GABRIOLA LAND AND TRAILS TRUST

Board of Directors meeting

April 14, 2009 WI Hall

Present: Dyan Dunsmoor-Farley (Chair), Jenni Gehlbach, Barb Hague, Colin Masson, John Orr, John Peirce, Bob Smith, Steve Struthers, Duane West, Randy Young.

Regrets: Carol Boyce, Tom Cameron, Kerry Marcus, Christine Purfield.

1. Meeting called to order at 7:30pm

2. Agenda – Addition made to Reports: 8g) Sustainability

• Motion to accept agenda as amended made by Randy. Carried.

3. Minutes of February 2009 Board meeting – Motion to accept minutes as presented made by Jenni Gehlbach, seconded by John Pierce. Carried.

4. Treasurer’s report – E-mail information from Richard Welsh as sent to all board members previously. John Peirce, Board Treasurer reported that he had met with Richard Welsh to ensure a smooth handover of the financial arrangements. There was a discussion about signing authority—four signing authorities are required; current signatories are Dyan D-F and Carol Boyce, but there may be others.

• Action: John to check with the bank re signatories and arrange for future bank statements to be received by him.
• Motion by John Peirce, seconded by Jenni Gehlbach, that an additional $8,000 be placed in a cashable GIC. Carried.

5. Membership Report – Dyan reported that renewals are coming in following last month’s email, and one new member has recently signed up.

6. New Business

a) DISBURSEMENT of FUNDS—Discussion of the need to spend $7000 on trail construction or acquisitions, excluding funded projects like Drumbeg Park and Elder Cedar, within the specified time limit.

• IT has approved the concept of a tunnel trail on the MofT road allowance on North Road between Tait and the nearest corner of the 707 as being consistent with the Official Community Plan. The approach to the RDN looks straightforward: the RDN would be required to submit an application to the Ministry of Transportation to proceed with the project. Randy Young has already completed the application. Three copies of the application have been provided to RDN Director Giselle Rudischer who is very positive about the project. Randy has budgeted $9,000 for local contractors, but imported contractors would be more expensive. The potential of slow RDN staff approval processing may be a block to action. The work will likely take only a couple of days once approved.
• Action: Application to be taken forward to the RDN, asking them to submit the application and to provide liability insurance.

b) Re: expenses for the Redwood connector, the Commons and Water Management people are enthusiastic about this project but have not budgeted for it. Various possibilities for locating on higher ground, bridging, boardwalks, and ducting, are being considered. There was a discussion of maintenance and use issues in perpetuity if the Commons doesn’t survive.

• Action: Continue to promote the tunnel trail as our main expenditure. Continue to investigate the Redwood trail with the Commons. Report back in three months.

c) ADVERTISING POLICY—After being approached regarding putting a link to a commercial establishment on the GaLTT website, Dyan presented for discussion a suggested advertising policy to neither endorse nor accept advertising for any commercial enterprise (click to view).

• Motion by John Orr to adopt the policy on advertising as presented. Carried.

d) EXTRACTIGATOR POLICY—Richard reported via John that we should not give members tangible benefits. Therefore we need to be flexible; we should lend extractigators to anyone, and should not insist that they have a membership in GaLTT.

e) ELECTION QUESTIONS— Dyan presented a list of suggested questions to be asked of all our Provincial election candidates, emphasizing that GaLLT is not politically aligned.(click to view).

• Motion: by Steve Struthers that the questions be circulated as amended (see attached) to all GaLTT members, with a non-political preamble informing them of the all-candidates meeting. Carried.
• Action: Dyan will send the list of questions to all members, at the same time notify them about plans for the Tunnel Trail.

7. Old Business

• Management Planning for 707 Park— Public meetings are now being held asking for input into short and long-term planning for 707. There is not time to make Board policy before the first meeting on April 25.
• Action: Board to discuss their ideas for 707 by email and at their May meeting. Jenni to forward to board members the notice about the public meetings that she received.

8. Reports

a) PRESIDENT’S REPORT—Dyan had a conversation with Ranger Wade Calder regarding our application to BC Parks for our 5-year proposal. The park ranger hopes that we will hear by the end of the month. There was a recent public announcement about multi-agency support for invasive species removal.

b) PARKS AND TRAILS — The committee has a truckload of saplings ready to be used for screening trails near private property. One on Clarendon; one at Petroglyph Way; and one at the top of Barrett.

• Randy reported that Kate Emming (Islands Trust Fund staff) had inspected Elder Cedar favourably. A contract extension has been approved until the end of April to complete the work of moving a small portion of the trail to avoid the stream’s curve and the bumpy spots. Some tree falls have been removed.
• Action: Members are asked to help remove smallish pieces of broken concrete from the work area. Randy to oversee the trail relocation work.
• Earth Day Activities: There was confusion about the time of arrival (by kayak) of the expert from BC Coastal Invasive Plant Committee. Randy thought 11am, but public notices have announced 1.30pm.
• Action: Randy to clarify.

c) ACQUISITION AND FUNDRAISING—John Peirce reported that he had met with John Campbell about his initiative in the vicinity of Barrett. The Committee did not support the idea of officially applying to MofT to activate a road allowance where there is a usable trail already.

• Action: Kerry Marcus to follow up with John Campbell.

d) MEMBER SERVICES AND COMMUNICATIONS—Barb presented an array of pedometers and reusable shopping bags for consideration as fund-raising items in addition to GaLLT’s stock of clothing. Action: The committee shall purchase a small selection of items and test them for popularity at the market.

e) BOARD COMMITTEE/GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS – no report

f) SUSTAINABILITY—Dyan is one of six members in a new steering committee investigating possibilities for Gabriola’s sustainability. A large number of community organizations have attended two workshops on Whistler’s sustainability initiative. There was general agreement that it would be desirable to engage Gabriolans in a discussion about developing a long-term sustainability plan for Gabriola. They are asking questions such as: What is sustainability? What would it look like on Gabriola?

9. Communications Priorities— Dyan is working with Harvey Graham to improve our website and asked for suggestions for relevant information and links to be included. Suggested were our meeting agendas, and links to Islands Trust, Land Conservancy organizations, The Commons, and other relevant organizations.

Minutes recorded and transcribed by Jenni Gehlbach.

Gabriola Land and Trails Trust (GaLTT)

Election 2009 – Questions (amended April 14, ‘09) to be asked of all local candidates in the Provincial elections.