By Gagandeep Ghuman
Published: June 13, 2012
Squamish Oceanfront Development Corporation (SODC) has shortlisted a real estate firm to help glean the best development proposals for the Oceanfront lands.
The name of the brokerage firm is being kept under the wraps, but will be released in a few weeks from now.
A paid advisory panel of four people is also helping the SODC board members in making these decisions.
SODC Chair Bill McNeney informed of these recent developments at the AGM of the SODC held in the council chamber on Tuesday, May 12.
McNeney said SODC board received six proposals from firms who made a bid to scout potential developers.
“We shortlisted three firms, and we have finally selected one,” he said.
An advisory panel, comprising of four people, has helped the board all along, McNeney informed the council.
They are Andrew Booth, general manager of Stemcell technologies, Andrew Voysey, Paul Woodward, and Gary Morrison, all Vancouver-based professional real estate advisors.
The advisory panel members are all paid for their advice.
Brook Pooni, an urban planning and land development consultancy, was also hired to help with the decision.
In an interview with the Reporter, McNeney said it could take two years to select and sign a final deal with a developer.
“It might be a partnership agreement, a sale or a joint venture,” he said.
He said SODC hired Brooke Pooni and appointed a paid advisory board so that the decisions can be made diligently.
SODC is being careful along every step, he added.
That SODC has an advisory board might not have come to light if Coun. Ted Prior had not wondered aloud about it in the council chambers.
Prior was itching to talk about SODC board appointments and brought up the advisory board at the very first chance he got.
It took some prodding from Coun. Heintzman, and a little from Terrill Patterson, for McNeney to reveal the names of people on the advisory panel.
At present, Gregg Smyth, Matt Fraser, and Bill McNeney comprise the SODC board.
In October last year, former councilor Paul Lalli and former mayor Greg Gardner were appointed to the board, but tendered their resignations soon after.
In Tuesday’s meeting, Mayor Rib Kirkham was also appointed to vote on behalf of the shareholder.
