SOME QUESTIONS FOR THE NEW REGIME

The email and statement of principles shown below lay out the mandate and direction for the interim Board of the Portland Hotel Society.

Looks good.

But a few inconvenient questions might be asked.

Amidst all these marvelous services that PHS is providing, what are the futures for these initiatives:

- wine making lessons  for drunks

- polka dot dispensing machines for 25 cent crack pipe kits

- free needles (Apparently PHS bullied  their way into cornering the market)

- methadone (Corruption follows methadone wherever it goes. Will this be examined?)

- Insite (Reduce many shooting booths to one? Send actual referrals to actual recovery programs?)









Sent to all PHS from Faye Wightman, former head of the Vancouver Foundation.



Good morning everyone,



As Chair of the interim Board of Directors for PHS, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all staff of the Portland Hotel Society for your patience during this transition period. I recognize that this is a very difficult time for everyone and I want to reassure you that the interim board is committed to preserving the services and programs that are in place, and respecting the values and culture that makes PHS so unique and essential in the community. Members of the interim board include:

• Faye Wightman, current member of BC Housing Board of Commissioners

• Andy Broderick, VP Community Investment, VanCity • Craig Crawford, VP Operations, BC

• Dr. Patty Daly, VCH Chief Medical Health Officer

• Ida Goodreau, former – VCH President & CEO

• Sandra Heath, current VCH Board member

• Glenn McCurdy, SPV CEO Bouygues Energies & Services Canada

• Jim O’Dea, Terra Housing Consultants



I would also like to introduce Dominic Flanagan, BC Housing’s Executive Director of Supportive Housing and Programs, as well as Anne McNabb VCH Director, Inner City Mental Health & Addiction Services. With direction from the Interim Board, Anne and Dominic will work closely with the management team and staff to ensure continuity of services to the tenants and clients of PHS.



The interim Board, in consultation with BC Housing and Vancouver Coastal Health, have endorsed a number of principles that will help guide this transition period. These principles are attached below for your reference.



Sincerely,




Faye Wightman, interim Chair PHS Community Services



GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR PHS TRANSITION



BC Housing and Vancouver Coastal Health are committed to the following principles, which will guide Board and management direction and decision-making with respect to the operation of PHS Community Services during the interim period of Board and management transition:

• Preserve services and programs that are currently meeting client needs and outcome objectives

• Respect for the values, culture and expertise of PHS in serving clients who are in need of care and services

• PHS staff consultation and input into decision-making is paramount

• Continue to foster and support innovative approaches to address the needs of client populations

• Freedom to express different views without fear of reprisal

• Establish good governance structures and processes

• Make PHS operations financially transparent, accountable and sustainable and fiscally responsible and prudent

• Set PHS on a course for independent governance and management at the earliest reasonable opportunity