T
he Squamish Oceanfront Development Corporation (SODC) governance committee approached council this week with new board selection criteria, and they were greeting with apprehension after placing an ad for board applicants before conferring with the elected officials.
Mayor Greg Gardner said council members already discussed SODC board appointment issues in a closed meeting earlier in the day, and he clarified the process for SODC chair Bill McNeney.
"Ultimately it's our process appointing the directors of the corporation as the shareholder," said Gardner. "The District of Squamish is supposed to post ads, not the SODC."
McNeney is with the governance committee, appointed by the SODC board to review board composition and facilitate recommendations to its sole shareholder Squamish council.
Board members serve two-year terms with half the board up for appointment every year.
At a Committee of the Whole meeting on Tuesday (May 11), he said the SODC annual general meeting (AGM) is fast approaching and with the implementation stage of the master plan looming closer, the need for new qualified members is important.
"We've formulated a plan to elect new board members with a large focus on process and timetable," he said.
"Today we're asking to see how comfortable council, as the shareholder, is with what we've put forward."
Gardner said council would revisit the ad and make some changes before re-issuing it.
However, he said it did generate feedback that proved useful to candidate selection criteria changes.
Referring to a past comment from Coun. Patricia Heintzman that important decisions were being asked for at the 11th hour, McNeney said "hopefully with this kind of background and a bit of a chance to talk about this you can change our direction if it should be changed."
General criteria for board members is focused on commitment to three of the SODC's prominent themes: community first, oceanfront alive and inspired living.
They're also looking for commitment to corporate vision, corporate mission and business plan strategy.
Candidates should be team players and have enough time to commit. The valued skill set includes experience in real estate development, construction, law, accounting, banking and engineering.
Gardner said council found the skills criteria limiting, and would like to incorporate general all-encompassing terms such as social planning.
Council also took exception to the phrase: "has served on Board Committees (incumbents only)."
"We don't want to limit it to people who have been on the board or committees of the board previously," said Gardner. "It's valid that they've had experience but I don't want to set that out as a limiting factor."
Council said the statement "has represented company/board at volunteer/community events" encompasses what they require.
Coun. Doug Raceapproved, saying the phrase weeded out people who wouldn't work well on a team.
Gardner also voiced concern at having non-independent or SODC staff members on the board.
"We want you to be an independent body making recommendations to council. The SODC should be making recommendations to the board but not voting."
The final community criteria category received positive feedback. It asked that applicants be respected in the community and their industry and contribute to ethno cultural diversity and gender, age and lifestyle diversity.
Fund request to clean Blue Barn
In other SODC news, council supported a grant application to the BC Brownfield Renewal Program for environmental related activities on the Blue Barn area of the project.
The district wants to remove the water treatment machinery as soon as possible to determine the mercury content below the building and get started on reconfiguring the building into an arts centre while the rest of the oceanfront master plan is being finalized.
"The sooner some dirt starts getting pushed around out there the better," said McNeney.
