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Meeting Notes /Agenda

Agenda
Transition Sooke Meeting
Wednesday 6 February, 7 pm

1) Additions or changes to the agenda?

2) WHAT’S COMING UP IN FEBRUARY?

February 13 – AFN event at EMC Film: “WHAT IS DEMOCRACY?”
WHAT ABOUT: Publicity; Volunteers needed; Pay EMCS and Tech; TS Table Display with sign-up sheets and petitions; Moki to facilitate discussion after movie. 7 pm.

February 19 Presentation by Dr. Peter Carter and Elizabeth Woodward CLIMATE CHANGE DENIAL & GAME CHANGERS FOR SURVIVAL
WHAT ABOUT: Publicity? Volunteers to look after registration and sale of books (Remember signup sheet and pens and any petitions); Pay EMCS and tech; TS Table Display; Moki to introduce speakers. 7 pm,

February 20 ZWS meeting at Sooke Public Library 6-30 pm.
WHAT ABOUT: Seedy Saturday arrangements; Focus of ZWS: Plastic Bag ban – needs a champion; Cosmetic use of pesticides – needs a champion; date of next repair cafe; spring cleanup on or close to Earth Day.

February 23 Seedy Saturday organized by Sooke Region Food CHI 11 am to 3 pm Sooke Community Hall
WHAT ABOUT: Who is doing what? Need volunteers to: look after display table; get people to sign up and to sign any petitions; take a shift.

February 26 Sooke Transition Town Society AGM at Harbourside Cohousing Tuesday 5 – 10 pm. Potluck/ Board meeting/ Dessert Social
WHAT ABOUT: Who will stand for Board? Current board: Michael, Stephen,

3) TREASURER’S UPDATE
Bins order to be paid for from Legacy Fund (Jo)
2018 final financial report to be presented at AGM

4) CHECK-IN WITH DIFFERENT WORKING GROUPS

SPEAKER SERIES c/o Carol & David:

1. EV SYMPOSIUM in partnership with the Victoria EV Club planned for March 23 at EMCS
2. ENVISIONING SOOKE IN 2020 Open Space event on hold until Tony gives us the green light

CLIMATE CHANGE CAFE c/o Susan and Jo: How was first cafe? What’s next?

SRMBI: What’s next?

VITAL SIGNS: Check with Brian W and Paivi – any progress?

WILD WISE SOOKE: Sam Webb assumes control of WWS.

WEB TEAM UPDATE: Alan and Paivi and ?

5) OTHER BUSINESS:
CRD DECLARATION OF A CLIMATE EMERGENCY on January 23 – Michael/Susan to report.

SOOKE POCKET NEWS coverage of our activities is partly funded by the subscriptions we pay to get the SPN connected to our inboxes.

ANYTHING ELSE?

6) ON THE SHELF FOR NOW:
EARTH DAY CELEBRATION
STREET LIGHTING
OCP REVIEW MONITORING
PUBLIC ACQUISITION OF WOODSIDE FARM

TRANSITION SOOKE STEERING GROUP
Minutes January 9, 2019

~25 people in attendance

ISSUES TO FOCUS ON IN 2019

Climate Change

Michael leading a course on with Sooke Lifelong Learners

“Envisioning Sooke in 2020”

Open Space event to be moved to March or April whenever the timing is right as this event will be linked to the OCP review process by the District of Sooke Council
Carol Mallett is the point person on this proposal.

Sooke Vital Signs survey

One has been done for Victoria and for Tofino. Should Sooke have one done?
Brian White pointed out that Tofino’s was well done and is available on the Tofino municipal website. He and Paivi can look into this and make a recommendation.
Sooke Pocket News recently linked to Sooke 2018 demographics

Earth Day 2019:

Link to a number of events under the Earth Day umbrella. Theme is “Protecting our species”
ZWS is to lead a spring clean-up again

Zero-Waste Sooke:

ZWS is operating another repair cafe – date/place to be determined
Promoting a ban on single use plastic bags. ZWS to resume pressure on council to pass a bylaw.
ZWS has a table at Seedy Saturday February 23.

OCP Review monitoring

We need to be aware how tourism in Sooke is being marketed especially as a hotel tax is proposed/coming into effect for marketing Sooke. It was stated that the development of the OCP is lacking in clarity about how tourism fits into the development of Sooke.
Concern was expressed that the appointment of a new CAO could lead to a rush to pass the OCP?

Street Lighting

Bernie wants to see the upgrading of street lighting to involve LED technology and point to the ground. He is going to to try and bring this before Council on January 28

Wild Wise Sooke

Samantha Webb, who works with Debb Read, talked about the bear resistant bins for garbage pick-up that are being manufactured with Alpine making an initial run of 50. Testing in Sooke to follow. All this is underway.

Woodside Farm Proposal

Patrick Gauley Gale would like to see either Council or the CRD parkland acquisition fund purchase this property for the benefit of the whole community. The steering group agreed with the spirit of his proposal and will offer whatever support we can.

REPORTS FROM WORKING GROUPS

Climate Change Cafe

Jo Phillips and Susan Clarke stated that the initial meeting is proposed for a Monday evening. Jo and David Mallett looking into locations. Word will go out in due course.

Sooke Region Multi-Belief Initiative (SRMBI)

Michael mentioned that Mark Ziegler has prepared a report based on an Open Space event last October. It covers compassionate attention and possible actions needed in 5 areas: Homelessness; Affordability as it relates to housing, food and child care; Social Isolation; Inadequate Heath Services; and how we work together through Communication, Awareness and Collaboration.
The next meeting is on Wednesday, 16th January at 2:30 p.m. at the Baptist Church. All welcome.

Wild Wise Sooke

An agreement between WWS and the Society was signed to clarify the responsibilities of each party to maintain a good working relationship.
The new Community Coordinator, Sam Webb, was on hand to bring us up to date with what’s happening with WWS and their work in Sooke. Their focus is gradually transitioning from bears to all wildlife.
There is a volunteer meeting on 22nd January at Seaparc, at 7:00 pm.

GENERAL BUSINESS

Sooke Pocket News

The group agreed that we should establish an active working relationship with Britt Santowski of the Sooke Pocket News. Thanks were expressed for her help and cooperation.

Appointment of a new Treasurer

Motion to appoint David Mallett as the new treasurer of the sooke transition town society “I move that Dave Mallett, a member of this Society in good standing, be appointed as the new Treasurer for this Society effective immediately.” Moved by Michael Tacon and seconded by Paivi Abernethy. The motion was passed unanimously.
Members requested that Martin Bissig be properly thanked for his help and services as our Treasurer for the last few years.

Earth Day Legacy Funds to pay for Recycling Bins

Jo Phillips announced the final numbers for these bins. For 1 outdoor and 2 indoor bins the cost will be $1,800 plus tax. The bin purchase was budgeted at $2,400 from the Earth Day Legacy Fund. Jo has worked closely with 2 volunteer sports groups in Sooke where the bins will be located. Jo was authorized to proceed and place the order.

Awareness Film Night with Transition Sooke

“WHAT IS DEMOCRACY” is a new NFB documentary film to be shown at EMCS on Wednesday, February 13th at 7 p.m. Michael Tacon will facilitate a discussion after the showing.

Speaker Series presentation for February

Peter Carter and Elizabeth Woodworth, co-authors of the book “Unprecedented Crime: Climate Science Denial and Game Changers for Survival”, will present their take on the climate crisis, who is responsible, and how Sooke and southern Vancouver Island will be impacted. A question and answer period will follow their presentations.
This event is set for Tuesday, February 19 at 7 pm at the theatre at EMCS.
Carol and David Mallett are handling the logistics and Lily Mah-Sen is looking after the publicity

Annual General Meeting of the Society

Annual General Meeting of the Sooke Transition Town Society at Harbourside Cohousing proposed for 7 p.m. Tuesday, February 26th, 2019
Timetable: 5:30 pm Warm-up / 6 pm Potluck supper / 7 pm Meeting begins 7-30 p.m. Dessert and Socialize

Financial Report

Martin reported the current account balances as at December 31, 2018:

Main chequing account = $6,006.38

Zero Waste Sooke sub-account = $1,083.60

Wild Wise Sooke sub-account = $16,446.22

Special Events sub-account = $3,406.85

A more complete 2018 report will be presented at the AGM

Meeting adjourned shortly after 9 p.m.

Next meeting set for Wednesday, February 6 at Harbourside

Minutes by Bernie Klassen and Michael Tacon (Co-Presidents)

Appendix 1

2020 Vision via Stream of Consciousness Initiative

If anyone is interested, this organization makes it possible for us to put on a seminar about Transition Sooke using the skills and equipment available to us for a video presentation that could go viral using digital technology.

Check it out at www.streamofconsciousness.ca

For an example of one of their presentations done for Creatively United Victoria see:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REzVAgn9e6k

GETTING TO HARBOURSIDE & PARKING: From the traffic lights at Sooke Road and Otter Point Road go down Murray Road towards the harbour, past the Anglican Church, then turn left onto Horne Road. The Harbourside apartment and the Common House are on your right with the entrance into the lobby at #6683 Horne Road. The hall is on the left. Parking is available in the public parking lot at Murray Road and Horne Road or along Horne Road on the right.

Meeting Notes
Wednesday December 5, 2018, 7 – 9 pm
Harbourside Cohousing
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.

Meeting Notes
November 7, 2018
Transition Sooke (Sooke Transition Town Society)

Attendance: 21
Present: Bernie Klassen, Moki Tacon, David and Carol Mallett, Jo Phillips, Wendy O’Connor,  Alan Dolan, Bev England, Susan Clarke, Wynn LeComte, Kara Middleton, David Merner, Brian White, Lily Mah-Sen, Robin Zabloski, Mick Rhodes, Jack Gegenberg, Hester Vair, Sinclair Philip, Ron Ramsay, Anna Kenklies

Called to order: 7:10 pm

Report on the Meet the Candidates event in regards to the municipal election:
– Very well received by attendee
– Appreciated by candidates
– Suggestion that next time we add the candidates for Regional Director as well (general agreement on this point)

Report on the Mayoral Forum
– Went well, well received
– Strong on fairness in reply time by each candidate—no one dominated
– Perhaps too many questions? (some agreement on this point)

Report on the Eco-Home Tour
– Some snags this year (i.e., tiny house was unfindable)
– About 60 people attended
– Down from last year
– Made for a more relaxed and accessible day

Report on Site C Dam evening
– Middle of the municipal campaign
– Over 30 people attended
– Very positive response from Amnesty International (Canada)
– Follow up in Sooke paper

Report on the Sooke Regional Multi Belief Initiative forum at Baptist Church
– About 50 people attended
– Intent was to develop several Compassionate Action Plans, particularly around homelessness, affordability challenges, social isolation, medical services, communications, cooperation, advocacy and awareness
– Report to come from forum, which will be posted on website and members informed

Report from the Website Re-Org Group consisting Alan, Paivi, Sue, Hester and Paula
– Group meeting to determine problems with the current website
– Design solutions and approaches brainstormed
– Recommendations to come forward at nest TS meeting

Question from the floor: “Should the press be invited to meetings as well as events?”
– General feeling was “no”
– Better that they are asked to events—events are the public face of TS; meetings are member-oriented

TS roles that still need to be filled:
– Roles don’t take much time
– Roles sometimes challenging but become simpler to fulfill
– Role descriptions will be put out to the mailing list
– Template will be developed, in order that coordinators have a simple way to post volunteer requirements to the website
– Lily volunteered to be the publicity coordinator (with help from Jeff and Jo)
– Kara expressed interest in coordinating volunteers (with help from Hester)

TS information table:
– Set up at the meeting so any issues about how it looked could be addressed
– Where’s the banner? (last seen on Earth Day)
– Bernie is making a banner for Sooke Zero Waste—when it’s done, design will be presented to TS meeting for discussion and possible adoption

TS Book Club
– First book of season to be The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline
– Link to the book trailer: http://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1190467139607/
– Copies of The Marrow Thieves are available from the library—the library book club pack should be in soon, and copies will be available from Paula Johanson
– First meeting in January
– Contact Paula Johanson (paula.johanson@gmail.com)

New Business
Climate Change evening
– Proposed for either February 19
– Dr. Peter Carter and his wife will be staying in Colwood—we can piggy-back on that to bring him to Sooke
– Author of “Unprecedented Crime” with Elizabeth Woodworth
– Could/should be the kick-off event for local Climate Change action
– Could be a lead-in to Earth Day, 2019
– We can link up with Sooke Life-long Learners group for the evening
– Strong support from the floor

We need to talk to Modo about what it takes to set up a car share cooperative
– Do we need a permanent transit group?

Housing—both affordable and attainable
– Sooke Affordable Housing committee is to meet November 13
– Sooke municipal council initiative
– TS involvement is held in abeyance for now

Next Repair Cafe scheduled for Sunday, 21 April 2019

Treasurer’s Report
– Martin, the current treasurer, would like to step down at the Annual General Meeting
– Remaining money after last Earth Day event is about $4258.00
– Jo is still working on spending $2400 for locally placed recycle bins
– 20% of final total is to be transferred to Sooke Zero Waste for their current and future projects

From the floor: Kara – NEB review
– There is a 20 November deadline to comment on the new Trans-Mountain Expansion review
– Public comments are being accepted BUT by mail or fax only
– How to submit? Here’s the link: https://www.neb-one.gc.ca/prtcptn/hrng/tlbx/prsnttn/lttrcmmnt-eng.html#s1

Whales and salmon
– We need to hold an Orca and Wild Salmon town hall
– There should be a political component
– There are multiple people available for such an event
– proposed for March—as part of the lead-up to Earth Day

From the floor: Susan Clarke (with help from Jo)
– Re: Climate Café
– Hosting coffee meetings (at people’s homes or in cafés) consolidating and addressing concerns about fossil fuels
– Approved to go forward under the TS umbrella

From the floor: Moki
– Re: Proportional Representation
– referendumguide.ca has a five-minute quiz that helps define what your preferences are
– Discussion around pro-rep followed

From the floor: Carol Mallett has offered to coordinate the speaker series (yay!) with help from David and Moki

Meeting adjourned at 9:05 pm. Discussion followed, and the meeting room had to be forcibly emptied at 9:30 pm. A great success, pats on the back for all concerned.

Notes prepared by Bernie with some editing by Moki and Alan.