After extensive debate, qathet Regional District (qRD) directors voted to hold all of their three standing committee meetings on one day.
Regional directors, however, will review the schedule in January to see if there is the requirement for modifications to be made.
At the December 20 regional board meeting, directors were presented a staff report with several options for the 2023 board and standing committee meeting schedule. The first option was to maintain the status quo, with planning committee meetings on the second Tuesday of the month, committee of the whole on the second Thursday of the month, finance committee of the third Wednesday of the month and regional board meetings the fourth Thursday of the month.
The staff report stated as this is a new term, with a new board, staff surveyed directors to determine if there were any desired changes to scheduling conflicts that would need to be considered. The suggestion was for three meetings to be held on the second Wednesday of the month, with planning committee starting at 10:30 am, finance committee beginning at 1 pm and committee of the whole starting at 4 pm. Regional board meetings would be held the fourth Wednesday of the month, starting at 1 pm.
There was a third option, also, having planning committee and finance committee on the second Wednesday of the month, committee of the whole on the second Thursday of the month and regional board on the fourth Wednesday of the month.
Electoral Area D director Sandy McCormick said she wanted to put forward an alternate recommendation that the second option be amended to move the planning committee to the second Tuesday of the month at 1 pm for all months except February. She said a second part is to review the meeting schedule at the June 2023 committee of the whole meeting.
“My reason for putting this forward is I am thinking of very long days with all three meetings back-to-back,” said McCormick. She said she would be leaving Texada Island on a 9 am ferry and chances are she would be coming back at 9 pm.
“It makes for a very long day,” said McCormick. “I’m concerned by the end of the day that my head isn’t going to be thinking as clearly as it is in the beginning.
“In order to accommodate [Electoral Area E director Andrew] Fall [from Lasqueti Island] being able to attend in person, I understand the finance and committee of the whole need to stay together. If planning was moved to a different day, that would break it up somewhat so that I am not looking at 12-hour days and feeling discouraged about attending in person. This will help encourage in-person attendance and discourage fatigue at the end of the day.”
Electoral Area A director Jason Lennox, who is chair of the planning committee, said he is a working person.
“I’m not going to vote in favour of this motion,” said Lennox. “When I look at this particular option, my employer is affected by my absence.”
Lennox suggested stepping back and having one more look at the scheduling. Corporate officer Michelle Jones said the regional district is legislatively required to approve the schedule by December 31. She said, however, that the board could change the schedule in the new year.
Chief administrative officer Al Radke suggested defeating the motion for the planning committee on a separate day and passing the option two that was suggested. He said the board has a legislated commitment to meet and that it would be best to go with the recommended motion. The corporate officer could then advertise the schedule, get it advertised and then the topic could be brought back for discussion at committee of the whole in January, said Radke.
The board defeated McCormick’s motion to change planning committee dates, with McCormick in favour.
The original suggestion for three meetings in one day was then discussed. McCormick made an amendment to review the schedule at the committee of the whole meeting in January. The amendment was carried unanimously.
The board then considered the motion for three meetings on the second Wednesday of the month and to review in January. The motion was carried, with Electoral Area B director Mark Gisborne and McCormick opposed.
