The Burns Lake Community Forest (BLCF) board of directors responded to some questions posed too late to be included in last week’s edition of Lakes District News. The remaining questions and responses follow.
Was it a board decision to allocate 65 per cent to the Village of Burns Lake? If it was a board decision, then it would have been their decision not to allocate anything to the RDBN. Can someone from the board explain the reasoning behind the board’s decision not to allocate funds to the RDBN?
The Village of Burns Lake is the shareholder of the Burns Lake Community Forest. The Burns Lake Band, Wet’suwet’en First Nations, and the Office of Wet’suwet’en are the First Nation partners in the Burns Lake Community Forest.
The Regional District of Bulkley Nechako is not involved with the Burns Lake Community Forest. This opportunity was offered to the RDBN a number of years ago, but the RDBN declined participation. A community Forest License must be held by a municipality, community co-operative, society, or a First Nation Band Council or partnership.
Community polling was done to help guide the original comfor policies. How was the community input gaged for the revised policies, if not through public consultation?
Policies that are revised, updated or created are intended to provide guidance and direction for management to assist in the operations of CMSL and its subsidiaries. CMSL Policies are developed and maintained for corporate governance.
They are intended to be consistent with objectives that are outlined in our management plan which goes through periodic public review and comment.
Can you be more specific as to when new policies can be expected? Are we talking within three months, six months, one year?
Policies are created, modified, updated, replaced or rescinded on an ongoing basis. As the company’s business changes, the board may find it necessary to develop, modify or rescind policies to address issues and guide management. The board expects that some revised policies will be available in the near future; however, policies will continue to change as the business environment changes.
Does the board have a date set for the next public meeting of the comfor board?
The annual general meeting will be open to the public and the date for this meeting will be announced in the New Year.
Can we pick up a copy of the old policies?
The rescinded policies are no longer in effect; however, the board is working to develop policies and will make all public policies available as soon as possible.