City council has moved to create a management board for McLean Mill comprised of up to seven volunteers to manage the heritage site.
“I’d like to move that council for the City of Port Alberni form a management board comprised of up to seven volunteers to operate the McLean Mill and steam train. The board would report and answer to council through the CAO,” said Coun. Jack McLeman. He added another motion to have the city’s personnel committee select seven members for council’s consideration to bring to the next council meeting—or sooner.
“My personal concern is that the season is starting,” McLeman said.
Director of community services Theresa Kingston had prepared a report outlining six different options for managing the mill: a corporation or company, a council standing committee, a new society, putting out a request for proposal, adapting or modifying the existing society, or re-establishing the management operating board used during the mill’s early years of operation.
In order to create terms of reference, Kingston said she needed to know what the legal framework of the committee would be.
Mayor Mike Ruttan agreed.
“We want to make sure it’s done in a way that protects the asset and protects the city—that’s the whole point of a legal structure.”
But McLeman said he believed the board could be picked and terms of reference decided upon at the same time.
“Yes, we need a terms of reference but I think that could be done coincidentally with forming the board,” he said.
“The City of Port Alberni owns McLean Mill. The City of Port Alberni owns all the heritage pieces.”
Recommendations will be made at the next council meeting.
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