Sechelt is moving ahead with having community associations or ratepayer groups formally register.
The proposal, endorsed in a 5-2 vote at Committee on Wednesday, isn’t as restrictive as the original idea, which would have made the associations prove a minimum membership if they want standing at Municipal Hall.
Instead they’ll now be required to provide membership numbers, names of their executives and AGM minutes. Something many already do voluntarily.
Councillor Alice Lutes argued for keeping it that way saying that the District should be aiming to encourage as much participation as possible, and this would discourage it. Councillor Shanks also voted against the plan.
The idea got a rough-ride from representatives of community associations in the gallery, who called it anti-democratic and questioned the motives.
Mayor John Henderson says those motives are nothing more than wanting to give Council accurate information about who they’re dealing with and who they represent.
