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Black Tusk Village – Purchasing Policy and Procedures:

Policy:

The policy of Black Tusk Village, Strata VR1290, is to obtain the best value for the materials, goods and services that it purchases in the course of managing and maintaining the assets and functions of the Strata Corporation. Approved purchasing processes must be used in every case to ensure that the Corporation receives value and decisions are made objectively. Frequently, competitive bids will be used in order to obtain best value. Value includes price, quality and service.

Approved contracts will be used wherever possible to ensure that the Strata’s interests are fully protected and purchasing initiatives are appropriately implemented. Contracts should be specific enough to allow measurement of the performance and/or provision of services.

It is the responsibility of the requisitioner of goods and/or services to ensure that there are sufficient budget funds available to cover the cost of the purchase.

Splitting up of projects or purchases to avoid spending limit restrictions is not allowed.

Repetitive purchases such as telephone, internet, hydro etc. do not require a purchase order.

Procedures:

• Purchase orders in the proscribed format are to be used for all purchases of $500 or greater value.
• Purchase orders must include detailed and complete description of the goods and/or service to be received
• Purchase orders must be signed by the Business Manager and one member of Strata Council (as identified by Council). In the absence of the Business Manager, two Council members will sign.
• No commitment is to be made for purchase of goods and/or services until such time as the purchase order is properly executed.
• Invoices will contain sufficient breakdown of labour and/or services to allow identification of the completeness/value of goods and/or services delivered.
• Unless agreed otherwise via purchase order, payment terms are 30 days from receipt of invoices
• Competitive bids must be obtained whenever practical and if the purchase in question exceeds $5,000 in value.
• In the case that the lowest bid is not accepted, there must be demonstrable, offsetting value in quality or service level.
• If an emergency situation exists, these procedures may be fast tracked by first obtaining the approval of the Business Manager or a member of Council that the situation exists. An emergency situation is defined as an incident that occurs that requires immediate action to be taken to preserve health, life or property. In this event, the purchaser may proceed with acquiring the goods or services required to mitigate the situation.

BLACK TUSK VILLAGE: PRIVACY POLICY

The following document outlines BLACK TUSK VILLAGE (BTV) policy in regards to protection of your personal information. 

Personal Information Collection:

BTV will only ever collect individual’s information in regards to Strata or community business. Information may include personal financial records for automatic withdrawal of strata and cable fees, or other approved transactions.  By virtue of owning a home in Black Tusk Village you will become a strata member and you are providing BTV with permission to collect your information and use only under the parameters of this policy. Consent for BTV to collect your information is in this case express by virtue of your signature on the forms providing this personal information.

 Reasons we might collect information include, but are not limited to:

• Contacting on strata business
• Verifying eligibility for voting
• Banking or Credit Card information to process strata payments (must sign consent form for Express consent)
• Sending out information on membership, programs etc
• Names of family members living with an owner or occupying the strata lot.
• Debts owed to the strata corporation by an owner
• To facilitate communication with an owner
• To discuss an owner in regards only to strata business, non-compliance with strata rules and regulations and/or to mediate conflicts.
• To collect information in regards to an investigation by council
• To comply with legal requirements
• To allow for the use of video surveillance to ensure the safety of owners, tenants and guests to the strata corporation (should BTV install such a system).

Using Personal Information:

Collection of Personal information is used only to manage the strata and its business and will not be sold or given to any organization or be further disclosed unless it has received consent, except in cases where the strata corporation is legally authorized or required by law to do so without consent

If you feel there has been an error or omission in your personal information under the control of the Strata Corporation you may ask BTV to correct it. 

Information Sharing Agreements:

At no time will your personal information be provided, without your consent, to any party outside of BTV strata.  We do not share information with any other agency unless you have agreed to this, or a life or death situation exists or there is extreme property threat such as fire.

Access to your information reflects the “Need-to-Know” principle.  This states that access is restricted to authorized individuals in Strata or council whose duties require such access.  Individuals are not entitled access merely because of status, rank or office. 

Water Conservation Plan

Why Conserve? The Water and Energy Connection
Water conservation is the most cost-effective and environmentally sound way to reduce our demand for water. This stretches our supplies farther, and helps to protect Black Tusk Village. Using less water also puts less pressure on our sewage treatment facilities, and uses less energy for water heating. If you have a hot water drip, it wastes substantially more energy than a cold water drip. Saving cold water also saves energy. For your personal energy bill, using less hot water saves you money on water heating.
What Can I Do?
There are many effective ways to conserve water in and around your home. Look through this list for ways that will work for you. Many of these tips were gleaned from materials published by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) and the British Columbia government.
Indoor savings are based on a family of two adults and one child.

Ten ways that will save the most:
1. Water your lawn only when it needs it. Step on your grass. If it springs back, when you lift your foot, it doesn't need water. So set your sprinklers for more days in between watering. Saves 2,800-5,700 litres per month. Better yet, especially in times of drought, water with a hose and a hand nozzle. And best of all, convert your lawn to native plants.
2. Fix leaky faucets and plumbing joints. Saves 75 litres per day for every leak stopped.
3. Don't run the hose while washing your car. Use a bucket of water and a quick hose rinse at the end. Saves 570 litres each time. For a two-car family that's up to 4,500 litres a month.
4. Install water-saving shower heads or flow restrictors. Saves 2,000 to 3,200 litres per month.
5. Run only full loads in the washing machine and dishwasher. Saves 1,200 to 3,200 litres per month.
6. Shorten your showers. Even a one or two minute reduction can save up to 2,800 litres per month.
7. Use a broom or a gas blower instead of a hose to clean driveways and sidewalks. Saves 600 litres or more each time. At once a week, that's more than 2400 litres a month.
8. Don't use your toilet as an ashtray or wastebasket. Saves 1,600 to 2,400 litres per month, and saves a possible fine for a jammed vacuum valve!!
9. Capture tap water. While you wait for hot water to get to the shower or tub, catch the flow in a watering can to use later on house plants or your garden. Saves 200 to 300 litres per month.
10. Don’t water the sidewalks, driveway or gutter. Adjust your sprinklers so that water lands on your lawn or garden where it belongs—and only there. Saves 2,000 litres per month.

In the bathroom:
1. Put a plastic bottle or a plastic bag weighted with pebbles and filled with water in your toilet tank. Displacing water in this manner allows you to use less water with each flush. Saves 20 to 40 litres a day. That's up to 1,200 litres a month, even more for large families. Better yet, for even greater savings, replace your water-guzzling 20 to 28 litre a flush toilet with a 6 litre, ultra-low flush model.
DO NOT put a brick or stone in the toilet tank, as these will break down in time and the debris could cause problems with the vacuum sewer valves.
2. If you're taking a shower, don't waste cold water while waiting for hot water to reach the shower head. Catch that water in a container to use on your outside plants or to flush your toilet. Saves 800 to 1,200 litres a month.
3. Check toilet for leaks. Put dye tablets or food coloring into the tank. If color appears in the bowl without flushing, there's a leak that should be repaired. Saves 1,200 litres a month.
4. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth. Saves 12 litres each day.
5. Turn off the water while shaving. Fill the bottom of the sink with a few inches of water to rinse your razor. Saves 12 litres each day.
6. Consider fewer flushes, “If it’s yellow, let it mellow, if it’s brown, flush it down”.

In the kitchen:
1. If you wash dishes by hand--and that's the best way--don't leave the water running for rinsing. If you have two sinks, fill one with rinse water. If you only have one sink, use a spray device or short blasts instead of letting the water run. Saves 800 to 2,000 litres a month.
2. When washing dishes by hand, use the least amount of detergent possible. This minimizes rinse water needed. Saves 200 to 600 litres a month.
3. If using dishwasher, do not pre-rinse dishes, newer dishwashers do not need a pre-rinse. Saves 600 to 1,000 litres a month
4. Keep a bottle of drinking water in the refrigerator. This beats the wasteful habit of running tap water to cool it for drinking. Saves 800 to 1,200 litres a month.
5. Don't defrost frozen foods with running water. Either plan ahead by placing frozen items in the refrigerator overnight or defrost them in the microwave. Saves 200 to 600 litres a month.
6. Don't let the faucet run while you clean vegetables. Rinse them in a filled sink or pan. Saves 600 to 1,000 litres a month.
7. Use the garbage disposal less and the garbage more (even better—bear proof compost!). Saves 200 to 600 litres a month.

Outside:
1. Put a layer of mulch around trees and plants. Chunks of bark, peat moss or gravel slows down evaporation. Saves 3,000 to 6,000 litres a month.
2. If you have a pool, use a pool cover to cut down on evaporation. It will also keep your pool cleaner and reduce the need to add chemicals. Saves 4,000 litres a month.
3. Water during the cool parts of the day. Early morning is better than dusk since it helps prevent the growth of fungus. Saves 1,200 litres.
4. Don't water the lawn on windy days. There's too much evaporation. Can waste up to 1,200 litres in one watering. Do not waste water by overwatering common land.
5. Cut down watering on cool and overcast days and don't water in the rain. Adjust or deactivate automatic sprinklers. Can save up to 1,200 litres each time. Automatic sprinklers need to be shut down during low water restriction periods, so provision must be made for valve to be accessible at all times to avoid fines.
6. Set lawn mower blades one notch higher. Longer grass means less evaporation. Saves 2,000 to 6,000 litres each month.
7. Have an evaporative air conditioner? Direct the water drain line to a flower bed, tree base, or lawn.
8. Drive your car onto a lawn or green space to wash it. Rinse water can help water the grass or green space.
9. Tell your children not to play with the garden hose. Saves 40 litres a minute.
10. If you allow your children to play in the sprinklers, make sure it's only when you're watering the yard--if it's not too cool at that time of day.
11. Xeriscape--replace your lawn and high-water-using trees and plants with less thirsty ones. But do this only in wet years. Even drought resistant plantings take extra water to get them going. That'll save 1,900 to 3,000 litres a month.
12. Use a rain barrel to collect water from downspouts. Rainwater is better for plants, and will be at ambient temperature. Ensure barrel is covered to prevent mosquito breeding and for safety.
13. Dispose of hazardous materials properly! One quart of oil can contaminate one million litres of water, effectively eliminating that much water from our water supply. Contact your city or District for proper waste disposal options. And don't flush prescription medications!

Please support BTV Council by passing the proposed Bylaw 19, Water Restrictions, in order that we have some control on wasteful use of water. It will save money and the environment!!

Presented by Dave Shefley,
on behalf of BTV Council and the BTV Operations Committee.

Squamish Forest District Mountain Pine Beetle information for the landowner History/
Current Situation

The mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae, is a native forest insect and an integral component of pine forest ecosystems in British Columbia. This beetle likely migrated northward with pine forests following the last ice age and has probably been active in the Squamish Forest District for many thousands of year. It was first officially recorded in this district in 1960 and has been active somewhere in the district every year since then. Over the past 30 years it has been particularly active in the Birkenhead/ D’Arcy and Lillooet Lake areas, killing thousands of hectares of lodgepole pine. Mountain pine beetle infested trees south of Lillooet Lake The large outbreak in the Soo and Rutherford River area has been active for the past 15 years and has become very noticeable in the past 5 years.

The beetle has now spread southward beyond Whistler to the Cheakamus Canyon area. We anticipate that it will continue to spread southward and intensify. It will probably remain active for many years into the future and it is anticipated that it will only start to diminish when the majority of mature pine have been killed. Link to Ministry of Forests headquarters mountain pine beetle website: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfp/mountain_pine_beetle.

This site contains a wealth of information about mountain pine beetle in BC plus many links to additional information. Biology/Identification The mountain pine beetle attacks and kills pine trees. Non-pine tree species are not attacked. Once successfully attacked, pine trees will die; they can not be saved. The mountain pine beetle has a one year life cycle and spends most of it life feeding in the conductive tissues between the wood and the bark. The beetle does not bore into the wood. The trees are killed by the combination of destructive galleries mined by the beetle and blue stain fungus that is carried into the tree by the beetle.

The beetle galleries girdle the cambial tissues of the tree, cutting off the transport of water and nutrients within the tree, and the blue stain fungus quickly germinates and clogs conductive tissues within the tree. It is important to positively identify the symptoms if you suspect your trees have been attacked. Beetle attack occurs in mid-summer – peak flight occurs mid- to late-July. The first sign you will notice is beetle boring dust on the ground and in bark crevices . The next sign will be pitch tubes formed by the tree attempting to flush out the beetles with resin, and by the beetles maintaining their gallery openings.

The trees remain green through the rest of the summer, fall and winter. The foliage of attacked trees then dries out and changes color from green to red in the spring and sometimes into the early summer of the following year.

Keen observers may detect a fading of the green foliage through the fall and winter. Lodgepole pine is the most commonly attacked species of pine, but all of our native pines, as well as exotic pines that have been introduced here for landscaping purposes, could be attacked. Further information about the beetles lifecycle and biology can be found at the following websites:

http://mpb.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/biology/index_e.html

. What can the landowner do? The mountain pine beetle is no longer a problem limited to British Columbia’s deepest back-country forests and wilderness areas. More and more infestations are turning up on private property, even in and around urban areas. Although not guaranteed to prevent the insect invaders from gaining ground, there are a number of small steps private landowners can take to help alleviate the potential for a beetle infestation on their property. http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfp/mountain_pine_beetle/bbbrochure.htm. Control of beetle infested trees to prevent spread to adjacent trees: [note: infested trees can not be saved] Tree removal: remove the infested tree from the area. (Example: move the tree to a sawmill where the beetles will be destroyed in the debarking process.) The beetles will still emerge from the log in July, so they will need to be dealt with before mid-June. The stump should be debarked and the bark burned.

Fall and burn: fall the infested tree, buck it into manageable lengths and burn the logs until the bark is well burned (completed by mid-June). The stump should also be treated either by burning or debarking (burn the bark). This should be done in the winter preferably. Note: all necessary burning permits must be obtained. Fall, remove and burn bark: an alternative to burning the logs is to strip off the bark of infested trees and then burn the bark before mid-June. Insecticide: Carbaryl (e.g. Sevin®) is a proven insecticide for the control of bark beetles. Spray the bark surface of infested trees (standing or fallen) in late June with a two percent solution - follow label directions. Spray the main stem of the tree well up into the branches and ensure all bark crevices are coated. Emerging beetles will die when they ingest the treated bark. This product can be purchased from most home and garden shops that sell pesticides. The vendor will also have information about its use. Please note that this is a toxic pesticide and appropriate precautions need to be taken. It is recommended that a qualified pest management company be utilized. Plastic wrap: An alternative to burning involves wrapping logs from the infested tree with clear 6 mil plastic sheeting. Fall the infested tree in the spring; the sooner this is started the better as this requires at least 2 months under treatment prior to beetle emergence in July. Buck the felled tree into 4 foot lengths and wrap in 6 mil plastic sheeting, ensuring there are no holes or gaps for the beetles to escape. The logs should be lined up east to west in an open area to maximize exposure to the sun - do not pile them. Also, face what was the northern side of the tree toward the sun (the north side of infested trees have higher beetle densities). Rotating the logs (as long as this is not done after the end of June) may help as well, but re-wrap well. This is not a 100% control; some of the beetles will survive. It is the heat of the sun and the resulting high temperatures that kill the beetles. Keep them wrapped until September or later. Spraying the logs with a pesticide such as carbaryl (e.g. Sevin®) will improve results – caution is advised with use of any pesticide. Pheromones (not recommended for the homeowner): the use of attractant pheromones can be utilized to direct attacking beetles to specified trees. Healthy green trees can be pheromone baited to draw in attacking beetles. This will help contain the beetles within an area and help prevent spread. It may also facilitate control (e.g. falling and burning) by directing the beetles to more accessible trees. The baited trees, however, will be sacrificed to beetle attack and must receive follow-up treatments. The use of pheromones also involves the risk that more beetles than anticipated may be drawn in with many adjacent trees also being attacked. For this reason pheromones are not recommended for homeowner use. Preventing beetle attack on healthy green trees: Insecticide: Carbaryl (e.g. Sevin®) is a proven insecticide to protect uninfested trees from bark beetle attack (directions are on the label). Spray the tree’s bark surface well up into the branches in late spring/early summer (before mid-June). Attacking beetles are killed. This product can be purchase from most home and garden shops that sell pesticides. The vendor will also have information about its use. Please note that this is a toxic pesticide and appropriate precautions need to be taken. It is recommended that a qualified pest management company be utilized. Physical barriers: Wrapping trees with a breathable landscaping fabric or possibly a fine wire mesh screen has been suggested. This is an untested method that can only be recommended as a trial. Wrap the tree and staple tightly, or somehow close the edge of the wrap so beetles cannot crawl inside. Wrap it as high as possible and maybe prune the first few branches to facilitate this. Pull it down as low as possible and cover the bottom with loose dirt/sand to prevent beetle access. Check often to ensure the integrity of the barrier. Leave it on until the end of August. Warning: the landscaping fabric may overheat and damage the tree. A related suggestion is to spray the top of the tree bole above the wrap with carbaryl (as discussed above). Other potential treatment options that can not yet be recommended: White-wash: this is experimental and can not yet be recommended. However, early trials suggest that attacking beetles may not attack white–washed pine trees (white latex house paint). The beetles may not recognize them. This will leave the tree stems painted white.

Pheromone trapping: mass trapping does not work (e.g. Lindgren funnel traps with lures). The traps will catch beetles but in insufficient numbers to have a controlling effect. The reasons for this are not well understood. The pheromones used will attract beetles to the area that may then attack adjacent live pine trees. Not recommended. Anti-aggregation pheromones: anti-aggregation pheromones (verbenone) may be available in the future, however at this point their use is still under development and is not yet registered for use by the federal Pest Management Regulatory Agency. As a result they are not available for purchase. There are also reports of homeowners protecting trees with soap sprays. This is also unproven and can not yet be recommended. For further information, contact Regional Entomologist (don.heppner@gov.bc.ca phone: 250-751-7107).