In his Mayor's Report at the regular Pemberton Council meeting of Nov. 20, Jordan Sturdy told council about a two-day planning meeting organized for directors of the Squamish Lillooet Regional District during the week of Nov. 12 to look at "staff relations and responsibilities."
The SLRD engaged local government consultant Rob Roycroft to facilitate discussion for one day, the other day was spent on corporate strategic planning, Sturdy said.
"(On) the second day we did talk about strategic planning. We discussed the board's priorities and we're expecting to see a report coming back from the facilitator," he added.
"One subject for discussion was Pemberton-Area C, the time (it) takes up of the board in general, and I certainly highlighted the need to have the board support boundary governance restructure as a priority coming up in this next mandate."
Sturdy said he suggested that the previous boundary extension issue "took a long time" to explore due to a lack of support from the board.
"If the board was to support... the movement of an assessment and different options in terms of reorganizing the governance of the organization, then I think that is in the best interests of the organization, both ours and the regional districts," Sturdy said.
He said there was considerable discussion regarding the future of the SLRD and its goals and described regional districts as "placeholders" to provide services in the absence of municipal governance.
"There was lots of discussion about what a regional district's role is and (what) the future role of this regional district is," Sturdy said, adding that this meant looking at services on offer and whether the SLRD's role is also to explore and support issues of importance to the entire region.
Another suggestion stemming from the sessions was that there should be a regular meetings of SLRD regional chief administrative officers as well as mayors of communities in the SLRD in order to develop personal relationships, Sturdy said.
SLRD chair Susie Gimse, reached while at a meeting with MPs in Ottawa, said the session was an opportunity to look at priorities for the SLRD looking forward.
"There's definitely more to this, and it's a regional district initiative. It was our strategic planning and we had a board-staff relationship workshop," Gimse said.
"The Pemberton-Area C is just one small part of (the strategic planning process)... definitely looking at governance issues Pemberton and Area C agreed that we need to look at our boundary. It doesn't make sense and we need to look at what makes sense for our community... We're working through the issues."
Public recreation gathering draws 120
One hundred and twenty people came to the Village of Pemberton's public recreation consultation on Nov. 14 to explore where residents in the village, SLRD Area C and Mount Currie would like their recreation priorities placed in the coming years.
A similar evening at Mount Currie was cancelled and will be rescheduled.
The Recreation Consultation Sessions explored spending and payment options various and the wish list of public amenities such as an indoor swimming pool.
"It was generally well received," Sturdy said.
There is also a survey on recreation priorities that can be completed online via Tumblr.
Two km. of Mt. Currie Trail now open
Councillor Ted Craddock told council that the Pemberton Valley Trails Association had completed the first two kilometres of the Mt. Currie Trail and it was now open to the public. Access to the trailhead could be reached via the Green Bridge.
"I haven't been up there yet, but it's in good shape. There are a few sections they are working on but they wanted the public to know. Apparently there are some great views," Craddock said.
