SATURNA ISLAND PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

DATE HELD: Sunday, 23 May 2010

LOCATION: Saturna Island Community Hall

Saturna, British Columbia

CALL TO ORDER: 1:10 p.m.

Board Members

Bernie Ziegler President

Present: Murray Rankin Vice-President

Ellen Bourassa Treasurer

Marilyn Sewell Secretary

Susie Washington-Smyth

Susan Jamieson-Mclarnon

Ron Monk

Bill Schermbrucker

1. CALL TO ORDER:

The meeting was called to order at 1:10p.m. SIPOA President, Bernie Ziegler, chaired the meeting and welcomed everyone to the Annual General Meeting of SIPOA and reviewed the agenda. A quorum of members was present.

2. PREVIOUS MINUTES:

MOVED (Ellen Bourassa/Murray Rankin)

That the minutes of the Annual General Meeting of 2008 be approved.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

 

 

3. GUEST SPEAKER: ELIZABETH MAY, LEADER OF THE GREEN PARTY AND CANDIDATE FOR SAANICH AND THE GULF ISLANDS.

Murray Rankin introduced our keynote speaker, Elizabeth May. Although Ms. May started her speech, Bill Schermbrucker interrupted on a point of order stating that notice had been given to the community that she was to speak at 1:30. It was agreed to continue with our meeting and reintroduce Ms. May at 1:30.

4. PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Please see Appendix One.

5. FINANCIAL REPORT

Please see Appendix Two.

6. REPORT ON PILTS:

Susie Washington-Smyth reported that on March 31, 2010 a meeting was held between SIPOA and officals from the offices of Murray Coell, MLA and Gary Lunn, MP. Susie outlined that 50% of the Saturna land base is in the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve. A total of $208,000 was billed to the federal government but only $36,000 was paid in the form of PILTS. The province has requested a review of payments but no hearing has been scheduled. The Dispute Advisory Panel expires in June 2010 and nothing to further our request for a hearing can be done until the Advisory Panel is seated and empowered to take action. Bernie Ziegler pointed out that all Gulf Islands are impacted by the PILTS issue and that the CRD and the Islands Trust fully supports our efforts to have the Federal Government reimburse local governments more equitably for federal park lands. Murray Rankin has been designated as SIPOA’s contact person for this file and will keep members informed of future developments.

7. ROADS:

Susie Washington-Smyth reported on the state of our roads. Improvements were made last summer but only 7 kilometres of road were paved although promises were made by the Ministry of Transportation that it would be 10 kilometres. It appears that MOT plays one island off against another with respect to road repairs to “keep all islands happy” while not completing one repair to a minimum standard. Further, research suggests that the Ministry does not hold Main roads accountable for their work (or lack of it). Not much more in terms of paving is likely to happen this summer. Saturna may get another 250 yards of paving and some cold mix but that is all. Susie reiterated that SIPOA will keep asking MOT to address the condition of Harris Road and the safety of vehicular traffic, pedestrians and cyclists on all our roads. Sadly, the attitude on the part of Parks Canada is that it is not their responsibility to upgrade or maintain roads on the island, even though the National Park brings additional drivers on the roads.

8. GUEST SPEAKER: ELIZABETH MAY

At 1:30 Murray Rankin re-introduced Elizabeth May as our guest speaker. These minutes will not outline her many accomplishments but members are encouraged to go to her website for further information.

Ms. May indicated that her primary objective was to speak to issues that affected us as Gulf Islanders. Regarding Parks Canada she mentioned the ongoing issues regarding taxation equity, the impact on roads and other services. On the issue of PILTS she informed us that Gander Nfld. has a very similar issue with the Federal Government regarding Department of National Defence Lands. Ms. May told the gathering that she will be attending an upcoming meeting of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities in the near future. As there may be other municipalities with similar problems she will put PILTS on the agenda and try to get those municipalities who share this problem to band together on this issue. Ms. May also spoke about the proposed testing for the American owned Fast Ferry scheduled this summer in Plumper Sound. She is in contact with federal officials regarding this matter and was encouraged by Minister Lunn’s letter against this initiative. She also touched on the need for better water and energy conservation. Her remarks were followed by a short question and answer format.

9. REPORT ON WATER CONSERVATION:

Susie Washington-Smyth reported that 20 home owners have signed up to purchase low flush toilets in response to SIPOA’s water conservation initiative. On behalf of SIPOA’s executive she also expressed disappointment in the water conservation by-law because it does not address the existing problem of too many people using the aquifer. She suggested the board would like to reach out to our members to ask how islanders can conserve more water. Several members encouraged the board to continue to explore initiatives in this regard.

10. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS:

Three positions were open and three nominations were received. As there were no nominations from the floor, Susan Jamieson-Mclarnon, Ron Hall and Brian Dixon were elected by acclamation.

The new board now consists of:

Murray Rankin President

Ron Monk Vice-President

Ellen Bourassa Treasurer

Susan Jamieson-McLarnon Recording and Correspondence Secretary

Bernie Ziegler Past President

Susie Washington-Smyth

Bill Schermbrucker

Ron Hall

Brian Dixon

As the new President of SIPOA, Murray Rankin then took over as Chair of the meeting.

11. MEMBERSHIP POLL:

Ellen Bourassa reported on the Membership Poll undertaken by SIPOA. Although there are 190 members of SIPOA the poll only received 23 responses. The areas most identified as being of importance were:

1. Fire/Emergency Services

2. Transportation/ Ferries

3. PILTS

4. Water Conservation

5. Health Services

It was noted that these are areas in which SIPOA is already actively involved and little new input was received.

12. HEALTH CARE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES FINANCING:

Murray Rankin reported that construction of the Emergency Services buildings is now underway. Bill Shermbrucker reported that Emergency Services is now part of the Fire Protection society and also that he has spoken to John Savage regarding ways that health services can be better financed on Saturna. A small group has been created to start brainstorming on how to increase funding for health services. He acknowledged that SIPOA has nominated Ron Monk and Murray Rankin to participate and indicated that in the fall the group would begin work.

13. ADJOURNMENT

MOVED (Ron Monk)

There being no further business the meeting concluded at 2:30 p.m.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

 

 

___________________________ ___________________________

Bernhard Ziegler Marilyn Sewell

President Secretary

 

---

APPENDIX ONE

President’s Report

SIPOA has continued to work this past year on the four top issues of concern to our members, as expressed in last year’s membership poll. They are: Roads, PILTS, Water Conservation and Health Care. Other members of your board will delve into these subjects in greater detail, but here are the highlights.

We have had a lengthy trail of conversations and correspondence with both the Minister of Transport and Mainroads, the company which holds the contract to fix our roads. Mainroads has not lived up to the terms of its contract with the Province and the Province has not forced them to live up to their contract. We have turned to the provincial Ombudsperson to take up our cause and to force the Minister of Transport to insist that Mainroads do the job for which they contracted and to actually spend the money allocated by the Province for Saturna on our island.

We have met with our MLA and MP to urge them to support our drive to have the federal government pay a fair share in lieu of taxes for the land which comprises the Gulf Island National Park Reserve. The Province is backing us and the issue has been deferred to an arbitration panel, but as of yet no date for a hearing. We pointed out to them that if they do not pay a fair share, the other property owners on Saturna have to shoulder the burden, as is the case at present and that as a result the Province is shortchanged to the tune of $ 850,000 annually. Last year the federal government paid less than $77,000 in lieu of taxes to the province.

We have had partial success in our efforts at water conservation. The Islands Trust has enacted a by-law on water conservation on East Point. However, it only addresses new construction. Your board initiated an effort to get islanders to switch to low-flow toilets, by offering a $50 premium toward the purchase of a low-flush toilet. Twenty islanders have taken up our offer. We will continue to look at ways to help conserve this precious resource.

Two of your board members have joined representatives from the Saturna Community Club and the Saturna Island Fire Protection Society to try to find a solution to the insufficient funding for health care on Saturna. Currently, the Community Club finances the annual financial shortfall of the Saturna Medical Clinic through the July 1^st Lamb Barbecue to the tune of more than $15,000. We are looking for ways to either get VIHA to fully fund our clinic or to find alternative ways on the island to raise the money necessary to run our clinic properly.

Finally, I want to thank the other board members for their support over the past year and especially Marilyn Sewell, who is leaving your board. She kept us all informed as our Recording Secretary and presented us with timely and accurate minutes of our meetings. I am looking forward to working closely with the next president of SIPOA.

Thank you.

 

---

Appendix Two

SIPOA TREASURER’S REPORT

AGM

23 MAY 2010

1. Financial Report to April 30, 2010

 

Date	Bal Forward	Deposits	Interest	Withdrawals*	Balance
01 May 09	$5785.51
30 May 09 – 30 Apr 10		$2,820.00	$ 6.52	$1,860.67	$6,751.36
30 Apr 10	$6,600.81	$ 150.00			$6,751.36

*Note that $1,500.00 of the deposits and a corresponding withdrawal was the donations by members for the Saturna Island ambulance fund.

To April 30, 2010 SIPOA expenses (advertising, postage, fees for filing annual report were $ 360.67.

2. Membership

Stats to May, 2010

Total membership to May 2010… 190

Total paid memberships… 155

Dues outstanding… 35