I’ve received this now from a few people so, since people are so anxious to pass it on, here you are.
Sent to all PHS from Faye Wightman >
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
8 responses so far ↓
1 gman // Mar 22, 2014 at 11:08 pm
What a load of CRAP.
2 Joseph Pallant // Mar 22, 2014 at 11:51 pm
Great to have you folks stepping up. Good fortune to you in your mandate. It is important work.
3 Sandy Garossino // Mar 23, 2014 at 2:15 pm
Really pleased to see Faye Wightman head up this interim team, and that the number one priority is preservation of services and programs.
There will be considerable institutional continuity here due to Ms. Wightman’s long familiarity with the DTES and PHS.
4 Raymond Tomlin // Mar 23, 2014 at 2:57 pm
If incoming PHS Board Chair Faye Wightman is true to her word – and at this point, I have no reason to believe otherwise – the statement of principles outlined above must be seen as both salutary and unique among the 177 non-profits operating programmes on the DTES.
Most particularly, I am impressed with …
• 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
Such statement of guiding principles speaks well for the incoming Board.
Let us all hope that the interim Board lives up to their word in deed and in practice, and that the good works of the Portland Housing Society continue unimpeded.
Let us hope, as well, that the Board might set about to establish a model of governance and accountability that would become standard practice for all of the non-profits operating in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside community.
5 JamieLee // Mar 23, 2014 at 11:26 pm
My concern at this point is that there does not seem to be any community members on new interim Board. Besides accountability to funders (taxpayers) and government there must be accountability to community as well.
6 DeConstant // Mar 24, 2014 at 11:17 am
It’s great to see Dr. Patty Daly’s name in the mix here as she was closely involved with Insite.
7 teririch // Mar 24, 2014 at 1:36 pm
Interesting article on PHS’s rapid growth writen by Courier staffer David Carrigg – 2003.
http://www.vancourier.com/news/a-look-back-at-phs-empire-building-1.918547
8 Morven // Mar 24, 2014 at 5:45 pm
The new board all seem expert in health policies. But are they expert in governance and program delivery ?
That said, the central theme is whether the new directors are satisfied that financial information is accurate. And that financial controls and systems of risk management are robust, transparent and defensible.
Had the previous board done that, the PHS disaster might not have unfolded.
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