Believing His Own Publicity

Must've been a slow news week.

Today's Morning Star article "Coldstream mayor contemplates future" by Jennifer Smith precedes the next municipal election by two years.

But Mayor Garlick is featured as indicating it may be "his last term as top dog".  Seems he's contemplating running as a councillor.

Dog indeed.

Described by Smith as "forward thinking", Garlick blathers on about working (Smith calls it tirelessly) on projects and initiatives both locally and regionally.

This blog's opinions will follow the newspaper story, whose last half is reproduced:

"With the new rail trail making tracks in Coldstream, plans are underway to facilitate the additional amenity.
Coldstream recently purchased a two-hectare lot on Kalamalka Road next to the Alpine Centre for rail trail parking.

'I'd like to see some commercial component to it as well,' said Garlick.

This land is Coldstream's newest jewel, with a thought to 3 future commercial buildings and 150 parking spaces.

Using the Alexander's liquor store site as an example, Garlick says they could fit three buildings the size of the store on that property plus 150 parking spaces.  Development there would also lead to an intersection at Guildford Court.

As Coldstream looks at this and other growing trends such as mobile vendors and airbnbs, it is(sic) also updated some antiquated plans.

Staff and council recently finished the Official Community Plan and are now looking at rewriting the zoning bylaw.

'It's been around for decades,' said Garlick of the amendment-riddled document.

Plans for replacement of the Women's Institute Hall are also at the drawing board.

'We need to look at what it is we want there, how big it would be and cost for it,' said Garlick, suggesting residents could be voting twice in 2018.  'If we were to go to referendum what it would cost.'

But Garlick's focus extends beyond the Coldstream borders, as several regional issues weigh on his mind.  He is eager to continue growth with Greater Vernon's master water plan.

'We spent all that time and effort at the beginning of 2016 with the stakeholders(sic) committee but it kind of died,' said the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee member. 'Where are we going?  What direction are we going?'..."

Okay, okay...enough...
This blog will address Garlick's comment on the stakeholders' committee at the end.

First, the purchase of the 2-hectare property.
Cost was somewhere in the ~$550,000 neighbourhood.
Mayor Garlick sees it as the northern terminus of the new rail trail, and he envisions three commercial buildings there, replete with 150 parking spaces.

A couple of problems with that, mister mayor.
1.  riparian setback will apply because of the creek that runs through the property.  Even years-ago,  snowplow contractors were forced to stop piling snow onto that land because of the likelihood of environmental damage to the creek from brake dust, oil, salt, and other contaminants found within road snow.  This Google maps link shows the subject property north of Dutch's campground, bordered by the railway lines on one side and Kalamalka Lake Road on the other.
2.  and why would there suddenly become an intersection with Guildfort Crt, whose 20-30 mobile homes certainly don't need an intersection (presumably with a light) to enter/leave the property.
3.  the northern terminus of the rail trail isn't a done deal, or is it?  What if it physically ends at the bottom of Kickwillie Loop, easily 2 km south of the purchased property.  Does mister mayor believe people will ride/hike/hitch past Kal Lake Store and Kal Beach to attend one of mister mayor's three commercial buildings with their 150 parking spots?


Next, mister mayor wants to rewrite the amendment-riddled zoning bylaw, it having "been around for decades".
1.  So, is it because it's been around for decades or because it's amendment-riddled?
Neither is a justifiable reason to rewrite the document.  Variances and amendments can (and do) pop up before the ink is dry on any document.  So is the mayor promoting redoing anything if it's been around for decades?  In other words, because of elapsed time?
It's probably because the Official Community Plan--also around for decades--has just been rewritten.
So it's not because a document is full of amendments.
It's because of age...
And bureaucrats who need to fill their days with meaningful paperwork and who want to add new stuff, little stuff, here and there and everywhere.
Maybe even mister mayor's wish to remove any possibility of future site-specific zoning, perhaps?
Ahem.

Then, the Women's Institute Hall.
Or, rather, the replacement of it.
Mister mayor mentioned that taxpayers could be voting twice in 2018 if there's a referendum on the women's institute hall replacement. 
Funny thing, though.
We residents must have missed the vote on a referendum to purchase the Women's Institute Hall a few years back.

Okay, we're almost at mister mayor's comment about the stakeholders' committee and the master water plan.

Let's begin with a quote from Mr. Don Graham, who wrote a letter to the editor January 6/17:

"The minute I receive a bill for water that includes the new rate increase,

 I am selling my home and moving to a place that has reasonable water rates.

  There is no reason that we are required to pay three times the cost of water

 that they do in Kelowna

 when there is an abundance of water in the Vernon area.

  The regional district has finally found a way to extract more money from us."

   Don Graham, on the 11.5% water increase over the next 3 years

and remembering a consultant's comment from the SAC meetings:

"You (Vernon area) are blessed with loads of water."

Yes, indeed, Mr. Graham, they have.

And it's been occurring for eight to 10 years already. 

And yes, Mr. Consultant, el Nino has been good to us.

You, Mr. Consultant, knew--and saw--the manipulation by politicians.

But we all know you are paid by them.  

Or, actually, us.

It's politicians like mister mayor and bureaucrats who are pushing residents to the brink.

Okay, now to my biggest thorn:  'We spent all that time and effort at the beginning of 2016 with the stakeholders(sic) committee but it kind of died,' said the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee member.'  

Spent all that time?

Kind of died?

How insulting that comment is from mister mayor!

Disgusting, considering he was the puppet master, pulling members' strings, not to mention the sidelong glances.

And then mister mayor fakes innocence.

 

He himself routinely manipulated--basically led by the nose--committee members, most of whom were novices to community involvement.  

And once Coldstream Councillor Kiss' GVAC involvement was challenged on a paperwork technicality, did mister mayor during the next Coldstream council meeting officially appoint Councillor Kiss to GVAC water director because of his vast experience with the water plan?

No!

But he could have.

And he should have!

Mister mayor gave the nod to Councillor Dirk, who has been at fewer water meetings than the number of fingers on one hand.

 

 

"One would think Garlick would be dizzy from all the spin he creates," Kia would've said.

Agreed.

His pirouettes border on miraculous.

One more thought to add to Ayn Rand's quote:  Four-year terms are the deathknell of democracy.