for phase one of, what was at the time, a three-phase development proposal for a 134 acre parcel on Quadra Island. This application triggered a requirement that the developer dedicate close to 7 acres as parkland. The matter was thought to have been finally settled last summer, when the SRD Board accepted April Point’s parkland dedication offer – but the developer made some revisions. 

There were more questions than answers when this matter came before the SRD Board on May 10. 

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SRD moving forward with Regional Fire Service

The Strathcona Regional District is moving forward with adoption of a regional fire administration support service that would provide assistance to the various fire departments in the Regional District. 

There was little discussion and no opposing votes at the May 10th SRD Board meeting. 

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SRD considering a ‘shopping list’ approach for centralized fire service

The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) centralized fire administration support service may be a lot less controversial than expected. 

Regional Director Gerald Whalley, of Area A, was originally opposed to the idea of a centralized fire service. At the April 26 Board meeting he said,  “I have come to support this. I think it’s a good idea. I think it’s going to save us all money.”

Chair Mark Baker, who is also the Mayor of Sayward, added, “Just to let y’all know, I support this 100%.  However, I do have to bring this back to my council. I’ve discussed it with the CAO just here. But without having this information prior to our council meeting, that was a week ago. I do have to bring it back, but I do fully support it.”   

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How the EASC Committee is working together 

One of the biggest stories coming out of the SRD may be the way the new Electoral Areas Services Committee (EASC) seems to be working together. It has only been a little more than five months since the election, but the deep personal divisions that were so apparent in the previous EASC are not there, at least not yet. Cortes Currents asked our two local Discovery Island Directors about this.

Mark Vonesch, Regional Director of Cortes Island, said, “I wasn’t involved  in the last administration, but there is a lot of teamwork between the Rural Directors. We talk a lot. We don’t agree on everything, but we have relationships where we feel comfortable sharing our ideas and our thoughts and reflecting on each other’s ideas.  Generally there’s a lot of cohesiveness  and support  for getting things done in our own communities.”

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