SOOKE
NEWS MIRROR
2010 WINNER
GETTING READY
Editorial
Dozens of volunteers have been working tirelessly to get ready for the SFA show. Page 13
TRIATHLON VOLUNTEERS Page 8
Entertainment
Page 13
Volunteers are still needed for Aug. 12 event.
Sports/stats
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Agreement #40110541
Wednesday, JULY 25, 2012
Your community, your classifieds P20 • 75¢
Service agreements to be reviewed by finance committee Pirjo Raits Sooke News Mirror
Heidi Young photo
Pretty in pink Beautiful waterlilies captured in the lens at Grassie Lake.
Public boat launch to become fee-based Pirjo Raits Sooke News Mirror
In 2013 it will no longer be free to launch a boat at the public boat launch, opened earlier this year. At council on Monday, July 25, it was agreed that a $10 launch fee would be initiated next year and a proposed $10 sani-dump fee would not be instituted. In a report to council,
from staff, it said that commercial operations in Sooke are being impacted by the free launch, in particular Jock’s Dock next to the hotel which offers boat launching for a fee. There was also an issue with users of the public boat launch who utilized water, washrooms, fish clean out stations, etc. at Jock’s without any compensation. Mayor Wendal Milne said
they would be taking some action to protect business, not compete with business in Sooke. Councillor Rick Kasper said it was never implied that the public boat launch would be free. He said in the 2009 grant application, fees were used as a measurement tool. In the interest of keeping the harbour clean, Milne said, “I am personally not
in favour of a big, or any, fee for the sani-dump.” Issues of parking along West Coast Road came into focus as well, both for boat launchers and people who came to events at the hotel. Discussions will be held with the Ministry of Transport in regard to parking along the highway. “We’re a victim of our own success here,” said Kasper.
Tempers flared at the District of Sooke council meeting on Monday night in regard to council making the decision to look at the service agreements between the Sooke Region Chamber of Commerce and the Sooke Region Tourism Association. Currently the chamber of commerce receives $28,150 from the district budget and the tourism association receives $20,000. Mayor Wendal Milne said he wanted to ensure that all of the grants handed out by the district were treated the same way. “We want to make clear, well in advance, that here are the requirements,” he said. He stated that some of the agreements were fiveyears in length while others were year-by-year. He said the district wants to provide sustainable funding while keeping the entire budget in mind. The Finance and Administration Committee has, since the election, been reviewing all of the contracts the district is party to. Rick Kasper, chair of the Finance and Administration Committee felt there were items in the service agreement (Schedule A) with the chamber that were strictly for the benefit of the members and not the entire business community. He stated that when they first signed a service agreement with the
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chamber it was for a onehalf time operation. The fee for service was established when the chamber operation became full-time. He said he would support the agreement for this year only and the conditions would be looked at seriously. In regard to the Sooke Region Tourism Association Kasper stated that perhaps the District of Sooke should not be the only partner and the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area, which benefits from the association’s efforts, should be a contributing partner as well. Councillor Maja Tait said the chamber does many things which benefit the entire community, such as the Santa Parade, Communities in Bloom and the light-up at Christmas. She said these were measureable outcomes. Chamber manager Kari Osselton took offense at Kasper’s comments and asked, “If we’re not doing these things, who would be?” Mayor Milne said the onus was on the district to establish what they want as far as agreements go. An angry Frederique Philip accused Kasper of lying and took the podium at the Committee of the Whole portion to outline how she has helped promote tourism and business in Sooke. “You don’t seem to understand what tourism does,” she said to Kasper.