Rockland Neighbourhood Association
Minutes of Meeting of Board of Directors
April 9th, 2003
Friends of Government House Meeting Room

Minutes by Brian Allen and David Clark
Directors present - Catherine Spencer, Brian Allen, Dave Clark, Leida-Marie Grant, Honya Androsoff, Helmut Hissen, Leigh Large, Jane Lunt, Gordon McAllister, Ethelyn McInnes-Rankin, Doris Schuh, Pamela Tobin, Walter Yeo.

Regrets - Susan Bartol-Drinker, Kathryn LeSueur, Cecilia Peters, Frank Ryan,
Guests: Chris Coleman, Victoria City Councillor, Gordon Gummer and Kevin Worth, Victoria City Police Dept., Karen Ramsey, Community Development Planner, Donald Hamilton, Technology Committee

The meeting was called to order by President, Catherine Spencer, at 7:30 p.m.

1.  Approval of agenda    Agenda approved.

2. Guest comments:  

      a) Inspector Gordon Gummer gave a brief report on the reorganization of the Victoria City   Police Department.  There are three Community Resource Districts, each staffed by an Inspector and 7 policemen, acting as a resource to the community.  Rockland falls within the East District.  

    David Clark joined the meeting.  

Staff Sergeant Kevin Worth introduced the concept of  "solution-oriented policing" that will increase the effectiveness of the police force.  To address chronic problems, Victoria has formed an Internal Resources team, modelled after successful Lower Mainland initiatives.  Membership on this team includes civic politicians, health agencies (VIHA), other enforcement officials, building and services inspectors, etc.  Working together, these individuals can cumulatively reach a solution where any one agency would not be as effective.

Crime statistics have recently been updated, based on service calls.  Although our perception may be different, the Rockland Neighbourhood has relatively low incidence of crime.  A province-wide system will soon be in place that will quickly and consistently produce crime statistics and trends for specific areas of interest.

The Volunteer Resource centre on lower Cook Street now has 100 active     volunteers, serving the whole city.  Programs in which they participate include:
• together against graffiti;
• volunteer crime watch - cycle riders with uniforms, cell phones: observe and report;
• lock out auto program - volunteers observe cars and leave a note cautioning driver of vulnerabilities - up to 70% impact in targeted areas;
• Seniors’ reassurance program - volunteers check in by phone every morning.
There is a paid volunteer coordinator and the office is open 6 days a week, including Saturday mornings.  There are also 29 members of the police reserve.    

A new policy whereby police will only respond to private home alarms if there is verification of an actual intrusion came into effect on April 1st.   Panic button alarms and aborted 911 calls will continue to initiate an immediate response without verification.  A very large percentage of alarms are false and, although there was a penalty assessed residents for repeated false alarms, it was costly to administer that bylaw.  Cheap equipment within the home is also a factor.  Even in the case of actual events, there was a low success rate for apprehension.  High cost in terms of staff time coupled with low success rate dictated the new policy. Police consulted with the private alarm services and recommend that they establish a security service for verification because there is some risk associated with verification by well intentioned but untrained neighbours.  Police will continue to monitor the impact of April 1st  changes.

Esquimalt Police, through the Rock Solid program, have had some success addressing graffiti "tagging" by documenting signature tags with digital photography.  Once a link between a perpetrator and a signature is established, what would have been a single charge of mischief can become multiple accounts and the cumulative penalty is more likely an effective deterrent.  The officers who initiated that procedure are now part of the amalgamated Police force and there may be an opportunity to adopt the program here.  Board members are interested in the standards for digital photography and associated information required to produce evidence that will stand up in court. It is important to remove graffiti quickly in order to avoid desensitization.
 
  b) Karen Ramsay – The Community Development planner assigned to the Rockland   area, would like to learn more about our association.
One of her duties is the administration of a special grant process – a total of $80,000 is available.  The deadline for proposals is the end of April and the end of September each year.  There are two categories of projects eligible – one-time only and demonstration projects that may run up to three consecutive years. Capital projects are ineligible.  The maximum allocation for any project is $5000 per year.  Projects may address environment, heritage, arts and culture or community development.  This is different from the matching grant program that is administered by Gail Price-Douglas.

Karen is working on producing community profiles, analysing and reporting census data.  Currently, the City has census information in digital form for 1991 and hard copy for previous census years.  2001 data will be acquired in September through the CRD.  The raw data is available to the RNA for our own analysis.
We could use the information as the basis for grant applications, for example, to create a clearer picture of the status and trends in the neighbourhood demographics as the basis for visioning and planning.  Once Karen’s reports are on the web we will establish links to the RNA web site.

Karen also works on strategic planning and facilitates visioning sessions.  The Planning Department is putting on a workshop to outline the basics of planning functions and processes on April 23rd.


  c) Don Hamilton – Communications committee.
Don set out some objectives for the committee (handout). The web-based services are running smoothly and efficiently at a low annual cost (about $150 per year).

The email service is used for single-focus messages, such as upcoming events. There have been no complaints from recipients and no incursions from outside spammers.  140 subscribers on the email service, compared to 180 in the RNA. The email service is not restricted to RNA members.

The web pages are slowly evolving and Don would like to have more input, especially content.  There is not much on the pages that entices feedback from the browsers.  There is a new page for the Rockland Garden.

Don feels we still need the hard copy newsletter and he is happy to format the content that others provide to him.  The cost is high, (average $600 per issue) for copying and distribution.  

Given the positive response to AGM speakers’ presentations, history and other general interest topics may attract interested people.  There was the suggestion to initiate a speaker's program with a local focus, independent of any meetings convened to discuss issues.  Such an initiative could be eligible for a special grant.


 d)  Chris Coleman, Councillor,  report from City Hall

1) The city’s budget is almost completed. Tax lift is just less than 6%:  - 3% labour (negotiated wage settlement), 1% for the multiplex, 1.3% for police. The cost to residents is estimated at $32 per $100,000 assessed property value. An additional CRD assessment may be 1.25%.


2) Peace camp on Harris Green – A decision was made not to enforce the bylaw because it was a peace initiative.  In future, there will be accommodation for free speech but not for overnight camping.

3) Jubilee Road closures are under review.  Five Neighbourhood Associations will be asked for feedback but only the only individual comments to be considered are those of residents on the actual streets involved.  Any other individual wishing to make their views known must do so through their Neighbourhood Association.

4)  Chris talked to 23 residents in 20 residences on Montgomery Street as part of his regular Constituency Walk.  Some issues were raised: potholes, untrimmed shrubs and increased traffic.  All concerns have been passed on to the City department responsible.  Next month CC will pick a different street for feedback.


3)  Meeting of the directors called to order at 9:15 p.m.

4)  Approval of minutes of March board meeting.
     Amendments - Jane Lunt attended, spelling errors: LeSueur, Honya
     Motion:  to accept as amended (HH)     Carried.

5)  Correspondence
a) City – notice of Jubilee Road closures review.
b) City - Minutes of March 13th  Council meeting.
c) City – notice of work to Pemberton between Rockland and Angus –
               sidewalk repair, hedge trim, curb replacement, sewer, drain
               and water castings replaced as required, paving.
d) Craigdarroch Castle – notice of AGM April 24th

6)  Phone Calls
         a) following a telephone call from Earl Levin, Brian Allen attended a meeting regarding community health clinics, held at the Fairfield Community Place.  Brian was the only attendee, apart from the two Fairfield members.  Proposal is for establishment of three community health clinics based on the James Bay model.  Insufficient work on background costs and possible facilities makes it difficult to support the proposal at this point however.  

7)  Committee Reports
a) C.A.N. – Undertook a review of C.A.N. functions and voiced a desire for City    councillor liaison.  Would like each neighbourhood representative to sign a letter, as amended.
Motion:  (LMG) that a draft letter of support be circulated, by email or hard copy as required, to each board member for timely comment. (Carried)

b) Garden  - report on the work party (more than 20 volunteer hours) and future schedule.  Expect to build on this energy and enthusiasm.  Camosun College may be interested in helping with landscape but not until September.  Janet Simpson is co-ordinating volunteers.  The temporary sign is gone.  Mike Hannah is offering to design and construct a sign along the lines of the "Rockland monument".  
If his design is acceptable, we may be able to use some of the millennium funds to provide the polished granite panels in the same style.

c) Grafitti - The fridge magnets and pamphlets were distributed to directors and guests.  Cost was $223 for 500.
Motion:  (DC) to reimburse the cost and to authorize distribution with the next newsletter. (Carried).

(Pamela Tobin left at 9:45)

        d) Land Use – An information package was distributed to all committee members.               Three objectives were set:
Develop Terms of Reference for the committee
Develop a procedure for Land Use applications
Develop a framework for a Land Use Strategic Plan (to be consistent with the Board's proposed Strategic Plan).

           City is offering an introductory course – "Planning 101" on April 23rd  
           (as reported earlier)

Application for development of the Caroline Macklem property was received by City Hall on Jan 31st but was incomplete.  City Planning has written a letter to the architect, with a copy to the RNA, outlining the missing components.
The Land Use Committee will review on April 30th.  Proposed density is 85 units.
Committee would like additional information on traffic patterns, footprint, etc. before commenting.  Propose to schedule a neighbour meeting in May 26th, following the May 14th board meeting.  Options to rent a facility include
St. Matthias Church Hall ($115) or Truth Centre ($100 donation).

      e)  Traffic and Safety – Walter Yeo reviewed the files and concludes there are four     current issues:
• Implementation of the neighbourhood transportation management  plan
• speeding on Rockland
• BC Transit Plan – modified service
• Jubilee Traffic Closures - we are consulted because of proximity

f)  Strategic Planning  - At a meeting last Monday, Dianne Dunsmoor-Farley outlined the North Park experience in crafting a vision and strategic plan. Committee decided to solicit interest from potential facilitators and requested sample questions to screen candidates, including Dianne Dunsmoor-Farley; Dulcie McCallum; Brenda McBain, and Karen Ramsay.

Honya has experience in this area and suggests we look at the final product each has generated, with particular attention to the clarity of the language. Given Karen’s previously stated desire to gain more familiarity with the Rockland neighbourhood, her offer of free facilitation services and pending a favourable review of her past work, we could do an initial exercise with Karen. We would retain the option of a follow up exercise with a paid consultant.
            Time commitment for RNA directors is estimated as three half-days.

Motion:  (LMG) to adjourn at 10:16 (Carried)

Date and place of the next meeting:
May 14th,  2003,  7:30 p.m.,  at the Friends of Government House Volunteers' Centre.