Lasqueti 911, the PRRD, and transparency of decision making

After reading Ezra’s suggestion on the mailing list, I went and pulled up the last six month’s worth of PRRD meeting documents, which are all publicly available on the PRRD’s web site:

 

https://powellriverregionaldistrict.civicweb.net/Documents/DocumentList.aspx

 

What I found was a bit of a “shame on us”. While it is understandable to expect that our representative will involve the wider community as stakeholders in decision making, no one can say that the PRRD did not follow a process that was open, transparent and that gave the community sufficient notice if we had been looking. No locked filing cabinets with "Beware of the Leopard” signs here…

 

Here’s the chronology from the public record:

 

 

September 11, 2014

----------------------------

 

6.13 911 Service for Lasqueti Island

 

M. Anderson / D. Murphy THAT the Committee recommend to the Board to direct staff to explore Electoral Area E (Lasqueti Island) joining the North Island 911 service.

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

 

September 17, 2014

----------------------------

 

9.6 911 Service for Lasqueti Island

 

M. Anderson / P. Brabazon THAT the Board concur with the recommendation of the Committee of the Whole to direct staff to explore Electoral Area E (Lasqueti Island) joining the North Island 911 service.

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

 

December 11, 2014:

----------------------------

 

7.6 Electoral Area E Participation in the Emergency 9-1-1 and House Numbering

Services

 

L. Greenan provided an update to the Committee on further information she gleaned from the province, noting consent requires 2/3 vote of the participants to move forward.

 

She also amended the costs associated with the Emergency 911 service, noting costs will now be in the order of approximately $18,600.

 

M. Anderson / P. Brabazon THAT the Committee recommend the Board add Electoral Area E as a participant in both the Emergency 9-1-1 and the House Numbering Services; and

 

THAT funds from Electoral Area E be included in the Emergency 9-1-1 budget to pay the one- time costs required to the 9-1-1 system in order for 9-1-1 PSAP and fire dispatch SSAP services to be provided to Lasqueti Island, projected to be in the range of $60,000 to $70,000; and

 

THAT all other Emergency 9-1-1 costs will be cost shared pursuant to the existing shareholders agreement; and

 

THAT Electoral Area E pay for the costs associated with the house numbering of Lasqueti Island and road mapping, estimated at $18,620; and

 

THAT the Board enter into an agreement with North Island 9-1-1 Corporation that it will pay the direct cost upgrades required to the systems in order for 9-1-1 PSAP and fire dispatch SSAP services to be provided to Lasqueti Island and acknowledging all other costs would be cost shared pursuant to the existing shareholders agreement.

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

 

December 17, 2014: 

----------------------------

 

9.4 Electoral Area E Participation in the Emergency 9-1-1 and House Numbering

Services

 

M. Anderson / P. Brabazon THAT the Board concur with the recommendation of the Committee of the Whole to add Electoral Area E as a participant in both the Emergency 9-1-1 and the House Numbering Services; and

 

THAT funds from Electoral Area E be included in the Emergency 9-1-1 budget to pay the one time costs required to the 9-1-1 system in order for 9-1-1 PSAP and fire dispatch SSAP services to be provided to Lasqueti Island, projected to be in the range of $60,000 to $70,000; and

 

THAT all other Emergency 9-1-1 costs will be cost shared pursuant to the existing shareholders agreement; and

 

THAT Electoral Area E pay for the costs associated with the house numbering of Lasqueti Island and road mapping, estimated at $18,620; and

 

THAT the Board enter into an agreement with North Island 9-1-1 Corporation that it will pay the direct cost upgrades required to the systems in order for 9-1-1 PSAP and fire dispatch SSAP services to be provided to Lasqueti Island and acknowledging all other costs would be cost shared pursuant to the existing shareholders agreement.

 

MOTION CARRIED.

 

 

So here we see a motion to explore adopting 911, a report by staff on adopting 911, a motion to recommend adopting 911, and a motion to adopt 911. PRRD staff then proceeded to implement the motion.

 

While this doesn't negate the problems with the 911 proposal, it is clear that we, as a community, need to be on top of what other governing bodies may be deciding that affects us, directly and indirectly. This isn't just the Island Trust and the PRRD — B.C. Ferries, the Provincial government, Canada Post, etc, can all result in changes to our community. In a democracy, it's our responsibility to get involved, and we're fortunate to have tools (and laws) to help us discover what's going on, and to get involved.