qathet Regional District's (qRD) board will consider responding to a request from Tla’amin Nation to review the process for granting a contract for organics processing in the region.
At the July 15 qRD committee of the whole meeting, regional directors reviewed correspondence from Tla’amin hegus John Hackett regarding selection of an organics processing service provider for the region, which was awarded to Powell River Green Waste Company. Hackett stated that Tla’amin learned of this decision through a Peak story, although qRD is well aware of what is at stake for Tla’amin with this decision.
“We would have expected a basic courtesy of a communication to notify us directly,” stated Hackett.
In his correspondence, Hackett requested a copy of the scoring and technical report prepared by the evaluation team. He also requested a meeting with the regional board at the earliest opportunity.
Electoral Area A director and board chair Patrick Brabazon said the correspondence had three components and he was looking for information from staff. He said the first item was whether the proponent was notified in a timely manner.
Brabazon said Tla’amin had also requested a copy of the scoring and technical report for selection of the successful bidder. He said he’d like staff’s opinion on that from a legal point of view.
The third item was a request for a meeting, and Brabazon said he thinks that’s a given.
“I’m certainly willing to meet with the hegus and I’m sure we can do that,” said Brabazon.
Chief administrative officer Al Radke said the first part of the correspondence was about the courtesy of communication. He said to clarify things, Net Zero Waste was the proponent that responded to the qRD request for proposals for an organics processing facility. He said the proponent was not Tla’amin.
“Tla’amin Nation provided a letter of support for the Net Zero Waste proposal,” said Radke. “Our manager of asset management and strategic initiatives contacted the group that submitted the proposal, not the landlord.”
Radke said the proponent’s representative indicated he would contact Tla’amin to notify the nation of the regional board’s decision.
With regard to the scoring and technical report, Radke said Tla’amin is not the proponent and therefore does not have a position to request any such documents or materials. He said even though Net Zero Waste indicated its partnership with Tla’amin in a letter, Net Zero Waste has entered into an agreement with the nation to lease the proposed site for the duration of the qRD contract. He said the landlord is not a proponent under the request for proposals.
Radke said the last request is to have a meeting between the nation and qRD, and it would probably be wise to consider that meeting.
Board chair makes motion
Brabazon made a motion to recommend that the regional board reply to Hackett’s correspondence, include information provided by Radke, and advise Tla’amin that the regional district board is willing to meet to discuss the request for proposals process.
Electoral Area B director Mark Gisborne said the Tla’amin letter was addressed to the chair and the board so he wondered if the meeting would be with all board members and Tla’amin elected officials, or would it be between the board chair, hegus and chief administrative officers.
Radke said he thinks it would be at Tla’amin’s pleasure as to who would be involved.
City director George Doubt said if the entire board is going to meet with Tla’amin’s legislative assembly, it needs to be clear that when a meeting like that is held, positions expressed have to be the position of the board, not the position of individuals on the board. He said he would be happy to see the chief administrative officer, staff and board chair meet with Tla’amin representatives.
The committee of the whole carried Brabazon’s motion.
