Minutes of the West Shore Parks and Recreation Society Board (Nov 17, 2016)

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Minutes of the West Shore Parks and Recreation Society Board of Directors Meeting

Thursday, November 17, 2016 in the JDF Library Meeting Room

PRESENT: Directors Rob Martin (Chair), Leslie Anderson, Les Bjola, Lilja Chong, Arnie Hamilton, Al Hood, Jennifer Jakobsen, Moralea Milne, Winnie Sifert, Lanny Seaton and Ed Watson

ABSENT: Directors Ron Mattson, Matt Sahlstrom, Darren Wright and Terry Young

STAFF PRESENT:

• Linda Barnes, Administrator
• Sandy Clarke, Manager of Recreation
• Wade Davies, Manager of Operations
• Brian Merryweather, Manager of Human Resources
• Lisa Lehive, Recorder
• Nicola Stokes, Finance Supervisor
• Bobbi Neal, Community Development Coordinator

PUBLIC PRESENT:

• Aaron Weisgerber, Town of View Royal
• Andy MacKinnon, District of Metchosin

CALL TO ORDER

1. The Chair called the meeting to order at 6:30 PM.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

2. MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS MILNE AND SIFERT THAT THE AMENDED AGENDA BE APPROVED WITH THE ADDITION OF 10 (a) IN CAMERA - GREATER VICTORIA LABOUR RELATIONS BOARD. CARRIED

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

3. MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS BJOLA AND SIFERT THAT THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING HELD OCTOBER 20, 2016 BE ADOPTED. NO ERRORS, NO OMMISIONS CARRIED

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

4. N/A

CHAIRS REMARKS

5. The Chair gave the following remarks:
   • The Chair attended WSPRS Staff Day on November 8, 2016.
     • It was an awesome day; nice to see staff engaged in some fun and serious work.
     • The staff had a feeling of appreciation that they had the opportunity to be together.
     • The Chair encouraged the next Chair to continue with Staff Day.

STANDING COMMITTEES

6. a) Finance

2017 Draft Budget

• Director Bjola (Finance Chair) gave the following remarks:
  • Sue Dickson and staff have put together the budget recommendation for 2017; the package is attached to the agenda.
• Sue Dickson, Manager of Finance provided the following information:
  • Requisition increase of 1.56%; lower than 2016 Budget due to increased revenues.
  • 2017 Budget is status quo; expecting a surplus
• Requisition per capita document has been added to package; this is a nice statistic to have when having budget conversations with Councils.
• Director Milne noted what a great job Sue Dickson and her team did on preparing the 2017 Draft Budget.

MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS BJOLA AND HOOD THAT THE BOARD APPROVE THE 2016 DRAFT BUDGET. CARRIED

MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS BJOLA AND SEATON THAT THE 2016 DRAFT BUDGET BE FORWARDED TO THE WSPRS MEMBER MUNICIPALITIES FOR APPROVAL BY THE COUNCILS. CARRIED

3rd Quarter Financial Review

• The 3rd Quarter Financial Review was sent out via email to the Finance Committee as the November Finance Committee Meeting was cancelled due to a lack of agenda items.
• The review shows that WSPR is progressing well and is on track.

FOR INFORMATION ONLY

b) Strategic Planning

• A smaller committee of WSPR Managers and WSPR Staff met in November and made some really good progress.
• Will be providing a draft of the Strategic Priorities to the larger committee in the near future.

FOR INFORMATION ONLY

c) Policy

• N/A

OLD BUSINESS

7. a) Governance Review Subcommittee

• Director Bjola noted the following:
  • Governance Review Subcommittee met and had great discussions.
  • The committee has drafted a letter for the Board Chair’s signature to be sent to Mayor and Councils of the Member Municipalities with recommended changes.

MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS BJOLA AND SEATON THAT THE GOVERNANCE LETTER BE SENT TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCILS OF ALL MEMBER MUNICIPALITIES. CARRIED

AMENDMENT: Director Watson suggested that the 2nd paragraph in the draft Governance letter be removed.

MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS BJOLA AND SEATON THAT THE 2ND PARAGRAPH OF THE DRAFT GOVERNANCE LETTER BE REMOVED PRIOR TO SENDING IT TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCILS OF ALL MEMBER MUNICIPALITIES. CARRIED

• Director Milne asked if the letter is being sent to all Mayor and Councils.
  • Yes, the letter will be individually addressed to each Mayor and Council of the Member Municipalities.

b) Westshore Skatepark

• Three letters of support have been received by WSPRS; one from Colwood and two from View Royal.
• The letter from View Royal asks WSPR to take a lead role which WSPR has already done. Bobbi Neal, Community Recreation Coordinator, has been working with the Skatepark Coalition.
• A Planner from the City of Colwood has been identified to the Skatepark Coalition as a point of contact.
• Bobbi Neal provided the following update:
  • Westshore Skatepark Coalition has visited all of the West Shore municipalities.
  • The Coalition is still looking for a location for the Skatepark.
  • They are willing to work with any municipality who may have a solution.
  • The Coalition is celebrating their AGM and there is no signs of them fragmenting.

Further Discussion:

• The Chair noted the following issues:
  • Finding land: this coalition has no ability to find land and expect municipalities to find land for them. If the Skatepark is put in Colwood then land is being sacrificed that other plans had already been made for.
  • Finances: From the presentation, Colwood was under the impression that the Coalition is expecting the municipalities to fund the Skatepark.
• Bobbi Neal responded to the above issues:
  • It is hard to go after grants and funding when there is no proposed location. The Coalition has every intention to be a fundraising body.
  • The Coalition is currently pulling together a report with some options including a spot Skatepark, which is a smaller Skatepark. The Coalition is looking at presenting to the Board in the New Year.
• Linda Barnes noted that building a Skatepark is like building any kind of recreation facilities. The Skatepark will be an asset to the youth in our community.
• Director Milne noted that Metchosin supports the Skatepark and WSPR taking the lead role.
• Director Hood suggested that WSPR ask the municipalities parks departments to look for viable spots and options.
• Director Seaton noted: there are many places on WSPR property to put the Skatepark.
  • Linda Barnes responded: Staff have already looked at WSPR property inventory of land and there is no usable land.
• Director Milne suggested that a letter from WSPR be sent to member municipalities informing them that WSPR and the Coalition is looking for land of a specific size, and ask the municipalities for suggestions on where the Skatepark can go.
• Bobbi Neal noted: The Coalition is in an exploratory phase. Many of the questions discussed today including cost, size and funding will be addressed in the report to be distributed in the New Year. The Coalition is asking the WSPR Board to work with them and find the solutions.
• Director Watson suggested sending information to the Chamber of Commerce, a corporate partner, or the CRD.

MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS MILNE AND JAKOBSEN THAT THE WSPRS BOARD SEND A LETTER TO THE MEMBER MUNICIPALITIES INFORMING THEM THAT WSPRS IS IN SUPPORT OF THE SKATEPARK, AND THAT WSPR AND THE COALITION IS LOOKING FOR POTENTIAL LOCATIONS FROM THE MUNICIPALITIES. CARRIED

NEW BUSINESS

8. a) Land Use Policy – Gary Oak Loop

• Linda Barnes introduced Andy McKinnon, Council Member at the District of Metchosin.
• Andy McKinnon gave a presentation including PowerPoint slideshow:
  • Garry Oak Eco System (the Knoll) is home to many threatened plant species.
  • Garry Oak site is a very rare eco system in Canada and is in very good condition.
  • There are many plant species (photos provided in the slide show) on the Knoll that are red listed (threatened and endangered) and provincially blue listed (if current trends continue it will become red listed).
  • Currently the Garry Oak site is not managed to protect the many endangered species that live on the knoll. For example broom piles up and needs to be cleared.
  • A species list and maintenance plan needs to be developed for this eco system.
  • Proper trails are needed to funnel people around this site; as well as signage needs to be put up.
  • A management plan is also needed to allow people to learn about this area while protecting it.
  • The Garry Oak site is a real treasure located on WSPR property and is a great opportunity for education.

Questions:

• Director Watson asked what the costs of preserving the Garry Oak Eco System is to WSPRS.
  • Linda Barnes responded: WSPR currently has a grant for interpretational signage – so there will be no cost to WSPR for the signage. The management plan can be done by volunteers and the WSPR Parks Department.

MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS BJOLA AND MILNE THAT THE AREA SHOWN ON THE ATTACHED MAP AND DESCRIBED AS “GARRY OAK KNOLL’ BE LEFT IN ITS NATURAL STATE IN ORDER TO PROTECT A NUMBER OF RARE SPECIES THAT INHABIT THE AREA; AND THAT THE CURRENT TREE MANAGEMENT POLICY BE UPDATED WITH THIS AMENDMENT AND A MANAGEMENT PLAN BE DEVELOPED. CARRIED

Further Discussion:

• Director Seaton asked: Is it your (Andy MacKinnon) opinion that if signage is put up and trails are constructed that there would be more educational use of the area?
  • Andy MacKinnon responded: Yes, signage and trails would control people’s movement and the site would be a great place to take children to.

FOR INFORMATION

9. a) Administrator’s Report

Highlights from the report:

• Staff Day was very successful; the guest speaker was a positive addition to the agenda; the planning committee met today to debrief.
• Queenax (PowerPoint presentation by Sandy Clarke, Manager of Recreation):
  • The Fitness Department is gearing up to do orientations; The Board is invited come in for an orientation on the new equipment.
  • The system allows up to 16 people to participate in a circuit style class at one time.
  • There is a great variety of attachments and exercise options that can be done on the system.
  • This will allow WSPR to introduce new options to our members which will include:
    • Orientations to the Queenax
    • Drop in times to use the Queenax
    • New classes that will be designed around this system
  • It will be sold as a value added option for our members, to encourage membership purchases.
  • All apparatus on the Queenax slide off to the end and does not remove any floor space for other classes such as Jazzercise, Spin, etc.
  • Promotion of the Queenax will include an invitation to an open house which will showcase the system and a video of the system in use on our LED highway screen, as well as on our lobby screen.

FOR INFORMATION ONLY

b) Human Resources Report

• Brian Merryweather, Manager of Human Resources
  • FMW II position has been posted for 2 consecutive months as no one qualified has been found; this position requires a pool certificate and ice certificate.

FOR INFORMATION ONLY

IN CAMERA

10. MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS MILNE AND SEATON THAT THE MEETING MOVE IN CAMERA. CARRIED

ADJOURNMENT

11. MOVED/SECONDED BY DIRECTORS JAKOBSEN AND SEATON THAT THE MEETING BE ADJOURNED AT 7:45 PM. CARRIED