New DBIA Directors Must Answer to All DBIA Levy Payers
By Ben Meisner
The new Downtown Business Improvement Association (DBIA), elected as a handpicked team of down town promoter Dan McLaren, has set about to put its mark on the area. There has been at least one case in which we understand there was a discussion beyond the DBIA's mandate.
The new Directors mulled over the idea that they would be able to purchase some property they would hold or re develop, which of course is contrary to their mandate and above the terms set out by the City Of Prince George who must approve the DBIA budget.
Now we’re told (second hand) that a meeting will be held next week and that former Premier Mike Harcourt is somehow now connected to the down town revitalization. We say "we're told" because media, other than the Citizen, have not been notified.
That action may be due to the fact that one of the directors on the DBIA Board is the Publisher of the Citizen newspaper, who was hand picked by McLaren as a top notch director, saying in an e- mail leading up to the vote for the board of directors, "because Hugh Nicholson gets his ink by the barrel". One would hope that this is not the only reason that you would have Nicholson become a member of the Board.
Strangely enough, one of the largest land holders in the down town core encompassing the DBIA tried, unsuccessfully, to get voted on to the Board even though his company represents just under 40% of the total assessment in the DBIA assessment area. There have been questions about whether some of the new Directors are shareholders in Commonwealth Campus Inc. which hoped to develop in the DBIA catchment area.
Those people who now occupy seats on the Board should be making an effort to try and bring everyone who pays into the new DBIA into the fold, especially with a view to trying to heal the rift over the manner in which the tax levy was introduced. They may not be on the Board, but they are the ones who are footing the bill.
Heading off in your own direction hardly meets that cause.
I'm Meisner and that's one man's opinion.
Previous Story - Next Story
Email
Print
Facebook
Twitter
Digg
Del.icio.usReturn to Home
Posted by: Runner46 on May 21 2010 10:31 AM
Also, from my point of view, we need a different approach to getting something done since the last approach did not work over the 10 year period that most of the players remained the same.
My understanding is that Harcourt has been invited back to an update session of the "let's get started" rally held by the DBIA in September 2008.
http://www.opinion250.com/blog/view/10745
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfONv5-yR9g
As far as governance of the DBIA goes, perhaps the bylaws should be reviewed. If a person or organization that owns 40% of the property within the boundary of the DBIA cannot get voted on the executive, perhaps votes should be distributed by ownership percentage. I think that would be a bad decision, but I have no say in the matter.
From my point of view, the types of things they said they would do in their plea to the City is primarily the role of a merchants association. Merchants are not generally the owners. I beleive if merchants who lease their space are not the key electors of the Board, then most of the activities that the DBIA is allowed to do under the legislation is being directed by the wrong people.
As someone who does not own property in the downtown, I am left in the dark. The web site does not give any hint of the bylaws or even constitution of the Association. In fact, the web site is woefully outdated.
The most recent information on "updates" is dated May 2009. Obviously it is not number one priority of the new Board.
http://downtownpg.com/default.aspx