Review of qathet Regional District’s community works fund policy will take place this month.
At the November 27 committee of the whole meeting, Electoral Area D director and committee chair Sandy McCormick brought forward a motion regarding community works, indicating that she has believed for many years that the electoral areas have been shortchanged by the regional district using money that is earmarked for the electoral areas for other purposes. She said she wanted the regional board to request the policy be reviewed by the regional board at its December 4 meeting.
She said in the policy, she wants a clause regarding allocation of community works funds to be revised to state for electoral area needs. The revised clause would read: that community works funds will be considered, first and foremost, for qathet Regional District electoral area needs.
“I believe that a review is appropriate now, because we have just concluded the 2014 to 2024 10-year funding cycle for this fund, and we are beginning a new 10-year cycle starting in 2025,” said McCormick. “In keeping with the new cycle, it’s appropriate that we review our policy.”
Electoral Area E director Andrew Fall said concerns have been raised over the past couple of months regarding community works funds. He said there need to be options to consider change. He added that staff had conducted a survey of how other regional districts deal with their community works funds.
“We’ve been making decisions with all directors voting with a weighted vote,” said Fall. “Other regional districts do different things. There may be other tools to work through the concerns.”
Electoral Area B director Mark Gisborne suggested the review take place at the committee level rather than the regional board. McCormick said if it is more appropriate to review the community works fund policy at the finance committee, then an amendment could be made to her motion. Gisborne made the amendment.
The committee carried the amendment, and the motion to recommend that the board request the finance committee review its policy at the December 4 meeting for allocation of community works funds also carried.
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