Cuff Report

[Ms. B. Havin]

Do we have a thread (or post) on the Cuff Report yet? South Island 2020 just posted this question,

The Taxpayers of Victoria Deserves answers now - Release the Cuff report

The people of Victoria have waited long enough for the findings of the Cuff Report which was to be released last June then delayed or blocked by some on Council. We need to know how well our city hall is functioning and how productive they have been. We are calling for the Cuff Report to be release ASAP and stop playing games with the timing - the report should be released before the election. (emphasis added)

From what I heard and remember (thru the grapevine), part of what George Cuff investigated was the relationship between Community Associations (CAs) and the City / Council, and I understood that Cuff concluded that Victoria was the worst situation he had ever seen/ encountered, insofar as CAs in this city meddle in municipal governance.

So, yeah, what happened to his report, and is this another instance of sitting on something (vs. releasing it), because it wouldn't be convenient for some vested interests to have transparency?

If the city hires a consultant to prepare an expensive report, is it ethical not to release its findings to the public as soon as they're available?

Anyone have any other info on this?

[G-Man]

^ It truly bizarre how much power unelected people in the community associations have.

[Rob Randall]

I hope the election doesn't have anything to do with the delay because if there is trouble in City Hall, voters deserve to know about it before casting a ballot. There were a lot of interviewees who had a lot to say. I was interviewed twice by Cuff, once with the other CA Chairs and once individually. I'm looking forward to the report. I'm sure it will be enlightening.

[mat]

Originally Posted by Rob Randall

I hope the election doesn't have anything to do with the delay because if there is trouble in City Hall, voters deserve to know about it before casting a ballot. There were a lot of interviewees who had a lot to say. I was interviewed twice by Cuff, once with the other CA Chairs and once individually. I'm looking forward to the report. I'm sure it will be enlightening.

could someone briefly explain the issue as I am sure, like myself, many are uncertain what this is regarding, and why it is important.

[amor de cosmos]

Originally Posted by Ms. B. Havin

Do we have a thread (or post) on the Cuff Report yet?

ohhhhh man I want to see this too!!

[Ms. B. Havin]

I didn't fill out Cuff's questionnaire, but here's one sheet of questions asked of CA-involved people:

Questions Relative to Neighbourhood Associations

By way of introduction, my firm has been retained by the City to assist it in conducting a Governance Review. This is being carried out under the auspices of the office of the City Manager. As a part of what I am looking at, I would like to gain a more complete understanding of the role played by the neighbourhood associations. Would you please complete the attached survey and return it to me? The results are only viewed by my firm and a report based on my observations on the whole matrix of City governance structures is made available to Council and senior staff. Should you have any questions feel free to call me at 780.960.3637 or speak with the Assistant City Manager Mike McCliggott or Rob Woodland, Director of Legislative Services. Thank you.

1. How was your organization formed; has it been legally incorporated as a society?”

2. Was the Association formed in response to certain conditions that were in existence at that time? What were those conditions?

3. Is there an established protocol with the City Council and/or administration that gives your Association a role in reviewing planning matters? If so, could I please see the mandate?

4. Is there an established process and format for receiving input from the Community Associations? If so, what does that look like?

5. Could the City administration and Council proceed on a matter that directly impacts a particular Association without consulting the Association? What is the likely result if that were to happen?

6. How many residents are there within the boundaries of the area represented by the Association? How many members does the Association have? Does your Association also represent businesses and non-residential property owners?

7. How frequently does the Association meet? Do Council members and/or staff of the City attend your meetings on a regular basis; are they expected to be there? Do they simply show up? What role do they have at a meeting? Can the Association executive “direct” members of City staff (including members of the police)?

8. What range of services does the Association offer to your membership? To the community?

9. What is the principal source of your financial base? Do you receive or rely upon funding from the City? Do you receive other “gifts in kind” such as access to city-owned facilities for your meetings?

10. Are there other pieces of information that you think I should have which would enable me to better understand how you interface with the City. Feel free to attach that with your e-mailed response or if the information is hard copy only, please leave this with Susan Whitehead at the City Manager’s office at City Hall.

Thank you.

George B. Cuff, FCMC

President

PS: This questionnaire was circulated last summer (June/ July?).

[Ms. B. Havin]

Originally Posted by Rob Randall

I hope the election doesn't have anything to do with the delay because if there is trouble in City Hall, voters deserve to know about it before casting a ballot.

Absolutely right.

[Caramia]

Wow, I really would like to see this report.

[mat]

Originally Posted by Caramia

Wow, I really would like to see this report.

WOW - is this just for City of Victoria, or does it apply to CRD as a whole. I could add one other question - 'do any of your board of directors have a contract with the city' (so many versions of that it would take pages)

[Mike K.]

This is hot stuff. Thank you for posting, Ms. B.

VV has blogged this.

[martini]

Originally Posted by Rob Randall

I hope the election doesn't have anything to do with the delay because if there is trouble in City Hall, voters deserve to know about it before casting a ballot. There were a lot of interviewees who had a lot to say. I was interviewed twice by Cuff, once with the other CA Chairs and once individually. I'm looking forward to the report. I'm sure it will be enlightening.

So how do we put pressure on council to release this before the election?

[Ms. B. Havin]

Originally Posted by martini

So how do we put pressure on council to release this before the election?

I was wondering that, too.

Anyone know the city manager (Penny Ballantyne) well enough to ask her? :-)

[martini]

Originally Posted by G-Man

^ It truly bizarre how much power unelected people in the community associations have.

Myself and mat need a better understanding of this report, and also what you know of this.

[Ms. B. Havin]

^ From what I understood (and it's 3rd hand, so I need verification from ppl actually involved), Cuff asked all the CAs to respond to the questions in the document I posted, above. He was hired, as per what I heard, to report on the role of CAs and how what they do affects city hall.

The explosive bit is that additional hearsay suggested that he found Victoria's CAs to have too much power to interfere in city governance.

That was last summer, and I haven't heard anything since -- not confirmation nor refutation.

But reading South Island 2020's post reminded me of the whole thing, and like they, I'm now very curious as to what happened to the report.

I'd like to see it.

[martini]

^thank you. Very interesting. I was unaware of this connection between city hall and CAs.

[mat]

Originally Posted by Ms. B. Havin

^ From what I understood (and it's 3rd hand, so I need verification from ppl actually involved), Cuff asked all the CAs to respond to the questions in the document I posted, above. He was hired, as per what I heard, to report on the role of CAs and how what they do affects city hall.

The explosive bit is that additional hearsay suggested that he found Victoria's CAs to have too much power to interfere in city governance.

That was last summer, and I haven't heard anything since -- not confirmation nor refutation.

But reading South Island 2020's post reminded me of the whole thing, and like they, I'm now very curious as to what happened to the report.

I'd like to see it.

Thanks Ms B. - my emails and letters to the editor will go out tomorrow over this. It is a major issue as accountability and transparency in municipal politics/legislation affects all of us. How many C/A's does Fernwood have? How much influence? (as an example)

This is not to detract from the goals and often positive results of neighbourhood/resident associations, and the role they can take in making councils aware of important issues. However, transparency as to influence on council decisions should be a priority.

[Mike K.]

Take Crystalview as an example.

What exactly is happening with this project? The James Bay Neighborhood Association (JBNA) has maintained opposition while the community at-large championed the rejuvenation of the site and a new satellite art gallery.

To the average observer it would appear as though the interests of one group outweighed the interests of others, and further to that, city planners at one point decide to halt the progress of the project without releasing any details to the public. So what's really happening? Is one community association the only organization worthy of input on such a major project? Are city planners under political and community (JBNA) pressure? We deserve to know what is really going on and why some constituents appear have more clout than others.

[Sue Woods]

Originally Posted by martini

So how do we put pressure on council to release this before the election?

Send an letter to Council as an active on-line community of interested citizens and candidates requesting that the Cuff report be released to the public proir to the election. Include your intentions to notify the media if the findings are not released before Nov 15th. That should cast some light.

[Mike K.]

I'm fairly confident that with South Island 2020 posing this question and VibrantVictoria discussing it, regular media organizations will be quick to knock on city hall's door.

[Sue Woods]

Thats good to know. Can you fill me in on South Island 2020. Its the first time I have heard of this. I assume it's a forum as well? Thx Sue

[Mike K.]

SI2020 was originally called Victoria 2020 and it is a website that spun out of the Victoria 2020 conference held several years ago. It is financed by the development community, I believe (?)

[mat]

Originally Posted by Mike K.

SI2020 was originally called Victoria 2020 and it is a website that spun out of the Victoria 2020 conference held several years ago. It is financed by the development community, I believe (?)

They are not very open on their 'about' page - some interesting links and articles on the site though

[Caramia]

SI2020 was originally called Victoria 2020 and it is a website that spun out of the Victoria 2020 conference held several years ago. It is financed by the development community, I believe (?)

It has absolutely NOTHING to do with the Downtown Victoria 2020 conference. No one knows why the individual who started South Island reserved the webpage "Victoria2020" unless it was to falsely appropriate the momentum built by the DV2020 group.

DV2020 is still active, but following its mandate to "complete rather than compete" with other organizations, has instead been focusing its efforts on lending support to non-profits, or to other groups who are working towards a better downtown.

[Ms. B. Havin]

Caramia is right -- victoria2020 (now renamed, but still using the former domain name) has nothing to do with "Downtown Victoria 2020."

It's hard to find out who writes the entries. The name is registered, course. See this "who-is" page:

Registrant: HarbouWerks Strategies
532 Herald St
Victoria, BC V8W 1S6 CA
Domain name: VICTORIA2020.COM
Administrative Contact: Davies, Dave byronpostle@shaw.ca
532 Herald St
Victoria, BC V8W 1S6 CA
250-382-4332
Technical Contact: Morley, Steve
domainreg@islandnet.com
1412 Quadra Street
Victoria, BC V8W 2L1 CA
+1.8003313055 Fax: +1.2503836698

Back to issues around what's in the report: I have to repeat that what I heard was second-hand, but it came from credible sources. And if I heard it, then other people heard it, which means that for reasons of transparency, the report should be released now.

And we (Victoria residents) paid for it. Let's see the results.

[groundlevel]

this is really not such hot stuff.

community associations receive - what? - 50 cents per resident (?) to conduct community forums, publish newsletters and communicate with residents (hey everybody, VIHA has decided a needle exchange is coming to our neighbourhood, right next to the elementary school -- we will facilitate a meeting so you can talk about it.)

the association can't stop unwanted social services popping up in neighbourhoods or put a halt to development -- they can just pass on the information to the city from the meeting -- ie the neighbours arent pleased to host junkies and tweakers or the neighbours don't want their views compromised or whatever.

mayor and council make decisions. or staff make them for them. community associations are powerless to effect change -- all they can do is argue with staff and argue with council on behalf of the expressed wishes of their neighbours.

You want to join or take over a neighbourhood or community association? jump in -- it's a bunch of volunteers concerned about the place they live.