Strathcona Regional District (SRD) staff finally unveiled their proposed revisions to the Grant in Aid policy two months ago. All four regional directors voiced objections. Noba Anderson pointed out the changes would prevent most Cortes Island organizations from applying. Brenda Leigh protested, “This policy interferes with my ability to run my grant program in Area D.” Jim Abram added, “You can’t ask a group that has no money to go out and get an audited statement.” Gerald Whalley suggested the SRD Board refer the proposed Grant in Aid policy to the Electoral Areas Services Committee (EASC) for a recommendation.
Continue reading The Electoral Areas Services Committee Discuses Grant In Aid PolicyCategory Archives: Politics
Hoskyn Channel Landing
Hoskyn Channel is the body of water separating Read and Quadra Islands. It is named after Richard Hoskyn, a Royal Navy officer who retired in 1867. In 1999, a group of about ten families and Marine Harvest purchased a net cleaning barge-float for $2,850. Five years later, Regional Director Jim Abram secured a lease on the 0.8 acre Quadra Island dock site. The SRD provided $10,000 to have a ramp built, but the work was done by volunteers. On November 15, 2019, Paul Grey, President of BC Marine Trails (BCMT) informed the SRD “the Hoskyn Channel Launch is steep and requires a four-wheel drive.”
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Some Items of Interest At the May 13th SRD Board Meeting
The Strathcona Regional District finally posted the recording of their May 13th SRD Board Meeting late in the afternoon of the 21st. Given the lack of interest most of their constituents show for local politics, this is understandable. However the minutes of their meeting are little more than a record of votes and links to (far more valuable) attachments. There were several items of interest to Cortes, Read and Quadra Island residents.
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Financial Impacts of COVID 19 on Cortes, Quadra & Other Electoral Areas
While only two projects have been cancelled so far, a significant number are on hold. Strathcona Regional District staff are monitoring the financial situation closely. Their preliminary report on the financial impacts of COVID 19 within the electoral areas suggests there will be a budget surplus “primarily due to staff vacancies, layoffs, and related travel and training costs.
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April 29th SRD Board Meeting: Decision To Go Public
The Strathcona Regional District is becoming more proficient at recording their meetings. Their second YouTube recording starts close to the very beginning of the meeting and is consequently twenty-one minutes longer. The most pertinent item at the April 29th meeting, for Cortes and Quadra residents, was the SRD board’s decision to go public.
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