RDKB Code of Conduct for elected officials
By Boundary Sentinel
During its June regularly scheduled board meeting, Regional District of Kootenay Boundary board members endorsed the new Responsible Conduct Guiding Principles Policy/Code of Conduct for RDKB elected officials.
The document sets out clearly articulated expectations and minimum requirements related to integrity, accountability, respect, leadership and collaboration. The Principles and Code serve as a foundation for responsible behavior expected of the RDKB Board of Directors, Alternate Directors as well as other appointed officials while assuming their roles and responsibilities.
Codes of conduct are not yet legally required in BC, but are legislated in Saskatchewan, Quebec and Ontario. The RDKB is showing leadership among local governments in adopting this policy and procedure now and having elected officials sign it. Doing so helps to build public trust and confidence and demonstrates the Board’s commitment to good governance.
In other Board Items:
Almost $19K to Climate Action Reserve Fund
A total of $18,874 will be allocated to the RDKB Climate Action Reserve Fund to offset corporate carbon dioxide emissions (CO2e) of 755 tonnes for the 2018 fiscal year. This money will be used for local energy reduction projects, operational reviews and/or audits of energy intensive services, or to invest in future capital infrastructure projects to reduce CO2e. The RDKB has reduced its CO2e by 33 per cent since 2012, with further decreases expected as organics are diverted from landfills to composting facilities across the region in the coming years.
The Reserve Fund is a requirement of the provincial Climate Action Reporting Incentive Program (CARIP) that provides grants to offset the carbon tax paid by BC local governments committed to becoming carbon neutral within their corporate operations under the BC Climate Action Charter.
The RDKB is now recognized as having achieved
Level 3 – Accelerating Progress on Charter Commitments in the Green Communities Committee Climate Action Recognition Program, and is working to toward achieving carbon neutrality. This means the RDKB is eligible to receive annual CARIP revenues for future years.
West Boundary recreation grant for fastball
The RDKB West Boundary Recreation Service (includes Electoral Area ‘E’/West Boundary, Village of Midway, and the City of Greenwood) has granted $1,000 to Boundary Women’s Fastball to help pay for league and other fees related to membership in Softball BC.
Application to amend tenure at Christina Lake Community & Nature park
The RDKB has applied for a Crown Land Tenure Amendment from the Province of BC to allow for construction of a viewing platform in the Christina Lake Community & Nature Park. It will include a boardwalk from the foreshore to a viewing platform on the lake. The project is in the preliminary stages of design and the tenure amendment application is part of the early planning process. Timelines for final design and construction of the project depend on future funding, grant opportunities and permitting.
Grants-in-Aid: funding to local groups/projects
Electoral Area ‘A’
$2,000 to Beaver Valley Dynamic Aging Society for their “Sips and Sparkles” fundraiser.
Electoral areas ‘B’/Lower Columbia-Old Glory
$1,000 to Rossland Golden City Days for costs associated with producing the weekend festival, such as children’s game rentals, outdoor stage entertainment costs, and promotion.
Electoral Area ‘C’/Christina Lake
$400 to the Christina Lake Boat Access Society to support the Annual Cleanup Day, a community and lake clean up for boat access residents.
$1,550 to the Grand Forks Curling Club for building security equipment to enhance security of members and guests while in the building.
Electoral Area ‘E’/West Boundary
$6,500 to the Big White Mountain Community Development Association to help support their annual local summer camp for children five to twelve years old that runs from July 2 to August 29. Funds will pay for wages of camp counselors, craft supplies and a daily snack. Other costs are paid for by daily camp fees. The summer camp is designed to help local children develop important social, emotional and congnitive skills while creating positive lifetime memories.
$3659.30 to the Bridesville Water Improvement District to help pay for well work.
$300 to the Greenwood and District Public Library Association to help pay wages of the Summer Reading Club (SRC) coordinator not covered by the Canada Summer Jobs Program. The SRC will have two programs weekly, one for children ages six to eight years old and one for ages nine to twelve. The free program is to encourage reading in a fun and creative way. The theme for this year is “Imagine the Possibilities,” with activities that explore storytelling, history, science and inventions, mythical beasts, art and creatiivity, dreams and aspirations, outer space, and making the world a better place.
$1000 to the Phoenix Foundation of the Boundary Communities to pay for their Vital Signs Report. The report illustrates specifically how the citizenry and youth of the Boundary view themselves and their communities’ health in relation to eleven different indicators, and how these views have evolved over the last five years. These reports guide policy and funding and help focus attention on critical issues identified by Boundary area residents
