Saanich’s new Governance Review Citizens Advisory Committee is ready to make an immediate step forward after council confirmed its budget increase.
The initial budget for the GRCAC was $100,000, but chair John Schmuck said for the committee to do a thorough job its budget will need to go beyond that.
Of the options the committee presented to council, Option 1 lays out a “less comprehensive engagement program” and will cost an additional $36,885. Option 2 provides a greater number of engagement opportunities but requires a “correspondingly higher level of funding” of $170,010.
A half dozen current and past heads from several community associations took the opportunity to speak on the matter during public input.
All were in favour of Option 2 and council agreed, approving it unanimously.
“I don’t think you want to spend $136,000 on Option 1 and have people feel in the end that it’s less than what it could have been,” said Coun. Vic Derman.
The GRCAC was created following the 2014 municipal election question, in which 88 per cent of Saanich voters approved the review of Saanich’s governance (though only 35 per cent of Saanich residents cast ballots). The question was Saanich’s version of an amalgamation question posed to voters in most Greater Victoria municipalities.
Because the GRCAC is considered an independent entity, it already has a bill of $20,000 for the services of Saanich staff, which surprised council.
“We expect the total charges for the secretarial services alone to eventually total around $20,000 which will be charged to our GRCAC budget,” Schmuck said in the report.
The GRCAC will meet on the last Wednesday of each month, beginning this week and continuing Feb. 22, March 29, April 26, May 31, June 28, July 26, Aug. 30 and Sept. 27, in the Kirby Room of the Saanich Police station, 760 Vernon Ave.
The official launch for GRCAC’s public engagement commences Feb. 9 at 11 a.m. in the Kirby Room.
Upcoming dates include an April 12 open public workshop at Cedar Hill Golf Course clubhouse, 7 to 9 p.m., April 22 at Gordon Head Recreation Centre, 1 to 3 p.m., May 6 (location to be determined) 1 to 3 p.m., and May 17, 7 to 9 p.m. at Saanich Commonwealth Place gymnasium.