WHEREAS school district boards are selling properties that are often situated in prime locations and important to communities in a variety of ways; AND WHEREAS the provincial government requires that these properties can only be disposed of at fair market value: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Union of British Columbia Municipalities be requested to work with the provincial government to establish policy that will permit school boards to give adequate time and opportunity to local governments and other public bodies to acquire such properties at less than fair market value for civic purposes.
Ministry of Education Under the Disposal of Land or Improvements Order, which came into effect January 17, 2003, school boards are required to develop and implement policies and procedures respecting disposals. The disposal policies must include consideration of the future educational needs of the district, disposition through a public process, and disposition at fair market value. The order requires that boards confirm, in their disposal bylaw, that the property will not be required for future educational uses. The order also requires boards to inform the minister of the disposal, and provide notification of the disposition and allocation of any proceeds as required under section 100 2 of the School Act. The School Community Connections Program, established in April 2004, is jointly managed by the BC School Trustees Association and the Union of British Columbia Municipalities, on behalf of the Ministry of Education Ministry. This program, developed to encourage partnerships between school boards and local governments, provides for the revitalization and expanded utilization of schools as centres for community learning and activity. The Ministry is certainly interested in the best use of capital assets that are taxpayer funded. We are currently looking at the capital process to see if we are making the highest and best use of these investments.