WVM2010-10
May 3 Ccl NOTES
May 10/12 AGENDAs
Calendar to May 20
by
Carolanne Reynolds, Editor
www.WestVan.org
The Magic of
May
how can one not be
overcome by the perfume of lilac and orange blossoms and the panoply
of colours?
IN THIS ISSUE:
MAIN ITEMS on May 10th:
> Special Ccl Mtg
6pm: Annual Tax
Rates/Bylaws; Transfer of $2.5M from Endowment Fund to the
Capital Facilities Fund (Cmnty Ctr $1.7M, Almondel Bridge $850K,
1528 Argyle $1M) then $2.6M from Cap Fac
> Youth Ccl Mtg 7pm: Presentations
(Rotary); Ambleside (debate); Youth Awards; Reception (7:30)
> SPECIAL CCL MTG >
9:30AM WED May 12th < [Adoption of
Bylaws]
= Vive le Canada (65th WW2 Anniversaries);
ANIMALWATCH (World's Weirdest; Dancing Dog); from the EDITOR'S DESK
(Correspondence still MIA; cryptic text in WVM); UPDATES (Youth
Services WG; DWV wants comments re Leashed Dogs)
= CALENDAR to May 20th; CULTUREWATCH
(Theatre, Music, Art)
= Ccl Mtg NOTES May 3rd: mtg at 5:45
(!) to change PH date for Ambleside Waterfront Initiatives from May 3
to May 17; Closed mtg at 6pm; Regular Ccl Mtg 7pm: Implementing
Cmnty Dialogue/Nbrhd Character/Housing WG Recommendations --
Housing Pilot Prog; National Water and Wastewater Benchmarking
Initiative; Food-Scrap Colln Demo project to be extended, cost
$9K; Proprietary transit shelters (translation: ads);
PURCHASE of 1466 and 1488 Argyle (to be rec'd
for info!); SALE of 1360 and 1370 Ottawa;
Adoption of Capital Facilities Fund and Endowment Fund
bylaws (Process and $$$; Questions and Answers)
= Ccl Mtg AGENDAs May 10/12
= HERITAGEWATCH (Gleneagles Grand Hall Opening/PGJ);
ARTWATCH (Picasso: $100M+ for a painting that took one day); NEWSWATCH
(Peace; Dilemma); WHALEWATCH; GREENWATCH (Walkable Cmnties; Carbon
Hunter): BARDWATCH; LITERATUREWATCH; LANGUAGEWATCH (Key to
transcripts; Initialisms, etc); QUOTATIONS and PUN
=== Vive le CANADA
===
>
MAY 5th
Liberation
Day (The Netherlands) From Wikipedia
In the Netherlands, Liberation Day (Dutch: Bevrijdingsdag) is celebrated each year on
May 5th, to mark the end of the occupation by Nazi Germany during World War II.
The nation was liberated
largely by
Canadian troops, with
the assistance of the British and American Armies (see Operation Market Garden) and French airborne
(see Operation
Amherst). On the 5th of
May 1945, the Canadian
General Charles Foulkes
and the German
Commander-in-Chief Johannes Blaskowitz reached an agreement on the capitulation of German forces in the Netherlands
in Hotel de
Wereld in Wageningen. One day later, the capitulation
document was signed...
...Finally, in 1990, the
day was declared to be a
national holiday, when
the liberation would be commemorated and celebrated every
year.
On May 4th, the Dutch hold
the Remembrance of the
Dead for the people who
have fought and died during World War II, and wars in general.
>
MAY 8th
from the BBC:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8665112.stm
The Prince of Wales has led veterans in a
service marking 65 years since the end of World War II in Europe. ...
The national ceremony at the Cenotaph in London commemorates VE Day -
declared on 8 May 1945. ...
Up to 580,406 UK and Commonwealth forces
were killed in the six-year conflict, and 67,073 civilians died in
the Blitz. ... Elsewhere in Europe, French President Nicolas
Sarkozy laid a wreath at the statue of General Charles de Gaulle near
the Champs Elysees, and on Sunday Russia will hold its 65th victory
Parade in Moscow's Red Square.
=== ANIMALWATCH
=== [See also WHALEWATCH below]
+ World's weirdest animals:
http://english.pravda.ru/photo/report/fauna-3501
+ Britain's got talent! dancing dog
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGq1641reC8&feature=player_embedded
=== from the EDITOR'S DESK
===
* CORRESPONDENCE -- still none but maybe b/c of youth ccl
mtg. Stay tuned; hope was week of May 3rd.
* New to WVM? Subscribers got the May 10th agenda at
6:29am Friday May 7th. The newsletter goes out later and it's
put on the website sometime after that. Kept guessing by the
Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Initialisms? click on
http://www.westvan.org/acronyms/ for the key/glossary.
=== UPDATES
===
> Volunteers Wanted for Youth
Services Review Working Group
This Working Group
will assist the District in undertaking a Youth Services Review. The
purpose is to come forward with an updated municipally delivered Youth
Services Strategy for the next 5 years. The Strategy will enhance the
effective use of finite resources by providing a focus for the future
development and implementation of youth services and local government
participation. It will enable us to evaluate and enhance the
effectiveness of municipally funded youth services to ensure that the
growing and changing needs of youth in our community are being
met.
For more info, pls
contact the Parks and Community Services Dept at 925
7125.
Application forms
and detailed information are available in the Legislative Services
Dept at M Hall. Call 925 7004 for more info. Applicants are
requested to mail, fax (925 7006), or deliver to the Legislative
Services Dept, completed applications with a brief personal resume, or
e-mail to
committees@westvancouver.ca.
The application deadline
for this WG has been extended to 4:30pm on Friday, May
21.
http://www.westvancouver.ca/Level3.aspx?id=27276
>
Leashed Dogs on Centennial Seawalk
West Vancouver is
considering allowing leashed dogs on the Centennial
Seawalk:
between 18th and 24th
on
the Ambleside Seawalk from the park entry at foot of 13th to the dog
off-leash area
along the new waterfront path between Millennium Park and John
Lawson Park
What do you think? Your
comments would be appreciated by May 31st.
Find out
more:
Read about the bylaw + Complete the easy on-line
questionnaire + email us or call 925 7275
=== CALENDAR to May 20th
===
Pls note all mtgs are at M Hall unless indicated
otherwise.
Late posting: ~~ 8:30am Friday May 7 ~~ Cmnty Grants Cmte
(Cedar Room in Cmnty Ctr)
May is Child
Care Month
Mayor Pam
Goldsmith-Jones joins the Mayors of the District and City of North
Vancouver and is supported by our West Vancouver Council in extending
thanks to the Child Care providers of the North Shore. "We
recognize and appreciate quality child care as an essential component
of liveable communities and healthy child development. Thank
you!"
In West Vancouver
we have been working on child care initiatives that promote the
healthy development and well-being of families and young children.
We believe that collaborative, community-based, co-located programs
and services provide convenience and improved access for families,
offer more effective use of community resources and improve quality of
care. If you would like more information on Child Care Initiatives in
WV please contact :
Leanne Sexsmith,
Manager of Community Development, Youth, and Families by phone at 921
3404 or by email.
Laura Lee Kent,
Child Care Hub Coordinator by phone at 921 3403 or
by email.
= Monday May 10
NB Ccl mtg at 6pm; Youth Ccl at 7pm followed by reception; ccl
mtg 9:30am Wed May 12
= Tuesday May 11
Metro Vancouver
Integrated Solid Waste and Resources Management Plan
~ 6 - 10pm ~ Tuesday May
11 -- Public Mtg at
Lonsdale Quay Hotel
Metro Vancouver is
responsible for managing the garbage (called solid waste) produced by
residents and businesses in the Lower Mainland. A solid waste
management plan, evaluated and approved by the region's Board and
the provincial government, directs how our waste is
managed.
The current goal is
to improve reduction, reuse, and recycling efforts so that by 2015, a
minimum of 70% of our waste is diverted from disposal (landfill or
waste-to-energy). The top priority in managing waste is to reduce our
garbage as much as possible through the Zero-Waste
Challenge.
Several public
meetings will be held during May and June.
See the Metro Vancouver Draft Plan for background
information, additional meeting dates and to provide written
feedback.
= Thursday May 13
~
7:30am ~ Field Sports Forum WG in Cmnty Ctr (Mountain Room)
~ 2 -
11pm ~ Spring Swing, Sip, and Savour in Gleneagles Clubhouse Banquet
Hall
~ 5:30pm ~ Cmnty Engagement Cmte --
CANCELLED
= Saturday May 15
~ 11am = 1pm ~ Spirit Trail Opening
Park Royal South, Trail Head at base of Taylor Way
~ 7pm ~ SPCA Art and Jewellery Silent
Auction at the FBG
The West Vancouver SPCA is holding an Art
and Jewellery Silent Auction on Saturday, May 15. All proceeds
will be directed to providing animal care at the West Vancouver
shelter. A wine and cheese reception will be held in conjunction
with the auction.
Tickets: $20, may be purchased at the door or from the
West Van SPCA, 922 4622
Don't forget to give your views to Ccl on
the Ambleside Waterfront plans, Monday May 17
= Tuesday May 18
~ 7:30pm ~ Regular WRA Mtg, Gleneagles Clubhouse --> CANCELLED! off to Housing
Forum!
Our guest speaker will be Brent Leigh, DepCAO. One topic
will be how the new budget will affect the Western
Neighbourhoods.....
PLUS: Ready for the Next Nifty Thrifty? Drop-Offs Tuesdays 5 -
7pm at St. Monica's Parish Hall
Homes
That Fit Us and Fit In
The District
of West Vancouver is hosting a free public forum as part of our
Housing Pilot Program. The focus of the forum is to learn about new
housing forms and green building innovations and opportunities for
addressing community concerns over limited housing options. The
speakers' panel will share experiences from other communities
including examples of built projects.
When: Tuesday, May 18, 7-9pm (information displays in
foyer start at 6pm)
Where: Kay Meek Centre, 1700 Mathers Ave, West
Van
Limited
seats available on a free shuttle service from the Seniors' Activity
Centre to Kay Meek. To register for a shuttle seat, call 604.925.7270
(please quote bar code 719917)
More
Info: Housing
Pilot Program Update + Event Poster with Speakers + Phone 925
7055
but at 5pm:
Ambleside "A"
Artificial Turf Sport Field Info Drop-In
The District of WV
is very excited to receive a $3 million Infrastructure Canada grant
to build an artificial turf playing surface designed for field
hockey and [usable] by soccer and other field sports on Ambleside
"A". Ambleside "A" is the gravel field near the corner of
13th Street and Marine. This project includes an upgrade to
artificial turf from gravel, improved lighting, a new field house, and
warm-up areas for field hockey and soccer. The field hockey and
soccer communities in WV are eagerly anticipating this facility which
supports health and fitness for people of all ages, and are
contributing $1.5 million toward the project.
Since the
Infrastructure Canada grant was announced in September 2009, staff
have been working on a preliminary study to identify project
constraints, one of which is the timeframe as the grant
stipulates that the project must be completed by March 31,
2011.
Ambleside 'A' Field Artificial Turf Project Public
Information Drop-In May 18th
Join staff and
representatives from the WV Field Hockey Club and the WV Soccer Club
to find out more about the Ambleside 'A' artificial field project.
'A' field is the gravel field near the corner of 13th Street and
Marine. Information about phasing of work and early design will be
available. Questions and comments are welcome.
Date: Tuesday, May 18th Time: 5 - 8pm Place: Community Centre
Atrium
= Wednesday May 19
~
5:30pm ~ Cmnty Engagement Cmte
~ 6pm ~
Child Care Services WG at Cmnty Ctr (Cedar Room)
~ 7pm ~
Bd of Variance
~ 7pm ~
Library Bd in Library (Welsh Hall)
= Thursday May 20
~
4:30pm ~ Design Review Cmte
~
5:30pm ~ WV Police Bd mtg (WVPD Bd Rm)
~ 6pm ~
NSh Family Court / Youth Justice Cmte mtg at DNV M Hall
~
7:30pm ~ WV Streamkeeper Society Public mtg (creek reports and
more!)
at St Stephen's, 885 - 22nd St
+++ WV MEMORIAL LIBRARY
+++
- for Events and Programs: http://www.westvanlibrary.ca/index.php?page=5
- for Event Calendar: http://www.westvanlibrary.ca/event/calendar.php
Stay up to date with what's going on at the Library -
Register now for our Monthly eNewsletter!
+
ENGLISH CORNER in the Welsh Hall from 10 to 11:30am
Come and
practise English conversation at the Library Friday --
May 14
Requirement:
able to read English. Info: Fariba Rocker (604 506 6616).
Facilitated by WV Baha'i Cmnty.
Friday May
21 -
Philosophers' Cafe - The Art of Poemoirs
With guest poet
Franci Louann. 10:30am - noon; Welsh Hall E. No registration required.
Admission is $5.
Next Exhibition starts June 8:
MASTER OF THE INSTANT
Cartier-Bresson
Photographs from the National Gallery of Canada
REFLECTIONS VANCOUVER 2011 ~~ May 4 -
16
Capilano University IDEA Program: Paintings & 2011 Calendar
launch [see www.capreflections.com]
GRAD SHOW 2010 ~~ May 18 - 30 ~~ West Van high
school students Mixed media
Opening Reception:
Tuesday May 18 from 5 to 8pm
Artists
in Attendance: Saturday, May 22 from 2 to 3pm
+ May 4 -
16 "You're the Song in my
Art"
The closest bond in the
family is the one that is shared by a mother and her daughter. Theirs
is a bittersweet relationship, which goes through numerous ups and
downs in life and in the end, still turns out to be the most intimate
of all the other relations. Join us as we celebrate a special
exhibition during Mother's Day, by mother and daughter
artists Elodie
Ellingsen, acrylic artist
from London (England) and her mother, long-time West Van
artist Vange
Brossard. They have both
exhibited throughout Canada, the US, Mexico, Ireland, and the
UK.
+ May 18 -
30 "The Last Picture Show:
Floral & Fantasy"
"This is my last hurrah
- I won't do any more" says the graceful octogenarian and
long-time West Van artist Ruth Coxon Lewis. She started painting when her children were grown,
working mainly with oils, later discovering more joy and flexibility
in watercolours. She has been juried into many prestigious galleries
throughout the Pacific Northwest and is a member of the Federation of
Canadian Artists and the North Shore Artists' Guild. Join her as she
celebrates her 85th birthday with her latest artistic
creations!
Opening
Reception: Tuesday May 18th from 6 to 8pm
+++ KAY MEEK CENTRE
+++
+++ ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION BRANCH 60, West
Vancouver +++
The newsletter is available to any
interested non-member. Pls fill in the form on the
webpage, http://www.westvan60.com/newsletter.html
Pls contact Janice Mackay-Smith to submit articles, questions,
comments for The Torch.
EVENTS AT THE LEGION: Sunday, May 16th-Veterans' Social in the Lounge 2 - 4pm
Announcing The
first Annual Cypress Mountain BBQ
Social!!
WV Chamber of Commerce is
proud to host the first
Annual Cypress Mountain BBQ Chamber Social! We are inviting members from a
host of Chambers including the West Vancouver Chamber, the North
Vancouver Chamber, the Bowen Island Chamber, and the Squamish Chamber
of Commerce to come together for a fun evening of networking and
making connections.
~ 5:30 - 7:30pm ~ Thurs May
13th; Crazy
Raven Pub, Cypress Mountain Lodge; Tix $25 ($35
non-mbrs)
+++ RECONNECTING WITH NATURE
+++ David Cook 924 0147
== 9:30am SATURDAY, May 8th -- Candelabra Fir &
Heritage Walk: A hike
An
event for Nature Vancouver.
Meet: McDonald's, Park Royal; Duration: three to four hours;
Elevation gain: 280 metres.
We will be walking the trails of lower Hollyburn Ridge east of
Lawson and Brothers Creeks primarily along the route of the Brothers
Creek Forestry Heritage Walk designed by the West Vancouver Historical
Society, West Vancouver Museum, and the District of West Vancouver. On
the way we will have an opportunity to view various sites relating to
the logging that took place in the area between 1870 and the 1950s as
well as items of botanical interest. Side trips will take us to some
of the veteran Douglas-firs and redcedars that survived the logging.
We will try to find what is left of the famous Candelabra Fir.
Meet Park Royal for car pooling or to collect persons travelling
by bus. Alternatively, meet at 1000 hours at the trail head at the
intersection of Eyremont Drive and Millstream Road in the British
Properties
Bring lunch and water and dress for changes in weather. There are
many rough, rooty, and muddy sections on the trail, so hiking boots
with ankle support are essential.
== 10am SATURDAY, May 15th -- Belcarra
Regional Park: A walk
An
event for Nature Vancouver
Meet: The parking lot at the corner of Franklin and Penticton
Streets behind the East Hastings St McDonald's two blocks east of
Nanaimo St; Duration: three to four hours
First we will walk along the Admiralty Point/Burns Point Trail to
look at the forest ecology. Highlights will be a grove of mature
Cascara and an old growth Douglas-fir that was used as a nest tree by
Bald Eagles in the 1970s. On our return the tide should be low enough
to walk along sections of the beach to look for First Nations shell
middens, glacial lake deposits, and other geology that underlies this
southern section of the Indian Arm fjord. For those interested in
intertidal life there should also be a good display. Wear hiking
boots, but be prepared for some damp spots as we walk along the
beach.
For car pooling meet at 1000 hours in the parking lot at the
corner of Franklin Street and Penticton Street.
=== CULTUREWATCH
===
*
THEATRE
+ Presentation
House
Plan B -- Sea Theatre is pleased to present the West
Coast premiere of Michael Healey's Plan B, a political Canadian farce
addressing the complexities of intimacy using the tenuous relationship
between Québec and English Canada to explore the topic of betrayal,
both personal and political. Michael Healey is a Governor General
Award-winner for his play The Drawer Boy. Plan B won the 2002 Dora
Mavor Moore award (Toronto) for Best New Play.
Opens
Friday, May 14; 8 pm, Tues to Sat until May 29; a Saturday
matinee at 2pm on May 29. Tix are $22/28, except Tuesdays, which are
2-for-1; available at the PHBox Office: 990 3474 or www.phtheatre.org.
+ Vancouver
Playhouse
Dangerous
Corner by J B Priestley, May 1st to 22nd (873
3311)
+ Arts Club (tel 687
1644)
World Premiere of My Granny the
Goldfish by Anosh Irani at Arts Club Revue, Apr 22nd to May
15th
*
MUSIC
VSO with Bach Choir, last night for
Bruce Pullan, Last Night at the Proms! 8pm Friday May 14 at the
Orpheum 280 3311
+ Centennial Theatre
NV at 7:30 on Saturday May 15th
Sinfonia Orchestra and Cascadia Society Present Animal
Tales
*
PHOTOGRAPHY
Call for Photographers Deadline:
Apr 25; Exhibition May 16 -
31; Reception 6 - 8pm Sat May 22
Caroun Art Gallery, 1403 Bewicke, NV; More Art &
Culture: www.Caroun.com
Group Painting Exhibition
Effat MirNia, Hossein
Kashian, Nafiseh Tabari, Nazanin Khaledi, Reyhaneh Bakhtiari, Shahla
Damabi, Shahla Homayouni, & Tary Majidi
=== COUNCIL MTG NOTES -- May
3rd ===
Note: At 5:45pm the sp Ccl Mtg will commence in
open session (in the main floor conference room), and at 6pm the ccl
mtg will be immediately followed by a motion to exclude the public in
order to hold a closed session, pursuant to section 90 of the
Community Charter. At 7pm the open session will reconvene (in the
Council Chamber) for consideration of the scheduled agenda
items.
5:45 pm
* Special Ccl Mtg re Ambleside Waterfront Implementation
Initiatives
[3. Proposed Zoning / Amendment Bylaw No. 4634, 2010
(File: 1610-20-4634)]
The
bylaw with Public Hearing May 3 was rescinded; new one with PH
date May 17.
6:00 pm
1. CALL TO ORDER OPEN SESSION
2. EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC
RECOMMENDED THAT in the public interest, members
of the public be excluded from part of the May 3 regular Council
Meeting on the basis of matters to be considered under the following
section of the Community Charter:
90. (1) A part of a council meeting may be closed
to the public if the subject matter being considered relates to or is
one or more of the following:
(c) labour relations or other
employee relations;
(k) negotiations and related
discussions respecting the proposed provision of a municipal service
that are at their preliminary stages and that, in the view of the
council, could reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the
municipality if they were held in public.
3. ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION
7:00 pm
4. RECONVENE OPEN SESSION
Mayor: wd like to begin with an apology
we were intending at 7 o'clock tonight PH on the rezoning of the
boat launch area of Ambleside; that requires two advertisements in the
local paper and the paper published one and forgot, an honest mistake,
to publish the second one. Regrettably, on behalf of all of us,
cannot hold the PH; rescheduled for May 17.
The NSNews is fully committed to publishing two ads.
Recognize some of you may be here to comment; we like them in writing
b/c become part of the official record for May 17. You're welcome to
come and speak [now] but doesn't become part of the official
record.
I apologize on behalf of the North Shore News, our Ccl, and
our staff who work v hard to get things in the right order.
At this time, wish to comment, you're more than welcome.
Voice from gallery: between now and 17th what's going ahead
and what's not?
Mayor: the path for the seawalk will be extended in the upland
area, under way right now related to removing the floral clock.
That's all.
CAO: correct; some demolition as well taking place; nothing will
be done that affects the rezoning
Voice: removing or changing any part of the boat launch?
Mayor: absolutely not; sorry for the inconvenience; tyvm; see you
on the 17th. Anyone else?
Open with a couple of announcements.
May is National Hearing Awareness month in Canada and
we're so proud of the work our Measuring Up WG has done to improve
access and inclusion for all in WV, hearing was a part of that, it's
award-winning work, and certainly hearing was a part of that.
...
Remind the public hearing loss cannot be restored, only
prevented.
Cclr Ev who has bn standing in for me as Acting Mayor has another
announcement
Ev: May is also awareness month for Multiple Sclerosis; MS NSh
launched their fundraising campaign a week last Sunday, wch I
attended. Huge number of ppl, v v successful start.
MS affects up to 75K ppl in Canada, somewhat over 8K in BC.
The flower emblem is the carnation and will be sold; encourage ev to
support as much as they can.
5. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Adding to Item 7 (report); to Item 12 Correspondence re Endowment
Fund; item 16 withdrawn.
{BUT BUT BUT there's no Correspondence section and no
letter with a link so we can read it!}
6. ADOPTION OF MINUTES -- No items
presented.
REPORTS
7. Implementing Community Dialogue on Neighbourhood Character
and Housing Working Group Recommendations and Presentation by Housing
Pilot Program Working Group (File: 2515-02)
Information to be provided.
Sokol: received by Ccl in Sept 2008 with 20 recommendations:
seven wrt Character and seven to Housing Choice and Affordability, two
re future Nbrhd Planning, and three wrt continuing the dialogue they
undertook. Staff to report back on implementation of that
report. District staff have implemented those recs in a number of
ways. As I reported to you in early 2009, the Planning [Dept's]
workplan was structured around implementation of those recs, and in
2010 implementation identified strategic initiatives in the BSC out of
the strategic planning process in 2009.
District has moved forward on sev topics from recommendations:
sec stes prog (approved by Ccl 2009; as of Mar 2009 sec stes now
legal, will report later on this); two housing pilot projects
(WG will report on this later in this presentation); Bill 27 OCP
amendments wrt GHG (had first reading and PH scheduled for May
17); disposition of M props (green standards for lots selling;
Ottaburn, HBay firehall lots); DWV small sgl-fam lots in HBay for sale
can have sec stes; at Wetmore selected devpr, negotiations for final
terms wch will result in 129 units for seniors; Heritage Plan, part of
BSC, heritage revitalization/incentives (two underway: Merrick
house, design w/ nature approach will have second dwelling on lot;
Tobe house context-sensitive add'n and subdiv outside of riparian
area); implementing Lower Caulfeild Area heritage review,
working with that cmnty over past year; Strat Transportation Plan
WG report; public forum scheduled for May 18th at Kay Meek
Ctr, "Homes that fit us and fit in" with a number of
speakers including Michael Geller.
Happy to answer any questions, or cd report on Sec Stes
Mayor: hear from Cclr Ev and WG making a presentation; when Sec
Stes?
Sokol: now.
Enquiries. As of Apr 23, only received 15 applications
and five have come in in the last week.
As of this week, one has been approved -- our first legal sec
ste! in Horseshoe Bay, approved and on the books. We've publicized
the prog, advertised in Tidings, been sending mailings to realtors;
I'll be speaking at the Real Estate Town Hall mtg Friday morning...
make legal will improve marketability of those homes; sending letters
to those we know have suites; perusing Craig's List and flagging ads
and contacting owners -- four applications that came in last week were
a direct result of that.
We had originally thought more coming in without outreach so b/c
trickling in have increased the outreach. Notifying ppl in a
non-threatening manner; before Sept 1st save $200 on permit fee.
One of the issues raised is that when Ccl adopted the bylaw (set
first year fee), wanted the Finance Cmte to discuss further before
setting annual renewal fee; will be bringing that forward to FCmte
during the next month. Questions at this time?
ML: when wd you like to discuss the Sec Ste, uh, different than
what we're about to launch?
Mayor: looking at the order; best to have at the time.
Ev: I had prepared a 45-min intro to the WG report tonight but
the Dir/Planning has saved me that task. I was going to explain
that the WG started way back in 2006 culminating with the report in
Sept 2008 on Nbrhd Character and Housing, led through to the pilot
house prog, and final report April of this year (tonight).
Wd like to introduce mbrs of WG [did; some present], and thank
them.
From bottom of my heart thank Jacquie Gijssen.
SMik: for clarity, the Housing Pilot Prog WG Report and covering
staff report [are] in Appendix C.
For background. District Stats and Facts. Evolved from
traditional family household with two parents and 2.6 kids, to a
diverse cmnty -- emptynesters, seniors, smaller families, sgl-person
households as well as multi-generational extended families.
Housing Dialogue: How provide right size and right type of
housing for an ageing popn; ppl who need assisted living and younger
households?
Cmnty Survey: 80% wd like to see greater diversity; 63% new
sgl-fam homes in their nbrhds were too big; wd like to see more
housing units 1000 to 1500sqft; housing accessible, adaptable, green;
more duplexes and modest scale infill housing.
Something that bridges the gap between a sgl-fam house and an
apt, and gives you a little piece of land.
Pilot projects how to integrate, design with nature.
SLIDES outlining WG's steps to date.
First pilot projs: two sites: 6801 Hycroft Rd, 2614 Ottawa
Upcoming newsletter will arrive in postboxes next week.
Hycroft: to take a remnant lot and enlarge it through subdivision
to create a bldg site for a v small footprint house
Ottawa: to build a coach house in the back yard.
Staff have been meeting re this; hope to come soon for
Ccl's/zoning approval. Hope to hold nbrhd mtgs soon.
Ottawa to allow owners to downsize and stay on prop; also
involves retention of 1930s character house; seen as low-impact ...
site-servicing reqmts fairly modest on this site
Hycroft -- devt of oddly sized lots; team working to subdivide
without signif landform alteration; difficult site; slope
stability issues and servicing considerations; design is currently
being refined to ensure fit with nbrhd character; privacy
objectives.
Pass to Jacquie for the WG report.
JG: plsd to be here, awful weighty report. WG term comes to
end with this.
Genesis from Cmnty Dialogue... take pro-active steps; 20
recommendations
WG to take this to the next stage. Thanks to [list]
Purpose was pilot projects. Two approved and now
underway.
Evaluation will take place throughout and at their
conclusion.
17 EOIs; recs for evaluation framework, MOU, and cmnty engagement
process
Public Forum coming up May 18.
WG Recommendations in three areas:
- some of the learnings from the prog overall
- add'l projects we wd like to recommend process for
adding
- next steps
Direct your attention to this SLIDE.
Learning: v focused project in somewhat uncharted
terrain
staff and WG learned a great deal including challenging questions
of how to motivate and sustain cmnty prop owners to participate; how
to make the process manageable for staff and volunteers; how to
provide a safe context in wch the cmnty and Ccl cd be willing to push
the boundaries of standard practice, pilot projects being the ideal
tool for controlled exploration and experimentation.
Also need for shared understanding and commitment, critical to
implementation -- and that needed to be achieved through good
communication and some time, time we did not have a lot of.
Recs break out into four: selection and evaluation of pilot
projs
o future pilot projects be directed to address key
gaps in policy to pro-actively solicit proposals that address critical
issues
o site servicing needs to be considered a little bit
earlier on -- we didn't really think that through but it has a
huge impact on the project's feasibility and viability wch equates to
affordability
o importance of the interdisciplinary staff support team
cannot be underestimated; creative team that has direction and
authority to look outside the box, to look for new creative solutions
and think of new ways to devp and implement policy is really
critical
o rec an arm's length adjudication panel, after the staff
technical review, to make recs to Ccl wch is the final place for
approving pilot projects moving forward. This wd remove the WG
and Ccl mbrs from real or perceived conflict of interest in the
adjudication and assessment process.
{two comments:
o At the outset I'd asked why not determine
what type of housing wd be most useful/needed and then have pilot
projects to demonstrate how that can be addressed however they'd
decided to go straight to asking for EOIs and then to choose three or
four pilot projs. This results in having to choose whatever
pitches up from the potentials seen by devprs and owners (some with $$
in their eyes). Glad to see this approach has made it into the
final report for going forward, as you'll read later on
below.
It was startling to learn that site-servicing and their
costs were not part of the information and selection process
before a project chosen such that an owner wd not want to pay
them. One can understand that as a stumbling block if a
substantial amt. While not all mbrs are planners nor expected to
be, this is rather basic and to overlook that is a serious omission.
Good to see here a note is made so that it will be in
future.
We await finding out if Ccl or staff will cave in and
subsidize an owner finding it so costly as to risk carrying
through.}
Cmnty Engagement: really didn't have time between August
and now for a lot of cmnty dialogue; didn't harm process but didn't
allow it to go as far as possibly it cd have. Recommend
sufficient time and District involvement shd be provided; will address
contextual questions by hosting info sessions, form for cmnty
feedback, communicating key goals from the outset. Will have
accurate information and a better understanding and why. Benefit
if District wd make clear opp for public input and feedback throughout
the pilot prog and devt applic process. Many unaware of
opps.
Attracting Innovative Pilot Projects: prop owners, without
them we don't have a prog; encourage and motivation. Three
factors: ease of process including timeliness; cost to owner; and
value of outcome or final product.
Finally, a commitment to exploration of housing alternatives.
Evaluate on basis of value to the greater WV cmnty as well as the
local nbrhd. Ppl's passion for their nbrhds and differences
across the cmnty. Tools for implementing.
If not ready in a nbrhd, consider other/alternative technology.
Key is to move forward and to figure out what the right tool is for
moving forward.
Two areas more.
Adding add'l pilot projects: we're recommending in accordance
BSC, staggered, adding two in nine- to ten-month periods; learning;
policy achievements
We're recommending the two recommended but not approved in Dec go
forward; feasibility,....
.... then new call for pilot projects
Next steps
o making policy recommendations based on those pilots
o having renewed focus on nbrhd character (this was on
pilot projects)
o having further engagement with cmnty and nbrhd
Conclude and thank you for your support.
{BRAVO! altogether a thorough and thoughtful report.
Well done.}
Mayor: applaud you; sophisticated answer to sophisticated Q, and
one WV is beginning to make progress on.
Sop: hear some say, not in our nbrhd
need zoning amendment
I've seen a smaller house on a smaller house..... xxx
monster houses ...
recommendation 3.3 need for young families, young adults
smaller units about
Recently 1500sf sold for $1.9M
how cd a young family?
don't want to throw hot water b/c you've done a good job
xxx
technical rewrite of our bylaws
where and how many of these units you wd see in this cmnty?
nice to have a lane house, what happens if seven houses in a
row?
{yes, good question. Drastically changes character of
the street, potentially the nbrhd wch is why even with sec stes I
asked if there cd be a limit to the number per block or
area.}
if we allow two small houses
discussion?
take an area like Altamont -- massive mix of small houses in
these palatial lots
follow bylaw, said and done
Jacquie: I can only address a few of them, and staff the
rest
WV is a colln of nbrhds, whatever develops
system that applies to whole cmnty and not work xxxxxxxxxx
what works in HBay may not work in Dund or xxx
specifics, I leave to Planning staff
affordability, no easy answer
working through the pilots
a lot being done now about shrinking size of houses all over N
Am, first time
you asked about new houses
that's what the pilot proj is about testing and
{learning?}
we may not like but we're going to learn
no surprise houses {springing?} up in Altamont
engagement, leads to policy change
Sop: in your interpretation of two small houses on a
lot
Sokol, a subdiv of that prop
Brit Prop? no subdiv allowed? so most impact below hwy down to
the water
what wd be the max lot size and xxx?
Sokol: the answer is we don't know and that's why we're doing
the pilot proj
strata, other ways to move forward
rather than wholesale rezoning and realize, Gee, it didn't make a
lot of sense
before allowing in other parts of cmnty
ML: looking through the recommendations
esp cmty involvement ... sequence ... articulating nbrhd
character ... in established nbrhds
want your help in how sequencing this
worried about too many pilot projs; nbrhds say not
approp
Jacquie: our WG struggled with that
more time for first two; cmnty engagement strategy;
envmt...
Don't have to do one; engagement and pilot projects; xxxxx
ML: Cedardale ... in terms ot driving that forward
Jacquie: ... District lead in those discussions; ... two-pronged
...
TP: ... how ... may be a barrier
SMik: too early xxx
{EOIs? 17} xxx
and those were well-evaluated
a site may have challenging geog issues and render it
unfeasible
add another step; sit down with team; to assess what services;
services standards
what's needed to make realistic
TP looking at Item 4; cmnty dialogue
Keith and Marine West -- still motivated?
SMik: talk to owners to see if still interested, revised?
looking at other feasibility issues
Mayor: maybe take these one at a time
Ev:.....
o DONE
o Secondly,
CARRIES
{well, well, well, here we are at a disadvantage; motions
missing b/c info provided on-table; have to refer to minutes when
adopted}
o Thirdly
draft terms of Ref; once first two pilot projs sufficiently
advanced
ML: point re quantifying nbrhd character
2.1 of original report, think that needs to be a
priority
if new WG, go back and clean up what we didn't xxx from the
first report
Ev: you said exactly what I was going to say
cite from one of the recs xxx; further work
nbrhd char issues what actions immediately and xxx
ask staff, ref in motion, go ahead once first two pilot projs
significantly advanced
not like to see this left until -- a lot we can do in immediate
timeframe; wd be reasonable
WG cd be put together even as soon as end of month
Sokol: staff is going full-bore getting these two before month
of June
b/c PHs in month of June; once PH, can get OCP and zoning
amendments
plan to move on it; significantly advanced; get in front of
Ccl
cmnty discuss more
Ev: suggest write terms of ref, advertise, that process
takes sev weeks; preparing the outlines cd be done a little bit
sooner
Mayor: focusing on T of Ref; Ccl wd like to have input
from xxx
so a few things; go to other mbrs of Ccl and see how shakes
out
TP: when coming back to Ccl for approval
we are looking for the housing pilot prog to move forth
obviously xxx piece of it; strategy and moving forward
pilot proj moving forward in that context
Jacquie: embracing ... moving forward ... broader ... to
bring back that nbrhd character
no loss of any X or energy?
integration of other..... ScoreCard, etc
Sop: I look at it as a case setting
what bothers me, when we have pushed along ... like them or
not
b/c such a diverse cmnty, this will not fit in ev cmnty we
have
from zoning and OCP xxx anywhere ... but we know won't, lot size
or desire not to have it
excellent opp for this group to do a public process
if you took an area and had a town hall mtg; discussion, how
do you think it will fit your nbrhd
in bylaw, never hear from them again
don't know
Mayor: Mr Sokol
Sokol: what we're bringing forward is site-specific, then can say
to a nbrhd what change wd you like to fit in your nbrhd?
MS: what's imp to the cmnty... reading this report: four
things
how do we integrate, new better, more nbrly, site alteration,
design with nature
that's what cmnty focused on and were on two projects
questioning our priorities
Mayor: ... and do this in a sensitive manner
don't think ... not dealt with that yet; prev Ccl chose pilot,
hoping to learn
Sokol: work is underway re... the OCP, zoning; make more nbrly,
blasting bylaw
not in public realm yet, staff work, not seen xxx
area I'd like to do more in, in my time here haven't done
enough
Mayor: those four criteria will form the xxx
b/c two months
MS: last WG ... all we're doing is having another WG ... if
that's progress
Mayor: it's the momentum in the cmnty we want to build
on
just to keep the momentum going
ML: Cclr Smith is right looking at those four
nbrhd; not simply an articulation; how we're going to go about
doing that
assured, if doing that
Mayor: best next step staff come back, be more specific
doesn't have to be perfect; imperfect as it may be
vote on
Ev: Keith and Marine West motion
xxx
SMik: ev nine to ten months; total of six pilot projects
Mayor: No, five
Ev: motion on sec stes
ML: not getting a big take-up on this Bob, what ... are we going
to do it?
Sokol: doing more outreach
come forward; ramping up; providing info out there; are being
more active; writing letters to ste owners
at some point we will begin more aggressive stance ...xxx
carrot, hoping come in xxx
ML: what was the stick? fine?
Sokol: work with Ccl when become more aggressive; letters will go
out; notice, you have an illegal suite
fine up to sev hundred dollars a day
ML: orig debate ... notwithstanding sec stes paying fair
share; talked about 1000
{oh ho ho -- some realtors say there are 6000! and
say almost no new house today is without a sec suite (as a mortgage
helper.}
... smoke detectors, etc
if we don't get the take-up; do what we can to get them to the
surface
Sokol: no doubt stes out there; have Sept deadline so wait ...
xxx
SW: re financial snapshot -- you were going to hire an add'l
clerk and xxx; have they been filled?
Sokol: yes we have; we expected a lot coming in and had we not
hired we wd hv been caught flatfooted; we were prepared
they've been doing researches ... process, ... in place; no doubt
applications coming in
Ev: before you call the question and while I have the floor
xxx
you've all had a taste of the extraordinary work of WG; thank WG;
tremendous amt of work
mayor: Motion carries; look forward to next quarterly
report
8:07
{for full information/reports, pls see
www.westvancouver.ca/housing
http://www.westvancouver.ca/Residents/Level3.aspx?id=21128&utm_source=redirect&utm_campaign=housing }
RF: benchmarking but this is the first report -- John McMahon of
Utilities
JM: all tied to water and wastewater utilities
SLIDES
benchmarking is basically to compare and learn from each
other
began with four Ms and grown to 45 and across Canada
DWV has been involved five years and storm water last three
years
performance indicators
how much to replace sewers? replacing different ones;
compare apples to apples
examples of bench indicators; graph, water distribution
compare with elsewhere in the country, a way to go, but we have
improved a lot
number of customer complaints, per 1000 ppl, been decreasing;
we're in the middle
number of employees we're expecting to retire -- roughly half of
the utility employees, next five years none, we'll have a
few....
staff have access to all the Ms but no names on graph includes
sick time, vacation time, etc
catchbasins -- we clean half every year, only a couple of cities
doing more
unplanned maintenance
we're spending more than other Ms -- light pink is unplanned,
emergency
five years so now able to use the data; consistent; can draw
conclusions
benchmarks indicate have to focus more on our
infrastructure
take all this info and move forward; another good thing, gives
us a good base line
can start tracking how improving, compare with other Ms across
Canada
Ev: I read the presentation last night; clearer ...
disappointing only four; two on the NSh, any expectation they wd
participate?
Ans: there is some interest
takes a lot of staff time; sometimes you have to change the way
you measure things
the consulting diligent, makes sure apples, not an orange
SW: what's the cost of belonging to this?
Ans: without staff time $15K a year, $5K for each utility
Mayor: while we're beginning to address the capital shortfall,
there's also an operating shortfall ...
as a result of our ageing infrastructure ... see ...
proactive govt
way for us to show public ... b/c we have good data; where
it shd be and room for improvement
CARRIED
9. Food-Scrap Collection Demonstration Project
- Results and Recommendations
(File: 1775-01)
RECOMMENDED: extend for the remainder of 2010 with the
additional cost of $9,000 to be funded by the Solid Waste Reserve
Fund; and develop a service delivery option that includes
District-wide [food-scrap] pickup from [single-family] homes for
consideration during the 2011 Solid Waste Utility rate setting
exercise.
Mayor: another way we're trying to manage the cost of .... to
reduce what's in the waste stream
Phil Bates: you have a staff report from our six-month
led by XXX and four other Ms; for region, for WV, XXX
at core zero-waste challenge from 50 to 70% diversion rate;
endorsed last year
staff looking for ways to get rid of garbage; given we're mostly
sgl fam here, targeted that
through pilots, 43% is compostable items at street edge --
landfill, incinerator, Cache Crk,
burning not good; landfilling if we hadn't been you can imagine
????
incinerator of landfill for Cache Crk
we chose Western Caulfeild 500 homes for a pilot
Rmd has [system?]; testing contamination levels; composting for
landscapers, gardeners
Open House at Caulfeild Shoppng Ctr, attended by 80
residents
SLIDE -- Cclrs there
sp thx to UBC food and ??; Rockridge High School
Mayor: Secondary, just so
Ans: did I say???
see outreach; knocked on ev door; 90% expressed an interest
encouraged to backyard composting and xxx
SLIDE Containers with stickers, and the foodwaste container
Participation, voluntary prog successful, 35% and that rate
didn't fall off
capturing the early adopters
North Shore Transfer Station
[Slide of results 8:32]
tonnage did decline in the six-month test period; direct haul
to Rmd is cost prohibitive
OPTION: continue the pilot, down to about $1K a month to keep
those homes going
and wd like to add a full food scrap [?] pickup
Sop: at the Ccl of Ccls, subject came up and Coq well into
this
why wd be spend $9K on a pilot when we can go to Rmd and get
on with it?
Ans: we need to negotiate the colln contract, wd be an
amendment to our contract
wd something ironed out with MetroV so we don't have to haul
to Rmd
A few things to iron out; staff recommendation
Sop: do you have to carry on as a pilot? why not go into
it right away?
Ans: need to update the Calendar, xxx
only 500 homes know about this, xxx
Mayor: imp to know that Coq did it independently; $9K is v
little to pay
Ev: concern re cost
500 and $1K a month, that comes to $22K a month though I'm
sure there are economies of scale; appears to be a high price for this
prog
Mayor: let's focus on the $9K for the next six months; Ccl
debate
Ev: true but if costs that high I'd say scrap it on now
RF: ... solid waste
Finance Cmte told us willing to look at some increase in service
but not without a ... approach; two-can limit; yet another cost
want this time for the rate-setting exercise in Oct
may look at decreasing xxx .... wrt an extra garbage
tag
... onto the users who are demanding it
looking at one-can limit, or bi-weekly; some limitation on the
containers
in the mix to keep the ... manageable
Mayor: Coq has biweekly
ML: presume $9K from an existing budget not a [add'l?]
RF: in fact this is a request for an add'l $9K; we do have a
reasonable reserve cd come out of
reason, takes a lot of marketing to get things going; wd be a
shame to tell this ppl to stop
esp if District-wide; maintain the service for xxx
ML: can you pick it up from your budget
RF: cannot
ML: xxx
RF?
ML: we already do yard recycling, etc
really the add'l cost to the District wd be the transfer
getting this to the Rmd landfill as opposed to the Seymour
[?]
RF: when you get into this, gets more complicated than it
seems
... anticipated participation rate by the contractor
not ... yard trimmings throughout year
food-scraps guaranteed every week throughout
ML: 35% participation rate with public ...
these ppl already; others have gardening services and don't do
this anyway
TP: there's a preference for garburetor use
RF: there is a debate curbside vs down garburetor {sp? have
seen two ways! but it is a Cdn word.....}
add'l burden to sanitary sewers
sewage treatment plant ... global studies
garburetor more expensive but there's a bit of a debate out
there; better to go the composting method
TP: tipping fee?
RF: defer to Mr Bates for that
TP: where the incentive is for green waste p 5
Ans: Metro anticipates $80 to $150 paying for an add'l X
option
replacement or incinerator; organics for foodwater fairly
stable
separate green waste, food waste, that's around $60 and not
projected to go up much in the next few years
Mayor: tipping fees; one person to speak then wd like to get
motion on the floor
Jim Kearns (?): 101 Argyle Ave;
I think we are to be congratulated and xxx; must address organics
seriously
we learn from each other; how much are we learning from each
other?
on Annacis? Island they've been doing composting for a long
time
walk before run; they looked around, where is; low-hanging fruit;
food stores, restaurants, and ...
check with Regional District of Nanaimo; focused on this; only
recently door-to-door; close to 14% in v short time; wd estimate
close to 70%; let's learn from others
surprised Metro, four identical progs
make sense to do one across from food stores restaurants and
institutions b/c they pay to get it taken away
not giving a recommendation
recommendation to the approach not necessarily the system, there
are several
I'm not in favour of stopping, shd keep going but shd give
serious thought -- where is the low-hanging fruit?
Mrs Jones [asking] where's ...? are you going to xxx? are you
going to increase my taxes?
have some serious thought as to the type of pilot project you
do.
[ML made motion]
Mayor: when the report goes back, Mr K makes a good point
pay vs looking as a resource we can sell ...
ppl make money collecting
in Sweden they wd change this into biofuel that's recycled; shd
be the producers who pay
look fwd to report shift as to how we make money
expectation not always constantly a service that will cost us
more
CARRIED
RECOMMENDED: THAT Council direct staff to issue a Request for
Proposal for the provision of proprietary transit shelter services
by a third party at up to 22 locations along commercial
corridors.
RF: all engg evening tonight. Mr Brent Dozzi
BD: possibility ad potential
before you a report from staff
most recently, .... Finance Cmte WG ... 2006
replacement of the existing bus shelters we have in the biz
districts
SLIDE of history
cost of new shelter $20K installed, ongoing maintenance ~ $3K per
year
present ones rather small and not much coverage; toward end of
service life
SLIDE of shelter called the Arbutus, fairly expensive, $20K, if
to replace all 22, net benefit of $400K
aesthetic important; canopy, good coverage
really liked the 'Arbutus' fairly clear so high personal safety
and good visibility
enhance transit experience
encourage public, one way is high quality service; custom glass
etching ...
hope receive Ccl's direction to proceed with a suppler with an
RFP
aesthetic maintenance costs, advertising
Ev: mntnce and graffiti
as applied to other Ms, satisfied with removal of graffiti --
fairly quickly
{~ 9pm Mayor left Chamber; Cclr Walker in Chair}
BD: ... quality of their ...
they do respond quickly to graffiti vandalism, broken glass
SW, Acting Mayor: Question
[Sop left; Mayor came back]
Mayor: sorry I missed it. Did you introduce Item 11?
SW: Yes, just waiting for Mr Chan
Mayor: one mbr of the public to speak, Mr Pajari
GP: it's item 12; ... my writing???
BYLAWS for Adoption
Mayor: I'm looking for Mr Chan. Are you going to come to
the microphone?
{much shuffling of papers}
Mark Chan, staff: last week bylaws received three readings
approach we've taken is to redraft the bylaws in order to
modernize them, to take into account the opportunities arising from
prov legislative amendments.
In preparing the bylaws, staff have tried to retain the
current operation of the existing bylaws, philosophical changes such
as regarding the threshold, rationale of the funds, and appropriate
uses have not been addressed and will be scheduled for a
future mtg together with public consultation in Phase Two of this
process.
IOW, we will be coming back with Phase Two to address the
philosophical parts of the bylaws.
Mayor: thank you, we'll move to the motion then can have some
public input on the next part and then you can continue.
Sop: move adoption
SW: Second
PASSED with SMITH OPPOSED
9:02
Mayor: Endowment Bylaw and I have Mr Pajari
GP: tyvm, Your Worship and Ccl
I understand that the issue before us is the modernization of the
Endowment Fund Bylaw and that it is your intent as Ccl primarily to
bring the existing bylaw into agreement with the requirements of prov
legislation without any changes to intent and philosophy, and it's not
my intention to speak to the philosophical issues surrounding the
EFund.
My concern however is, as was explained to us for the first
time by the M solicitor last week, the existing bylaw does not reflect
the intent of Ccl or the cmnty as it was expressed at the time the
original bylaw was adopted.
There are some subtle issues wrt this bylaw that are still not
clear. I posed a questions at PQP last week wrt the transition
beween the old bylaw and the new bylaw. Staff indicated they wd
be getting back to me with answers. No answers were forthcoming;
I was told on Friday that there wd be an ontable document tonight
addressing my concerns and questions. That document is not in
front of us, and so I wd suggest, YW, that if the issues surrounding
merely moving to a modern version of this bylaw are so complex that
your staff cannot answer these questions in one week, you must table
this motion and wait until we have some clarity before the final
adoption.
I have sent, as you may have in front of you, a detailed list of
further questions that were sent by email to you, copied to the M
solictor. Again, questions that shd hv bn addressed in the staff
memo that came to Ccl with the original bylaw and since they were not
answered then, and remain unanswered, I do think the only thing to do
is to table this until we have clarity and truly understand what the
new bylaw is, compared to the old bylaw, and the intents expressed by
Ccl.
{GP's letter is appended to the end of this
transcript.}
Mayor: Thank you. Mr Chan is going to give us some response to
the questions asked last week wrt the EFund bylaw, so you can come
forward and address that now.
MChan: we indicated some information wd be presented at tonight's
mtg, and that's some of the information I will be presenting to you
now.
This presentation responds to some of the questions raised in
correspondence and during the April 26 mtg, discussion of the EFund
and CapFac bylaws.
[Text Supplied]
QUESTION AND
ANSWER DOCUMENT REGARDING
ENDOWMENT FUND
BYLAW NO. 4641, 2010 AND
CAPITAL FACILITIES
FUND BYLAW NO. 4642, 2010
At the outset, it is important to
note that, in general, the meaning of a bylaw is determined by the
wording of the bylaw itself, not by intentions or expectations not
found in the wording of the bylaw. That is why it is critical to look
at the wording of the 1992 bylaw when comparing it to the new
Bylaw.
Q1: The new Endowment Fund
Bylaw provides that the Endowment Fund shall only be repaid
principal plus interest. Is this correct? Can the Fund
retain capital gains?
A1: Under the new Bylaw, the
Fund is repaid principal, interest AND any capital gain (except as
otherwise directed). This is provided for in section 6.2 (which
provides the minimum amount that must be repaid) and section 5.2.4
(which refers to the depositing of "net proceeds from the sale of
real property" which would include capital gains). This
ability to capture capital gains is in both the new and old Endowment
Fund Bylaws.
Q2: The new Endowment Fund
Bylaw deletes the requirement for a bylaw and replaces it with the
ability to act by resolution. Does this mean that Council can
pass resolutions in closed meeting?
A2: Yes - this is correct.
The new Endowment Fund Bylaw will permit Council to act by resolution
as opposed to by bylaw. Such a resolution could be passed
at a closed meeting of Council. This is a result of provincial
legislative amendments which affect all municipalities (and apply
despite any wording in a District bylaw).
Having said that, a Council meeting
may only be closed to the public in certain specific
circumstances listed in section 90 of the Community Charter.
It is therefore only legally qualifying matters that would be
permitted to be considered in camera.
These provisions have been included
in provincial legislation for legitimate reasons, including for
reasons to protect the public interest.
Q3: The new Endowment Fund
Bylaw relies on the Community Charter which places fewer limits
on Council. Is this true?
A3: In summary, because
Sections 189(4.1) and (4.2) of the Community Charter are not
restricted by the Endowment Fund threshold, it can be said that there
are fewer limits on Council in certain respects.
The Endowment Fund Bylaw is governed
by sections 189(4.1) and (4.2) of the Community Charter which
expressly provides the only statutory authority for the District to in
effect "borrow" from the Fund. Section 189 provides that
Council may transfer money from the Endowment Fund to another
statutory reserve fund provided that the amount transferred must be
repaid with interest. Sections 189(4.1) and (4.2) apply
regardless of any contrary wording in any District Bylaw and, for
reasons explained later, are not affected by the threshold
restrictions in the Endowment Fund Bylaw.
Q4: Why was section 7(b) of
the old Bylaw referring to a 30% limit deleted and not incorporated
into the new Endowment Fund Bylaw?
A4: Section 7(b) of the old
Bylaw specifically relates to "loans" under section 6 of
the old Bylaw and provides a limit of no more than the lesser of 30%
of the Threshold Value or market value of the Endowment Fund.
This 30% limit relates only to "loans" made under section 6 of the
old Bylaw, yet the new "fund transfer" provisions of the
Community Charter in sections 189(4.1) and (4.2) expressly apply
despite any bylaw provision. Accordingly, the Municipal Solicitor has
advised that this provision should be deleted from the new Bylaw and
"loan transactions" must now be under the
Charter.
The Municipal Solicitor's concern
is that retaining this provision in the new Endowment Fund
Bylaw:
=B7 would be seen as a departure from the
legislation (i.e. section 189(4.1) and (4.2) of the Community
Charter);
=B7 would be inapplicable since the Charter
states that it operates despite the Bylaw; and
=B7 would be confusing and lead to the impression
that a municipal bylaw may amend or supersede the provincial
legislation.
Q5: What was the discussion
about "intent" at the April 26 Council Meeting?
A5: As mentioned above, in
general, a bylaw is only interpreted based on the wording of the bylaw
itself. Accompanying reports/memoranda are not the law, and it should
be noted that some people have conceptions about the Endowment Fund
that are not reflected in the wording of the old Bylaw
itself.
In 1992, the Director of Finance, on
behalf of the Advisory Finance Commission, delivered to Council a
report to describe the old Endowment Fund Bylaw. The report has
often been quoted and relied upon as the authority governing the
interpretation and construction of the old Bylaw. This report
set out the Director's interpretation of the "intent" of the
Council when it adopted the old Bylaw. The old Bylaw; however,
differs from this "intent".
Staff prepared a new Bylaw that
would not change the philosophy or operation of the old Bylaw.
The current Bylaws are Phase 1 of a 2 Phase process. Phase 1 is
to modernise the Bylaws while retaining the operation of the old
Bylaw. We will be scheduling a future meeting in June to discuss
the philosophy of the new Endowment Fund Bylaw and will address this
together with public consultation in Phase 2 of this
process.
Q6: Has the new Capital
Facilities Fund Bylaw been changed with respect to the allowable uses
of monies in the Fund?
A6: The use of funds
provisions are contained in section 5 of the new Bylaw and section 4
of the old Bylaw. The Municipal Solicitor has confirmed that the
operation of the use of funds provisions remains the same with the new
Bylaw.
Q7: The new Bylaw appears
to allow monies to be used for land purchases without the Endowment
Fund obtaining an interest in the asset. Could this allow monies
to be diverted below the Fund's threshold value until the fund is
depleted?
A7: As mentioned earlier,
Section 189(4.1) and (4.2) of the Community Charter apply to
all municipalities "despite any other enactment". In
summary, section 189 of the Community Charter provides that
money in the Endowment Fund, if not currently required, can be
transferred to another statutory reserve fund to expend on, for
example, land acquisitions. A bylaw cannot override this.
Having said that, section 189(4.2) of the Community
Charter requires that the municipality would need to repay to the
Endowment Fund the amount used together with interest. Section
189(4.2) therefore provides some form of "guarantee" for the
Endowment Fund to be repaid the transferred funds.
Section 189 of the Community
Charter therefore could allow monies to be transferred out of the
Endowment Fund below the threshold value stated in the Endowment Fund
Bylaw.
The issues regarding threshold
and other important policy issues will be addressed in June in the
upcoming Phase 2 of the process for the Endowment Fund
Bylaw.
{My underlining. Isn't this cart before horse?
Isn't policy decided and then bylaws drawn up to reflect the intent of
Ccl?}
MChan continues: This concludes my presentation. If I have
not addressed some of the questions raised by the public then we will
be responding to the public by way of correspondence.
Mayor: Thank you for doing a thorough job.
Sop: if Charter prevails despite bylaw provisions, why have
bylaw provisions?
MChan: current bylaw provisions are somewhat misleading in that
what happens is that a mbr of the public or some other person involved
may review those provisions and not be entirely sure of what the
interpretation of the bylaw is.
They may form the view that do we need to follow the bylaw or do
we need to follow the Charter.
What we tried to do with the present drafting is to bring the two
in line
Mayor: And continue in June with a good robust discussion among
Ccl and the cmnty about the things we wish to be guided by, many of
wch spring from 1991/92 and what the public sense of the EFund really
is.
There may be some differences on Ccl about that as well.
Regardless, we know we will have a bylaw that conforms with prov
legislation wch is imperative, mostly at this point b/c we have to
file our 2009 Year End Reports and we didn't want to rush a good
discussion about the framework of the bylaw b/c we need to go through
that. Okay?
Call for adoption.
[SW moves; Ev seconds; carries but no hand motion by ML]
13. OTHER ITEMS -- No items.
CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS
14. Consent Agenda Items for approval:
REPORTS FOR CONSENT AGENDA
RECOMMENDED: THAT the report dated April 27th from the Land
and Property Agent re the acquisition of the properties located
at 1466 and 1488 Argyle be received for
information.
16. Sale of 1360 and 1370
Ottawa
(File: 0510-05) Information to be
provided.
WITHDRAWN
17. REPORTS FROM MAYOR/CCLRS
MS: Cmnty Ctrs Services AGM
Sure Ms Mooi willing to ans
Sop: on Sat, Ccl of Ccl mtg
integrated mgmt plan; air pollution; monitoring system; materials
for roads, down to 4%
why shd taxpayers pay for garbage of producers' products?
you don't have grandchn yet but I buy a lot of toys
Mayor: ...
Sop: ... plastic; planted today, find 10K years from now
this has got to stop; has to be a levy
3.5M tons; $50K; 150M tons per year; looking for ways
a little more work has to be done on the reporting side; end
result is the cost
following new procedures, will go down
Ev: on a more serious note, represented yourself 65th Anniversary
of the Battle of the Atlantic in NV
24? lost during the War and still some veterans there
TP: last ccl mtg went on rather long
Climate Action WG showdown with engg at school
idle free, local food; look forward prog come to fruition
Taste of the Bay incredible success taking charge; local ppl
local nbrhd; huge success
Earth Day happened in WV, v small out west; UN int'l
initiative
showcased our park trail capacity up to White Lake; enjoyed
hope we can showcase parks with that new trail
ML: acknowledge opening with the new.... Gleneagles; restoration
of the Great Hall; remember high school reunions [there],
terrific
operator of the restaurant utility; celebration on Sat
Ms Mooi has had a meal there; omelette
av for bookings; looking forward to many
Mayor: congrat to our staff; about 1400 there
recog former Cclr Carolanne Reynolds, Rod Day, Liz Byrd
to see commitment long past; golfers, residents; our staff took
all those views
recognize staff [NAMED]
leadership; taken something that had been forgotten
scared us; without a whole bunch of pulling together
Cclr Smith and Sop; that wasn't good enough
risk on a renovation xxx; we did it and it really shone
{See the Mayor's remarks below under
HERITAGEWATCH}
18. PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS --
none 19.
ADJOURNMENT at 9:24
CORRESPONDENCE re DWV ENDOWMENT
FUND {my bolding}
2010 May 3
From: George Pajari <George@Pajari.ca>
To: mayorandcouncil@westvancouver.ca
Subject: Questions with Respect to the DWV Endowment Fund
Dear Mayor and Council:
The discussions surrounding the Endowment Fund (EF) raise a
number of questions that I should appreciate your answers to.
(1) The existing EF Bylaw requires Council act by bylaw. Is it
the case that Council is no longer permitted to require EF
expenditures be authorised by bylaw and must permit such actions be
authorised by resolution?
(2) The municipal solicitor spoke at some length that his
interpretation of Paragraph 7 (a) of the existing EF Bylaw requires
that real property acquired using monies from the EF must be held
outside of the EF. He based his interpretation on Driedger's guidance
in The Construction of Statutes (which he incorrectly referred
to during the Council meeting as Enactment Construction) that
the word "plus" in 7 (a) "the market value of
the real property held in the Endowment Fund plus the
real property being acquired" must be interpreted to mean the
real property held in the EF is separate from the real property being
acquired.
The problem I have with Mr. Lidstone's interpretation is that it
makes the bylaw internally inconsistent. Driedger clearly indicates
(2nd Edition, 1983, at 105) that:
"If, notwithstanding that the words are clear and
unambiguous when read in their grammatical and ordinary sense, there
is disharmony within the statute, statutes in pari materia, or the
general law, then an unordinary meaning that will produce harmony is
to be given the words, if they are reasonably capable of bearing that
meaning."
Giving paragraph 7(a) the meaning Mr. Lidstone would infer (that
property paid for by the EF is held outside the EF) gives rise to a
disharmony within the bylaw, to wit, if such property is held outside
the EF, how is it that there could be any property "held in
the Endowment Fund" as envisioned by 7 (a)?
Since the drafters of the original EF Bylaw (in 7(a)) clearly
anticipated the EF would hold real property, any interpretation of the
bylaw which says the EF cannot hold real property would render the
bylaw internally inconsistent.
According to Driedger, we must therefore reconsider 7 (a) and
look for an interpretation that is consistent with the entire bylaw as
well as assigns a meaning to the word "plus" that Mr.
Lidstone is concerned about.
We would suggest that what 7 (a) requires is that immediately
prior to the acquisition of property by the EF, one must
arithmetically add the market value of the real property already held
in the EF with the value of the property about to be acquired and
proceed with the acquisition only if that sum is less than 75% of the
Threshold Value AND less than 75% of the market value of the EF at the
end of the preceding year. Since the property being acquired is still
in the process of being acquired and is not yet acquired, 7 (a) must
describe the existing (already acquired) property separately from the
not-yet-acquired property but this separation does not indicate that
the not-yet-acquired property is to be kept separate from the Fund
after the acquisition is complete.
We would appreciate your comments on Mr. Lidstone's
interpretation in light of the above. Is it still Council's opinion
that the Endowment Fund cannot and does not hold the property it
acquires?
(3) If it is still your (and Mr. Lidstone's) opinion that
property acquired by the EF is held separately from the EF, then could
you please explain how the Wetmore property acquisition was accounted
for and why the value of that property appears as part of the EF in
the District's audited annual reports?
(4) If it is still your (and Mr. Lidstone's) opinion that
property acquired by the EF is held separately from the EF, then could
you please explain how the EF would ever be in a position to hold the
real property described in 7 (a)?
(5) Your Worship made it clear that, to the extent permitted by
the current provincial legislation, the new bylaw mirrors the existing
EF bylaw. Given that goal, would Council please explain how loans from
the EF (see Paragraphs 6 and 7 (b) of the original EF bylaw) are
governed? Are loans permitted? Are there any limits on the amount of
money the EF can lend? It is not at all clear from reading the new
bylaw what has happened to paragraphs 6 and 7 (b) of the original
bylaw and the staff report is silent on this matter too.
Given the considerable confusion surrounding this bylaw,
combined with Mr. Lidstone's revelation (entirely missing from the
staff report describing the proposed bylaw) that the neither the
original bylaw nor the proposed bylaw actually reflects the original
intent of Council and the community, I would ask that final adoption
of the new bylaw be tabled until the questions above can be answered
and clarity brought to the discussion.
Yours truly, George Pajari
=== COUNCIL AGENDA May
10th at 6pm === [Youth Ccl at 7pm]
6:00 PM
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. Approval of May 10 Special
Council Meeting Agenda
3. ADOPTION OF MINUTES -- April 26, 2010
Regular Council Meeting Minutes
REPORTS
RECOMMENDED: be read a first, second, and third time.
RECOMMENDED: be read a first, second, and third time:
--
Specified Area; Parcel Tax (Garrow Bay); Parcel Tax (Eagle
Harbour)
RECOMMENDED: THAT
1.
WHEREAS under Sections 189 (4.1) and (4.2) of the Community
Charter Council may use money in a capital reserve fund for the
purposes of a second capital reserve fund;
AND WHEREAS Council considers that the money is not currently
required for the capital purpose of the first fund;
AND WHEREAS Council wishes to fund 2009 capital expenditures
relating to the Community Centre and Almondel Bridge;
NOW THEREFORE Council in open meeting [resolve] as follows:
1) $2,536,980 be transferred from the Endowment
Fund to the Capital Facilities Fund.
2) The sum of $2,536,980 be repaid to the Endowment
Fund, no later than when required for the purpose of the Endowment
Fund, and in any event within ten years, with interest that would have
been earned if it had remained in the Endowment Fund.
2.
WHEREAS under Sections 189 (4.1) and (4.2) of the Community
Charter Council may use money in a capital reserve fund for the
purposes of a second capital reserve fund;
AND WHEREAS Council transferred $2,536,980 from the Endowment
Fund to the Capital Facilities Fund, to be repaid with interest within
ten years;
AND WHEREAS Council wishes to fund 2009 capital expenditures
relating to the Community Centre ($1,686,393), Almondel Bridge
($850,587) and the 1528 Argyle Avenue Property ($101,879);
NOW THEREFORE Council in open meeting [resolve] as follows:
That Council [approve] the expenditure of $2,638,859 from the
Capital Facilities Fund to pay for capital costs associated with the
Community Centre, Almondel Bridge, and 1528 Argyle Property.
7. PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS 8.
ADJOURNMENT
=== YOUTH COUNCIL AGENDA
May 10th at 7pm ===
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. INTRODUCTION OF THE 2010 YOUTH COUNCIL
3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
4. PRESENTATIONS:
ROTARY CLUB OF WEST VANCOUVER; and
ROTARY CLUB OF WEST VANCOUVER SUNRISE
5. DEBATE TOPIC: Ambleside Area (1300 Block and
waterfront)
- what
should be included/considered in planning for the future of this
area
6. REPORTS FROM YOUTH MAYOR AND YOUTH COUNCILLORS
7. PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS 8.
ADJOURNMENT
then ....... YOUTH APPRECIATION AWARDS
PRESENTATION
with ....... RECEPTION TO FOLLOW IN THE MAIN FLOOR
FOYER
=== COUNCIL AGENDA Wed
May 12th at 9:30am ===
SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING
1. Call to Order.
2. Approval of May 12, 2010 Special
Council Meeting Agenda
REPORTS
3. No items.
BYLAWS for Adoption
RECOMMENDED: THAT "Specified Area Tax Rates Bylaw No. 4637, 2010"
be adopted.
RECOMMENDED: THAT "Parcel Tax (Garrow Bay) Bylaw No. 4638, 2010"
be adopted.
RECOMMENDED: THAT "Parcel Tax (Eagle Harbour) Bylaw No. 4639, 2010"
be adopted.
OTHER ITEMS
6. No items.
7. PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS 8.
ADJOURNMENT
=== HERITAGEWATCH ===
GLENEAGLES CLUBHOUSE OPENING Sat May 1st
[text provided]
Mayor's Afternoon
Welcome Speech
at the Opening and
Rededication of the Gleneagles Golf Clubhouse
Hoy See-yem
See-eye. This is the Squamish for "Respected leaders and
friends", including our MP John Weston and MLA Joan McIntyre, who
are joining us today.
Thank you for
coming to the re-opening of our contemporary, recycled and refined,
sustainable and sustaining, Gleneagles Golf Clubhouse, almost one
hundred years after the Larson Station train stop opened right here,
at Peter Larson's ranch. After Mr. Larson sold his ranch to a
development company, Gleneagles Limited, a large part of the Larson
Estate became known by us as the Gleneagles Golf Course - which opened
in 1927 and was named, of course, after somewhere in Scotland. The
actual clubhouse was opened in 1952, built by the Jewish Cultural and
Heritage Society. As this was the only golf club where Jewish people
were welcome at the time, it is appropriate, I think, to say Shalom
vebrukhim habaim, welcome to all.
The inspiration
for the new clubhouse comes from this interesting mix of European
pioneering and rail lines, boats, apple trees and picnics, residential
property development, the playing of golf, and the importance of
inclusion. The municipality bought the golf course in 1958 because
that's what the people of West Vancouver told the Council to
do.
Today, we
celebrate the future of West Vancouver, The story of how we got here
is a bit of a mish-mash, I have learned a great deal about leadership
as a result of the journey of our little clubhouse over the past eight
years, beginning with when the restaurant was condemned, and watching
as the entire place was boarded up, the victim of neglect. I
would come out here by myself, which I am sure many of you have done,
and I would try to figure out what should stay in the past, what
should play through into the future, what sort of investment the
taxpayer would be willing to make, how to attract strong business
people to help, and how to get the community going in the same
direction. And the answer became clear - just let go.
Council needed to recognize just how many people really care and want
to contribute. Today's opening should stand as an example of
the sheer goodwill arising from the quiet strength of this
neighbourhood and its history, brought to life by quite a cross
section of people with talent and vision.
Tom Bowen is the
architect who, as an interested West Van resident and volunteer with a
passion for panabodes, sketched out early design ideas and told us on
Council that this place could be restored (many said it couldn't).
He gave everything to this project - his own time and personal
investment, his professional services, his creative commitment to
reclaiming old materials, and his good nature.
Peter Moir
of Tamlin International Homes was dealt, in the way only West
Vancouver can, a very tricky project with a very tight budget and high
expectations that are as important as tiny details. He met these
constant challenges with tenacity and charm, and we are most fortunate
that it was Peter we were working with and he deserves a lot of credit
for following through and delivering us this dream.
Rob and
Alex Merletti of Merletti Construction do a lot of work for the
municipality but not on this project. However, they were early
supporters of the vision, and their generous contribution to the
community has paid for today's party.
This gives you an
idea of the professionals we work with, and of the role our staff
plays as great relationship builders, facilitators and problem
solvers.
Clay Nelson
manages our building construction and contracts and just makes things
work. I can never remember his job title, because we just say
"ask Clay" all the time. Mike Miller runs Parks
Operations. This project has been tricky. Resurrecting its
significance created a challenge to our budgets and our staff and Mike
endured very tense meetings, deadlines and expectations.
Andrew Banks is pretty new to us as our Senior Manager of Parks
but West Van residents are bringing him up to speed, don't worry.
His experience has taken good ideas or projects underway and infused
them with possibility and pragmatism. Pam Fretz and
Mark Chan are our business management and special corporate
initiatives behind-the-scenes leaders. They are elegant problem
solvers with a can do attitude, and they persevered to find the very
best operators for the clubhouse. Anne Mooi is our
Director of Parks and Community Services - this whole thing is on
her shoulders. Thrown in the deep end as this project was partly
underway, she brought out the best in our team, and contributes only
to their success each day.
The professionals
in the private and public sector wouldn't be doing any of this if
not in response to the power of public ideas like renovating the
panabode, improving public golf, creating a public place for parties,
and allowing people to pitch in. West Vancouver is unique, and a
very, very special place because of its citizens.
Ivor
Davies, who I know as the lithe PE teacher who ran from Gleneagles
to West Van High School everyday to get to work - he's never had a
carbon footprint - more recently spent this winter, building the
benches outside the Eaglesnest Room, out of logs from the original
panabode.
The members of the
Gleneagles Golf Society - who were fairly critical of Council as we
all watched the decline of the clubhouse, and they were right - came
to early meetings at Liz Byrd's house, at the municipal hall, and
privately with me. All they wanted to know was how to help, and
how to improve golf for everyone's benefit. Many of the
golfers are the parents of the kids I grew up with, just like Ivor
Davies is. The golfers donated the beautiful trophy case in the
foyer and the furnishings in the Eaglesnest Room, but really, they
have given themselves throughout their lives, to West
Vancouver.
And of course, the
pesky Western Residents Association made restoration of the Gleneagles
Golf Clubhouse a key question for candidates for Council over the past
few elections, and for anyone who purported to be involved in any way
with our Parks and Community Services division. My first
engagement on this issue was through the grand dame of the WRA, Liz
Byrd. I would like to thank Liz for all the work she does to drag
people to meetings no one really wants to go to.
Similarly,
Carolanne Reynolds also served on Council and her dedication to
West Van's heritage and history is, in itself, legendary and evident
today. And former Councillor Rod Day is also here, who is
very proud to have said "spend the money". Councillors
Bill Soprovich and Mike Smith also voted for this project
during the last term, and it was a tough decision because as you all
know, renovations are unknowns. When you think about it, Liz,
Carolanne, Rod, Bill, Mike - what group - this is how the
community works, over time, to do the right things.
And now I would like to introduce,
representing the Western Residents Association, Bruce
McArthur.
~ Bruce's Remarks
~
Thank you Bruce. Choosing the order
of speakers is tricky sometimes. I decided that since Bruce grew
up in these apple trees, he should go first. Now, it is a
pleasure to invite Judy Gosney to speak on behalf of the
backbone of this facility and also of our future success, the
Gleneagles Golf Society.
~ Judy's Remarks
~
Thank you Judy. Now I would like to
introduce the real stars of the new game in town. We are so
thrilled with the fact that the business partners who will operate
this facility are all West Van residents, with a commitment to good
food, families, and above all, our mutual success -- Berndt
Rohde.
~ Berndt's Remarks
~
In closing, we all understand the
foundations this facility has been built on. I would also like
to acknowledge the leadership of the Councillors who are here with us
today, Councillor Michael Lewis, Councillor Michael Evison and
Councillor Trish Panz. They are a pleasure to work with, and I
know they will continue to aim high. On behalf of all of us on
Council, thank you for helping us see where the community wants to
take itself. I would like to invite Flip from the
Golf Society and Liz from the WRA to unveil the plaque with me.
(Unveiling) Thank you for coming today, and see you at Larson
Station.
- Mayor Pamela
Goldsmith-Jones
=== ARTWATCH ===
2010 May 5
Picasso Sells at Auction for $106.5 Million, a Record for an
Artwork
A painting that Picasso created in a single day in March 1932,
"Nu au Plateau de Sculpteur (Nude Green Leaves and Bust),"
sold for $106.5 million, a world record auction price for a work of
art, at Christie's Tuesday night. Bidding for the Picasso lasted 8
minutes and 6 seconds; there were six
bidders.
=== NEWSWATCH ===
+ CPTnet 6 May
2010 --
THAILAND LETTER: A day in the Buddhist Peacemaker Team
camp
[Note: With the support of
the CPT-Philippines regional group, CPTer Rey Lopez travelled to
Thailand as a peace observer to document how the Red Shirts nonviolent
movement is playing out in Bangkok. The letters have been edited
for length and clarity.]
{It is heartening to see the increase
in 'peacemaker' approaches to conflict. The Christian Peacemaker
Teams work with Islamic Peacemaker Teams and several Israeli peace
groups advocating for change in nonviolent means.
Just as there are peace-loving ppl in
all groups, so are there fanatics in all the groups.
Wd like to support the
former........}
+ Israel's Troubling Tilt
Toward Apartheid
By Robert Parry March 19, 2010
The United Nations
General Assembly may well have been wrong in 1975 to equate Zionism
with racism, since many early Israelis rejected extremist notions
regarding separation of Jews from Arabs. But today a virulent form of
Zionism is turning Israel in the direction of an intolerant apartheid
state.
This
ultra-conservative strain of Judaism is now represented at senior
levels of Benjamin Netanyahu's government, especially in the Housing
Ministry, which recently humiliated Vice President Joe Biden by
announcing 1,600 more Jewish housing units in East Jerusalem as Biden
was arriving to reaffirm U.S. solidarity with Israel.
An under-reported
element of the flare-up between the Obama administration and
Netanyahu's government is that Israel's Housing Minister Ariel
Atias, who sprang the announcement during Biden's visit, is a
religious fanatic whose ultra-Orthodox Judaism is about as intolerant
of others as many extreme forms of Islam are....
In Atias's vision
for Israel, certain lands would be sold to Arabs, others to
ultra-Orthodox Jews, and still others to secular Jews, creating a
nation segregated along inter- and intra-religious lines.
"I, as an
ultra-Orthodox Jew, don't think that religious Jews should have to
live in the same neighborhood as secular couples, so as to avoid
unnecessary friction," Atias explained.
Some of that
friction between the ultra-Orthodox Jews and secular Jews relates to
the anger of the ultra-Orthodox Haredis against Jewish women dressing
in ways that are considered immodest or against secular Jews who
don't follow strict rules against using machinery on the
Sabbath.
These tensions are
similar to those in strict Islamic states, where morality police
arrest or humiliate women whose bodies are not adequately
covered.
Atias noted that
the ultra-Orthodox Haredis "need synagogues and do not want any
traffic on Shabbat. Seculars demand cultural
facilities."
... Last September,
in announcing favorable housing decisions for his ultra-Orthodox
brethren, Atias reaffirmed his goal of achieving a segregated
society.
... Defense
Minister Ehud Barak, a Labor Party representative in Netanyahu's
government, has warned that the extreme Zionist vision of a Greater
Israel could lead to either a single state with a Palestinian majority
or special rules to limit Palestinian civil rights.
"If, and as long
as between the Jordan and the sea, there is only one political entity,
named Israel, it will end up being either non-Jewish or
non-democratic," Barak said at a recent security conference. "If
the Palestinians vote in elections, it is a bi-national state, and if
they don't, it is an apartheid state."
{ The whole article:
http://www.consortiumnews.com/2010/031910.html }
=== WHALEWATCH === Grey
whales
Here in Howe Sound, False Creek, and now the Mediterranean
(not seen there for 300 years)
+ The Squamish grey whale (first half brief
glimpses, scoot forward; then shots of Shannon Falls)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8WNSekIyRE
stefperrron - May 06, 2010 - First grey whale in a hundred years comes to
Squamish harbour at head of Howe Sound, and stays, feeding, for five
days.
This footage was taken over a period of one hour on May 4, 2010,
starting around
10:30
am.
The whale would come
up for a breath with a big spray, and then maybe spray again within
one or two minutes, then a short while after would crest its back
across the surface of the water, dive, and not be seen again for four
to eight minutes. It was great to see so many people come to the spit
and take an interest in this whale.
+ The Great Grey whale on BBC 2 (with Stephen Fry) Oct
2009 [closeups]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwzTuDpugho&feature=related
=== GREENWATCH
===
+ SFU CITY PROGRAM
VIDEO: Dan Burden of Walkable Communities
recently gave a talk, "Active in Action: New Principles for a
Sustainable World".
In this week's FRONTLINE/World, we take a journey to the remote
rainforests of Brazil, where several American companies have been on
the hunt for a strange, but increasingly valuable new commodity --
carbon.
In "The Carbon Hunters" -- an outgrowth of our
year-long "Carbon Watch" project with the Center for
Investigative Reporting -- reporter Mark Schapiro and producer Andres
Cediel do some hard travel to track down what exactly happens when we
talk about carbon "offsets". They find some of the nation's
biggest polluters investing in big tracts of forest -- some the size
of Manhattan -- in order to soak up the carbon that the Obama
administration may force them to account for in a proposed new energy
bill. They also find the coming carbon market already having an impact
on the ground in Brazil, where saving the trees to slow global warming
is not without its local costs.
"If you come to an Amazonian and ask him, 'Give up all
your jobs, all your economic base, because we need to save the trees'"
the governor of Brazil's Amazonas state tells FRONTLINE/World.
"They are going to say, 'No, I need to feed my
kids.'"
Also in this hour: On the two-year anniversary of the immigration
raid at a kosher meatpacking plant in Postville, Iowa -- one of the
largest workplace raids in history -- an affecting look at the human
cost of the crackdown on both sides of the border. And, in Uganda's
"Impenetrable Forest" a new approach to the threat of
diseases that cross the species barrier threatening people and
mountain gorillas alike.
Ken
Dornstein, Senior Editor
=== BARDWATCH ===
Was Shakespeare's Ghost writer ... Shakespeare?
=== LITERATUREWATCH === NYT
Essay
What strange force is stalking departments of literature? A
philosopher investigates.
We love stories as
much as we need them, but a funny thing has happened to departments of
literature. The study of literature as an art form, of its techniques
for delighting and instructing, has been replaced by an amalgam of bad
epistemology and worse prose that goes by many names but can be summed
up as Theory.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/09/books/review/Goldstein-t.html?nl=books&emc=booksupdateemb3
=== LANGUAGEWATCH ===
Trying to read WVM transcripts? See
http://www.westvan.org/acronyms/
ABBREVIATIONS / ACRONYMS /
INITIALISMS [Update]
EF / EFund = Endowment Fund
envmt = environment
exec = executive (eg Executive Assistant, sometimes EA)
F/Cypress = Friends of Cypress, not to be confused with
DFO
proj = project(s)
sec =
with sec stes
WTF = Wisconsin Tourist Federation -- name had to be changed to
Wisconsin Federation of Tourism
=== QUOTATIONS and PUN
===
Most of us spend our lives as if we have another one in the
bank.
--
Ben Irwin
The only way human beings can win a war is to prevent
it.
-- George Marshall, US Army Chief, Secretary of State, Secretary
of Defense, Nobel laureate (1880 - 1959)
All that we are is a result of all that we have
thought. -- Buddha
You cannot prevent the birds of sorrow from flying over your
head, but you can prevent them from building nests in your hair.
--
Chinese Proverb
Apathy is the glove into which evil slips its hand.
--
Bodie Thoene, American author (b 1951)
What we must decide is how we are valuable rather than how
valuable we are.
--
Edgar Z. Friedenberg
+ The telegraph operator who accidentally sent the same
message twice was remorseful.