Ucluelet’s Harbour Advisory Commission (HAC) wants a say in who they work with.
During the open question period of a recent regular council meeting, the commission’s chair Rich Parlee said Ucluelet's council, which serves as the community’s Harbour Authority, had appointed two new members to the HAC without seeking the commission’s advice.
“It is then our job to work with them and, my general observation is, we who have to work with them would be very appreciative if you would remember that we are the advisory commission and that our job, while we recognize is not to make the decisions, is to give advice,” Parlee said. “We have had two new members appointed without our input.”
He said he had every intention of working with the new members and called them both “excellent people” who he has known for a long time but suggested the HAC would have appreciated being asked for input.
“You didn’t ask us,” he said. “On matters that so closely touch us, and affect this working relationship that we as a bunch of volunteers have, we would really like to be asked.”
Mayor Dianne St. Jacques said council appreciates the commission’s work and takes the appointment process seriously.
“There are many different requirements that we look for when we make these appointments and there are many good people that apply,” she said. “I’m sure that your group will work well together.”