SPC Monthly Meeting Minutes (draft) - Apr 25, 2016

SPC Monthly Meeting Minutes (draft)- Apr 25, 2016

Location: City of Williams Lake - downstairs boardroom

In attendance (from sign-in sheet): Kathie Vilkas, Sharon Taylor, Larry Stranberg, Joanne Meyrick, Rosanna McGregor, Shannon Thom, Margaret-Anne Enders, Michael Lucas, and Jessica Knodel.

Accept Minutes & Agenda

During lunch we:

·   Reviewed meeting minutes from Mar 21, 2016

Motion to accept mins as presented - MFSC

·   Reviewed meeting agenda for Apr 25, 2016

Motion to accept agenda as amended - MFSC

RCMP Presentation by Milo McDonald

This presenter was unavailable due to an emergency in the community that occurred over night.

TRU's Student Service Learning Projects by Jay Goddard

This presenter was also unavailable due to the emergency situation within the City.

Update on Emergency Situation

There was a shooting in the City overnight. The latest report from the RCMP was shared.

Pre-discussion for May 2016 meeting

Marleen Morris from UNBC will be joining us at our May meeting to discuss the Growing Our Future, Economic Development Plan for Williams Lake and offers questions for us to think about in preparation for this meeting.

Background information: presented by Larry Stranberg

• 2010 last business plan
• Wanted to get creative with this new plan (engaging members rather than hire an external consulting firm). Interactive planning (not written then sitting on a shelf).
• Social sector - important as they are part of what encourages people to live in our area.
• Looking at everything (e.g. social is just as important)
• Susan Fornier (from Ontario) started working at the Economic Development Corp (external office within the City).
• More info on Greenhouse project - MOU with Atlantic Power Co. (300 greenhouses of 6K square feet per). Coming up with a current business plan to use this alternative energy.
• Including spin-offs (e.g. TRU can offer courses on greenhouse technology, value-added products from crops).
• Immigrant access fund - loans for new immigrants to start ideas.

Discussions that followed:

• Kathie (Hospice) - farm status was denied twice - this is a barrier for potential farmers that needs to be addressed.
• Michael Lucas Question - interdependency between social, economic and (like Scot Durward's speech at the SPC AGM). Blue Ribbon Panel on Crime Prevention (should include social & economic too). Community Well-being encompasses it all.
• June & July is a busy time for our community with the Elders Gathering, Stampede parade, Shriners are coming to our community, and a multicultural Event at Suagr Cane reserve (invite others to share their culture).
• Combating systemic racism is important to all of the above.
• We need to take ownership and highlight positive.
• Rosanna - a director on Dog Creek Canoe Creek Develop Corp too! (5 northern nations out of 17 nations). Seed money is the hardest to come by.
• Sharon - talking about how we all need to talk to each other - less competition between organizations - and strengthens applications.
• Funding is the largest obstacle to moving forward.
• Gaming funding is so limited - cannot start anything new, or grow existing programs.
• Canadian Social Enterprising Workshop - last time attendees were not ready to start anything, but maybe having a larger conversation with organizations who are currently "stuck". As SPC, offer feasibility conversations (rather than the actual workshop when you are ready to go like before). We need a larger "foundation", tied to the economic development initiative (and if we could highlight us as a HUB for the north - it makes sense - 3 hrs from Price George, 3 hrs from Kamloops).
• Foundation funding anyone? What foundations can be invited to our community and want to invest in our community & northern hub (the Gates foundation, the Vancouver foundation).
• We all need to talk to each other more. This also may address capacity, and utilize expertise that might be lacking in some organizations.
• Inventory of funding sources is needed.

Roundtable Updates

Margaret-Anne Enders - Dirty Laundry Campaign - Tribune is being very supportive (practically a partner). If any organization has advertising funding and wants to be highlighted on this page - help support this project by paying for advertising on this page. Keep posting, and LIKING. Train the Trainer workshop is taking place on May 16 & 17th. Women's Spirituality Circle  - 3rd annual gathering.

Rosanna McGregor - Elder Gathering (2 committees - looking for volunteers). 1800 people scheduled to visit Williams Lake on Jul 11 - 14th. Diane Garner (coordinator). Tent city near curling rink with activities. Also in Gibraltar room. Volunteers are needed!. Rodeo by donation on Jul 11th, large Dance scheduled. It's their gathering, and it's what they want to do. Accommodations - throughout the region including additional camping spots at the Stampede ground. It's an event for the Elders, by the Elders (not necessarily open to the public). Still looking for a new Therapist for the transition house (after staff passed away). Canadian Housing Association meeting recently - different communities are looking at creative options to help people save for down payments (each community is different). E.g. developers contribute 3%, City contributes 2% etc. (this is paid back over time). Helping people afford the deposit is good for the economy (keep people living there). LGBTQ training - Q-Community workshop for Friendship staff took place recently - the training was incredible and highly recommended. Brings a level of comfort back to working with LGBTQ (e.g. sensitive to their needs). 67/80+ CFS staff members received their training.

Joanne Meyrick - Children's Festival (Saturday this year May 28th from 11 - 4) and Shriners Parade. If you are interested in joining the parade contact Dawn. State of the Child report (update) - what it is like to raise a family in LW - first draft will be available early May.

Larry Community Futures - good fiscal year for loans. Dealing with lots of people inquiring about business plans (unique ideas are coming through the door). Bella Coola region is seeing increase.
Sharon - Multicultural Event at Sugar Cane, WL Refugee sponsorship group (40 - 50 people involved) and we are on the waiting list to find a potential family. Tatla Lake & WL Catholic Church group are also interested in sponsoring a group. Human Trafficking (broader & wider problem than what you would expect). Keep your eyes open. Stores - e.g. same person is always there? E.g. their boss is forcing them to work. Kids who are always on their phone (sometimes they are not being rude, but are rather being controlled). It could be social anxiety, an abusive relationship, or maybe controlled.

Kathie Vilkas - Hospice - 5 new volunteers are ready to go. It has been busy time for hospice (but this means - next training is not until October). May is Hospice & Palliative Care Awareness month in Williams Lake.  You can donate bottles to Amanda Enterprises to support the cause. And they will be at Seedy Saturday on May 14th. It's ok, and not to be afraid.

Michael Lucas - domestic violence training shortly. 1/2 day orientation (inter agency risk assessment team). One function is to provide general awareness. Communities that Care - information coming out of the new assessment survey report (before Anne writes a new Community Profile). Surrey Smart snapshot is available.

Jessica Knodel - May 14th Seedy SATURDAY event in Boitanio Park, & mentioned the UBC Human Geography students are visiting next week.

Meeting was adjourned. The next SPC meeting is scheduled for Monday May 30th at 11:30 am, location TBA