Cowichan Valley Watch

Your Opinion counts….

Joe Allan — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 01:36:46 +0000

I know I’ve been on a bit of a “get involved” rant lately but I feel that a lack of input from residents is one of the reasons that we get issues that appear to be out of sync with the community. If there is no input then staff and politicians at the local gov’t level have to assume that everyone is content and they are free to move forward the best way they see fit. Who can blame them, the forward looking planning documents are very important and need to be done. A lack of public input does not mean that everything stops. The default will always be to move ahead with the OCP, transit, land use planning drafts and all the other documents that guide our future. I’ve always joked that the easiest way to get public involvement is to put out a small notice that taxes are going up 20% and then rent a big hall for the angry mob that will show up. I just don’t know what the reaction would be when you thank everyone for coming and inform them that there is no tax increase but they are welcome to look at the new OCP draft while they are here.

The CVRD is still looking for input on the Area “D” (Cow Bay) Official Communitty plan, in fact they have extended the deadline to fill in the online questionaire and participants will even be eligible to win a basket full of local goods. (Never seen that before) There will be no reason to complain if this OCP document is not an accurate representation of what the residents of Area “D” want. Fill in the survey here………….. http://www.cvrd.bc.ca/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=347

Also The CVRD is looking for input on the transit plan. This is a plan on how the transit system will evolve over the next 25 years. There are open houses to get your ideas, see the schedule here….. http://www.cvrd.bc.ca/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=350

If you are in North Cowichan Municipality then your OCP rewrite is near the end of it’s process, council is dealing with the draft now……. http://www.northcowichan.bc.ca/siteengine/ActivePage.asp?PageID=509

So remember if you don’t say something now it will be hard to criticize later.

OCP public input landmine…..

Joe Allan — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 04:56:22 +0000

As a followup to my last post on the importance of public input during an Official Community Plan review I noticed a dangerous trend reappearing in today’s Electoral Area Services committee agenda. A rezoning application in Shawnigan Lake had a staff report offer the option to “table the application pending the outcome of the South Cowichan OCP review”. Sounds simple enough but lets think of what the implications can be if the board approves such a simple option. First the resident who puts in an application for rezoning does so under the current OCP, pays his application fee and proceeds through the process using the current OCP as his guide. It is totally unfair to sideline an application for what could be approx a year or more till the South Cowichan OCP is finished (it does not even have 1st reading yet) and then tell the applicant he can start again under a new OCP. Talk about changing the goalposts in mid game.

Besides the unfairness of such a move there is the real possibility that choosing the tabling option can derail the public input process for an OCP. If an application has a large crowd that is either for or against a particular application the tabling option just focuses that large crowds energy directly at the OCP public input process. The crowd then gets involved with an intense bias towards that particular piece of property or project. The OCP suffers as the whole OCP gets driven by a large Nimby or Pro-development sector and the regular voices get lost in the frenzied crowd that are there to pursue their agenda. I’ve seen it before and the minutes of public hearings for an OCP are filled with comments that are very one sided.

So if the CVRD directors want an OCP that is really representative of the population at large they are best to steer clear of any option that suggests tabling any land use issues till after an OCP is finished. It’s bad for the entire public input process.

Get Involved….

Joe Allan — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 05:01:05 +0000

The local govt process leading up to the implementation of an Official Community Plan (OCP) is a very important time for local residents. This document guides the staff and elected officials in land use matters for at least the next 5 years in a community. If you want to have input into how your community will grow and prosper over the next few years this is the time to get involved. The process usually involves an appointed committee made up of community members working with staff to come up with a draft plan to take to the community for approval. Now with most things of this nature most people are too busy with the normal day to day business in their lives to pay much attention and that’s understandable. The rub comes when something comes up a few years down the road (a rezoning or other land use issue) and locals get annoyed with the fact the OCP either says “No or Go” to the project. Then the questions arise about “how could this be allowed, (or not)”. Well, with a major joint rewrite of the OCPs in CVRD Electoral Areas A,B, and C (Mill Bay, Shawnigan Lake and Cobble Hill) coming up as well as in Area D (Cowichan Bay) the time to get involved is now. The OCP in A,B, and C will be going to the public with public meetings sometime in the spring and Area D (Cowichan Bay) is looking for input thru a survey that can be filled out online here….. http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22BNTLAA7PN So fill out the survey and set the direction for your community. Watch the local papers for the upcoming public meetings. If the public does not provide input for these important documents the final outcome may very well be determined by the special interest groups who usually attend these meetings. Get involved now!!

My latest article in News Leader, Year End Edition

Joe Allan — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 05:08:17 +0000

This past year has seen increasing criticism of the way the CVRD is
conducting the business of the people. The perception that the politicians
are meeting “in the back room” and decisions are being made without the
benefit of public scrutiny are being heard more often in the valley. So is
it true, is there a lack of transparency in the way the CVRD goes about its
business? I can assure you that the CVRD is not meeting as a board behind
closed doors unless the matter can or must be discussed in secret, the
administrative staff at the CVRD would not allow that to happen. Still the
perception of the CVRD Board being a secretive group in regards to debate
and decision making persists.
So has something changed at the CVRD in the recent past that we can pinpoint
as the reason? Well two years ago the following things
happened, there was an election, a change in a very senior management
position and the CVRD Board made a major change to the organizational
structure of the CVRD. So things are definitely not the way they have been
for decades, they are not the way the residents are used to seeing the CVRD
operate. In addition the recent economic downturn has also effected the
local press coverage and Shaw cable does not broadcast the CVRD meetings as
they did in the past. This lack of media scrutiny may be contributing to the
perception that the CVRD board and committees are quietly doing business
behind the scenes.
The most significant change was the reorganization of the CVRD corporate
structure. Many of the issues that used to be debated
and discussed in open session at the board table have now been delegated to
CVRD staff. You won’t see this on the CVRDs website but there is a
“Corporate
Leadership Team” made up of senior staff that essentially
sift through the information that the board used to get and come up with
recommendations for the politicians. This silences much of the debate over
the details at the Board table and shows up as an absence of discussion by
elected directors. Even the self proclaimed watchdog Director Loren Duncan
has been surprisingly silent over the past year.
This new structure is a fundamentally different way of doing the business of
the CVRD, a structure that is supposed to empower the organizations members
to become more involved in the decision making. The flaw in this new
structure becomes apparent when a controversial issue surfaces at
the Board table such as the Eco-Depot. The new structure means that
staff are now responsible for the Eco-Depot process , all the studies
and even the Neibourhood Advisory Group is setup to report to staff. The
board seems to be divorced from the whole Eco-Depot process with no
opportunity to have an open discussion on the matter. The public sees this
lack of debate as a lack of transparency.
This new structure may not necessarily be bad, as the past CVRD Board
agendas had become filled with small detail and I was one who argued
that the board should not be micro managing the “small stuff” and some
issues should be delegated to staff but it seems the pendulum may have swung
too far. The delegation to staff of issues like the Eco-Depot exposes the staff
to unnecessary criticism, it’s a board initiative, the board should openly
debate it and the board should be responsible for the outcome not the staff.
The public should be able to see the way their elected directors discuss and
vote on topics at the board table, that’s not what’s happening now and that
is what is causing the public perception of a secretive system.
So I think the public criticism of the CVRD for a lack of transparency is
valid but it’s not because the directors are in a back room discussing the
publics business rather it’s the implementation of a new corporate structure
that may have gone a bit too far in some cases. The CVRD Board should adjust
the new corporate structure to assure that major projects and related issues
are brought to the board. All advisory groups should report to the board and
the terms of reference for any of these groups should be approved by the
board. That would allow the public to see the process unfold in the open.

The problems with the new organizational structure unfairly paints the
CVRD as an organization that is not functionally openly. It’s up to the
current board to remedy the situation, provide some leadership on this issue
and get on with what the CVRD is good at, providing transparent open
government.
Joe Allan

It’s appointment time at the CVRD…..

Joe Allan — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 03:07:48 +0000

After the CVRD meets in December of each year to pick a new chair the next order of business is that the new or reaffirmed chair must appoint the chairs and vice chairs of all the committees of the board. This is an appointment system that is entirely at the discretion of the chair as to who he/she will appoint to these positions. As these committees are very important to the functioning of the CVRD you would expect that directors with skill sets matching the committees mandates would be chosen to chair these committees, and in most cases that is what happens. Unfortunately in some cases it is seen as a bit of a patronage plum and sometimes the chairmanship of a particularly high profile committee may be handed out to a director as a reward for political support during the year or during the election for chair. The proof is in the pudding, as they say, and along with political rewards it is just as obvious if a director with known abilities is passed over for appointed positions because of being politically “out of step” with the chair. It will be interesting to see what the first CVRD board meeting in 2011 brings when “the list” is read out. The next chair is chosen after the next municipal election so it will be interesting to see how the appointments are handed out in this last year before the election. The CVRD usually meets the first Wednesdayof the month, which should be January 5th, stay tuned.

REGIONAL RECREATION, or Paying Your Fair Share

Joe Allan — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 03:07:40 +0000

Orig posted in the Cowichan News Leader Nov 16/2010 see article here http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_central/cowichannewsleader/opinion/108281629.html

REGIONAL RECREATION, or Paying Your Fair Share

Regional Recreation is much more complex than it seems on the surface. The
simple solution is to have everyone in the valley pay equally for recreation
facilities. (arenas, pools, community centers etc.) The problem is in the
details.

The makeup of the current political system is one big impediment to
achieving Regional Recreation, the CVRD Board is basically set up as a ward
system with the members representing separate and individual wards. So
everytime the regional recreation fact sheet is laid in front of the
directors for consideration there are winners and losers in the tax column,
some areas will have lower taxes and some will have tax increases. The
dilemma for a director is how do you sell a tax increase to the residents in
your ward. Then there is the concept of fairness, is paying equally for
recreation facilities really fair for everyone. Should an area far away from
a major facility pay the same as one that is next door? Should an area that
has a very small numbers of users of a facility pay the same as an area that
has a large number of users? To add to this political conundrum is the fact
that once an area “signs on” to a new regional recreation function they are
now bound by the decisions of the group so tax increases can be forced on an
individual area in future years.

Endless discussions, special committees, two tier user fees and referendum
votes are ongoing stabs at trying to come up with some sort of solution that
is palatable to the political leaders at the CVRD. Maybe it’s time to find
some interim solutions. Why not have an area contribute as a grant to a
facility if they have residents using it. The amount can be roughly based on
usage or population as a start. The amount can be adjusted by agreement of
all parties and the amount of taxes paid can be justified to the residents
as a bulk user fee. The area would not be part of a function and not tied
into any votes for future tax increases. Understandably this amount may be
less then what is being asked for in some cases but it is a start. Once
there is a clear picture of usage over the years and there is a comfort
level with paying something for a facility there may be an appetite for a
more formal arrangement.

Win or lose referendum votes and two tier user fees do not bring the valley
closer to a solution for regional recreation. Set up a grant system, it may
be a small step but it’s a positive step forward.

Joe Allan

So you want to run in the next civic election??

Joe Allan — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 04:39:02 +0000

Then you better get started NOW. The nomination process begins near the end of September next year with elections in mid November. There are rumours that the province may move the date up a month after discussions at the last UBCM conference so timelines may be even shorter. If you want to read up on the details of our local gov’t voting process go here…… http://www.municipalelections.com/voters_guide.htm

So those are the technical details but why would I tell you to get started now? Well if you want to run in an election that calls for nominations (the actual time you sign up to run) in less than 11 months you should be getting yourself prepared to be a candidate, run an election campaign and if successful assume the duties of public office. You should use the months ahead to familiarize yourself with the Official Community Plan, the local Zoning by-laws, current issues, budgets and taxation rates. Attend public hearings, community meetings and find out the long range plans of the local gov’t. Take the time to attend some of the council or board meetings, go to the committee meetings (that’s where the real work is done) ask questions and get acquainted with the process. This will also give you an idea of the time commitment that would be expected of you as an elected official. All this information is a blueprint of your community, use this blueprint to be an informed candidate.

Back to the time issue, if you take out the Christmas season and the summer holidays when local gov’t processes usually slow down you can only bank on about 5 months of activity till the next nomination call. So add in the real politics of getting your name out in the communitty, gathering support, assembling a team to help in your campagin and building a platform on the local issues you can truly see that “Time is of the essence”.

Musical Chairs…..Part 2

Joe Allan — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 17:19:45 +0000

Leadership at the regional district level is no different than leadership in any other organization it’s just that the structure of a regional district presents some ….hmm, different circumstances that must be recognized by any regional district Chair hopeful. The dynamics of having 15 different personalities sitting around the board table is always a challenge in any organization and the 15 directors at this table also represent 13 different areas (wards?). They were elected by 13 separate groups of residents and the areas range from very sparsely populated rural regions to densely populated urban areas. A regional board chair must understand that the residents in those areas may have a vastly different view of what they want their representatives to do while they sit around the CVRD Board Table. A Board Chair must try and meet the needs of this large group of directors and the people they represent while still trying to keep focused on issues from a regional perspective. Not an easy task.

Land use (rezonings, bylaws etc) is always a hot topic in any local gov’t and the CVRD chair will be voting on any land use issues if he/she is an Electoral Area representative but will not be able to vote if he/she is a Municipal representative. So any potential chair must make sure the chairperson hat is off when dealing with land use issues regardless of whether they are a Municipal or Electoral Area director. A chairperson that is seen to be “meddling” in land use issues from the position of the chair risks losing the support of other directors, especially Electoral Area Directors.

The Chair has the authority create committees, appoint directors to those committees as well as appointing the Chairs of those committees, which is done at the next Board meeting following the election for chair. That is probably the most important single item that can set the tone for the rest of the year, smooth sailing or a rocky road. Rewarding political loyalty, ignoring skill-sets of directors and hosting an inner circle will create impediments to proper functioning of the Regional District. Inclusion of all directors in decision making is the best formula for a successful term as Chair. Now complete inclusion is not always possible (this is politics) but if a director(s) feels their voice is not being fairly considered then the boat of gov’t starts to veer off course as some directors will start paddling in a different direction. If there is a “back room” that excludes some directors and the outcome of meetings is seen to be predetermined then frustration grows (see “paddlers” above). Everyone does not have to always agree on every issue but openess, transparency and inclusion will go a long way towards acceptance of board decisions by all directors.

It’s a balancing act being an effective chair and a rewarding experience if everything goes well. If the boat of gov’t has all directors rowing in the same direction the residents of the region will reap the benefits.

Want to watch the proceedings of electing a CVRD Chair….mark your calendar for December 8th, it’s showtime.

Musical Chairs………

Joe Allan — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 02:17:45 +0000

One of the most interesting times at the Regional Board table is the annual fall event where the 15 CVRD directors gather to choose a Chairperson to lead them for the next year. The CVRD directors are elected for a three year term by their residents but they must choose one of their members to lead them every year. With a captive audience of 15 voters the campaigning usually starts right after the UBCM conference and the vote takes place at the first board meeting in December. Now you may think that with 15 voters the outcome would be a done deal but I have seen times when there were tie votes, two in a row in fact (there were 14 directors then) and the voting process continued until someone changed their vote. If three directors run for Chair then someone must garner a majority of votes to win (8 in this case) so voting could take a bit longer than usual

Ok, that’s the process but what’s with all the hype around being chair anyway? The desire to do positive things for your community, be a bigger part of the political process and lead the board in a direction that you feel is for the betterment of the region are the obvious reasons. The same lofty goals and ideals that drive most people to run for public office. Now there is more to being the Chair than sitting at the head of the table for a meeting or two every month. The usual signing of bylaws, letters, minutes etc is the standard stuff that you would expect any senior elected official to be doing but it is the attendance at public events, hours working on agendas, countless phone calls, committee meetings, public process etc that make the job of Chairperson of the Regional District a sometimes very challenging position.

Now the Chair of the Regional District will by the nature of the process be a director representating a specific Electoral Area or a Municipality and that’s where some of the duties of a Chair may conflict with the duties (obligations?) of a director. If the CVRD Board votes for a certain function, bylaw or action the Chair has to carry out the duties of the Chair and try and make that course of action happen. What if the action of the Board effects the area that the Chair is director of and the residents don’t want that action to happen? If the residents want to contact their director to make their concerns known they will be talking to the Chair as well as their own director. It’s the wearing of the two hats that are confusing to the public and sometimes frustrating as well. There are some who have said that a Chair should be elected at large from the entire CVRD which would eliminate the conflict mentioned above but that would take a change in provincial legislation and I don’t think that is in the works at this time.

So we know how the chair is elected, some of the duties of the chair and one of the conflicts of the job but as this is politics we know there is always more to it…………………..

Stay tuned as tomorrows column will finish the “Musical Chairs” article with “What makes an effective chair”

BIG TAX INCREASE COMING…..

Joe Allan — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 04:30:18 +0000

Now there’s a headline that always gets everyones attention. What’s the tax increase for and what’s it going to cost me are the usual next questions. So what’s up, well the CVRD is planning to implement Bylaw #3359 which is for ……………

“The service being established under the authority of this bylaw is a service for the purpose of developing, operating, maintaining and delivering environmental initiatives and programs for the whole of the Cowichan Valley Regional District. The service shall be known as the “Environmental Initiatives Service”.

This service will cost an average homeowner about $16 for a $400,000 home. This can raise up to a maximum of $590,000 a year. I know what your thinking, “Here we go again, it’s every little $10 or $20 piece that adds up to create a bigger tax bill every year”. Well this time you have a say in the matter as the CVRD is bound by Provincial law to ask the public their opinion and there is currently an “Alternative Approval Process” in the works right now that allows you to register your negative vote against the by-law. Great stuff you say…but you also need to convince a minimum of 5715 of your neibours to also vote no and you have till Monday, November 29th 2010 to get the job done.

What kind of BS is that you say…well it gets better, if you do manage to get the nearly 6000 voters in hand by the 29th of November and defeat the bylaw the bad news is that money will be taxed and spent in the next budget anyway, in fact money has been spent on the Environmental Initiatives Service last year.

You see the current funds to run the present Environment dept at the CVRD has been sourced from general administration for the last few years and the CVRD wants the Environment dept funding to be more transparent, not hidden in the administration budget. Very good idea and if it was not for the Province requiring the public process it would just be a simple case of creating a new section in next years budget and it would be over. I know your thinking “let me get this straight”…..

-there is a tax increase coming

-I get to vote on it

-but if I win and defeat the bylaw, I lose

-the tax increase will come anyway

-I’ve already been taxed for this service for the past several years.

Yes, sort of. The facts are that because you have been taxed for the service already this bylaw will not add any additional taxes. In fact the implementation of this bylaw will also put a cap on how much the politicians can tax for the “Environmental Initiatives Service”. So there is a bit of good news here.

If you have a problem with high taxes then you should get involved, contact your CVRD Director and make your concerns known. They can tax more or less in any of the many functions in the CVRD budget. Attacking this bylaw to protest high taxes is pointless. Isn’t local politics fun.

Go here to read about the bylaw and the process……….