Your Executive Committee (EC) recently met to discuss the on-going issues facing all island property owners. While EC minutes will be posted online in the near future, a quick review of the action items includes:

PILTS

Please see attached letter from the federal government regarding their position. Rather than comment on the letter at this point, EC members have been working with provincial officials to prepare for the Judicial Review scheduled for spring 2010. Additionally members of the EC plan to meet with the staff of our MLA, The Honourable Murray Coell who continues to be very helpful on this issue. We will ask for his help to encourage our MP, Gary Lunn, to become an advocate for his constituents on this issue. To further support our claim, the CRD has submitted a request that the provincial action include all properties in the Gulf Islands National Park.

Roads

Again, we will ask Murray Coell's office to advocate for additional paving this coming summer. However, the Executive Committee remains concerned that Saturna will continue to be at the bottom of the list, especially because we got some paving last year. To better assess roads on the island, and before taking any new actions, your board would like to find a civil engineer (PEng) to review our roads to determine safety issues, as well as assess risk, in order to develop a credible benchmark. Ideally we'd like to find someone to do this as soon as possible. WE NEED Member's HELP to help us find a civil engineer who is willing to conduct this review. If you know someone who is a civil engineer, have ideas on who and/or where we might look, please reply as soon as possible.

Water Conservation at East Point

The Islands Trust has scheduled a Public Meeting to discuss the East Point By-Law for January 30, 2010. Time and location will be announced later. In the event you didn't see the By-law we previously posted, it is attached to this email. Stay tuned for other announcements from your Executive Committee about this issue. We encourage all members who have property at East Point to attend the Trust's Public Meeting. It is the only time the public will have input regarding the By-law before it is finalized!!

Health Services on Saturna

While the Ambulance Services and Fire Protection Society are beginning to integrate facilities, the administrative costs for our medical services continue to be a problem. We have asked the Health Committee to provide SIPOA with a 2010 update of the problems they face and their budget. Members of the Executive Committee will endeavour to work with the Health Committee to find creative options.

Fire Protection Society

Members will note our President has posted a notice highlighting the importance of the SIFPS special meeting scheduled for January 17th.

Any questions, please get back to us either by email or give any of us on the board a call.

Attachment(s) from Saturna Island Property Owners Association

2 of 2 File(s)

Gulf Islands DAP - Response to Province Dec 2009.doc
eastpoint bylaw.pdf

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