ASIC UPDATE 17 - 12

Dear Members of ASIC

and the Savary Island community,

In this issue:
1. Comprehensive Road Report Complete
2. Good News For Road Grading
3. To Compost or Not To Compost
4. Fire Insurance Rating Improvement
5. Fire Hall Dual-use Discussion
6. The Cost of Running ASIC
7. Membership
1. Comprehensive Road Report Complete. The 91-page Road Report, complete with history, site-specific issues, photos, traffic counts, maps, and recommendations, is finally complete. We had been working on it since the summer, and have now sent it off to the Ministry of Transportation staff, as well as the Transportation Minister, our local MLA, and PRRD. The ASIC Transportation Sub-committee (Doug Dalzell, Doug Smith, Steve Lackey) will be meeting with them in early 2018 to discuss the report and our recommendations. Our primary focus in the Report is public safety, and that is what will guide our discussions.
We have the support of the SIVFD who have been requesting better road maintenance for over 20 years. All of you who have written letters, emailed, and called MoTI over the years have made an impact on MoTI. The hope now is that your complaints and our Report will affect what MoTI decides for the next 10-year road maintenance contract for Savary. We won’t know until next year, but as soon as we hear, we’ll let you know.
If you’re interested in reading the Report you can download the PDF here (10MB):
ASIC_Savary Road Reclassifications_Dec2017.pdf
2. Good News For Road Grading. A decision was made this fall by CapHwys to sub-contract out the grading of Savary roads this winter. In late October we received an email from an ASIC member that included this statement from CapHwys:
"One new development that may help is that the Lund Water taxi has acquired a small grader that will fit on his barge. We are going to let him have a go at grading over there and see if he can keep the roads more serviceable over this winter season."
While this is good news for a temporary fix, the ASIC Transportation Sub-committee’s report for Savary roads is recommending that our roads need far more than winter grading. The roads need to be reshaped and that means more gravel. Lots of gravel. This is one of the most important factors in allowing water to drain off the roads so it does not have a chance to sit and collect and form pot-holes or lakes. In a conversation I had with a grader operator a few years ago, he stated that, “the formula for success as it relates to dirt and gravel road maintenance involves three critical key points: #1 drainage, #2 DRAINAGE, and #3 DRAINAGE!” The ASIC Road Report makes it clear that more gravel and a proper base below is crucial for proper drainage.
3. To Compost or Not To Compost. Savary has rats, so if you’re going to compost, you have to make sure your compost bin or box is rat-proofed and properly managed. Otherwise, it would be best to take all your food waste off the island.
The best way to ensure a rat-free compost is to avoid adding food waste to your compost, but if you do compost food waste, make sure to use a completely rat-proof compost bin and composting methods that will not attract rats. Thin plastic compost bins are easily chewed through, and if they're not secured properly the rats will just burrow underneath. For more information on composting and rats, download Victoria’s Compost Education Centre’s "Factsheet #18: Vermin Resistance (1.2MB)":
While you’re on the site check out the Green Cone Digester, and other Factsheets that explain various methods of composting, like the Bokashi system.
Adding 1/4 inch wire mesh, a.k.a “Hardware Cloth,” to the base of your compost bin or box works miracles to keep out rodents. You can buy it by the foot in some stores, or split a roll with a neighbour. It’ll come in handy for other rodent-proofing you could do around your cabin.
To learn more about keeping rats and rodents out of your cabin, download this comprehensive manual PDF (3.7MB):bit.ly/RodentManual
Here are options for hire:
• Non-poison traps: Mace Mowbray from Savary is for hire, to put out snap traps 778-952-7681
• Reg Newmark from Savary is now licensed for poison bait station service 604-344-0102
• Powell River Pest Control 604-223-3400
• Envirocare Pest Control (Powell River) 604-414-5645
4. Fire Insurance Rating Improvement. The SIVFD undertook a test this summer in order to find out if they could help the island qualify for a better fire insurance rating. They succeeded in bringing it up a notch. Congratulations and a big thanks goes to Fire Chief Gareth Jones and the SIVFD for their efforts. We have heard of a few successes of insurance rates being reduced, but every insurance company is different of course, and you should read Gareth’s letter to get the full story before you call your insurance company.
Download the letter here: Gareth’s letter-FUS Rating.pdf
5. Fire Hall Dual-Use Discussion. ASIC continues to listen and consider all aspects regarding dual use of the fire hall. Many issues have arisen from the discussions so far and we continue to explore possible solutions with the PRRD.
6. The Cost of Running ASIC. Calendar sales only go so far to fund the operating of ASIC so we are looking into other ways to generate some additional revenue. We don’t want to start charging a membership fee because we want as many Savaryites as possible to have a voice. That voice shouldn’t have a cost attached to it. But there have been expenses incurred by some Directors to produce the Road Report, and there will be more expenses as we attend a number of meetings with MoTI and other government bodies in 2018. While ASIC Directors are volunteering their time on behalf of the membership, it’s reasonable to reimburse them for hard costs.
At the AGM there was a question about how members could make a donation to ASIC. It’s easy. Either snail-mail a cheque to ASIC, PO Box 222 Lund BC V0N 2G0 or send an e-transfer to and also send a separate email that has the answer to your security question. We cannot provide you with a charity tax receipt though, as we are not registered to do so.
7. Membership. ASIC has 821 members. There is no fee, and all Savary property owners (on title) and their spouses/partners are eligible to be members of ASIC. Spouses/partners do not have to be on land title. Members can vote on issues at the Annual General Meeting, vote in the biannual election of Directors, and receive the ASIC's monthly email Updates and yearly notices. The responsibility for continued communications falls on the members to let us know their current contact information. Send your email, tel/cel, home and Savary addresses to or mail PO Box 222, Lund, BC V0N 2G0.
Happy Holidays. See you in the New Year.
Doug Smith, ASIC Communications Chair