The UEL is moving forward toward municipal status - real, effective, local government. The Citizen's Advisory Council of the UEL voted unanimously on December 10th to initiate the process of political self-rule.
Citing the colonial status of the UEL in reference to the Provincial government, CAC Chair Ron Pears says the time is now for real government in the UEL. The CAC will now investigate the level of support for incorporation as a municipal government and get a feasibility study underway.
The UEL has 4000 residents. By contrast, the UNA area has 8000 residents. The move by the UEL residents is a positive sign for us in the UNA. Now, with the election of the OUR candidates and with our campaign commitment of moving toward "A real local government" we too should be able to start the process of Independence and effective local governance. Like our neighbours in the UEL we too suffer under a form of colonial administration, but between the province and us is UBC whereas the UEL residents can at least directly address the provincial government.
I'm looking forward to a deepening discussion and real action on the democratic deficit front as we move to the new year!
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Cash Payment to Legal Firm for Campus Resident Articles
Recently the UNA Board passed a motion to provide consulting
fees for research on leasehold property values. The request came from Jim Taylor, former long serving UNA
Chair and Legal Counsel to the UNA.
Taylor solicited support for a series of articles(link to pdf of request) that he is writing for
the Campus Resident (the first of which is published on page 4 of the December 2012 Campus Resident). Taylor
explains that the money is not for him, but is for two researchers (one who works
in his law firm and the other who is connected to UBC Properties Trust). The $15,000 is approximately 50% of
Taylor’s proposed budget, the remaining half to be solicited from UBC.
The recommendation to approve the cash payment for writing a
series of articles came from the closed door Standing Committee on Operations
and Sustainability. As the
proceedings of the UNA Standing Committees remain cloistered I am not at
liberty to comment on what may have been said during the closed door private
meeting.
In the December 2012 Campus Resident UNA
Chair Richard Alexander is quoted saying:
“It is in the interest of the UNA, owners and the university that leasehold property values remain high. The quality of the lease for UNA properties is considered very good. However there can be a significant impact on the value of the lease if leases in surrounding areas are not as good” (see brief story bottom right page 2).Thus, the series of articles are designed to somehow maintain lease hold properties for UNA building owners.
At the December UNA Board meeting I raised two concerns with
paying former UNA Chair Jim Taylor’s firm cash to fund his series of articles:
a question of equity and
transparency of the UNA and a question as to the appropriate role of the UNA to
attempt to interfere with the real-estate market..
A question of equity:
There is currently no transparent process by which any person can fairly apply
for similar funding. Currently
there are many residents who have and who may in the future consider writing
articles for the Campus Resident.
Many of these articles have and will rely upon research and
expertise. Yet we have no
publically accountable process to determine which such proposal should be
turned down and which should be funded.
I wonder if this means we will now provide research funding for every
series of articles that might require background research and the hiring of
research assistants? I suspect
not. So unless we have a
transparent public process in place for community members and or other writers
to apply for research funding making this cash payment raises an issue of
potential or perceived conflict of interest; a situation that is complicated by
the close relation between the author and the UNA. Absent of a public competitive process independently
adjudicated it strikes me as inappropriate for the board to fund research
assistants to provide background data to support the writing of this series or
any other series of articles.
Role of the
UNA. I find it difficult to reconcile
the UNA’s purported role as local governance with that of real estate property
value booster. The UNA is supposed to represent residents – not owners. While many of us living in the UNA own
leaseholds, a great number of us also rent. Is it really the UNA’s role to promote or provide context for
the maintenance of property values.
Is this the proper role of local governance to provide mechanisms for
maintaining and augmenting property values? Clearly for some residents and the majority of the UNA
Directors maintaining and augmenting property values does appear to be a key
role of the UNA. The beneficiaries of such a policy, however, will be properly
property holders as a class, not UNA members in general.
I have no disagreement with the idea of writing articles about
lease values. I do find the
process of allocating this payment problematic in terms of issues of equity and
that the focus on property values lies outside of the UNA’s proper role as
local government.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Tweeting UNA Board Meeting, Dec. 11, 2012
The following are a direct quote of my tweets from the last UNA Board
of Directors meeting Dec. 11, 2012. The tweets are posted in
reverse chronological order. So, if you want the 'as it happened flow,'
scroll to the bottom and then read toward the top!
-------------
charlesmenzies @charlesmenzies
#UNA meeting over and fairly uneventful this time. Nice to have the reports at beginning just Q&A!
-------------
charlesmenzies
charlesmenzies
CRA deems #UNA services pst/gst taxable - cost about several 100 thousands
Listen In approved for three sections starting in the new year. #una
Listen In workshop approval final approval again before the board #UNA
Motion to post standing committee agendas online -a
halfway step toward public meeting accountability and transparency.
Motion on monthly update from directors rather than individual reports from directors. #una
Voting on holding workshop on social media #UNA
Maria Harris Electoral Area A report. Transportation question
AMS microbrewery project raised - questions about smell and effect on residential. #UNA Board Meeting
Two funding requests from Jim Taylor coming up. 1
funding for children's park; the other funds his research for articles
on lease values.
ExecDir responds that noise bylaw in progress - expect January #UNA
Now on to the ExecDir's report - questions from the board. TB asks: What' up with noise bylaw?
Governance Standing Committee report - missed a few
items that need to be put on the Board agenda . . . need to get our act
together :)
Aquatic Centre construction start up Aug 2013, opening within 2 years thereafter. #UNA
Like most public buildings these days, some retail
space to be included in Aquatic Centre. The reach of free market
liberalism.
Kavie Toor, UBC Athletics, speaking on the new Aquatic Centre at the #UNA meeting
And we are off! The #UNA meeting is about to begin.
The last #UNA Board meeting of 2012 coming up soon. Live tweeting on this channel :)
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Rose Point - a life long advocate for education.
Rose Point was, by all accounts, an amazing person. Originally from Seabird Island near Mission, Rose spent much of her adult life advocating for education and human rights. Educational philosopher, Nel Noddings, advocates a pedagogy of care: Rose embodied this ideal through her commitment to education for all people.
Colleagues in my department at UBC speak with warmth about the ways that Rose touched their lives. Rose touched many lives, not just those here at UBC - she worked tirelessly in her home community to see the rights of her people respected; she advocated for children in our public schools; she provided educational support at BCIT; she was a life long learner and a mentor and teacher.
Rose passed away July 2012.
It would would be a powerful act of respect to place Rose Point's name upon the new K-8 school being built at UBC.
Here is a short list of pieces written about Rose.
Colleagues in my department at UBC speak with warmth about the ways that Rose touched their lives. Rose touched many lives, not just those here at UBC - she worked tirelessly in her home community to see the rights of her people respected; she advocated for children in our public schools; she provided educational support at BCIT; she was a life long learner and a mentor and teacher.
Rose passed away July 2012.
It would would be a powerful act of respect to place Rose Point's name upon the new K-8 school being built at UBC.
Here is a short list of pieces written about Rose.
- July 3, 2012. BCIT Remembers.
- July 5, 2012. UBC.
- July 6, 2012. Vancouver Stories.
- July 6, 2012. Assembly of First Nations.
- July 9, 2012. Vancouver Courier.
Name the New VSB School @ UBC
There's been a flurry of media attention surrounding the chance to name the new K-8 school in the UBC area.
Here's a summary of the stories so far:
There has already been quite a bit of response with nearly 100 submissions to date, according to VSB staff. Don't forget to add your thoughts on the new name by clicking on this VSB link.
Here's a summary of the stories so far:
- "Contest:: Help name Vancouver's newest school." Nov. 19, 2012. BC Education Report, Vancouver Sun.
- "What wacky name would you give Vancouver's newest school?" Nov. 19, 2012. Georgia Straight.
- "Name sought for Vancouver's newest school." Nov. 19, 2012. Vancouver Sun.
- "New Vancouver School Board elementary school needs a name." Nov. 20, 2012. Vancouver Courier.
- "Contest to name new west side school." Nov. 20, 2012. Canada.com.
There has already been quite a bit of response with nearly 100 submissions to date, according to VSB staff. Don't forget to add your thoughts on the new name by clicking on this VSB link.
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