Talks About OBAC Inclusion This Week

Monday, October 23, 2006 04:01 AM

The possibility of Mackenzie, McBride and Valemount joining the Omineca Beetle Action Coalition will be discussed this week.

Members of OBAC and the Mayors of the three communities not yet members of the coalition, are expected to huddle at the Union of BC Municipalities conference in Victoria.

Currently OBAC includes Prince George and the communities on Highway 16 west . It has taken that coalition the better part of a year to organize to the point of hiring a full time manager, and being granted official society status.

Valemount, McBride and Mackenzie have long wondered why they were not invited to be part of the coalition which is supposed to develop economic diversification programs for the communities hit by the mountain pine beetle. The Omineca Beetle Action Coalition has been granted about $850 thousand dollars for such programs.

Recently , Regional District Fraser Fort George Director Don Zurowski suggested there be a separate Beetle Action Coalition established. He envisions one that would link Mackenzie, Prince George and the communities of Valemount and McBride. “If you look at the size of the service area for the Omineca Beetle Action Coalition currently, as compared to other areas like CCBAC (Cariboo-Chilcotin Beetle Action Coalition) it would make sense, and there are all kinds of argument behind the fact that we should have one more Action Group in this region which would probably include, Prince George, McBride, Valemount and Mackenzie.”

Is Zurowski concerned about the amount of time it has taken for the Action Groups, like Omineca, to get up and running? “Ideally they would be included in the existing OBAC and it would be funded accordingly but I think this other group could get up to speed very quickly as there are other models to follow and Prince George is very familiar with how the Action Groups work. So we would hit the ground running quickly.”

Valemount Mayor Jeannette Townsend says the idea of a separate Action Group is interesting, and while she wants her community to be included, she isn’t ready to say the best way to go is to set up a new coalition “I would want to consider it carefully whether we should have a separate one, or if we should go with the Omineca one, I kind of like the idea of a separate one. I really have to look at the details, but I think it might be easier to manage. I just think a smaller group would be easier to manage.”

Previous Story - Next Story

Email |

Print |

Facebook |

Twitter |

Digg |

Del.icio.us

Posted on Monday, October 23, 2006 04:01 AM in News by 250 News

Return to Home

Comments

Posted by: Chadermando on October 23 2006 1:02 PM

I thought about applying for the manager position for which I am qualified, but firgure it will go to someone from Ontario or some far off place like that anyways. I noticed they have said they are hiring through the media, but have not posted the postion on their web site. I figure if it was posted on their web site it would be an open position, but if not its probably an insider thing, or maybe a farmed out hire to an employment agancy of some sort. It would be nice to read a job discription with expected qualifications, but it doesn't look like they have reached that stage yet.

IMO it is critical to have this position filled and the person should have a background in project accounting, the forest industry, as well as small business start-ups.

Time Will Tell

Posted by: owl on October 23 2006 6:16 PM

I disagree Chadermando.

Those items you list are all for additional staff or farmed out jobs, depending on how lean and mean they will want to operate.

The purpose of the money was indicated in the news release by the government over a year ago: "Funding for the Omineca Beetle Action Coalition will help BUILD AN ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION PLAN to maintain community stability for Highway 16 communities and FIRST NATIONS well into the future."

The individual ought to have experience as a CEO reporting to a Board, first and foremost. You would be surprised how few people have such experience and excell at it.

I would not select someone from the forest industry since a major component of the Coalition is to attempt to diversify the economy. Someone with only forestry experience will have blinders on. So, one needs to understand a bit about the full economy of communities and what makes them tick, especially transitioning from one industry to another.

I would also look for someone who is an individual that can listen, understand what he/she is hearing, investigate based on information received, report back with proposed policies and strategic plans, develop appropriate programs and projects which address the policies and directions set by the Board, and measure the outcomes against the objectives and correct actions which do not quite meet the objectives in their implementation. You would be surprised how rare people who excell at this are.

First Nations will play an important role in this for many reasons. Thus, the individual would have to demonstrate to me that he/she has worked jointly and successfully on projects or programs with First Nations.

The individual also ought to be reasoanbly "well connected" or have the capacity to do so very quickly. This will assist with implementation and developing the stage to further funding if approprite.

Other than being able to find someone with a background which has some proximity to that, I would expect it would be difficult to attract someone to that position if it is located in Vanderhoof. In addition, the position may have a short term.

So, as you say, Chadermando, time will tell.

Posted by: Chadermando on October 24 2006 12:05 AM

Hard to disagree with anything you wrote. I was tight for time when I wrote my original post, so rushed it.

I think that if you are going to minimize overhead costs and maximize development dollars, than you have to have a small team wearing many hats that are capable of having immediate up todate knowledge of the financial budget. I agree the person should not have exclusive experience in the forest industry, but rather a broad range of industry providing a good mix of realism with capability.

It is up to the board to do the strategic planning sessions to provide direction, and the manager should carry out their plan, but a good manager should also provide advice and recomendations to the board based on experience with start up embryonic industries, as well as the realities of successful current industries, and the calculated potential in between.

I think the occupant of that job will have to be open to thinking outside the box, identifying opportunity, and then finding ways of coordinating and enabling the players in the identified diversification strategy.

I think the strategy should be oriented towards sustainability in energy, nature, and the economy. Tourism, transportation, and infrastructure development should be the three top priorities. Enabling the three priorities into a single master plan will be the key to the kind of economy the north is capable of.

A good manager should be advocating infrastructure development on behalf of the organization to government, putting the government on the spot if necissary to achieve the stratgic goals that will assist the economic development priorities.

If the mayors have his/her back than this person can be the bad guy if necissary holding the higher up governments to account.

Time Will Tell

Posted by: owl on October 24 2006 9:23 AM

You must not forget that Vanderhoof (and if McBride comes on, it as well) is an agricultural community. With the Agriculture minister here, and with some monitoring of whether climate change is affecting this area, one may want to look at based on the concept of building on exsisting strengths. It might be time to begin looking at growing more than just tree seedlings under glass in this region, for instance.

Posted by: Chadermando on October 24 2006 7:55 PM

Your right about that as well Owl. Good point.