Texada Island’s food bank and the coastal invasive species committee will receive money to assist with operations.
Powell River Regional District’s board of directors voted to contribute $1,000 to the food bank and $1,500 to the invasive species committee to help fund its work on Texada Island in 2015. The contributions were approved at the November 27 board meeting and will come from Area D grants-in-aid.
Following the vote, Dave Murphy, Electoral Area D director, said he had been approached by residents of Texada Island who asked him how grants-in-aid funding works.
“I told them that through the Local Government Act, I am allowed to requisition some money from the taxpayers of Texada and disperse them as I see fit for the social wellbeing and economic development of the community that I represent,” Murphy said.
“Through the years I have had money from taxpayers go to such organizations as the food bank, the preschool, the Texada Community Society, Texada Arts, Culture and Tourism, the Texada Fly-In, the sandcastle weekend, space camp, the Texada Legion, Texada Emergency Services, Texada agriculture group, the chamber of commerce and many, many more.”
Jim Palm, City of Powell River director, said he wanted to thank Murphy for all the fine work he had done for Texada Island over the years.
Colin Palmer, regional board chair, said that in the 15 years Murphy had served as the regional representative from Texada Island, his presence had been felt.
“We know you’ve been here,” Palmer said. “It’s not as if you’ve been a shrinking violet. I think what I will always remember is when I first came on the board, within a matter of time, we started to talk about not doing enough for agriculture in this region. We started making noises about it. Eventually, one of the achievements was an agricultural advisory committee. That morphed into the invasive species committee. That’s one of your legacies.”
Palmer said Murphy had been very supportive of the Willingdon Creek Village long-term care facility project. He said Murphy could also claim some credit for the heritage commission on Texada Island.
“We know what you’ve done here and practically every meeting we’ve had, we’ve had Texada issues on the agenda,” Palmer said. “I think we had four agenda items tonight alone on Texada Island.
“I want to thank you on behalf of the board for everything you’ve done and congratulate you for it. I wish you all the best.”
Murphy said he was humbled and said he would miss each and every one of the directors, as well as the regional district staff, which has been doing a “superb job.”
Murphy said one constituent told him the other day, when he drives up and down the road on Texada Island, to look at all of the improvements that have been made that he’s has a hand in.
Murphy was defeated by Sandy McCormick in the November 2014 civic election.
