By: Korie Marshall
At their inaugural meeting on Dec. 1st, McBride’s new Mayor and Councillors appointed themselves as interim directors of the McBride Community Forest Corporation. The corporation is wholly owned by the Village. Previous Council members Mike Frazier, Rick Thompson and Irene Rejman were removed from the board, and a resolution to remove Allan Frederick with thanks for his time was passed at the Dec. 9th 2015 Council meeting. Mayor Loranne Martin explained at the Dec. 9th meeting that Council wanted to give themselves time to learn about MCFC and how it operates, and that change to the board would likely occur in the coming year.
Now Council has appointed one more Director for the interim – Dannielle Alan, Regional District Director for Area H.
Alan submitted a request to the Community Forest board in early January 2015, formally requesting the appointment. As Area H Director, Alan says she represents the people who live outside of the municipalities of Valemount and McBride from Slim Creek to just south of Albreda.
“The whole of the McBride Community Forest footprint falls within that area and the people who live in that footprint have a vested interest in the management and direction of the McBride Community Forest,” said Alan in her letter to the board. “Currently these people have no representation on the McBride Community Forest Board and thus have no voice. I would like to work with you to rectify that.”
In addition to being Regional District Director, Alan says she brings small business experience, economic and community development experience, and experience working with First Nations and forestry professionals.
The request was brought to Council as the appointments of directors to the Community Forest Board are made by the sole shareholder of the company, the Village of McBride Council. Council resolved at the Jan. 27th meeting to increase the number of directors from five to six (quorum remains at three) and to name Dannielle Alan to the board, effective immediately.
The McBride Community Forest Corporation was set up to manage the community forest tenure offered to the village in 2002. The license grants McBride Community Forest Corporation exclusive rights to harvest Crown timber from approximately 60,000 hectares surrounding the community of McBride. The community forest license is intended to give the community management control over the forest surrounding it, including all values important to the community, like environment, water, recreation, wildlife and visual values. The community forest also offers an opportunity to stimulate economic activity and provide a monetary return to the community.
