Last week Township of Langley Council held a Council Priorities Meeting and reviewed the workings of a Modified Zero-Based Budget and what that might look like. Mayor Green asked all department heads to think outside of the box and present ideas on how their budgets can be cut. Mayor Green had made several public statements that indicate the Township is in a financial crisis and we have to take an ax to everything.
While the world is seeing the impact of a prolonged financial crisis brought about by the US markets, the Township is operating in the black. A scheduled tax increase of 5% was to keep things moving in the right direction. But Green ran on a zero-based budget and no property tax increase platform and now he feels the need to create a crisis to set himself up as the superhero that will bail the Township out. Fire Chief Doug Wade did as instructed and produced a plan to lengthen the full-time fire fighter expansions in Walnut Grove and elsewhere to a 6 year window. Green, Richter and newcomer Bev Dornan bought into it. We will have a new Golden Ears Bridge soon, a new highway there and the potential for greater truck and hazardous materials traffic, not to mention on-call staffing challenges in Fort Langley. We can't afford to fiddle while Rome burns (literally), or wait for someone to get killed out there before we act.
Green also ran on a platform of open and accountable government. Councillor Kim Richter did much the same as she borrowed a few lines of Green during the campaign. But if they really believed in open and accountable government, then why didn't Green and Richter advertise this council priorities meeting and make it public?
Several councillors had wanted this issue in front of the public and on the table. The Langley Record Editor heard several versions of who brought this forward in public, but the last word was that in fact Mayor Green did place it on the revised agenda for last night.
Council chambers filled with firefighters, family members, and fire fighter supporters as the meeting began. Soon after a public hearing on land developments was closed and the regular council agenda began, Councillor Jordan Bateman led the good fight to scrap the new fire study proposal and continue with already-approved plans to staff Walnut Grove as of January 1, 2009. Councillors Fox, Ward, Ferguson and Kositsky all stuck together to make this happen. Green didn't raise his hand, so he silently supported the motion. Councillors Dornan and Long were opposed. I believe that Long's vote was more about studying the chief's ideas more than nixing full time fire fighters. Later Green gave a little song and dance about his support for full time fire. I wish I had my hip boots with me, as the bullshit was piling high as the good mayor spoke.
There is no crisis in the Township. The Township has contractual obligations that they honour pay increases and such. Mayor Green promoted a land trust to solve all our budget challenges. Now he wants to create an atmosphere of crisis to get the heat off him and in effect blame former Mayor Alberts and council for the mess Green created himself.
Last night's fire fight was just the beginning my friends. Mayor Green will be doing much more back-peddling in future meetings for sure. His promises seem to be getting very hollow and the blame game has begun. Don't let Mayor Green off the hook for all the hot air expelled during the campaign.
7 comments:
Nice to see an new blog in town, one which I am sure will hold Cllr. Richter and Mayor Green's feet to the fire so to speak. This was a non-issue from the start and I feel badly for the Fire Chief, being held out to dry by the new mayor. How many other senior administrators will feel the same by the end of this regime.
The new mayor should have known that too many of this council ran on a 'public safety' platform and were elected on that basis. Good on the council for staying the course. I am sure there will be more challenges to come in the near future.
Love the new blog... why the anonymity "old dog?"
There are on call staffing challenges in Hall #2 (Fort Langley) and the rest of the halls, particularly those that are going career because Doug Wade and council treat those members like second class citizens.
The Township of Langley Fire Department was created and flourished with the dedication, professionalism and pride of these paid call members. They are now tossed aside without as much as a look back while Doug Wade and his department/council cronies groom their IAFF militant core of "professional" firefighters.
You talk about Rome burning.........but some people shouldn't burn their bridges behind them. The TOL Fire Department does not have the support of the majority of the paid call members and that will show with the first big fire in Walnut Grove. I hope it's not my house.
Tyler -
Unlike other blogs where one guy tells you what he thinks, The Langley Record is written by an Editorial Board if you will. We strive to take the council agenda and then focus on a single issue or two. We have a dedicated team of council watchers that bring various perspectives to the table.
Langley seems to want to shoot the messenger when they can't argue the facts of the issues. So, we hope to focus on the facts and leave personalities out. But we will not be afraid to comment on people who's private face differs from their public face.
In time I'm certain some members of our Editorial Board will become known to you. But for now please read us frequently, feel free to let us know what council issues are important to you and please let us know if you would like us to consider some guest posts from you!
Anonymous-
Your post is appreciated and it presents another side of the debate that is important to Langley residents. I guess when I look at our firefighters I group full-time and on-call as one and it is disheartening to hear that perhaps that is not so in the minds of some.
I'm also surprised to hear that you feel council also looks down upon the on-call. The council members that I have spoken to in the past tend to respect the on-call as VITAL to the public safety. Is this an isolated few I hope?
I feel that the members of council should speak to the paid call members (without career members and management) and truly get a sense of what is happening within the creation of this new department.
I also urge council to examine closely the hiring process for full time firefighters. Flawed in many ways and leaving the citizens with a quicker response time, smaller crews responding (you need 4 to enter a burning building) and a much bigger price tag. According to candidates prior to election day.........council cannot tell management how to hire?!?!? Is this true.
JMHO
You bring up a good point about consultation. I'm certain that if the paid call personnel were to make a delegation to council and suggest an in-camera meeting with mayor and council it would certainly be considered. You should talk with the troops and see if they are willing, as there is strength in numbers.
Council does its best (from what I see) to try and stay out of management and bid processes. If they start messing with the details and fail to trust their appointed management, then there are all sorts of problems and potential conflicts that arise. I guess you could see it as management vs. governance.
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