1) Councillor Zacharias and APC/Public Hearings
As many of you know, the City of Williams Lake has an Advisory Planning Commission or APC and WL Council may appoint up to 7 people to sit on this Commission to take a look at Land-Use Matters from a citizens' perspective early in the land-use process prior to adoption by Council. Council asked the City's APC at its' July 27th meeting to review and provide recommendations' on Zoning Amendment Bylaw #2119. Of the 6 APC members', only two could make this meeting (myself and Trevor Mathis). Consequently, Mr. Mathis and myself decided to recommend Williams Lake Council proceed to 2nd Reading on Bylaw #2119
On September 7th - WL Council met with Councillor Sue Zacharias participating via teleconference. Also, a Public Hearing was held on Bylaw #2119 however provincial law mandates that any Councillor or the Mayor that is not physically present at the Public Hearing may not participate in the Public Hearing (Councillors' Zacharias/Barr were not present and therefore could not participate). During the Public Hearing, both Elke and Karl Reiner raised some concerns that they had on Bylaw #2119. After the Public Hearing, Council decided to ask Staff for a report on the concerns brought forward by the Reiners' and the report was to be tabled at the September 21st WL Council meeting
Last night - during consideration of the City Planners' report (comments during the Public Hearing on Bylaw #2119), Councillor Sue Zacharias stated outright that she was "appalled" with what took place during the Public Hearing, based on what she read in the Public Hearing minutes of September 7th in addition to suggesting that the Reiners' made a lot of accusations that were not defendable. What I find appalling is to launch an unfounded and uncharacteristic attack upon the Reiners' without affording them an opportunity to respond in kind and yes, I did go personally to Elke Reiner and say that I was sorry that Councillor Zacharias say what she said to the Reiners' and Councillor Zacharias did not represent my views. In a Public Hearing, you are supposed to come to the Public Hearing with an open mind and listen to what the public has to say. It doesn't say a Council member has to agree 100% with what the public has to say but to suggest that what the public says during a Public Hearing is "appallling" crosses the line.
In addition, Councillor Zacharias suggesting that the City's APC members' (all 6) didn't do their homework and suggested that they were lazy on Bylaw #2119. As a 6 year member of the City's APC as Vice-Chair and serving my 2nd year as Chair of the CRD (Cariboo Regional District) Area 'D' APC, I do a ton of work to ensure my fellow members' know what is being considered and to try and address their concerns. If Councillor Zacharias doesn't like the job we're doing as APC members' (APC falls within Councillor Zacharias' Portfolio), then she should have the "cojones" to show up at an City of WL APC meeting and say so in person. But don't do it at a Council meeting where we, as APC members', can't respond to her concerns
2) Mayor Cook, Councillor Rathor and Round-table Discussions
At the end of every WL Council meeting, there is an opportunity for each City Councillor and the Mayor to provide an oral report on what he/she are up to in the community. When it was Mayor Cook's turn, she announced the good news that Deni House was set to re-open, however Councillor Rathor wanted to raise the point (and a good one at that) that Deni House has been opened/closed by Interior Health twice before and is this a true story or are we being suckered again to which Mayor Cook shut down Councillor Rathor. Talk about acting like Josef Stalin. Is she really afraid to hear what Councillor Rathor has to say?. Really - the only point Councillor Rathor was trying to make was that Interior Health has suckered the community in over Deni House twice and not to buy in to the "good news" story from Interior Health. If former City of WL Mayors' Rick Gibson/Scott Nelson allowed Surinder Rathor to speak his mind without interruption, then Kerry Cook should do the same. It is the polite and honourable thing to do, even if you don't agree with what a City Councillor has to say
4 comments:
"Talk about acting like Josef Stalin".
I would suggest Mayor Cooks actions were not close to committing genocide of a million people, and i would think seriously about making such violent and disparaging comments (sic).
Councillor Rathor loves to hear his own voice and can be next to impossible to quiet on his rants, something you should know about, so i commend the Mayor for doing HER JOB and controlling the floor for wasteful conversations we have heard time and time again.
Thanks for your comment...
But I would suggest Stalin was also ruthless towards his enemies and Mayor Cook has been ruthless towards allowing Councillor Rathor to speak his mind and I note that both formers City Mayors Gibson and Nelson allowed Councillor Rathor to fully speak, even when they totally disagreed with him
And as the re-opening of Deni House as not been brought up under this Council, it was appropriate for Councillor Rathor to raise his concerns - even if others disagree with Councillor Rathor's concerns around the re-opening of Deni House
way out of line.....
If you are referring to Councillor Zacharias comments on Bylaw #2119, I tend to agree.
However, if you are referring to my blog post being out of line, then I have to disagree. The Mayor and City Councillors' do not have a blank cheque to slam and personally critize those whom they disagree with
Post a Comment