Editor's Note -- while I take no issue with the review, the optics of the selection of the individuals on the Review Panel are horrible, given they have all served as a UBCM President or have been/are currently elected to a BC Local Government. The best selection for a Review Panel would have been those with conference organizing experience, OTHER than local government conference organizing experience... I don't think UBCM's troubles are nearly over yet... a dearly missed opportunity to set the credibility of UBCM back on the right foot... SF
The Union of BC Municipalities/UBCM has appointed a panel to undertake a review of the financing of its' Annual Convention
The purpose of the review is to evaluate the various sources of revenue, including sponsorship revenue, currently in use for funding UBCM's Annual Convention.
The Review Panel will solicit input from BC's Local Governments' and draw upon best practices from local government associations' in other jurisdictions
The members of the Review Panel are:
* Frank Leonard - Consultation, former Mayor of Saanich and a former UBCM President
* Wendy Booth - formerly Area F Director of the Regional District of East Kootenay and a former UBCM President
* Chair Sav Dhaliwal - Currently, Chair of the Metro Vancouver Board of Directors and a former UBCM President
* Chair Rhona Martin - Currently, Chair of the Columbia Shuswap Regional District Board of Director and a former UBCM President
* Greg Moore - former Mayor of Port Coquitlam/Chair of Metro Vancouver Board of Directors'
As a matter of long standing practice, a sponsorship program is employed by UBCM to offset the cost of hosting its' Annual Convention. This program helps keep registration fees to a minimum and makes the event as accessible as possible for delegates. The Review Panel will make recommendations on finance policies/practices that uphold sound governance, transparency, affordability and accountability for the Annual Convention
In addition to ordering the review at its' meeting today, UBCM's Executive also re-affirmed the scheduled event hosted by the Chinese Consulate in Vancouver will remain one of the sponsored events at its' 2019 Convention
"Over the past few weeks, there has been a number of comments from local elected officials with regard to the Chinese consular reception. What we have heard is a range of opinion about the event - some support it and others would like to see it cancelled, said Arjun Singh - President of the UBCM. The consensus of the UBCM Executive is that the event (Chinese Reception) should be retained for this year
We see the current debate as an opportunity to review practices for financing the Convention that has been in place for a generation, added Singh. As a policy-based organization, we want to hear input from our full membership on the Convention financing model. The review panel will guide that process and make recommendations to the UBCM Executive in time to implement changes for the UBCM 2020 Convention...
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