23 people in attendance

Called to order at 7:05 pm by Moki
1) INTRODUCTIONS
2) HUMAN RESOURCES
– David Mallet is the new treasurer as of January 2019
– Some positions still available particularly a social media coordinator and a social convenor
– Housekeeping has been done on the website: Jeff Bateman removed as chairman, Moki and Bernie added as co-chairs. Website still needs proposal and changes and by whom?

3) BOOK CLUB UPDATE
– First book to be The Marrow Thieves and the second book to be 12 Years a Slave

4) AWARENESS FILM NIGHT
– December film to be “Picking Up the Pieces: The Making of the Witness Blanket” with a post- screening talk with (Professor) Carey Newman
– February film to be the NFB documentary What is Democracy? presented jointly with TS

5) CLIMATE CAFES
– Jo and Susan are proposing a series of “Climate Cafes”
– Discussion with a strong emphasis on action(s)
– Organizational meeting in early January; Call will be put out on the TS mailing list via Alan

6) MULTI-BELIEF INITIATIVE
– Movement for and towards making Sooke a Compassionate Community by creating an evolving series of Compassionate Action Plans (CAPs)
– The report on a recent meeting held on October 27th, 2018, which was a community based Open Space event to gather ideas and issues is now available on request.

7) SPEAKERS SERIES
– The Speaker Series is coordinated by Carol and David Mallett. They are proposing four events:
January 23, 2019 Open Space event entitled: “Envisioning Sooke in 2030” looking at what we should be addressing and what are the priorities? Location yet to be determined.
February 19, 2019 Dr. Peter Carter and Elizabeth Woodworth are presenting a hard-hitting presentation on abrupt climate change which includes calling out the climate change deniers as guilty of committing crimes against humanity. They then go on to offer game changer strategies for reversing climate change. The event is booked for the theatre at Edward Milne Community School in Sooke.
March event will be based on some of the issues growing out of January Open Space meeting
April 22, 2019 event proposed for Easter Monday/Earth Day.

8) VITAL SIGNS INITIATIVE (Victoria)
– Suggested that a survey of vital signs for Sooke would be very important. The results could be forwarded to the District of Sooke Council and would be useful in the OCP review.

9) EARTH DAY
– Bernie offered to lead an exploratory committee on what could take place for Earth Day. It was suggested that the event could be framed as Earth Week and it could involve various groups such as the Ancient Forest Alliance and Coastal Carnivores. The theme this year is Protecting our Species

10) ZERO WASTE SOOKE
– Next meeting December 19, 2018 at the Sooke Library

11) WILD WISE SOOKE
– A proposed agreement was discussed between WWS and TS regarding working group responsibilities to the “umbrella society” i.e., Sooke Transition Town Society. A comment was made that it should probably be run past a lawyer. Martin and Moki signed the agreement.

Several times a year there is a meeting of the WWS working group with representatives of the District of Sooke to talk over how things are going. It was agreed that someone from the Steering Group should attend such meetings and be tasked with reporting back to the Group. Sue Lidster offered to take on this role.

12) FINANCIAL REPORT
– Martin Bissig, our treasurer, has informed us that he will look after the accounts until December 31, 2018 and will hand everything over to David Mallett in early January. He will also prepare the 2018 Financial Report.
– Martin reports the following balances:

TS main account = $6,006.33

ZWS account = $851.85

Special events account = $3,406.85. (This amount includes approximately $2,400 for ZWS yet to be used to purchase recycling bins committed to in May, 2018)

13) PROPOSAL TO SOOKE COUNCIL
– Bernie wants to ask Council for changes to streetlights and asked for TS support. The goal is to convert all streetlights to LED or lowest energy use bulbs with lights pointing down – not lighting the sky.

14) DELEGATIONS TO COUNCIL
– Jeff reminded everyone that previous delegations to Sooke Council were effective in maintaining a current profile and presence with Mayor and Council. This issue was tabled until 2019.

Issues that TS has taken to council in the past:

• Being 100% renewable with our use of energy by 2050 (BCSEA)
• Bylaw on cosmetic use of pesticides
• Promoting bear-wise garbage disposal
• Installation of public watering poles
• Banning of single-use plastic bags

15) REMINDER TO GO TO THE “LOT A” CHARETTE – December 8 at Municipal Hall

Adjourned at 8:20 p.m. Let the party begin!

DIRECTIONS TO HARBOURSIDE COHOUSING:
Turn down Murray Road towards the harbour at the traffic lights at Sooke Road and Otter Point Road. Go past the Anglican Church and turn left onto Horne Road. Harbourside is the big building on the right. The entrance is obvious and the great hall is on the left as you enter the lobby. Parking is OK on Horne Road (observe no parking area) and there is a public parking area at the corner of Horne and Murray Roads.