The Strathcona Regional District is sending Cortes Island Regional Director Noba Anderson a letter advising of the SRD Board’s expectations regarding communications between Directors and Regional District staff.
Continue reading Director Anderson to be given notice of SRD Board’s expectationsTag Archives: Noba Anderson vs SRD
SRD Board undecided about legal action against Anderson
Cortes Island Director Noba Anderson violated an agreement that one of her land partners would communicate with staff regarding the subdivision of her property on Cortes Island, according to the Strathcona Regional District (SRD).
Anderson’s lawyer, Matthew Voell, pointed out that staff made a request, which Anderson acknowledged receipt of – that is not an agreement. He produced a long stream of emails demonstrating that staff repeatedly initiated the direct contacts with Anderson. Voell maintained that Anderson ‘communicated with Regional District staff in her personal capacity and not in her role as a director,’ used her personal email address, and ‘almost always copied her land partner Ms. Lovena Harvey.’
Continue reading SRD Board undecided about legal action against Anderson
SRD Contemplates Further Litigation Against Noba Anderson
In the Agenda published on Friday Jan 22, 2021 for the SRD meeting of Weds Jan 27th, 2021 can be found a couple of items of interest to Cortes Islanders. For item N.1 (Cortes Island Assent Voting Bylaws), all sub-items have been postponed indefinitely. But more dramatic developments are found in section M (Staff Reports) item 1, “Director Anderson — Insider Influence.”
Attached to Item M.1 is a staff report dated January 21st and signed by David Leitch, CAO, with several documentary attachments. The Board is requested to “consider the process for deciding whether to pursue allegations of insider influence in relation to Director Anderson‘s December 17, 2020 communication with a staff member as it pertains to a proposed subdivision of land co-owned by her and located on Cortes Island.”
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First Hearing of Anderson vs SRD
On January 12th and 13th 2021, the first hearing of BC Supreme Court case S15097, Anderson vs Strathcona Regional District, was held in Campbell River before Justice Geoffrey Gaul.
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SRD vs Anderson: Further Absurdity?
Director Noba Anderson’s legal challenge to what she claims is a history of consistently faulty process at SRD has elicited a response from SRD’s counsel. From Roy Hales’ recent coverage of the ongoing litigation:
Last month, the SRD’s lawyer, James H Goulden, filed a response in which he argued, “The Disqualification Petition is not a ‘claim, action or prosecution’ and was brought against Director Anderson in respect of the alleged receipt of gifts that were not in connection with the exercise of her powers or the intended exercise of her powers or, the performance, or intended performance of her duties or functions. The SRD is therefore not required to indemnify Director Anderson for the legal costs incurred.”
The SRD Board also censured Director Anderson for showing confidential documents to her lawyer, while seeking his legal advice.
According to the SRD’s Code of Conduct Bylaw, “information discussed or disclosed at closed meeting or the board” or marked as confidential “must not be disclosed or released to anyone.”
I find these responses quite interesting — actually, “gobsmacking” might be more accurate — and worth considering in more detail.
Continue reading SRD vs Anderson: Further Absurdity?