From David Ham: Letter to PRRD Board Chair, re: Lasqueti Survey

From: David Ham <jdavid [dot] ham [at] gmail [dot] com>
Date: Sun, Aug 9, 2015 at 1:01 PM
Subject: Lasqueti Survey
To: brabazon [at] shaw [dot] ca

Mr. Patrick Brabazon, Chair PRRD Board

  I am writing to thank you for sending the two survey packages to my family. My wife and I appreciate your efforts to communicate from the Board to Lasqueti property owners. Thank you for the summaries of what services are provided and the present costs associated for the services. I must say that I do not understand the need for the survey. I have not heard of Lasqueti property owners or residents who do not want to retain these services, but we will know more when the survey is compiled. What I have heard over and over is that we want to exercise our right to say no. We have said over and over NO TO NI911, NO TO $1.? MILLION FIRE HALL and NO TO MOVING THE FREE STORE.  My desire is to be sure that the Board is hearing that. I see on the Directors Personal Interests List that at least one Director got the message about rescinding the NI911 bylaw. I can see from the list that at least one Director has a clear idea of how Lasquetians want to have a relationship with the Board and how the Board can have a good working relationship with Lasquetians. I agree with the Director that does not want a NI911 tower ( or a cell tower) on Texada's Mt. Davies. It was nice to read the Personal Interests but what is really needed to carry the process further is the Official PRRD Interests List. You stated in your letter that the RD has currently identified concerns/challenges with waste management,recycling, the free store as well as fire protection and the related attributes of emergency dispatch and house numbering. These concerns/challenges need to be expounded upon clearly, concisely, comprehensively and promptly before the next meeting on Lasqueti I am requesting you to have these concerns/challenges delivered to me as soon as possible. If we do not have this I am afraid that the meeting will become another "TELL THE BOARD WE DO NOT WANT NI911 MEETING" I feel that in your concerns/challenges list might be your PRRD Interests List..
  I see that you have included the old cost estimate for Projected Costs for 911 and House numbering. Is that estimate from when NI911 wanted to put their tower on Mt Tremerton or was it for putting their tower on Mt. Davies. Neither of these options are available for NI911 so this very expensive estimate is not valid and should not have been included with your survey. The Comparator  on that sheet states that after the big start up expenses the invalid $17.90 residence(property?) estimate  is less than one adult return trip on the ferry. Well I want you to know that it is almost the cost for two seniors round trips on the ferry. I also see that the invalid yearly estimate to run NI911 is more than the yearly cost of rented pagers. If the $10,000  one time grant on the projected cost list was used to buy pagers or cell phones(if cell service was dramatically improved) the cost for local dispatch will be very much less than NI911 Especially if you include the huge startup costs of NI911.
  On another matter I want to thank the Directors for bring the poor phone service message to the CRTC. Please can you tell me what other measures the PRRD have taken to help get good phone service on Lasqueti. My intention is to send you pictures of how the phone line runs on the ground ,on the road surface and up in the trees on Oben Rd. Lasqueti if you think that might help when you next contact the CRTC.
  I still feel that to have good communication with the people of Lasqueti that the Board needs to elucidate any and all  matters concerning Lasqueti when they are discussed at Board or COW meetings. I have learned by reading the meeting minutes that Lasqueti has been discussed at several meetings in the last couple months but no messages elaborating on the discussions have been sent to Lasqueti. One possibility is to film the meetings and make that available
  Yes I am a 65 year old year round resident property owner male that wants to be considered as a possible committee member who wants to be kept informed clearly, concisely and promptly of future PRRD events and initiatives that concern Lasqueti Island by the means that informs the most people.
.

 Thank you for your attention to these matters and hoping to hear from you soon
  David Ham, Lasqueti Island, BC