Tag Archives: Surge Narrows Community Association

Grants-in-Aid for Quadra ICAN and Surge Narrows Community Association Approved

Some of the SRD’s Campbell River Directors don’t believe not-for-profits should receive Grants-in-Aid for core operating expenses.   

At the Wednesday Nov 27 Strathcona Regional District (SRD) Board meeting, Director Susan Sinnot declared, “If not-for-profits are unable to get local support for their initiatives, then it’s not good practice that we be funding ongoing operating costs as a government body with forced taxpayer dollars. So I’m going to vote against this just because of the content of the request.”

The matter came up because Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney brought   forward two applications for assistance with 2025 insurance costs:

Continue reading Grants-in-Aid for Quadra ICAN and Surge Narrows Community Association Approved

Area C matters at the March 29 SRD Board Meeting

A number of Area C Initiatives were passed at the Wednesday March 29, 2023, Strathcona Regional District (SRD) Board Meeting. 

The only audio clip I am using in this broadcast comes from a segment dealing with Grants in Aid. Chair Mark Baker is speaking throughout most of it. He brings a levity to the board that I do not remember witnessing in four years of observing SRD meetings. You can hear an example in the podcast. There is usually some laughter, even if only for a few moments, in most meetings. As none of the directors had anything they wished to say, this segment is almost like a drum roll: “Discussion: All in favour? Opposed? Seeing none the motion is carried.” 

Continue reading Area C matters at the March 29 SRD Board Meeting

Mawhinney prepares to become Area C’s new Director

The inaugural meeting of the new Strathcona Regional District (SRD) Board occurs today. All of the incoming and re-elected Directors will be sworn in. Both of the two new Directors from our broadcast area, Mark Vonesch and Robyn Mawhinney, will be among them. Cortes Currents spoke to Mawhinney about her preparations to take office.  

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Why Mawhinney would set up an Advisory Council, rather than a Community Association, in Area C

Editors note: This debate over community Governance models is of interest to Cortes Island residents given our past discussions of a Community Association.

The two candidates running for Regional Director of Area C, in the October 15 election, appear to have very different visions of how to govern. Robyn Mawhinney explained:

“I’m very focused on creating a Community Advisory Council to support the Director’s decision making process, a community advisory council with a broad spectrum of community voices. The other candidate, Marc Doll, is really focused on using his directorship as an opportunity to build a Community Association from the ground up. I’d like to talk about the difference between a Community Association and an Advisory Council and why I think there is quite a big difference.” 

Continue reading Why Mawhinney would set up an Advisory Council, rather than a Community Association, in Area C

Taxes waived for Lot 302 on Read Island; a brief respite for Cortes Island

Both the Campbell River Mirror and National Observer reported how the tiny Surge Narrows Community Association (SNCA) purchased 20 acres on Read Island in 2019. 

“We just couldn’t bear to see yet another clearcut,” explained Read Island resident Lannie Keller. “It was a beautiful piece of treed land along the main road where people travel to get mail, to the school or the dock.”

Continue reading Taxes waived for Lot 302 on Read Island; a brief respite for Cortes Island