SATURNA ISLAND PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION
MINUTES OF DIRECTORS' MEETING

 

DATE HELD:      Saturday, March 24, 2012
LOCATION      Saturna Recreation and Cultural Centre
     Saturna, British Columbia

CALL TO ORDER:      1:05 p.m.

In attendance: Ellen Bourassa

Michael Fry
Ron Hall
Murray Rankin
Bill Schermbrucker
Susie Washington-Smyth

     Regrets: Susan Jamieson-McLarnon
     Ron Monk

     Guests:      Sheila Wallace
     Larry Page (late arrival)

 

1.0 Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 1:05 pm by President Murray Rankin
Guest Sheila Wallace was welcomed to the meeting.

2.0 Approval of Agenda

 

Additional items under New Business: date and speaker for AGM; also Economic development workshop.

 

Moved by Bill Schermbrucker, seconded by Susie Washington-Smyth that the agenda be approved as amended.      Carried

3.0 Approval of Previous Minutes (circulated by email)

 

Motion: Michael Fry moved approval of minutes of the November 12, 2011 meeting as circulated.      Carried.

4.0 Business Arising from November 2012 minutes

     4.01 Renaming of the organization

Following discussion and consideration of the suggestion to rename the organization as a Ratepayers Association it was agreed to retain the name Saturna Island Property Owners Association (SIPOA).

     4.02 Proposed pathway between Carefree Court and the Library

 

     Michael Fry has spoken with Pat Ropars regarding the suggested pathway between Carefree Court and the Library. At this point the Car Stop signage has taken priority. Pat will look into this possibility once time is available.

 

5.0 Committee Reports

5.01 Financial Report

 

Ron Hall has been managing financial matters while Ellen Bourassa was away. The financial report was circulated and discussed.

 

5.02 Membership

 

Dues renewals occur on December 31 each year. There are still 68 members with dues in arrears (~50%). Dues are $10 per year but it's worthwhile to encourage people to pay for 3 years at a time.

 

 

Membership and Marketing: Ron Hall and Susie Washington-Smyth have updated the membership lists comparing to tax roles. Murray volunteered to assist with a marketing campaign (Susie is doing an information brochure to new residents with notice of the AGM as well as an invitation to a meet and greet at the pub; suggested an open meeting at the pub to meet SIPOA Directors in summer after new directors are in place. The suggested date for this is August 11 at 2pm.

Actions: Michael will ask Ian Warren re availability of this date. Ellen and Ron will forward the updated membership list and mailing labels to Murray along with information and the brochure. Murray will arrange for distribution of the information to members. Susan Jamieson- McLarnon has indicated that she will draft a letter for distribution. Bill Schermbrucker will do a submission to the April Scribbler including details of the AGM, car stop program including a photo if possible and encouraging membership renewals and inviting new members.

 

 

 

 

6.0 Ongoing Business

     6.01 PILTS

 

Mr Art Chambers has reported that a senior federal official is coming to BC and will be meeting with Hillary on Tuesday. The issue relates to the different valuing between federals and provincial levels of government. If there is any good news to report Murray will contact Bill with possible information for the April Scribbler

 

6.02 Roads Update

 

Murray welcomed Larry Page to the meeting.

Mark Traverso is on leave until mid-October 2012. His replacement does not seem to be knowledgeable about the Harris Road issue. A follow-up letter ( Jan 24, 2012) following Mark's visit to Saturna seems to be a reversal of what had been discussed during his visit. In fact it states that the Ministry of Highways will not take responsibility for the road and may in fact close it if there are any issues of safety that arise. Sheila has copied both IslandsTrust representatives with both letters (Nov and Jan) Paul Brent has spoken to Robert Kugima of IslandsTrust and was told that IslandsTrust has no mandate or capacity for holding public right of way. Larry Page described the information he has collected regarding the "hand shake" agreement including those individuals who were present and witness to that agreement regarding the road access. At that time Harris Road was deemed compliant with the Ministry of Highways standards for Gulf Islands . Larry has a letter of agreement dated 1992 relating to the Gulf Islands roads standards. He has offered to put together a tight package with all the information relating to this issue (including the amount of provincial taxes paid by Saturna Beach strata residents and the vineyard) to take to the Minister of Highways. Murray Rankin, Larry Page and John Money or Tom Johnstone (witnesses to the "handshake" agreement) could then request a meeting with Minister Blair Lextrom. If there is no success from this dialogue SIPOA would request the individuals who witnessed the "hand shake" agreement to sign affidavits to add to the package and pursue legal action.

 

 

Motion: Moved by Bill Schermbrucker, seconded by Michael Fry that SIPOA should participate in a meeting with the Minister of Highways to discuss this issue.      Carried

 

 

Murray will attend on behalf of SIPOA. Susie will contact Murray Coell's assistant to set up the meeting with Minister Lextrom. Larry and Sheila offered to attend as well. Larry will send Susie dates of his availability and will submit a draft agenda for the discussion. Sheila will approach Jacques Campbell to inform her and determine their interests in this.

Larry left the meeting following this discussion.

 

6.03 Ferries Update

 

Rates are going up in the near future. This is a significant impediment to economic development in the Gulf Islands. This should be a political issue during the next BC election. Susie suggested that our Island Trust representatives take an advocacy role working representatives of other islands as well as SIPOA linking with other island rate payer groups and business groups. From the Economic Development workshop there may be some suggested actions as well. Susie will ask if the Ferries Advisory group might take this on. Also, Murray will ask Bernie Ziegler if he is interested in pursuing this issue.

 

 

6.04 Car Stop Program Update

 

As of yesterday 6 of the 8 signs were up. There is approx. $400 left      from the grant. This can be earmarked for public awareness promotion of the program. Joe Harris is willing to put the locations of car stops on the map in the Saturna Island in the Saturna Island Tourism Association brochure. Bill will include information and maybe a photo at one of the car stops in the Scribbler. Michael suggested a gift( bottle of Scotch) and thank you card to Pat Ropars for his work. Brochures of Pender and Mayne Islands were viewed for ideas of how the car stop information was included. Also discussed was how to evaluate the program.

 

     6.05 Netiquette issue

Susan Jamieson-McLarnon has offered to contact individuals who "reply all" (spam factor) to posted items and will explain the process for direct response to the person who posted the item. The directors enthusiastically thank Susan for offering to take on this issue.

 

7.0 New Business

     7.01 Economic Development workshop

 

This is scheduled for April 21 and 22 was a spin-off of the gas tax discussions and potential alternative ideas for the grant money. This initiative seems to have island wide representation.

 

 

7.02 Smart Meters

 

Smart meters are coming to Saturna. Is this a SIPOA issue? It was agreed that it is not.

7.3 Policing on the Gulf Islands

 

A public meeting will be held at Community Hall on Sunday, April 1 at 10 am. Dave Paton is pushing for an RCMP station on Mayne Island as able to give quicker response to Saturna.

7.4 CRD building inspection issue

 

 

Ron Hall described a situation in which a property owner planned to put a Nickel Brothers house on his property and had met all stated requirements then was later told of other requirements when a permit was requested. These additional requirements would be inordinately expensive so he abandoned the plan. This is an issue of building inspection inconsistency which comes up frequently. Murray and Ron will contact CRD Director David Howe, regard this issue.

7.5 SIPOA Annual General Meeting

 

Date chosen for the AGM is June 2 at the Recreation Centre lounge at 2pm.

Board Membership: Ellen Bourassa is leaving the board and Paul Brent has stepped down since being elected to Islands Trust. The nominations committee has identified Valerie McMillan who is willing to stand, Sheila Wallace will also consider standing. A notice will be posted requesting any others who are willing to stand. If others come forward an election will be held. If not, the two candidates will be elected by acclamation.

Speaker for AGM - Several suggestions were put forward: invite Murray Coell and/or perhaps Gary Holman, the NDP candidate to respond to some of our issues; possible follow-up speaker relating to economic development (Economic Development consultant who worked with Whistler); Parks Canada future plans; environmental issues; have a synopsis of the Economic Development workshop followed by the then Sustainable Communities person (Susie will get her name);

Other ideas, contact Murray. The goal is to have an interesting presentation which will attract members and potential members to attend the AGM.

 

 

 

 

 

8. Next Meeting

 

The next meeting will be the AGM on June 2 at 2pm at the Saturna Recreation Centre

9. Adjournment

 

Motion to adjourn by Ellen Bourassa, seconded by Michael Fry.      Carried