Pacific Marine Circle RouteCommittees & Commissions
Overview
The CRD has many committees and commissions that contribute to the services and functions of the region as a whole. Committees and commissions constantly evolve, as new groups are established and others complete their mandate and are disbanded. In the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area, committees and commissions are often appointed by the CRD to administrate or manage a service and may include an appointed Board and/or the JDF director. Local representation is provided in the form of elected or volunteer Board members. Meetings are open to the public, and minutes are posted either online or on community notice boards. Both committees and commissions have a direct impact on the governance of an electoral area.
Description of Terms
Board Standing Committees
A standing committee is a body that is permanently convened to govern a major group of services. Standing committees at the CRD are traditionally comprised of elected officials — CRD Board members or area councillors.
Advisory Committees
Appointed by the Board to provide advice and recommendations, these committees can include members who are not Directors.
Select Committees
The CRD Board may strike select committees (sometimes called Task Forces and also Select Committees of Directors). A select committee is formed to look into a specific issue, after which the committee is dissolved. They are often a sub-committee of a standing committee. Select committees are not often struck.
Commissions
A commission is a committee appointed by the CRD Board usually for the purposes of overseeing the operation of a single service. Both standing committees and commissions are equal in authority within the CRD as both report directly to the Board. For practical purposes, however, it is usually to the standing committees that most volunteer commissions report. A bylaw is required to mandate a commission.
Joining a Commission
Any individual is eligible to join a commission. However, some commissions have certain requirements, such as resident status, voting eligibility in the area the commission serves, or other conditions. Check with the commission for specific requirements.
Nomination and Selection
The process of nomination and selection varies considerably among the commissions. In some, new members are chosen at an annual general meeting; at others, the nominee may answers a newspaper advertisement and is interviewed either by a panel of community members or commissioners or the electoral area director. For still others, the electoral area director may ask a member of the community to stand for office. The Commission Bylaw defines the process for each commission.