South Pender LTC Regular Meeting Minutes

Extracted text (beginning)

Saturna Island Local Trust Committee 
Minutes of a Special Meeting  
July 25, 2015      ADOPTED     Page 1 of 7 
 
 
Saturna Island Local Trust Committee 
Minutes of Special Meeting 
 
Date: 
Location: 
July 25, 2015 
Saturna Island Community Hall 
105 East Point Road, Saturna Island, BC 
 
Members Present: Paul Brent, Local Trustee 
Lee Middleton, Local Trustee 
 
Staff Present: Gary Richardson, Island Planner 
Beverly Lowsley, Recorder 
  
Regrets: George Grams, Chair 
  
Members of the Public 
and Media Present: 
There were 20 members of the public present and no members of 
the media present 
 
1. CALL TO ORDER 
 
In the absence of Chair Grams, the trustees opted to act as Co-Chairs. 
 
Co-Chair Brent called the meeting to order at 11:10 am.   
 
2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA 
 
By general consent the agenda was approved as presented. 
 
3. TOWN HALL 
 
Priscilla Ewbank requested that terminology be clarified to identify this component as a 
Community Round Table Discussion as the term Town Hall has a different meaning.   
 
Co-Chair Middleton introduced the general approach of this meeting as a way of moving 
from the Community Round Table discussion to a plan that will guide the organization for 
the next four years. This will include discussion of the Draft Strategic Plan 2014-2018 
document and identifying what we see as priorities of 10 potential objectives; what is 
most important to us. 
 
Co-Chair Brent added that this is an effort to seek more direction from the community 
and to guide the organization as a federation. 
 
John Hutchinson wondered what the impact would be if Salt Spring Island is no longer 
part of the tax base supporting the Islands Trust.   
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Saturna Island Local Trust Committee 
Minutes of a Special Meeting  
July 25, 2015      ADOPTED     Page 2 of 7 
 
Co-Chair Middleton responded that even as a municipality, Salt Spring Island would still 
remain part of the Islands Trust as Bowen Island has done. There is a differential 
between taxes collected to support the islands and the taxation level for the Islands 
Trust as a whole. The potential shortfall could be approximately $800,000. There would 
be a 2-year transition period, allowing time to plan for the impact of the change. 
 
Co-Chair Brent offered possible approaches to dealing with a budget shortfall such as 
either raising taxes, reducing services, or some combination of these options. 
 
Al Razutis, referring to the issue of density transfer, asked what is the position of this 
group regarding increased density.  For the past 14 years this island has declined in 
opportunities and economic sustainability.  It is harder to make a living here as an 
independent entrepreneur.  What is this groups philosophy regarding economic activity 
and zoning? 
 
Co-Chair Brent identified a community fear related to outcomes of increasing density. 
This community is driven by volunteer service, we have an aging population, an external

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