A recommended initiative to rotate city-appointed directors to the qathet Regional District (qRD) board every 16 months will not proceed.
At the City of Powell River council meeting on January 18, a motion brought forward by mayor Ron Woznow stipulated that beginning March 15, a 16-month rotational system for municipal directors to serve on qRD’s board be established. Currently, city councillors George Doubt and Cindy Elliott serve as the municipal directors.
The motion called for councillors Jim Palm and Rob Southcott to take over as directors on March 15, for 16-month terms, to be replaced on July 15, 2025. Prior to July 15, council would approve the appointment of municipal directors and their alternates to serve on the regional district board, the motion stated.
In introducing the motion, Woznow said the reason why he was bringing the motion forward was because when council was elected in October 2022, it did not have a chief administrative officer (CAO), so council went through a period of interim and acting CAOs. During that time, the city had two consultants talk to council about how it would operate.
“In looking at the notes of both of those consultants, it occurred to me that with regard to the regional district, that each councillor should have an opportunity, if they so wish, to serve on the regional district,” said Woznow. “All of council brings a different perspective and different experience.”
Elliott said she did, in part, agree with councillors having the opportunity to serve with the regional district. She said, however, there were some aspects of the motion that were not well addressed as far as the needs of the regional district and how they operate.
“The regional district puts out assignments each year for things directors serve on,” said Elliott.
Each year, the regional board determines which directors will sit on the various committees and do those assignments for a one-year period, she added.
“To have people switch at a different time would be disruptive to the assignments that go out on an annual term,” said Elliott, adding that she did not believe rotating both regional directors out at the same time was advisable because it would put the city at a disadvantage with two new, inexperienced councillors being appointed at the same time.
“If we switch one at a time, we would have one up to speed while we’re switching, and that’s better for our city, representing our voters,” said Elliott.
No consensus
Councillors Earl Almeida and Southcott spoke on the issue and Woznow determined there was no consensus, so he enquired about withdrawing the motion. Chief administrative officer Lisa Bhopalsingh suggested the motion be put to a vote and defeated to get it off the table.
Palm expressed gratitude for Doubt and Elliott for their service, and for all the hard work they have put in, sitting with the regional board. He said, however, he supported Woznow’s recommendation because everyone needs to understand how the regional district board works.
“It’s timely and it’s a good thing for this council because we can move forward and have a better understanding of where the money is being spent and how we can protect our residents from costly increases,” said Palm.
Doubt said a number of assignments go along with being a regional board director and he probably has a half dozen of them. He said he has been elected Powell River Regional Hospital District board chair and could be re-elected at the inaugural meeting of 2024.
Doubt said it takes time to learn the nuances and issues related to serving on the regional board.
“It doesn’t serve the taxpayers of the city well to continually have brand new people who are trying to get experience on the board,” said Doubt. “We need to take advantage of the experience that has been built and save a lot of work for the regional district that will have to occur, training new people. I’m not in favour of the motion as it stands.”
Woznow said having listened to the issues brought up, there were pluses and minuses pointed out.
“Clearly, there is not a majority who see this as a positive step forward so I am going to vote against it,” said Woznow.
The motion to rotate regional directors was defeated.
