01/23/2025
Summary January 2025
Kristina commented on SFC: I'm just so confused and would like to know what it's all about.
Short Answer
Nov 2, 2022 – AGM elects Beland, Cowan, Cooper, Keys , Keys , Reid, Wissman, Nielsen (the board)
Dec 19, 2022 – The board makes a presentation to Mission council. The proposal includes drawings of a concrete structure to be built on the parkland beside the school.
Jan to March 2023 – attendance at meetings goes from a handful to around 50 mostly because the membership does not agree with the presentation made to council without their approval. Meetings get chaotic. Criticism increases online.
Mar 2023 – mediation is attempted
Summer 2023 – Bylaw committee, including both sides, hammer out proposed new bylaws and ask the board to set a special resolution meeting to approve the bylaws. When the BOD does not call the meeting as quickly as some members of the committee would like they pressure the BOD on the Stave Falls Community Facebook Group (SFC) to call it which they do for Sept 27, 2023 (Sept 27 SRM).
Sept 18, 2023 - Defamation Lawsuit filed
By Colleen Beland, Greg Cowan, Birgit Keys and Brendan Keys (BOD)
against Courtney Cardy, Jim Taylor, Rhonda Davidson and Diana Wood-Hutchinson and 12 John Does (people who might get named later).
Sept 22, 2023 - BOD proposes to the membership that the SGCA should be shut down until the defamation lawsuit gets settled. They postpone the Sept 27 SRM but members hold the meeting anyway.
Sept 27, 2023 – new bylaws are passed and the BOD is voted out by about 75 people attending the meeting. The BOD refuses to recognize the validity of the meeting.
Nov. 1, 2023 – BOD go to court to ask for an order to shut down the SGCA Justice Ball grants the order.
Nov 15, 2023 – the BOD holds an AGM without informing the membership and elect themselves as the new BOD.
Nov 22, 2023 – BOD go back to court for another order to have themselves recognized as the only members and the legitimate board of the SGCA. Justice Verhoeven dismisses their application.
Feb 6, 2024 – BOD dismisses their Oct 23 lawsuit against the SGCA which effectively sets aside the shutdown order so the SGCA is back in business.
BOD calls and AGM for Mar 11 which results in the same board as was elected Nov. 1, 2023.
Long answer:
Nov 2, 2022 – AGM elects Beland, Cowan, Cooper, Keys , Keys , Reid, Wissman, Nielsen (the board)
Dec 19, 2022 – The board makes a presentation to Mission council. The proposal includes drawings of a very large concrete structure to be built on the parkland beside the school. The membership is not informed of the meeting until after it has happened and the final form of the proposal has not been discussed with the membership. This brings a lot of criticism and concern especially by close neighbours.
Jan to March 2023 – attendance at meetings goes from a handful to around 50. Members try to implement changes so they feel they are being heard by the board but the board fails to satisfy the members concerns. Meetings get chaotic. Criticism increases online.
Mar 2023 – board proposes mediation with 3 of the most vocal critics who tell the board the discussion needs to be with the community and not with only a few. A round table to be hosted by the Steelhead, for all members, is organized by Jim Taylor and he invites the board to try to resolve some issues but the board refuses to attend in favour of their own round table which they call for June. By this time Cooper, Wissman and Nielsen have resigned.
Summer 2023 – Bylaw committee, including both sides, hammer out proposed new bylaws and ask the board to set a special resolution meeting to approve the bylaws. When the BOD does not call the meeting as quickly as some members of the committee would like they pressure the BOD on the Stave Falls Community Facebook Group (SFC) to call it which they do for Sept 27, 2023 (Sept 27 SRM). Because it is a special resolution meeting Jeff takes the opportunity to add motions to replace the BOD. The BOD adds those motions to the agenda and sends it out to the membership.
Sept 18, 2023 Defamation Lawsuit filed
By Colleen Beland, Greg Cowan, Birgit Keys and Brendan Keys (BOD)
against Courtney Cardy, Jim Taylor, Rhonda Davidson and Diana Wood-Hutchinson and 12 John Does (people who might get named later).
Sept 22, 2023 BOD proposes to the membership that the SGCA should be shut down until the defamation lawsuit gets settled and says the Sept 27 meeting is postponed. They propose a Zoom meeting to vote on their proposal for Oct 5 but missing from the email list are a number of members even including one which was on the bylaw committee.
Facing the possibility that the association might get shut down in a zoom meeting with limited participation a number of people mostly from the bylaw committee decide the BOD has no right to cancel the Sept 27 SRM and decide to hold the meeting.
Sept 27, 2023 – new bylaws are passed and the BOD is voted out by about 75 people attending the meeting. They also vote to turn down the Sept 22 proposal to shut down the SGCA. An interim board (IBOD) is elected to implement the AGM already called by the BOD for Nov. 1, 2023. The BOD refuses to recognize the validity of the meeting.
Oct 23, 2023 – BOD as individuals sue the SGCA to shut it down without informing the membership or any one else (With Out Notice)
Oct 26, 2023 – BOD apply to the court Without Notice for a court order to shut down the SGCA – Justice Taylor Dismisses the application
Nov. 1, 2023 – BOD reset the dismissed application for another Without Notice hearing. Cowan telling Justice Ball that Justice Taylor told him to come back. Justice Ball grants the order to shut down the SGCA for up to 3 years or when the defamation lawsuit is settled.
An AGM attended by about 25 people acclaims a new board only hours after the shutdown order was granted.
Nov 9, 2023 – Nielsen files the first of a number of applications in court to try to have the shutdown order set aside.
Nov 15, 2023 – the BOD holds an AGM without informing the membership and elect themselves as the new BOD.
Nov 22, 2023 – BOD go back to court for another Without Notice application to have themselves recognized as the only members and the legitimate board of the SGCA. Justice Verhoeven dismisses their application.
Feb 6, 2024 – BOD discontinue their Oct 23 lawsuit against the SGCA which effectively cancels the shutdown order so the SGCA is back in business.
BOD calls and AGM for Mar 11 which results in the same board as was elected Nov. 1, 2023.
Jan 8, 2025 - 3 days in court for an anti-SLAPP application which ran out of time so will continue at some future date
Still outstanding are at least 2 or 3 Civil Resolution Tribunal hearings, the anti-SLAPP hearing and if that fails then the defamation case probably continues for several more years. There is also an application by Nielsen for costs resulting from the Oct 23 lawsuit to be heard toward the end of February.