Rockland Neighbourhood Association

Meeting of Board of Directors

June 9th, 2004

Friends of Government House Meeting Room

Directors Present: Catherine Spencer, Helmut Hissen, Dave Clark, Doris Schuh,
Leida-Marie Grant, Brian Allen, Giorgio Amarilli, Susan Bartol-Drinker,
Linda Foubister, Jane Lunt, Mary Picard.

Regrets: Ethelyn McInnes-Rankin.

Guests: Don Hamilton, Electronic Communications; Councillor Chris Coleman.

Meeting called to order at 19:30

Don Hamilton: Annual report for Electronic Communications.
- Rockland Neighbourhood web site is quiet and compares favourably to other neighbourhood web sites.
- Currently, there is no direct link to Board members
(except: anything to "webmaster" goes directly to CS as well as DH)
- No land use information; no fresh content and photo gallery is tired.
-181 email subscribers, need more interesting information more frequently.
- Could conduct straw polls; extract timely news from board minutes.

HH: need a well-structured conduit from City departments through a City-to-NA fast link to our various forms of communication - e-mail, website and newsletter.
There is simple technology that would allow a trusted source, like the City, to send out news releases that would appear instantly, without intervention, on our website.

ACTION - set up additional e-mail aliases for major committees like traffic, land use, for feedback.

 Other ideas: Zoning - breaking news - pre-application, application, decision.
(Don Hamilton left the meeting at 20:11)

Meeting called to order 20:11

1.  Agenda:  Motion to accept: (DC/CS) approval of agenda  Carried

2. Minutes of March  10, 2004:
"Jarret Matanowitsch"
"Printed walking tour matching grant from the city application was submitted to the City by May 1st."
Motion to accept, as amended.      Carried

3. Councilor's Report: Chris Coleman:

- Federation of Canadian Municipalities - trade show tech company has cheaper "speed reader" signs. LED based flashing signs to remind drivers how fast they are travelling.

- CC and LMG did a walkabout - Richmond focussed on traffic, overspill parking, garden tours. Ross Crockford moved into 1024 Richmond.

-Recreation Renewal Task Force new thread of discussion - how the social program is delivered.

- Notice that Community Development free concert series starts with Daniel Lapp Cameron band shell Sundays at noon.

Discussion: HH next Tuesday there is a LUCC - City Planning Department meeting.  Issue - massed scooters on eve of parade -
ACTION - CC - contact parade chair and check Police file

4.   Correspondence:
- City Council Minutes
- Dennis Oliver - Annual Report information request. Suggest response ­
  Minutes and reports are distributed to members and on file at the City.
Motion: (DC/LMG) that information pertaining to the AGM and committee reports are distributed to members of the association.
Non members are directed to either the website or to the City.         Carried
- City has invited LUCC and other interested parties to attend an information exchange meeting

5.   Committee Reports

Environment -
- Greenways status: $150K budget, 50 year plan to develop alternative transportation routes.  Information recently posted to City Website.
Fulltime planner for 6 months.

Garden - sign installed

Newsletter -
- Mike Hannah has done layout for "Rockland Review"
- Email edits and suggestions to Helmut.
- Pair the crime statistics with notice of the block watch.
- Policy and Prices for advertising is posted on our website.
Motion: (DC/SBD) to invite all registered candidates in this federal riding to submit to the newsletter 200 words on why we should vote for them.  Carried
 
 

Landuse
- 824 Richmond - Zebra Designs has revised plans
- 1322 Rockland - Wei Tu (owner) carefully undertaking due diligence before application is submitted to the City.

(21:06 CC left the meeting)

C.A.N.
- Report of the recreation renewal meeting deemed to be incorrect ­
request amendment
- Healthy Saanich issued an invite to their program.
- Fernwood concerned that the safe injection site will be located in Fernwood because the sobering centre is located there.
Motion: (DC/HH) to allocate up to $30 (DC/HH) for RNA to host the next CAN meeting, to be held at Fairfield Community Centre. Carried

Land Use Coordinating Committee
- planned to have a meeting but cancelled in favour of a City-sponsored meeting with a wider invitation to all interested parties. Tuesday June 15th.
- Issue around processes in LUC and implications for retention of competent volunteers.
- Define the rules and relationships of LUC and City Planning.
- In July, City Planning department will report recommendations to Council.

Traffic and Safety - Tour Bus use of Rockland controlled by bylaw, related to bus size.
ACTION: LF will send a copy to board members.
Discussion: Is there any education for out-of-town bus drivers?

Walking Tour Brochure
- Printed walking tour guide - half funding from volunteers and computer
- GPD advised to amend the application to reflect $10 labour versus $20 for Professional.
- City funds will apply to printing costs
- John Adams' walking tours leave from Government House 10:30 a.m. every Tuesday and Friday in the summer.  He will provide advice to our brochure.
- Heritage Victoria is also notified but ours is lower priority.
- Newsletter plus e-mail request for "special" places.
 

6. Date and Place of Next Meeting:
 July 14th, 2004 at 7:30 p.m. in the Government House Volunteers’ Centre
 

7. Close of meeting -
Motion: (DC/BA)   Adjourn    Carried
Meeting closed at 21:52