It’s hard to know where to start. The election was a total shock to some and a foregone conclusion to others. We have gone from a council that was so myopic that it was painful to one that has the potential to reverse the direction that the last four municipal councils championed. I’m torn between [...]
Also tagged Municipal Politics, National Park
On November 19, we will decide whether or not we want to continue exploring the idea of a National Park on Bowen. As your mayor I want to share my thoughts on this important decision.
Let’s first look back. From the beginning this Council has supported the National Park process. We unanimously
As we approach another Municipal election season it may be timely to look back at the last three-year term and make some predictions about what the electorate will be looking for in our next mayor and council.
The last term started in December of 2008 with a bang.
Our Municipal Council is about to pass three new environmental bylaws. Two of them seem to me to make sense but the third is a disaster.
The first proposed bylaw seeks to control disturbance of steep slopes. Remember when that yard in North Vancouver slipped down the hill and killed a woman in her home below? [...]
Whenever we’ve been off the island for any length of time I read through the accumulated Undercurrents to catch up. The last few have been quite enlightening.
First there was the great council debate about when we should have a community vote on the proposed National Park. Of course Parks Canada (PC) hasn’t actually put forward [...]
“Waiting to exhale.” That’s how we’re ending this year. I know that many of you would argue that pretty much describes how we feel at the end of every year but this is different. There are so many things so close to actually happening that we would really have to outdo ourselves for nothing to [...]
Also tagged Municipal Politics, National Park, OCP, Snug CovePermissive property tax exemptions, now there’s a bylaw debate that is sure to get your heart racing. It’s one of those goofy esoteric subjects that you probably don’t want to know about. Our Municipal Council has been trying to develop a policy to guide them through this issue since the municipality was established and they’re [...]
Also tagged Island LifeThe National park debate has pretty well eclipsed every other subject surrounding island politics. For those of you who are wondering when we will see something concrete, here is what you can expect over the next few months. Next Wednesday evening, November 3 Parks Canada will unveil a draft of their “Vision for National Park [...]
Also tagged National ParkEvery summer, in the middle of July we are greeted with an announcement in the paper that water shortages are imminent and outdoor water use is to be sharply curtailed. On the face of it, one would assume that we are all on the same water system or all drawing our water from the same [...]
Also tagged waterIn a world where more and more places are looking just like each other it’s nice to come home to Bowen and notice how distinctive our community looks. Looking from side to side as the ferry docks,
Also tagged Island Life, Snug Cove