Falcon Tells Township to Consider Mufford Overpass or Lose Funding

The "other" blog editor will be sleeping on the couch tonight perhas because he disagrees with his Councillor wife. Or will Councillor Kim Richter do a Green flip-flop act and change her mind when the love fest crowd fills a couple hundred seats next Monday evening at her proposed public meeting.

You will recall during the civic debate that Coun. Richter said that we should not turn the money down for the overpass and we must be very careful. The slate's vocal Milner resident supporters (instigated by Valtac) put the squeeze on Mayor Green to force the ToL staff to place their "J" design up on billboards and hijacked the two public information sessions. Mayor Green would like nothing better than to have the issue go away by partners scrapping a project they have been working on since 2004, with everyone just accepting the "J". This "J" will be three times the length of the preliminary design (read 3x the cost to taxpayers), cross 3 red streams (read 3 salmon streams), and is not supported by the City of Langley, where most of it will be, nor any other partners to support it.

So, we see that Councillor Richter's blog supports the very possible contamination of salmon-bearing waterways and higher taxpayer expenses (perhaps 6 times with re-design costs) for the sake of a special interest group that is really preserving their financial future. Of course that blog also accuses Councillor Jordan Bateman of working with the BC Liberlas on this, even though Coun. Bateman has little regular contact with Minister Falcon. Of course it is yet another attempt by desperate people to try and discredit the man that garnered more votes than all those guys. Smokescreen for their pathetic desperation folks. If anyone has a "conflict of interest" it should be the Green slate. According to the Oath of Office we heard, at least Mayor Green (if not Green and Richter) should have excused themselves from all these overpass discussions. Again, the news you will not read on the "other" blog.

Bullies In Blog Land

The "other blog" representing the slate is apparently angry again because we present the other side of the story and infuriate them. Their slate cohorts post comments that back them up, pat their backs and egos. They continue to do their best to put The Langley Record in the same bucket as the "4th blog" that is posting outright libel and prophanity. Obviously we are not in that ballgame and have simply present the facts, based on our people being physically present at these various meetings.

It is doubtful that even a fraction of the commentors to that other blog even attend the public meetings, yet they are able to read a particular Langley newspaper (who's editor supported the Green slate) and tell us that we are wrong in our reporting.

The mayor's support for the Valtac group is very clear. He insisted that Valtac's "J" alignment (that benefits insiders) be posted at the ToL funded (read taxpayer-funded) open house. If we are wrong about the Valtac group shamelessly hijacking the taxpayer's public open house for their personal evangelism campaign, then why does this picture appear in the Langley Advance? The slate is trying very hard to shape public opinion about this blog, who is behind it, and the facts that we present.  Their efforts are futile, as only an idiot will not look at the other half of the story when both are being  presented to them. Connecting this blog to those they hate only satisfies their desire to discredit and mask the facts that we report to you. This smear attampt all flows from a single individual that believes he is a "political strategist". Howver, over the years he has failed miserably to deliver any political prize, other than a council seat. 

You know you have struck a nerve with the slate when they try to discredit you, call you names that are unfounded. One can see from the picture above, this unfounded name-calling just goes hand-in-hand with bullying. You will also note that Horny Toad, et al don't post here anymore, or at least don't put their names to the posts. Apparently the slate was threatened by the arguements (based on fact) and snuffed out free speech by telling these supports know they shouldn't post here. That;'s fine with us as we have better things to do with our time than to keep responding to requests for more information or details that they don't listen to anyway!

Regardless of who does or does not post comments here, The Langley Record will continue to have monitors at various public meetings and we will continue to post the facts. If you want one sided news, then feel free to read and post your comments to the single other blog that is 100% supporting a candidate and who hides the real editor's name so they can post things they accuse others of. Whether or not you post here, we will continue to publish the facts. We see from the third-party blog stats that we are being read daily by a significant number of people that spend more than 4 minutes on this blog, which indicates that people are coming here and actually reading things.  

Again, if we are being libelous, then there people should either file for litigation now or just keep quiet. Huffing and puffing with threats does not make this Editorial Board shake and quiver in the least. The sheer fact that they flap the jaw on threats of legal action only solidifies the fact that they have no real professional legal advice behind their blog. Lawyers write a letter and commence action. It's all a house of cards on their part and another ploy of the "master mind that wasn't". The slate has been exposed and they are very angry. But they are angry folks to begin with. The slate boat will rip apart when the honeymoon ends and one will throw the other under the bus before long. Keep watching and remember that freedom of speech is a basic human right and you shouldn't allow bullies to rule your life.

ToL Council Votes Not to Meddle with RCMP

Opinion
On Monday evening Coun. Kim Richter's motion to ask the RCMP to look at a matter brought forth by a citizen that had property seized was voted up. It was defeated with only Coun. Richter and Kositsky in favour. The other blog had made a big deal out of this and again paints Richter as the Don Quixote of Langley.

In hearing the presentation and speaking with council members it is clear that this issue is very civil in nature. The RCMP have absolutely NO jurisdiction in civil matters. This citizen met with Superintendent Janice Armstrong of the Langley RCMP the day of his ToL council delegation. While she agreed to be present in council chambers when the citizen made his delegation, it's not like the RCMP has to wait for a motion of council to do their job. They have reviewed the file and obviously decided they had no powers or rights to act on this matter.

Again, for council to meddle in police affairs just opens one big can of stinking worms. As Councillor Ferguson pionted out, people sometimes get tickets from the police for various driving infractions and would council now be asking the RCMP to re-evaluate them? Coun. Bob Long also made intelligent statements about not messing in RCMP business. What the other blog conveniently failed to mention is that apparently Mayor Green had his reservations with regards to meddling with the RCMP and did not support this Richter motion.

The other blog paints this story as the whole world falling down on this long-time resident of the Township and council standing by to watch. While this man may or may not have good reason to plead with council for help and may have legitimate concerns, the case was adjudicated by a court or a bailiff acted upon a contract, as is obvious from his delegation and what was discussed. We did not try to request access to the documents presented, but decisions to cease property don't just happen and the RCMP heard the delegation and still did nothing more with this matter. Council is wise to let the police be the police and for council to be council.

Green Friends, Supporters and Insiders Hijack ToL

If you didn't attend the Township of Langley's two Public Open House sessions regarding the Mufford Cresent/64th Avenue overpass, consider yourself to be very fortunate. The first session took place on Saturday, January 31st at the Milner Chapel. Our correspondent for that day reported a very noisy session with Mayor Rick Green's friends, campaign supporters and other insiders ignoring the briefings from competent ToL, City of Langley, TransLink and other technical staff, and getting their voices to bellow above the crowd. Our correspondent who is elderly stated that one could not make sense of anything for some time and that you had to push your way through the arrogant crowd in order to view any of the information panels. It was next to impossible to get to any of the staff to get answers to your questions, as these insiders blocked the way. But, our correspondent says that the rookie Mayor's insiders were happy to tell you how it is (the overpass according to them).

Last night another open house took place in the lobby of Township Council Chambers. Our council monitor tried unsucessfully for over 30 minutes to criculate around the room to view all of the story boards in the area. Once again it was reported to the Editorial Board of this blog that a large crowd of Rick Green insiders gathered in front of these story boards and did their best to evangelize the general public who really gathered to hear from the experts. Our monitor was not interested in hearing from these love-fest wanna-bee traffic engineers, but there was no option available as they behaved like members of a door to door cult in order to convert the masses. Indeed our monitor could not escape being "questioned", and in some cases interrogated by these Green insiders. Our monitor did not see any need to explain to these people a personal opinion on this project, but the crowd behaved much like their bully mayor.

If this is how public open houses and public "engagement" is going to be so transparent under this rookie mayor, then don't waste your time coming out to these open house events. You will only be met by attempts at intimidation from the love fest crowd who, like Mayor Green, believe it is their way or the highway. We are appalled that this disorder is allowed in our public meetings, but then again the rookie mayor himself does not understand how to properly chair a meeting of council, so why should we expect his insiders to do any better?

These "adults" should really be ashamed of themselves for forcing their views and trying to convert (and subvert) the public like some members of a cult. Shame on you people for turning a public open house into a circus while your mayor dearest allowed this nonsense to go on, as he was acting as MC to greet the love fest crowd once again to Township Hall. The bullies have found a place to roost and you know what they say about birds of a feather, don't you?

Township Council Agenda for Monday With Commentary

"It's OK Rick we need to get to council now.
Mr. Bakken will help you chair the meeting." --Kim

Here are the agendas for TOL Council for Monday, February 2, 2009

3:00pm Special Meeting

Last Minutes - Doc 1

Doc 2

Doc 3

Doc 4

Doc 5

Doc 6

Doc 7

Doc 8

Doc 9

Doc 10

7:00pm Regular Meeting

Last Minutes - Doc 1

Doc 2

Doc 3

Doc 4

Commentary From The Langley Record Editors

You will note in the list of motions below that Councillor Kim Richter once again is trying to meddle in RCMP/Police business. This is at least the third time in a few months that Coun. Richter ihas tried to interfere with our justice system, as if the Langley RCMP don’t know how to do their jobs.

In late 2008 there was a delegate to TOL Council who wanted council to instruct the RCMP to investigate a matter that the RCMP had previously reviewed and determined it to be unfounded. During this delegation a TOL Bylaws Officer was asked to stand by in council chambers, in case of incident, as there were some safety concerns. Later councilors told us that they had intended to listen to the delegate, but as the RCMP had already offered their professional opinion, council felt it inappropriate to tell the RCMP how to do their job. Councillor Richter ignored the safety of her fellow councilors and broke from rank to offer a motion, which was not seconded. Fortunately the delegate left council chambers without incident due to the Bylaws office being present.

It is NOT appropriate for politicians to TELL the RCMP how to do their jobs. We are at a total loss to explain why this councillor thinks it is OK for politicians to control the police. It is a VERY slippery slope and this is NOT a good precedent. Would Coun. Richter be OK with the RCMP coming in to a council meeting and telling them what to do? This is BAD politics folks, and politicians have no business telling police professionals how to do their jobs. This is why the TOL Charter and other such charters prohibit a police board.

INTERESTING MOTIONS IN THE 7:00PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING

Q.

OTHER BUSINESS At the January 19, 2009 Regular Meeting of Council Councillor Richter provided the following Notice of Motions:

			1. Paul Houweling That Council refer Mr. Houweling’s delegation request to the RCMP to address his concerns as best as they can.
			2. Brown's Pit Whereas opening the Brown’s Pit for gravel extraction will create considerable difficulties in the surrounding neighbourhood and could significantly and adversely impact water quality and quantity in the Hopington aquifer; therefore Be it resolved that the material from the Brown’s Pit delegations of January 19, 2009 be referred to staff for a report and a recommended action plan to stop the re-opening of this pit for gravel extraction. At the January 19, 2009 Regular Meeting of Council Councillor Kositsky provided the following Notice of Motions:
			3. Metro Vancouver Board of Directors Whereas representation on the Metro Vancouver (Greater Vancouver Regional District) Board of Directors increases when a community passes the 100,000 mark in population; and Whereas UBCM now lists the Township of Langley as having a population of 100,575 people calculated using population estimates (December 2007 release) provided by BC STATS, the central statistical agency of the Province of British Columbia; Be it resolved that the Township of Langley formally apply to the regional district to increase its representation on the Board of Directors.
			4. Emergency Response Whereas members of Council expressed concern at the January 12, 2009 Council meetings regarding the service provided by our emergency personnel during the snow and flood period of December 13, 2008 to January 12, 2009; and Whereas there were no representatives in the Council Chamber to respond to remarks and questions; Be it resolved that Township of Langley Council direct staff to write to the heads of police, fire and ambulance services in the Township of Langley requesting a written report from each party and asking for comments on: • Any emergency incidents which occurred during this period; • What challenges were experienced due to road conditions; • What suggestions they can offer for improvements and coordination between public works and emergency services.