RITE Update April 20, 2015
Introduction
This update is brief due to other commitments. Volunteers don’t get paid $290,000 per year to save you $2 billion. So, sometimes volunteers need to turn their attention to the “day job”.
This third update follows the first two which can be read here
As before, this update was written by a few RITE planners and not the whole group.
New Leadership
The change in leadership at the CALWMC is huge. We trust Lisa Helps and see this as a major shift towards our objectives that start with “respectful” discussion.
The other aspect of “respectful” discussion that Lisa Helps will hopefully further, in contrast to Nils Jensen, is that of taking what other Directors say at face value. Recall the 9-5 vote by CALWMC directors to not accept, even just for information, a staff report that concluded that anaerobic digestion was still “the preferred option” over gasification. The concerns of the majority included accuracy, validity, bias and an unwillingness and/or lack of capacity to consider alternative approaches to treatment.
One of the five voting in favour was then-chair Nils Jensen. His interpretation of the majority's rejection contrasted sharply with the reasons they cited. Jensen’s take was that to not receive this report was to infer that we don’t want to hear the report’s information. « We don’t want to hear the background that talks about the best options for this; we don’t want to hear what the peer review team said; we don’t want to hear that 70% diversion rates are required”. Director Geoff Young, who also voted to accept the report, nonetheless accepted the nays' reasons at face value: “There is obviously distrust about the information that our staff is providing us”.
NIMBY or YIMBY
The Seaterra project is dead. Now, selecting the locations of the treatment plants could be the most controversial and divisive aspects of the entire sewage conversation. It is important to change the stereotypical public perception from “treatment plants are open, ugly, smelly tanks of sewage” to “they can be unobtrusive like Dockside Green or attractive like Blaine’s Lighthouse Point” to name two fine examples.
Have this conversation with your elected representatives now.
Upcoming EventsGeneral Public Events
April 21, 2015 5:00-8:30 PM Greater Victoria Conversation, Victoria Conference Centre, 720 Douglas Street (amalgamation and related issues - this must include sewage treatment). Register in advance at http://www.greatervictoriaconversation.ca/the-date.html
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Eastside Public Events
Public Update + Workshop - Eastside Community Dialogue
WEDNESDAY APRIL 29TH
ROYAL BC MUSEUM, 675 Belleville Street. 7-9PM
Oak Bay, Saanich and Victoria are working to develop a wastewater treatment and resource recovery plan. They have formed a committee of elected representatives to engage with their communities and develop wastewater treatment options that will meet their needs.
On April 29th, 2015 the Eastside Select Committee is hosting its first public meeting to:
· share the process for public input over the coming three months
· answer questions on what has changed; and
· learn more about public priorities for sewage and wastewater treatment for our communities.
The session will be held at the Royal BC Museum on April 29th at 7:00pm. This will be the first of many opportunities to share your thinking, knowledge and feedback.
For more information about the process please visit: https://www.crd.bc.ca/project/wastewater-planning/governance
Other tentative events:
May 11-13 two day workshop
May 28 Options workshop
June Report back to public
Westside Public Events
Innovation Days where technology proponents present their solutions in three half-day workshops April 28,29,30; at Royal Roads.
No details about this event are yet available.
[Someday our weekly update will discuss the pros and the cons of the “short timeline”. Here is a definite “con” in that a major public educational event is happening in seven days and the public is not aware of it. ]
Three roundtable events in May.
Siting and integrating a wastewater treatment facility into an existing neighbourhood
May 6, 6 - 9pm
Esquimalt Municipal Hall
Resource recovery
May 9, 10am – 1pm
Colwood City Hall
Cost and level of treatment
May 13, 6 – 9pm
Songhees Wellness Centre
Eastside Public Advisory Committee April 22 4:00 PM
Prepare for the first public event April 29th.
Prepare to engage key stakeholders include informed members of the public.
About RITE
The “R.I.T.E. plan” is more of a concept then a "plan" but it stands for Respectful discussion and process leading to an Innovative and Taxpayer friendly sewage treatment that is Environmentally beneficial. To learn more visit our blog http://theriteplan.blogspot.ca/p/about-rite-plan.html
or contact us at theriteplan@gmail.com or join our open Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/theriteplan/
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