The Chemainus Residents Association chose board members for 2019-2020 at their Annual General Meeting, held June 3 at St. Michael’s Anglican Church hall.
About 30 people attended the meeting, and nominated a new six-member board. Lia Versaevel, Bernie Jones, Lana Halme and Craig Spence, who were already board member, will be joined by Lorraine Taylor and Carolyn Jerome.
No vote was necessary, as up to nine people can sit on the CRA board. Positions and roles will be determined at an inaugural board meeting.
The meeting also approved a motion requiring board nominees at future AGMs to be CRA members for at least six months before the meeting.
Chair Lia Versaevel acknowledged several guests: Nanaimo – North Cowichan MLA Doug Routley; Doug Fenton Islands Trust trustee for Thetis Island; Kate Marsh, Councillor with the Municipality of North Cowichan; and Sybille Sanderson, Emergency Coordinator with the Cowichan Valley Regional District.
Marsh made a presentation on a Climate Action and Energy Plan for North Cowichan (story upcoming); Sanderson did a presentation on Emergency Preparedness (story upcoming).
“Thank you for being here this evening,” Versaevel said. She also had a special note of thanks for people who served on the outgoing board, but are stepping down: Webster Parker, Mary Dolan and Don Merwin.
Jones noted that the board can invite people to join them, if there are fewer than nine board members sitting, a step that might be taken as issues emerge and new voices and talents are needed.
In her report, Versaevel recapped a busy year for the CRA:
- following up on the winter storm that hammered Vancouver Island in December;
- attending North Cowichan council meetings, and responding to issues of concern to Chemainus;
- monitoring and advocating for better air quality in Chemainus;
- re-establishing a CRA Land Use & Planning Committee;
- supporting initiatives to increase child care funding and services.
“It’s also been encouraging that, when we’ve held fundraising events, like the one we did at the Riot Brew Pub on St. Patrick’s Day, that we’ve had a great turnout, and that we were able to talk a lot about what we do as a local committee in terms of keeping issues alive and following through on concerns of local land-owners and residents,” Versaevel said.
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