SPN take-aways from the April 11 Council meeting; Kasper returns CRD Director position to Tait
SPN DISCLAIMER: These takeaways are my best interpretation of what happened at Council tonight. The social media table was again invisible, and the writing of notes occurred on my laptop lap. (Please note I’m not really complaining! I actually enjoy sitting with my peers and wouldn’t have it any other way. I just like having a chuckle.) Final authoritative word on anything always goes to the approved final minutes. As always, readers are welcome to correct content, insert different observations, and add their own takeaways.
- The meeting started at 7:00 and was closed to the public minutes before 10:00 p.m.
- Elected Mayor Maja Tait was welcomed back with a round of applause.
- Applauding was discouraged.
- It was standing room only.
Sooke Soccer: Agreement was made to provide the 75% of funds required to receive the CRD’s initial offering of $300,000. An initial $400,000 was set aside at a previous meeting, and this time Council agreed to commit the remaining $300,000. I’m pretty sure they said the funds from come from the gas tax.
CRD Director: Rick Kasper moved that the CRD Director appointment be returned to mayor Maja Tait. After some discussion, Tait and Kasper settled on a September 1 transfer date so that Kasper could complete some of the projects he was working on at the CRD. Motion passed, with Brenda Parkinson opposed. ADDED LATER: On social media, Parkinson later explained the reason behind her opposition: “I was definitely not opposing Mayor Tait’s return to the position as CRD Director – I was in favour of an immediate return and looking forward to having the Mayor back in the seat to where she belonged.”
Capital Regional Hospital Board: Effective September 1, 2016, Maja Tait would be Director and Councillor Kasper the Alternate.
Council Procedure Amendments: Much time was spent on discussing time allocation changes (up from 5 minutes to 10 for delegations; up from 2 minutes to 3 for public input). Overall, Councillor Logins noted that there was “not much here I agree with except for a few things,” and given her many concerns said that it was too soon for a first, second and third reading. After discussing how to discuss these amendments, it was agreed that these amendments should go to the Committee of the Whole for more detailed discussion.
Budget amendments to Sooke Fire Services:
Background: about $192K is being shifted out of the fire department’s budget.
- The original budget proposed $45K for overtime shift; the revised was $20K.
- The original budget proposed $45K for professional development; the revised was $27K
- The original budget proposed $73,916 for relief worker wages/remuneration; the revised was $65,918
- The original budget proposed $80,700 for equipment replacement; the revised was $0
- The original budget proposed $60K for replacement of Squad 1; the revised was $0
An audit occurring in the next 2-3 weeks (depending on the availability of an auditor) would provide the final financial requirements of the Sooke fire department. Councillor Reay noted the necessity of a decision tonight in order to meet the legislated May budget deadline. The spokesperson from the Fire Commission assured Council that the operations of Sooke Fire Services would not be impacted. The CAO wanted to bring the fire department in line with other departments, all of whom require two signatures on budget items whereas the fire department only requires one. Council was also assured that while the funds were removed from the budget that the funds would not simply disappear. Both Councillors Logins and Parkinson indicated that they could not support a motion until after an audit showed that the cuts were necessary.
The recommendations were that Council approve the Five Year Financial Plan for the Fire Department as presented today; direct staff to implement the recommendations outlined in the report; and, that the total amount of budget reductions be re-allocated to the Council contingency.
Motion was approved, with Logins and Parkinson opposed.
Western Canada Mountain Bike Tourism Association: The MOU had completed its fifth year and a referendum would be required to continue beyond that. So, Council voted to discontinue the MOU. Discussion to follow on whether or not a partnership should be entertained, or membership, or…?
Sooke Saltwater Series funding request for $500 was approved, and it was suggested that this be moved as a regular sponsorship line item in next year’s budget.
Miscellaneous
Other things happened, much of which was turned back to staff and the various parties for more work. A proposed community sign might go from being one project to being two, because the two key community groups are wanting different things. Sooke staff and council are to consider alleviating staff “volunteered” contributions to the Flowers in Bloom event. And, various reports and communications were received.
CAO noted that Council Chambers now has WiFi, three screens will be installed to help the viewers at home, motions will be typed out and displayed on the screens, and a new sound system is being considered for Council Chambers.
Smokers are asked to exhale well away from any ventilation in-take systems, as occasionally Councillor Pearson gets an unexpected inhale of cigarette smoke from his Council seat—or rather, from the vent above it. Some mention was made of the moss on the roof attracting bugs, which would periodically fall from the vents onto various desks in the building.
By the evening’s end, we all packed up our various emotions and went home.
did anyone calculate the total that council spent this week?
And what, if she even bothered to offer one, was the reason Brenda Parkinson gave for her opposition to returning the CRD directorship to Mayor Tait?
Rather than waiting until September 1 to formally reinstate Mayor Tait to her CRD directorship (as the Mayor herself suggested so as to allow Councillor Kasper to finish current projects he’s been working on at that level), Councillor Parkinson suggested last night that the position be immediately returned to Maja..Parkinson argued that Kasper could continue to attend CRD board meetings as the alternate director (as had been the case prior to the mat leave and will be after Labour Day). I believe that’s why she registered her opposition. PS Excellent summary, Britt, thank you. You merit a media table of your own. And bravo to all the young soccer players at the back of the room who waited patiently in support of Sooke Soccer. Its various reps unveiled a $1.8 million plan for a first-class turf field at Fred Milne Park and they’re well on their way with $1m promised from regional government and $200k more via in-kind donations. The rest they’ll raise themselves through grant applications, gaming funds and, I imagine, many more bottle drives. PPS Wonderful to witness Mayor Tait back in the big chair. She ran the meeting crisply, handled the CRD directorship issue gracefully and remains a definitive class act.
The fire department can’t replace their old equipment, but the council chambers needs new TVs and a sound system…….wow.
‘Wow’ is right!
Thank you Britt for such good coverage. best in town.
Thanks, Britt! So good to see our Mayor Maja back again! Hopefully, things will now return to the way they should be.
Great coverage. This is why SPN is the best publication in BC — plus its paperless!
I have been mulling the proceedings of last night’s meeting all day long; I am fuming; I am disgusted. Good on Brenda Parkinson for objecting to Maja’s reinstatement as of Sept 1st. I do too. Kasper should not be afforded any accommodations of the like, for his behaviour and subsequent rhetoric has been utterly shameful. He violated civil and human rights, let alone codes of human decency, and it is my opinions and great desire that he should resign. I don’t want him, nor any of his cohort, continuing to representing me here in Sooke or anywhere else for that matter.
And cutting the fire fighting budget?!!! Are you kidding me? For real?! WTF are they thinking?! While at the same time, allocating lots of money to a soccer field, as well as to a fancy shmancy high tech retrofit of our sacred council chambers?! The professional development and equipment upgrades of our fire services are life saving items. Period! The first has been cut in half, and the second is being provided a whole $0 dollars. I am astounded by the short-sightedness and the stupidity of this council for even considering it, and for the person who thought it worthy of presenting. Tait, Logins and Parkinson, you need to get things in order. We are all counting on you and we are all supporting you and we will all fill seats and wall-space and floor-space at every frickin’ gong show of a council meeting until we get our Sooke ducks in a proper row. Don’t get me wrong. I have kids, and they play soccer and they come home mucky and muddy because our soccer fields are mucky and muddy, and I would love to see us have great soccer fields to host visiting teams, etc etc etc. But not when our fire service is, at the same time, GUTTED, and our fire fighting volunteers are, at the same time, neglected and so terribly disrespected, to the point that they may choose to leave the service, and other may choose not to join, which would compromise our community fire service such that, while we were all out cheering this hot and dry summer at the new and improved $million state of the art soccer field, more of our homes and businesses and residents suffer fire loss, and our insurance costs go sky high. And this, after a wildfire call out ALREADY April 8th in Nazko/Quesnel/Williams Lake. We’rein for a helluva fire summerhttp://bcwildfire.ca/hprScripts/WildfireNews/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=2608
Nice way to invite businesses to relocate here, or homebuyers to purchase here, or tourists to visit here. Sooke Council sucks right now. And their reputation is preceding them all over the West Shore and up island.
I wasn’t there, and I haven’t been keeping up to date on what’s goin’ down in Sooke, but this red in the hood sounds like he or she has some pretty meaty bones to pick here … what the heck is goin’ on? zoundz like zome pretty zeriouz ztuff … soccer, msm news and beer … that should keep them lookin’ the other way … ok gyz lez move on the next scam … while we haven’t got their attention deficit …
What is this “unfinished business” that Kasper needs to do before he hands back Maja’s position on the CRD? After this fiasco – seemingly a failed “coup” – I am afraid that he might be doing something awfully embarrassing on the CRD in the name of Sooke! What is he up to?!!! *%#$@
I find it apalling that money was removed from the budget allocation for our sole fire department, YET, 300k was provided for the soccer field. Next time there is a fire requiring numerous responders, and there’s inadequate equipment and not enough trained firefighters or EMT’s …I’ll take comfort in knowing we have another local soccer field. Nice logic, Council.