Come September, Area A voters will find out if a referendum on a tax increase to establish a bus service will be coming their way.
At the July 28 Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) board meeting, directors established guidelines for the potential referendum by giving three readings to a bylaw allowing a collection of up to 0.6 per $1,000 of assessed value on Pender Harbour properties.
The referendum would be held in conjunction with November's municipal election; however, the referendum is contingent on the bus route establishing a ridership of 10 per hour. The increase in ridership will also qualify the service for funding from BC Transit. Currently, area ridership is only about two per hour on the community bus. Changes to scheduling have been made in hopes of seeing a user increase.
Area A director Eric Graham said he is hoping to receive reports on the revised bus schedule, giving him a good idea of what ridership looks like.
"If there's not the ridership, I believe it will be a waste of money, taxpayers' money," said Graham of the referendum.
At the earlier corporate and administrative services meeting, some directors voiced concerns over Pender Harbour's potential establishment of an independent bus service, stating Area A riders would be taking advantage of subsidized service provided in other areas.
A decision to proceed with a referendum question would have to be made by Sept. 9.
Affordable housing
While directors have managed to agree on the need for affordable housing on the Coast, debate is still taking place on how to co-ordinate the effort.
Directors approved $40,000 in funding in July for a plan assembled by the Sunshine Coast housing committee, but details are still being tweaked as to the source of funding as well the hiring of a project co-ordinator.
Having originally decided on a blended option for funding, where areas contribute funding based on a blend of population and assessed values, directors further discussed using the rural planning function to fund the committee for the remaining 2011 year.
David Rafael, SCRD senior planner and member of the housing committee, suggested using grant-in-aid funds for the 2011 year, but directors were not keen on using that function.
As for 2012, directors asked that staff provide recommendations for 2012 budget discussions, including decision package option for rural planning as well as rural grant-in-aid functions.
Roberts Creek director Donna Shugar stressed the importance of enabling the committee to move forward.
"We need this committee, we need this co-ordinator, we need this program, and I think if we do it through rural planning, but have our total be the blended version, I think it solves a lot of problems," Shugar said.
It was also decided the issue of the source of funding, which caused the lengthy debate, be reviewed annually should the SCRD wish to continue support for the committee.
The need for the co-ordinator has been a sticky topic, with some directors expressing concern over funding being used to hire someone for the position. Elphinstone director Lorne Lewis has been vocal in opposition to a paid co-ordinator, saying he would rather see volunteers in the position.
Directors decided to monitor the position on an annual basis to see how it works.
Shugar asked that directors reaffirm their commitment to the housing committee, with staff to report back at the next corporate and administrative services meeting in September. Directors voted in favour of all the motions with only Lewis opposed.
