qathet Regional District Electoral (qRD) Area B director Mark Gisborne has served notice of intention to launch three service reviews.
At the November 27 regional board meeting, Gisborne announced that he will be pursuing service reviews for Malaspina Volunteer Fire Department, the regional district’s social planning service function, and the regional recreation agreement between the regional district and City of Powell River.
“I am formally submitting, under section 357 of the Local Government Act, a request for formal service reviews of the Malaspina Volunteer Fire Department, the social planning service and the subregional recreation service,” said Gisborne. “I will have those letters in on November 28, and those will be formally submitted to the regional district board and to the province.”
In correspondence to regional directors and staff on November 28, Gisborne stated his intention is that the three service reviews be productive, constructive and will bring people together.
In his notice of service review for the Malaspina Volunteer Fire Department, Gisborne stated that he was unsatisfied with aspects of the fire department service, although he is more than satisfied with the first responders.
“I hear from members of the community that there is a growing distrust with our organization and a growing lack of respect towards our first responders from some community members,” stated Gisborne. “I am told that participation numbers are getting dangerously low, and that members are voluntarily leaving, or are being forced out.”
Gisborne also stated that in 2014, the budget for the fire department was $298,484, and in 2024, the figure was $923,955.
“I have found it increasingly difficult to justify those expense increases,” said Gisborne.
He has requested, along with the review, that the government appoint a facilitator.
“The benefit of this appointment will be that this facilitator will be seen by all parties as answerable to the provincial government, and therefore avoid any perception of bias on the part of the qRD.”
As for the regional recreation service pertaining to Powell River Recreation Complex, Gisborne stated that the five-year regional contribution agreement was initiated through discussion with Electoral Areas A, B and C, and the city. A referendum was held for a cost-sharing model to fund recreation.
There have been no collaborative discussions related to the recreation complex between the regional board and city council during the past six years, according to Gisborne. He stated that at the regional district finance committee, he put forward a motion that the board request a meeting with the city to discuss the expired funding agreement for the recreation complex, that another five-year funding agreement be prepared, using the same framework as what was established in 2018, and that the draft budget be updated to be $233,000 per year for the next five years. The motion was not seconded.
“The qRD board took no action to deal with this issue prior to the expiration of the agreement,” stated Gisborne.
In December 2023, the funding agreement between qRD and the city expired.
“As of November 27, 2024, this issue has yet to be resolved,” stated Gisborne. “This issue has still not been discussed by the elected officials and is causing friction between local elected officials.”
Regarding the social planning service, Gisborne stated that he does not consider the terms and conditions of participation in the regional district’s social planning service establishment bylaw to be satisfactory.
Gisborne stated that part of the service was to provide funding to hire a social planner. While a social planner was hired, in 2022, she resigned and the position has remained vacant, he stated.
“There has been no clear indication from the City of Powell River as to their intent to fill this position,” stated Gisborne. “If 25 per cent of this employee’s salary is paid for by the electoral areas, what assurance is there that this staff member, who answers to the chief administrative officer of Powell River, will allocate an acceptable amount of resources towards the electoral areas that are providing funding?
“I am unsatisfied with this service as it adds additional complexity to our decision-making process, harms the relationship between our organizations by creating a costly political hot potato that lacks clear definition.”
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