A report by the interim chief administrative officer (CAO) has provided an overview of major issues facing Powell River Regional District.
Before he left in December 2012, Dennis Back, who was hired after the former CAO Mac Fraser took a position as the City of Powell River’s CAO, prepared a status report on significant issues. Colin Palmer, Electoral Area C director who was acclaimed chair of the regional board in December—a position he has held since he was first elected to the board in 1999—said the report was a “tremendous blueprint. It gives us all an idea of what we are going to be heading into.”
The report is “really valuable” for the new CAO, Al Radke, Palmer also said, as well as for directors and staff. “We’ve had three CAOs in five months,” he said. “It’s not been turmoil, but it has been challenging for the board and the staff.”
A number of the issues the regional district must sort out involve services on Texada Island, including the airport, the fire departments and house numbering.
The Texada airport advisory committee and island residents are discussing certification of the airport. Transport Canada regulations introduced in 2008 entail a number of costly provisions. Without certification, KD Air would not be allowed to provide scheduled flights to the island, as it does now.
A consultant completed a comprehensive report in September that provided information on the issue. A letter is expected to be sent to all island residents in the near future that will explain the requirements and options, followed by a public meeting. A recommendation will come forward from the airport advisory committee, but the final decision will rest with directors.
The regional district is developing an implementation plan to roll out a new house numbering system for Texada. First responders on the island raised concerns with the existing house numbering system, which leads to delays in responding because it is inconsistent and confusing. A public information meeting was held in November on the island and by the end, there was widespread support for proceeding with the project.
Directors passed a motion at the December board meeting directing staff to proceed with assigning all new house numbers. There are a number of steps required to complete the project, including map work, consultation with the ministry of transportation about road locations and improved signage, grid development and assigning numbers. The regional district will hold a public open house to assist residents with the change.
In July 2012, Jack Blair, a consultant hired to complete a review of fire services, filed his report on the regional district’s four volunteer fire departments: Malaspina, Northside, Savary Island and Lasqueti Island. The report contained a “host of observations and recommendations that have yet to be acted on,” Back noted in his report.
One of the recommendations was to consider hiring a fire services coordinator to lead the work that needs to be done, which exceeds the current staff capacity. Back pointed out there are funds in the 2013 annual budget to fund implementation efforts and Sean McGinn, manager of community services, is expected to bring forward a report in the near future.
Additionally, both the Van Anda and Gillies Bay volunteer fire departments have approached the regional district to ask that it consider taking over responsibility for fire services. Currently, both departments are established as local improvement districts. Switching to a regional district service would entail establishing a fire service bylaw for Texada and would require a vote of the residents. In his report, Back suggested that Blair could be hired to scope out the requirements for a new service under regional district auspices.
Other major projects the regional district is involved in include the new complex care facility, Willingdon Creek Village, a $23.5-million facility to replace Olive Devaud Residence. As well, the regional district will be moving its offices from Townsite to Gibson’s Crossing on Marine Avenue in April.
Other projects include moving forward on strategic priorities identified in July 2012 and asset management.
Radke is expected to keep directors informed about progress made on these issues through bi-monthly reports, using Back’s report as a template.
