11779 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

the "manager of volunteers" job at our place is open that was what sarah potts was perhaps she has left to be a full-time councillor.  or moved to a job with less conflict of of interest challenges?

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 06 November 2018 - 03:40 PM.

[Mike K.]

Councillor Loveday's post from today:

 

Today I will be sworn in as a CRD Director and we will have our first meeting. One of my priorities regionally is improving governance and transparency. To start the term off right, I’ve submitted the following motion with Councillor Ben Isitt which will be coming forward at our first meeting today.

 

That the Capital Regional District Board:

 

1. Endorse in principle the following best practices in governance and transparency.

1. Introduce a Director Voting Dashboard, to ensure transparency of the voting record of each director on each item of Board and Committee business, adopting the best practice from the City of Vancouver;
2. Publish Directors' annual Financial Disclosure Statements (submitted according to the requirements of the BC Financial Disclosure Act) online and update these disclosure statements on an annual basis, adopting the best practice from the City of Vancouver;
3. Improve Proactive Disclosure of Closed Meeting Business, including decisions and reports of the Board and Committees, as soon as the need for confidentiality has ceased to exist, adopting the best practice from the City of Vancouver;
4. Endeavour to publish information on Directors' Expenses on a quarterly basis, adopting the best practice from the City of North Vancouver;
5. Publish a Board Highlights Report following Board meetings, to make information on key Board decisions accessible to the general public, adopting the best practice from the City of Victoria;
6. Provide clear and accessible Summaries of Financial Information in the CRD's Annual Report and in annual financial planning documents, and provide prominent, easily accessible links to this information on the CRD website, focusing on clarity and transparency in the presentation of this information to the public.

2. Direct staff to report back to the Governance Committee with recommendations for the timely implementation of each of these items.

 

3. Request that the Chair, on behalf of the Board, forward these recommendations to member local governments, encouraging favourable consideration and action.

[Greg]

^Nothing wrong with that. And to be fair to Isitt (which is sometimes hard for me to do!), he's typically been a pretty solid voice for transparency himself.

[spanky123]

^Nothing wrong with that. And to be fair to Isitt (which is sometimes hard for me to do!), he's typically been a pretty solid voice for transparency himself.

 

Thanks to Ben and Jeremy for promoting but it was the Grumpy Taxpayers, if I recall, that initiated this earlier this year.

[J_Loveday]

Many thanks to the Grumpy Taxpayers for their research and advocacy. The CRD did not support our recommendation but did vote to refer the motion to the Governance Committee. I'm still hopeful that the board will ultimately implement these measures to improve governance and increase transparency. 

Thanks to Ben and Jeremy for promoting but it was the Grumpy Taxpayers, if I recall, that initiated this earlier this year.

[Bob Fugger]

Many thanks to the Grumpy Taxpayers for their research and advocacy. The CRD did not support our recommendation but did vote to refer the motion to the Governance Committee. I'm still hopeful that the board will ultimately implement these measures to improve governance and increase transparency. 

In the meantime, feel free to champion these efforts with your own Council.  Especially Point 1.3, which was abused terribly in the last term.

Edited by Bob Fugger, 14 November 2018 - 05:46 PM.

[sebberry]

the "manager of volunteers" job at our place is open that was what sarah potts was perhaps she has left to be a full-time councillor.  or moved to a job with less conflict of of interest challenges?

 

Working Conditions:

Salary: $44,000 – $50,000 per annum.

Shifts:  Monday to Friday – 37.5 hours per week - daytime hours. Evening and weekend work may be required on occasion.

Benefits:  Excellent fully employer paid benefit plan after three months of employment.

[spanky123]

Many thanks to the Grumpy Taxpayers for their research and advocacy. The CRD did not support our recommendation but did vote to refer the motion to the Governance Committee. I'm still hopeful that the board will ultimately implement these measures to improve governance and increase transparency. 

 

Thanks for bringing this forward Jeremy.

 

In large organizations it is often a better strategy to try and make change incrementally rather than by "pulling off the band-aid". I recognize that there is a desire to move quickly and to "stop diddling around" as the Mayor stated (or words to that effect) on files such as this and affordable housing, but when you try to do too much at once it often takes longer and is more painful then picking off the low hanging fruit and working your way up.

[J_Loveday]

I plan to bring a similar suite of actions for adoption and implementation by Victoria City Council. 

 

In the meantime, feel free to champion these efforts with your own Council.  Especially Point 1.3, which was abused terribly in the last term.

[J_Loveday]

Motion submitted!

 

I plan to bring a similar suite of actions for adoption and implementation by Victoria City Council. 

[Nparker]

I may or may not have mentioned this before, while although I may not 100% endorse Jeremy Loveday's politics, I very much respect his participation in this forum.

[Mike K.]

VicPD is presenting its budget to Victoria and Esquimalt councils tonight.

[Mike K.]

“The survey results also showed that 24% of ppl think that crime has increased in the past 5 yrs, 33% were the victim of a crime over the past 5 yrs, 39% felt unsafe or very unsafe in downtown Victoria at night.”

[sebberry]

“The survey results also showed that 24% of ppl think that crime has increased in the past 5 yrs, 33% were the victim of a crime over the past 5 yrs, 39% felt unsafe or very unsafe in downtown Victoria at night.”

 

Where's this from?

 

It's interesting - when the anti-car bike lobby called for lower speed limits, it was, in part, based around the perception of safety.  Whether people were safer seemed irrelevant, it was the perception of safety that they wanted.  But when the perception is that Victoria isn't safe due to the fallout of our homeless and drug problems, those people are essentially told to suck it up.

[spanky123]

“The survey results also showed that 24% of ppl think that crime has increased in the past 5 yrs, 33% were the victim of a crime over the past 5 yrs, 39% felt unsafe or very unsafe in downtown Victoria at night.”

 

Interesting. These results could be interpreted as though we need to increase police funding and/or we need to change leadership.

[Awaiting Juno]

Interesting. These results could be interpreted as though we need to increase police funding and/or we need to change leadership.

 

I think the police do what they feel they can but that they've been handcuffed by a combination of lack of resources and a lack of mandate to do more.  After all, it would seem the message delivered is that those committing crimes need social workers, not time behind bars.

[Mike K.]

Someone wrote to VV's Facebook page discussing her sister's assault in downtown Victoria. When a letter was written to Helps regarding the incident, the response was that the individual should be aware of her surroundings.

 

I can't vouch for the authenticity or the details, but that was a response.

[spanky123]

I think the police do what they feel they can but that they've been handcuffed by a combination of lack of resources and a lack of mandate to do more.  After all, it would seem the message delivered is that those committing crimes need social workers, not time behind bars.

 

I don't blame the cops, there have been lots of comments here about the increase in paperwork and due diligence and I accept all of that. The police board however has less than zero credibility in my opinion. The same day that VicPD is asking for more money, Vicnews reminds us of how the police board is spending VicPD's money on media consultants and lawyers to do with their own mess. back out that $2M and voila, we have the funding that VicPD wants/needs.

 

I think that to the average Jane/Joe it is a package deal. If VicPD wants more then the police board needs to clean up its act and start being accountable. 

[Jackerbie]

the "manager of volunteers" job at our place is open that was what sarah potts was perhaps she has left to be a full-time councillor.  or moved to a job with less conflict of of interest challenges?

 

Potts is still employed by Our Place, but seems to be transitioning out of her role there. She just left a Council discussion about a Pandora development application due to a conflict of interest.

[rmpeers]

I don't blame the cops, there have been lots of comments here about the increase in paperwork and due diligence and I accept all of that. The police board however has less than zero credibility in my opinion. The same day that VicPD is asking for more money, Vicnews reminds us of how the police board is spending VicPD's money on media consultants and lawyers to do with their own mess. back out that $2M and voila, we have the funding that VicPD wants/needs.

I think that to the average Jane/Joe it is a package deal. If VicPD wants more then the police board needs to clean up its act and start being accountable.

Yes, kudos to Vic News for actually reporting on the latest Elsner developments. Have not seen anything in today's Tc about it. But then it's clear that the TC for some reason is reluctant to report anything that might cast the mayor in a less than flattering light.