A New Year and a New Decade: Ideas Bank - - Alcyonenews

Since we have a consensus that the Trust is broke and in needs fixing, we must ponder ways and means for restructuring the Trust to render it capable of doing what needs be done.  The task is not easy.

I will momentarily backtrack to the 2011 elections, when Trustees Grove and Grams, were elected  “Trustees for Change”. Pre-electorally I asked all candidates to comment  on three topics:  Open Government; Riparian Area Regulation (“RAR”); and  Booth Canal.

Grams responded with silence, his eloquence justified by his post-election performance.  Grove answered explicitly and reasonably. Having related Gram’s “answer” in the “whole”, I will do likewise for Grove’s, too:

“Hi Tom,  Thank you so much.

*        I stand for open government.  I believe all trust meetings should be formally videotaped and put on the website, for all to see.

*         I think your Ideas Bank suggestion is excellent and very useful.  I will certainly endeavour to implement it.

*         RAR. Yes indeed, we must request written submissions and they should be published as you suggest.

*         I will support 100% a proper [RAR] mapping.  It is essential so that we know what we are talking about.

*         Re Booth Canal.  I agree it is a gem and needs to be protected. I simply do not know what  role the Trust can do to protect it.  Probably RAR may have a beneficial effect since run off should be less damaging. I think an advisory committee would be the place to start.

I hope this helps, Peter”  (emphasis added)

After the election, both Trustees flopped, seriously. Their performance turned out to be other than promised and expected, as they quickly became “absorbed” by the Trust and espoused its “corporate sophistry”.

I see history as a resource to be tapped in deciding the present and the future, but only as necessary. For I do not like regurgitating the past if I can avoid it. Because  innovation lies beyond experience. And I am not a fatalist.  Humans have been shaping our world, some for the better some for the worse,  since time immemorial. We are still at it and will not quit.

Our new local Trusty Laura Patrick is now on record “liking” the Ideas Bank, too. Peter Grove ditto, albeit a tad worn out by his past conduct. But, remorse is redeeming and we must not discourage atonement.  If both our Trustees come together on that, and work with the populace, dreams will come true. It is simple, it is the miracle of Democracy, the foundation of civilization.

The first three in the list are “products”; the latter two are “tools”.  We can produce the “products” if we have the “tools”, known as Democracy. But for half a century since its imposition upon us, the Trust has been undermining the “tools”. It now falls upon us to undo the damage and revive Democracy. Once we get  #5, and its corollary #4, functioning again, the rest will follow, much like dawn follows the night.

The Highlights inform further that the 5 “categories”, “include 23 strategies” (which they do not name). But they state that these  “23 strategies” are designed

“to  support the following 9 objectives”:

1-          Preserve, protect and advocate for forest and terrestrial ecosystems.

2-          Preserve and protect marine ecosystems.

3-          Protect the quality and quantity of freshwater resources of the Trust Area.

4-          Mitigate and adapt to climate change impacts.

5-          Improve community engagement and participation in Islands Trust work.

6-         Strengthen housing affordability throughout the Islands Trust Area.

7-         Strengthen relations with First Nations.

8-          Improve and modernize the ability of the Islands Trust to regulate land use activity and work with others.

9-         Amend the Islands Trust Policy Statement.”

I do not pretend to understand the “Highlights”. It could that the “highlighter” person got it wrong.  Clearly, the whole plan has to be rewritten, likely redrawn starting at “square one”.

1.         Ideas Bank;  for without it what must be done, will not be done. Bar None.

2.         “Islands 2050!”;  Scrap this grand folly.  Wholly. Resolutely.

3.         Trust Revamp; Commence a Zero-Basis review of the Trust

4.         Housing crisis; Ask the populace for ideas.

5.         Booth Canal;  Reverse the decline of the Canal. In a rush. Now.