Island Community Services (ICS) says it has been inundated with membership applications in recent weeks, but is unable to process them in advance of its governing society’s annual general meeting, which has been set for Thursday, Nov. 14 at 6 p.m. via Zoom.
ICS communications and operations manager Rob Wiltzen said on Monday that people who have applied to be members of the Salt Spring and Southern Gulf Islands Community Services Society (SSSGICSS) were set to receive an email that day advising that their applications had been received and inviting them to attend the AGM, but not as society members. Even if an application had been approved, that individual would not be able to vote at the AGM, as the society’s bylaws state that people must be members at least 30 days prior to an AGM in order to vote.
Wiltzen said society board members feel they need to step back and take time to consider how they will handle the sudden wave of interest in the society, ensuring best governance, legal policies and procedures. He points out that director approval of memberships is a standard bylaw practice in non-profit societies.
Community members had last week reported varying experiences when applying for membership, and none had been informed if they are society members.
Local Community Commission (LCC) member Gayle Baker said she submitted her membership application and the $1 fee at the ICS office on Sept. 18. She also brought 32 applications to the office on Oct. 16 and insisted that the $1 fees for each person be accepted, while others have been told that the dollar would not be accepted until the membership had been approved by the board. Wiltzen said fees were not supposed to be accepted, but ICS has kept track of who paid their dollar.
SSSGICSS bylaws were changed in July to give discretion to the board to decide who will or will not be accepted as a society member, although no criteria for making a decision was included. Previously the only requirement was that an individual be 19 years of age with six months of residency in the Gulf Islands.
Concerns that the society, which has been publicly criticized recently, is trying to prevent involvement from the wider community has prompted a Change.org petition that had 98 signatures as of Monday at 2 p.m.
Christian Tatonetti, a past ICS employee, has started a Change.org petition titled Demand Fair, Transparent, and Inclusive Membership for Island Community Services. It demands that ICS:
1. Publish clear, accessible criteria for membership approval so all eligible residents know precisely what is required.
2. Make the board’s policy handbook and complaint process public to ensure transparency in governance and accountability for all members.
3. Remove arbitrary discretion in the membership process to create a fair, open path to participation that honours Salt Spring Island’s inclusive community values.
The petition states: “Despite ICS bylaws stating that membership is open to any resident over 19 who has lived in the Southern Gulf Islands for at least six months, the addition of vague, undefined criteria has made it unclear who qualifies for membership. The board of directors now has sole discretion to accept or reject applications without clearly stated guidelines, creating an arbitrary selection process that may discriminate based on personal judgment or bias.”
Members of the public can attend the society’s AGM. People should RSVP to connect@ssics.ca to get the meeting link.
SSSGICSS membership applications can be downloaded from the ssics.ca website and either submitted online or printed off and brought to the ICS office at 268 Fulford-Ganges Rd.