Loss of Faith...in Vernon's Mayor and Council

A compelling Letter to the Editor, from the Morning Star, June 26, 2013:

"I have lost faith in the mayor and council.  Why you say?

First the core report, we were told at many public meetings that the report would be completely open and above board.  Well first off, we are not allowed to see the one item (staffing) that we wanted to and were never told we would not.  All we want to see is the basics.  Second we have people telling us that they are doing this and saving that but as the public, we never have seen the final report.  We should have a timelline report with all of the suggestions and if they have been completed, are in the process or not probable.  This should come from the council and mayor, not managers.

Then there's the sports complex.  It was pushed through because the plans were made and they had to get it through to bid on the Senior Games of 2015.

Well, you pushed it through, even if it should have been part of the core report and now they say they are not bidding on 2015 as they want it to be up and running first.  Second, we are sinking more money into it that I was not aware of like many taxpayers.

Now they are making up a committee to finalize the design?

I thought by what was said at the public meetings, that this was the design and now everyone wants to change it again.

The sports complex might have to share parking with transit.

How much more money is this going to cost?  I said that this was going to happen.

Maybe we should stand back and take another look at it if this is what we really want now.

Now we are putting aside 29th Street upgrades (sewers need replacing) but we went ahead with the upgrading of 30th Avenue.
This does not make sense.

Now we have another manager giving out a viewpoint.  Mr. Poole was so glad to say there has been an average of 25,000 to 30,000 square feet of new buildings downtown.

Most of this is in the Tolko building, and two new buildings.  But he neglects to say how many buildings the city had to buy and then tear down or leave vacant to achieve these two new buildings.  They are not even full yet and doubt they will ever be.

When he makes this report, it does not take into consideration all the empty space available downtown or in the city.

Now we have managers having interviews and making pronouncements regarding things that should be coming from the mayor or council as they are our elected representatives, not the paid managers.

A greater amount of taxpayers are getting fed up with how this mayor and council, minus a few councillors who are speaking up for us, are treating us as uneducated and unimportant people.

It is time to make them responsible.  Write to the auditor general and your member of the Legislature and lodge a complaint.  We should look into the prospect of having a recall campaign if possible for these officials."

Garry Haas