It was an “overwhelming” moment for Joe Stanhope when he received a life membership and special advisor award from the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities.
Stanhope, a Regional District of Nanaimo director, received the award at the Union of BC Municipalities on Sept. 27. AVICC president and Cowichan Valley Regional District Director Mary Marcotte presented Stanhope with the award.
“Well, I was aware something was cooking,” Stanhope said. “They had me seated with the Premier and other executives (from the AVICC board).”
Stanhope said he’s not in local government for recognition such as this.
“So any time that happens, it’s a bit overwhelming for me.”
Stanhope said he’s working on his 26th year in local government which includes time as an alderman for the City of Port Alberni, the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District from 1981-86 and he ran for RDN Electoral Area G in 1997 and has been on the board since.
Stanhope said he was president of AVICC from 2011-13 and has been past-president from 2014-17. He was also on the executive board in the early 2000s.
According to the AVICC’s website, life membership may be granted by the executive to persons who have made a significant contribution to local government, adding that normally life memberships are awarded at the AGM and convention.
Stanhope said one of the most notable things he helped with as a president of the AVICC was when something came to the board from the City of Nanaimo on the natural gas rates. Stanhope said at the time the Island’s natural gas rates were “at least 30 per cent higher than the rest of B.C.”
On behalf of the AVICC, Stanhope said, they appealed to the B.C. Utilities Commission to lower the rates, but it failed. Stanhope said he asked UBCM and AVICC staff what they did wrong in their appeal.
He said from there they hired a consultant and appealed the higher rates of natural gas on Vancouver Island to the commission. This time, Stanhope said, they were successful in the rate reduction which was phased in over three years.
“I guess that was one of the reasons why they gave me the life membership,” said Stanhope, adding it lowered costs for hospitals, schools, industries and private homes. “It’s one of the good things the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastial Communities has done for all the residents of Vancouver Island.”
When he received his award at the UBCM, Stanhope said, he thanked the representatives, mayors, council and directors who supported the appeal when it was taken to the commission, adding “without that support the reduction wouldn’t have happened.”