Undermining local capacity
By Nelson Daily Editor
North Vancouver’s B.A. Blackwell and Associates defended its 2010 wildland urban interface fire hazard reduction contract to the Regional District of Central Kootenay board of directors, saying it was not undermining local capacity.
In a letter received Aug. 29 by the RDCK board of directors, Colin Mahony of Blackwell said they did five things last year to engage local capacity in the short term in managing the program, including partnering with Kaslo’s John Cathro on managing the project.
In addition, Mahony said they gave Cathro signing authority on three to four prescriptions, as well as layout and data collection by Tyson Ehlers of Tysig Ecological of Winlaw.
The North Vancouver company also subcontracted one prescription ($10,000) in Nakusp to True North Consultig, and another $10,000 prescription in Silverton contracted to Slocan Integral Forestry Cooperative in Winlaw.
