The newly elected board of the Squamish Sustainability Corporation (SSC) met with the District of Squamish council Tuesday (March 13) to discuss both the present fiscal reality of the organization, and its future potential.
"Our hope is that council can help us understand the direction they want us to take," said David Crewson, interim chair of the SSC, which operates the Adventure Centre.
The 90 minute long meeting was the first opportunity for the board to meet directly with council, since councillors elected them to their posts back in November of last year.
Among the decisions council could revisit are rental and lease agreements that were made for use of the Adventure Centre, including giving the use of two offices within the building to the Chamber of Commerce.
"I think what council has to do is look at all of the things we have saddled you with," said Mayor Ian Sutherland. "For example with the Chamber, we're kind of sticking you with the bill and that is something you've had to work with. I think we have to look at putting our money where our mouth is. If we as a council think these things that you have to deal with are really worth it then we should be paying for it, and have it come right off your books, so that you can concentrate on what you're supposed to be doing."
One of the steps the board has already made towards sustainability, is an agreement with an anonymous sponsor to display the Log Books within the Adventure Centre. As of February, the SSC is receiving $7,000 a month for displaying the historically themed sculptures. The SSC, which is owned by the district, was established in 2005. However, a board of directors was not formally put into place until four months ago, with a mandate of delivering services for the community by using its primary asset, the Centre.
"Our request of [council] is that we agree to a clear and consistent understanding of the goals and objectives of the SSC, and establish a definable set of metrics that we can use to measure ongoing performance," said Crewson. "Measurable performance will help reduce uncertainty, establish a quantified return on investment, and assist council in efforts to communicate to their electorate."
Council agreed the past the objectives of the SSC have not always been clear, and while the board is not responsible for past mistakes, they do have to figure out a way to rectify them and secure the corporations financial future.
"The first thing we have to see is a solid five year financial plan," said Coun. Mike Jenson. "To be honest I don't have any confidence in the numbers of the SSC. The first projections we saw for the number of visitors were 100,000 in the first year and 200,000 in the second year.
"Now the new board's projections are for 65,000 this year while they had only 45,000 last year. I need the plan laid out before me before I will believe it," said Jenson.
SSC board members said that getting numbers under control is their first priority.
"We want to review the whole operation and come up with a five-year plan, " said member Ken Pickering.
That plan should be completed by this fall.
"We are going to be going over all of this stuff very, very carefully," said Pickering. "We are locked into a lot of decisions that were made before we came to the board and we want to be able to work with council and know if we have to stay with the decisions of the past."
