At the Cowichan Lake Recreation Commission meeting held Monday, May 12th,2014 in the Curling Lounge, members Bill Peters, Rocky Wise, John Rowley, Laurie Johnson, CVRD Area I Director Pat Weaver, Lake Cowichan Mayor Ross Forrest, Chair Dave Darling, and myself, UNANIMOUSLY PASSED the following motion:
“It was moved and seconded that Cowichan Lake Recreation not participate in a regional activity guide at this time and that staff be encouraged to continue with four more issues of the Playbook and re-visit this idea with the Commission in a year’s time.”
I have the great displeasure to inform you that someone at the CVRD feels they have the authority to OVERRULE AND OVERTURN a resolution passed by the three elected representatives of the sole funding jurisdictions ( Areas F, I, Town of Lake Cowichan), and the five present citizen members of Cowichan Lake Recreation Commission.
After consulting a number of CVRD Board Members, as well as former long serving Area F Director Joe Allan, each and every one’s reaction to this overreaching of authority has been “THIS JUST CAN’T HAPPEN!” Only the CVRD Board can force a service like Cowichan Lake Recreation to spend its taxpayer’s money on something we don’t want.
I’m prepared to fight for the independence and integrity of all CVRD volunteer commissions, and especially our fine residents and taxpayers in the Cowichan Lake area. Cowichan Lake Recreation is OUR Arena, recreation and community hall service - which we all pay for. We don’t need “Ivory Tower” bureaucrats in Duncan telling us what’s good for us and how to spend our own tax dollars.
But just you watch! The backroom gang will cook up what sounds like a semi-reasonable explanation why Cowichan Lake Recreation “MUST” participate in the “Regional Recreation” activity guide. They may claim “It’s Cheaper” or “More Convenient” or an “operational necessity” to ensure efficiency. Don’t buy it for a second! The fine volunteers and fellow elected officials who serve on the Cowichan Lake Recreation Commission, who carefully compared our existing quarterly Playbook to the new Regional Recreation concept, didn’t buy it. Why should you?
Perhaps next, will come the attacks on me personally. Rumours of Director Morrison not being a “team player”, “uncooperative” or “grandstanding”! Maybe they’ll try the old zinger “he’s so far out ahead of his troops, they mistake him for the enemy.” While it may be true that over the last 5 ½ years as Area F Director, my skin has grown a little thicker and I may thoughtfully respond to questions a little slower, MY MORAL COMPASS IS WORKING JUST FINE!
Don’t fall for the bafflegab and doublespeak. Your observations and concerns are right on the money. CVRD leadership needs to reacquaint itself with the concept that government exists to serve the people and not the other way around.
Respectfully submitted by,
Ian Morrison CVRD Director – Cowichan Lake South/Skutz Falls