MIRROR LAKE

WATER USERS COMMUNITY

Minutes
Annual General Meeting
7 pm, Monday August 22, 2016
Seniors Hall, Kaslo

Directors: Geoff Delves, Bob Dovey, Inga Herbold, Art Mason, Erik Stradal, Robert Wilson
Members: 19 members (including 6 directors) plus proxies for 14 members
Secretary: Tammy Horick

1. Call to order at 7:15 pm. (Robert Wilson, Chair)

2. Approval of Agenda
MOTION to approve agenda as amended. Moved by Art Mason, second by Larry Badry.
All in favour. Carried.

3. Approval of Minutes of 2015 AGM

MOTION to approve the minutes of the AGM meetings held in August and November of
2015. Moved by Bob Dovey, second by Larry Badry. All in favour. Carried.

4. Treasurer’s Report and Financial Statements (Bob Dovey)

4.1. Approval of Assessment Roll

The MLWUC assessment roll was circulated for review and approval. The assessment
roll is required by the government for MLWUC to be considered a water users’
community and for any water treatment system to be approved by IHA.

BACKGROUND:
Each Mirror Lake water user has one or more domestic or irrigation licences
which stay with the property. The licence specifies
 water quantity, which is typically greater for irrigation licences than
domestic;
 point of diversion, which is the intake up at the dam for all Mirror Lake
water users; and
 where it can be used, which is on the licencee’s property connected to the
water system.

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 To be legally recognized as a Water User Community, MLWUC must comply with
BC’s Water Users’ Communities Act. It states that 6 or more people with water
licences can be incorporated into a water users’ community. An assessment roll
must be prepared that defines each member’s “interest” in the community.
Member interest is used to fairly apportion votes and fees.
According to section 54 of the Act, each member’s interest is proportional to the
maximum amount of water that their licence entitles them to use when
considered as part of the entire water system. If an individual licence was, for
example, 10% of the total water allocated to MLWUC then that member would
be entitled to 10% of the votes.
Alternatively, Section 54(2) allows members to agree to calculate fees according
to the amount of water the member is actually receiving, rather than their
maximum entitlement.

Previously MLWUC members have each been granted one vote, and fees were based on
the number of connections. With the assessment roll, votes are allocated according to
the member’s maximum entitlement as a percentage of the entire water system.
The total entitlement of all MLWUC members’ licences is 97,885 cubic metres/year.
The MLWUC assessment roll shows the number of votes for each member. In summary,
45 members have a total of 106 votes (this is slightly higher than 100 due to rounding).
Question: What’s the advantage of an irrigation licence?
Answer: An irrigation licence entitles the licence owner to more water than a domestic
licence, even if it’s not all used. The member is consequently entitled to more votes,
but fees would be higher as well.
Question: What stops someone from using more than their allotment?
Answer: MLWUC connections use a ¾” pipe, making the maximum possible usage equal
for all members and less than what most irrigation licences allow. This is why it makes
sense for members to pay fees according to number of connections rather than licence
entitlement. Metering could be put in place, but MLWUC has sufficient water for all
members.
Question: How does this affect the campground?
Answer: They may go their own way.

MOTION that the Board send the assessment roll as circulated to the provincial water
comptroller in Victoria. Moved by Bob Dovey, second by Robert Wilson. All in favour.
Carried.

4.2. Financial Statement (Bob Dovey)

The 2015/16 financial statements as circulated were discussed.
 One member account is outstanding, giving $3,000 in accounts receivable.

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  An honorarium was given to John Cathro for acting as AGM chairman for two
meetings.
 Costs for a study on centralized water treatment were not reimbursed to Jeff
Mattes because there is no record in the minutes of this expenditure being
approved by the previous Board.
 The fee of $575 given to a contractor to complete the POE application was
refunded, as they failed to meet their commitment.
 There were concerns at the last AGM regarding how funds were spent.
Treasurer Bob Dovey is satisfied that all funds in the current financial statement
have been accounted for.

MOTION to accept Financial Report as presented. Moved by Bob Dovey, second by

James Brennan. All in favour. Carried.

5. Board Reports

5.1. Report of Bylaw Committee

No report.

5.2. Treatment Report (Robert Wilson)

MLWUC’s POE application was submitted to IHA and Marianne Crowe responded with
several pages of concerns and suggestions.
A lengthy discussion on the merits of POE versus Centralized water treatment was held.
Some members continue to be in favour of Centralized treatment.
It was noted that IHA is sending mixed messages in response to queries about water
treatment. IHA is exercising increased discretion when approving water treatment
systems in order to reduce the region’s many Boil Water Advisories, and showing
particular flexibility around POE requirements. Small water systems are being
encouraged to move forward and “just do something” to improve water quality.
However, this flexibility may not be reflected in IHA’s written correspondence.
The Board felt that it had previously been given a mandate to pursue POE and asked if
the members wanted to revisit the decision. No clear direction was given, but the
consensus was that MLWUC should proceed according to the majority opinion of the
Board elected at this AGM.

Question: Isn’t Centralized water treatment required for subdivision?

Answer: Renee Ansel of IHA said that subdivision is allowed with POE water treatment,
but if there aren’t enough water licences then new connections won’t be allowed.

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 5.3. Maintenance Report (Geoff Delves)

A skid was replaced, a burst pipe repaired, and the third bleaching of 2016 is coming up
on Wednesday, August 24. The system is working well.

5.4. Website Report (Robert Wilson)

MLWUC’s new website is online at http://mirrorlakewater.weebly.com. It was created

by Robert Wilson and will be taken over by Marilyn Roberts.

6. New Business
6.1. Budget and Assessments (Bob Dovey)

6.1.1. Budget
Approval was requested to spend up to $11,800 for maintenance of the system:
$3,000 each for two valves, $5,000 for other repairs and maintenance, and $800 for a
new pump.

Various members observed that:

 one valve is only 15 to 20 years old and should last 50 years, but the dam valve is a
concern;
 a better filter should be a priority;
 Larry Badry and some other members are willing to purchase, install, and maintain
a fire hydrant for about two years before handing over responsibility to MLWUC;
 a flowmeter made available by James Morris at no cost to MLWUC should be
incorporated into the system;
 the pump is only 3 or 4 years old, but a spare pump would be a good idea.

MOTION to approve up to $11,800 on valving and maintenance in the 2016/17 fiscal

year. Moved by Bob Dovey, second by Larry Badry. All in favour. Carried.

6.1.2. Assessments
MLWUC fees can be left unchanged at $400 per connection if approved by members.
This is because Section 54(2) of the Water Users’ Act allows fees to be calculated
according to the amount of water the member is actually receiving, rather than
according to their licence entitlement’s percentage of the total. All members receive
their water through a ¾” pipe, which limits the maximum deliverable to an amount
typical of most domestic licences and much less than the more generous irrigation
licences, so fees can reasonably be assessed according to the number of connections.

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 It was suggested that rates are too low and they should be at least $500 with a plan to
incrementally increase them.

MOTION to keep MLWUC fees unchanged at $400 for the fiscal year ending May 31,
2017. Moved by Bob Dovey, second by Erik Stradal.
Votes For: 41 Votes Against: 24
Carried. MLWUC fees for 2016/17 will stay at $400.

7. Any other business

7.1. It was requested that video recordings of AGM meetings be made available to
members. Member privacy would have to be considered. It was also noted that
meetings should be held where there’s an Internet connection to allow remote
participation via Skype or other application.

7.2. Mike Thornbury circulated a comparison of POE and Centralized water treatment based
on correspondence with IHA’s Environmental Health Officer Renee Ansel.

8. Election of new directors

The MLWUC Board can be 5 to 7 members according to the bylaws, and terms are 2 years.

8.1. Stepping down are Erik Stradal (appointed), Geoff Delves (appointed) and Robert
Wilson. Tara Clapp had previously resigned. Erik, Robert and Tara are thanked for their
service to MLWUC.

8.2. Bob Dovey, Inga Herbold, and Art Mason continue for 1 more year.

8.3. Board nominations

8.3.1. Geoff Delves was nominated by the Board and will stand.
8.3.2. Todd Dvorak was nominated by the Board and will stand.

8.4. Nominations from the floor

8.4.1. Gail Badry nominated James Morris. Accepted.
8.4.2. Art Mason nominated George Svoboda. Declined.
8.4.3. Robert Wilson nominated Mike Thornbury. Declined.
8.4.4. Inga Herbold nominated Ken Clapp. Accepted.

8.5. Ken Clapp, Geoff Delves, Todd Dvorak, and James Morris are elected by acclamation
to form a 7 member Board with continuing directors Bob Dovey, Inga Herbold, and Art
Mason.

Adjourned at 10:25 pm.

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