Spin, Spin, Spin...

As we are about to enter a New Year, some things just never change. We see this Langley Times article on the Township budget process here and the spin job that is already heating up. Since taking office, Mayor Rick Green quickly discovered that his take on the Township was not reality-based. We believe he was already well-aware of that. His constant denial of the facts and truth cause those of us that love Langley to be hugely concerned.

It's OK that Green was a transplant from Delta and didn't grow up in Langley, but did live here for about 10 years. Sometimes an outside perspective is good. But Green managed (through voter apathy and aligning himself with a handful of people with axes against the Township, former mayor and council) to push Kurt Alberts out of the mayor's seat. Kurt was a man that loved and still very much loves the Township. What people may not realize is that during his tenure as mayor, Kurt refused many of the automatic pay increases. Kurt's salary was in the low to mid $50K range. Rick Green's compensation is in excess of $120K with salary and expenses. He recently received a huge raise with the latest Metro Vancouver averaging formula. Even the mayor's pal, Langley Times Editor Frank Bucholtz, could not ignore that one!

But back to the spin...Green is now busy spinning his version of the news related to the ToL budget. His Finance Committee of campaign cronies (except for Cllrs. Ferguson - Richter was really friendly to Green at that time), came up with a VERY lame report. It said nothing, did nothing to address the maintenance needs of a growing municipality, would have depleted fund reserves, and would have led to a $9M+ deficit in 3 years! This very thin "report" did not even spell out how their proposed .93% tax increase could be obtained!

Yet Mayor Green continues to stick to the spin and ignores the huge white elephant in the room. Green also fails to understand that even his proposed .93% (if it was do-able), is still a far cry from his 0% tax increase times 3 years. Green was that careless that he failed to do his homework on the Township's finances. A process that is very open and with all documentation available for public consumption. The man should have known going into the election that 0% was not do-able at all, but he created false hope and optimism amongst his band of malcontents.

Don't believe the Green spin. Attend the budget meetings yourself and hear from the various directors what reality is. The budget meetings are open to the public (despite Green's secret budget meetings last year). The dates for the Council Priorities Committee (CPC) Budget Meetings are January 14th and January 28th at 3:30pm - 5:30pm. Other meeting dates may be announced. The last meeting was held in the Fraser River presentation theatre. Count on the next meetings being in there or the Salmon River committee and meeting room.

Don't just wait for the budget open house and some pretty picture boards. HEAR the facts yourself and don't believe the SPIN.

Mayor Green Unrealistic Once Again

The local rag reports here that the ToL budget process has begun and Mayor Green has already launched his attack against Township Council. Green appointed three people that either supported his campaign with time, or gave money to his campaign. He keeps trying to paint this group as a simple group of Township citizens, but the reality is that they are political insiders.

Last year after 12 weeks of budget reviews this committee could only ask basic questions about why this or that expense is placed in this category on the spreadsheets. How can Green say that a more extensive process is what we need when he fully knows that there was already an extensive process last year. Mayor Green also knows very well that his proposed .93% would have drained Township Utility funds and caused a deficit of over $9M by year three of his budget plan. Mayor Green loves to talk about him or his cronies having "concerns", but he is NEVER specific about what these concerns are, nor does he ever fully explain these "concerns". In our opinion it is all SMOKE and MIRRORS with this mayor and it directly relates to his inability (with or without Council support) to conclude with anything other than a 4-5% tax increase for 2010.

How can a zero budget be promoted by this mayor when we all know that the provincial government has just downloaded PRIME BC costs of $1,000 per police officer, the Murrayville Fire Hall will go to full time in 2010, and significant roads and infrastructure must be maintained. Can this mayor understand English? Rene Payer provided an excellent presentation to council on their responsibilities to maintain Township assets. How can Mayor Green ignore the facts here with unfounded "concerns"? Time for Mayor Green to get real!

Local Rag Mis-Reports

One of the two local Langley rages mis-reported and its interesting that this happened. The final vote on the borrowing Bylaw for the 64th and Mufford overpass was on the table. Green, Richter and Kositsky voted in lock step on the other votes and apparently Mayor Green and Cllr. Richter were expecting much the same for the final vote.

Wise Cllr. Kositsky did not raise his hand to oppose the final vote, and this caused the mayor to reiterate 3 times the question for this opposed. We listened to the recording and it was a bundle of laughs. We spoke to councillors present and found that Kositsky had his head down writing each time Cllr. Richter and the Mayor looked his way with a vote call.

It's fine for Cllrs. Richter and Kositsky to vote as they wish, but Mayor Green's lack of support for the funding Bylaw just shows once again that he is ignoring the Will of Council. The same Will he took an oath to defend. Perhaps Kositsky's message for not voting with the twofers was to show that there was nothing personal about this Bylaw and that sometimes people have to move on.

This mayor doesn't understand that sometimes you can get more with sugar than lemons. Also sometimes you have to move on from your opposition and support the Will of Council. So, for the sake of making the 64th Avenue overpass a personal thing, Mayor Green lost yet another opportunity to gain some respect with his council. We also know not to trust our local rags for accurate political news! Keep reading the Langley Record for the accurate reporting of the facts!

2010 Budget Bombshell

Just one hour ago The Editorial Board of The Langley Record received confirmation of the discussions today at a Township Council Priorities Committee (CPC) meeting on the 2010 budget. We can confirm the following:

1. No members of the press were present.
2. Staff presented on Sustainability and Asset Maintenance.
3. The presentation talked of staff, mayor and council's responsibilities to maintain Township
assets (roads, sidewalks, parks, etc.).
4. Staff presented a realistic look at a Township in fairly good financial shape that will require
roughly a 5% tax increase in order to maintain current service levels, adding just one new
police constable per year and minimal additions elsewhere for items sent to budget by Council
in the past few weeks.
5. The reality is that there has been more downloading that includes higher water and other
GVRD rates to municipalities and a requirement to pay for the RCMP Provincial Police
database system known as PRIME. Costs that used to be covered by the provincial
government will now cost the Township about $1,000 per police officer, we are told.
6. The collective bargaining agreement and a full-time fire hall in Murrayville by August 2010
figure into the mix. Tax increases projected at 2.50% would be needed in other years of the 5
year projection.

We are told that Councillor Kim Richter asked Township Administrator Mark Bakken if a ZERO tax increase budget was possible. Bakken responded that anything is possible and that in order to get to 0%, council would need to cut some $7-10Million dollars out of the budget.

Editor Comment: Of course cuts like that would lead to compounding costs in future years as roads and other infrastructure deteriorate and crumble to bits.

Cllr. Richter then commented that perhaps the Township needs to look at not hiring an additional police officer each year (a cost of $144K per officer) and perhaps the ToL needs to look at water metering and charging for water use in the urban areas where GVRD water is supplied, but not any private wells in the rural areas.

Editor Comment: After checking official ToL recordings of the last ToL Council meeting The Langley Record learned that Cllr. Kim Richter once again made a distinction between urban Langley and Rural Langley, when a staff report regarding a recommended sidewalk inspection program was presented to council. This report addressed types of sidewalks and usage (lower in rural and of a different type material), the report suggested inspecting the small amount of rural sidewalks every 5 years and the larger amount of urban every 3 years. Richter suggested that rural receive the same treatment of inspection every 3 years for the rural Langley. Apparently now this rural service could be paid for at the expense of taxpayers in the urban areas through water metering?

We wish to point out that Cllr. Richter has never voted to approve any Township budget and was absent from the final Finance Committee meeting in 2009, as well as when the 2009 budget vote came before council. Will thee be repeat absences during the 2010 process given the bitter pill that was floated by Township staff today?

We must stress that the budget battle has only just begun and all that all comments made at the CPC are very preliminary. But certainly the comments made at the CPC meeting today will set the stage for fireworks in early 2010. The next CPC meeting takes place on January 14 & 28, 2010 at 3:30pm. Stay tuned.

Although not present for the CPC meeting, you can now expect the local rags to read this blog and dispatch the usual lazy reporters forthwith to produce a lame story or two for your consumption. But remember that you read it here first folks!

Just Another Blame Job - A Matter of Respect!

A recent Letter to the Editor in the Langley Advance by Mr. Doug McFee "Land Plan Shows Disrespect" has spurned our Editorial Board to do an investigation into this issue. The question here truly is, who was disrespectful? The Township of Langley or Mr. McFee? Firstly, we wanted to get to the heart of the facts. Something that Mr. McFee in all his wisdom, failed to do. Apparently re is relying on public innuendo and speculation, rather than taking the time to do his homework. Pity, pity, as that in itself is disrespectful!

The Township of Langley it turns out, is not hiding anything at all. In fact, if anyone should be blamed , it is Trinity Western University, for not coming out publically sooner. But Mr. McFee is a good buddy of Trinity Western and McFee’s SRES (Salmon River Environmental Society) partners with the university on a number of public education projects. We gather this is a HUGE case of not biting the hand that feeds you, or not whipping your master. McFee decided that someone had to be blamed and so he puts that blame solely on the shoulders of the Township of Langley – how disrespectful!

The Editorial Board of the Langley Record has determined from our investigation that yes, the Township owns one of the properties in the composite plan of three properties that TRINITY is making application to withdraw from the ALR. Trinity is a growing (both in student body and reputation) university campus of international quality. Many of their existing dorms are old and in significant need of repair . Where do you go for that as your campus is full? Pick up stakes like others do and leave the community? Or simply look to expand across the road and remain dedicated to the local community!

The advertisement in the paper we have confirmed was paid for by Trinity Western University, not the Township. The paper chose the location of it in the ‘Classified’ section – not the Township. Our investigation also revealed that the Township will serve as a point of contact for input and public feedback, but this is being done more as a courtesy. This may seem to lack transparency to some, but we hear the ToL doesn't want to go there with this mayor and his lack of transparency on many issues in only his first year.

The Township as we understand it, has no part in reviewing these plans for appropriateness. This will be Trinity’s job, along with the ALC, who are paid to do that. Trinity planed an open house for this evening - Dec. 10^th from 4 – 6. Once again, this news could have been found with a mere phone call to Trinity – the applicant! Once again the Editorial Board determined that it was Trinity that chose the date and time for public input. The fact that this came forth just before Christmas is something that Mr. McFee should discuss with Trinity.

We can go on and on regarding this issue. Actually the local papers has spelled it all out quite well using factual details in the story. This situation could have been avoided if Mr. McFee would have done his homework and been more respectful in his approach. Instead he choose to simply blame. Unfortunately for Mr. McFee he has lost a lot of respect with the informed public on this issue and that includes the SRES. In the future we will all know well to read letters from this source with skepticism.

What Will Kim Do?

Chatter is increasing in the Township of Langley as Councillor Kim Richter has been making it known to many over the past few weeks that she is now very unhappy with Mayor Rick Green and his lack of performance. For his part, Mayor Green is making it known to anyone that will listen to him, that Cllr. Kim Richter is clearly the enemy.

As we all know, Kim and Rick had a secret slate going on, sharing the same platform and soundbites. Now there is nothing to show for these efforts...not one accomplishment to point to. The budget season is gearing up and talk is that the mayor's band of merry men who gave money and time to his election campaign are poised to once again waste staff time and Township resources for nothing. The shy report was more like shite and the mayor's insistence on secret committee meetings, led councillors assigned to the committee to boycott the final report meeting.

We have now received confirmed reports that Mayor Green has been busy meeting with his three supporters to map out a strategy to force Township Council to give them more say in ToL budget matters. The group was overheard talking about orchestrating a smear campaign against council in the local press if the council could not be persuaded to meet their power demands. We wonder what local editor will oblige them? Not too hard to figure out! We also wonder why anyone on council would give them partisan group anything. And what will Councillor Kim Richter do about all this? Will Richter allow these strong-arm tactics against a council that she is a member of to continue without resistance? Richter clearly supported this witch hunt at the start of the term and it has done nothing but waste serious amounts of staff time and taxpayer money!

Will Kim try to get others to do her bidding or will she come to the Council table and do the right thing? Tough choices ahead and we shall see of Richter has what it takes to stay on Township Council.

Classic Mayor Rick Green

This week we saw classic Mayor Rick Green in action as the Metro Vancouver Directors (Green included) allowed a 25% raise in compensation to sail on without any objections. Of course Mayor Green did voice his "concern" outside and in advance of the meeting when questioned by the press. But once inside the Metro meeting, Green remained silent.

Classic Green...rambles on about unspecified "concerns" at almost every Township Council meeting and in almost every nauseating Mayor's Report. Yet Green is never specific about what his actual concerns of his are. Most especially when he always seems to ignore those very same vague musings, and either allows things like the Metro raise to happen, or ends up voting for something like the Township's Water Management Plan.

Mayor Green and Councillor Kim Richter spoke in unison for many weeks during the last round of Township budget deliberations about the economic downturn and the need for political leaders to live with less, as they claimed the general public was doing. Indeed Green beat his fellow councillors over their heads for approving a reasonable tax increase last year. One that was much lower than its neighbours. The same budget that now allows Green and Richter to fund pet projects and causes. As the Metro Vancouver Board member, Green will now be paid $316 per meeting plus expenses, as opposed to the old rate of $253 plus expenses. If meetings run over the allotted time, board members are actually paid more.

Green loves to spout off about such things, but he's the first person to stick his face in the big feed bag. The Langley Record wonders during these hard economic times where Horny Toad, Willy Nilly and the rest of that elk are now? How could their hero allow such a thing to just happen? We won't even talk about the rest of this article just yet. But let's be very clear that hypocrisy is very much alive in the mayor's seat in Langley Township. Take what you hear with a grain of salt there, as actions always speak louder then words when it comes to Mayor Rick Green.

Thanks to Jeff Nagel for a factual article. Wonder if his editor received any calls from a certainly Langley Editor?

Promises Broken

This is the first of a long series on Promises Broken by Mayor Rick Green of the Township of Langley. Candidate Green promised much in 2008 while on the campaign trail and now we see if the rubber has met the road after one year on the job.

The Water Management Plan

During the campaign Township Council received a DRAFT Water Management Plan. Staff detailed measures that COULD be taken in order to help conserve our precious water supply. The DRAFT report suggested that private wells could be metered to help people see how much water was being used, with an eye at helping them to now conserve and cut back on this usage.

Then candidate Rick Green took this draft plan and metering proposal to the streets. He told the public that the Township of Langley would meter private wells, conveniently leaving out the for purposes of conservation part. Green promoted the idea that water meters would include the ToL billing residents for water from private wells.

As this issue was before Council and then Mayor Kurt Alberts did not know the wishes of Council, he wasn't able to comment on this issue until the final debate. By then the damage had been done. Kurt Alberts DID NOT support water metering even for conservation purposes, as that would give the perception of billing, etc. Neither did the majority of Council and so before the election, this metering provision was removed from the draft plan. Kurt Alberts was being a great mayor by waiting to see what the wishes of Council were. He put aside his own opinion to give that a chance. All of this planning was being done so that the Township of Langley would say how water would be managed here, and not the Provincial government dictating.

On Rick Green's candidate website which was removed directly following the election, but which The Langley Record has full copies of, Green said,

"Currently - Under Kurt Alberts leadership the Township initiated a Water Management Plan. without initial public input and consultation starting with a joint Township and Provincial Government initiative in 2004 designed to tax the groundwater resource.

This initiative was designed to go public and to be sent to Victoria for implementation in early 2008 after a very short two month time frame, including two open houses.

After a significant taxpayer revolt, Council backed off of the Taxation Authority and metering of private wells. The second draft has now been introduced and will be studied over the next ten months. This plan includes an estimated administration cost of $700,000 to 1,000,000 per year for 20 years. Who pays and for what?

Proposed under Rick Green

Put a hold on the current proposed draft Water Management Plan #2 and hold talks with the Provincial Government, our MLA's and the Federal Government through our MP to identify our real needs in this process, specifically to address the needed water line infrastructure required into areas such as Brookswood, Aldergrove, Murrayville and the Gloucester Industrial Estates.

There are some positive recommendations within this plan but also some very real negative impacts or certainly items to be clarified. Something that needs immediate review is the estimated annual cost of $700,000 to $1,000,000 per year for 20 years to pay for annual administration of the plan...."

Promise Broken
On September 21, 2009 Council approved the very same plan that Kurt Alberts had supported. Mayor Green did not raise any objections and only Council Kositsky voted in opposition to the plan being forwarded to the Provincial Government. Mayor Rick Green broke this promise to the residents of the Township of Langley.

Broken Promises

Just one year ago many, many promises were made to the residents of the Township of Langley by a certain candidate for mayor. These promises tickled the ears of many that listened. Old men dreamed dreams and the electorate shifted with high hopes. Everything sounded good to them and it was all wrapped in promises of "openness and transparency".

But very quietly and unnoticed by most residents, the day after the election Rick Greens website came down along with all the promises and audio files. Since that day, the promises of election past have faded and survive only in the minds of those that can recall what was said to the masses.

We here at The Langley Record have not forgotten the promises made to you. So, starting this week we will be previewing a new weekly series entitled, "Promises Broken". It's the stuff that The Langley Mimes can't print for fear of angry calls to their puppet editor. The Langley Retreat won't publish it as they struggle to stay out of bankruptcy and attract more advertising dollars. A certain female councillor's site promised you long ago that they would provide some reports, but apparently they are still out fishing and perhaps afraid to piss off some joint supporters because they were once part of the slate. So, we at The Record are here to present the facts without pulling any punches. Stay Tuned, the best is yet to come!

This Train Isn't Leaving The Station

By Guest Editor Mildred Manor

The Editorial Board of this blog have given Mayor Rick Green the benefit of the doubt regarding his light rail task force, despite the involvement of the Milner Greens. But I have an opposing viewpoint and they have graciously allowed me to publish it here. Thanks fellow EB members!

This Train Isn't Leaving The Station

Why you ask? Well likely because Mayor Green and his citizens committee (or so he states - we will discuss that later in this post) didn't do their homework prior to presenting to all the Mayors and Councils south of the Fraser. The City of Surrey announced some time ago their support for a rail demonstration project in conjunction with the heritage rail folks (Mufford, Holt, et al - all staunch Milner Green campaign supporters). Trying to capitalize on Mayor Green's position, his cohort (read "cronies") decided to work the momentum created by Surrey and developed a proposal to extend this through the Fraser Valley on the old interurban line. Mayor Green and his group reported to Township Council on Oct. 5th. The report titled "Fraser Valley Heritage Rail Update" in actual fact wasn't an update. It was a proposal for ToL Council to back his supposed south of the Fraser Rail Task Force.

With due consideration and politeness Township Council indulged and appointed a member of Council to this task force. Prior to presenting to Council, Mayor Green and his band of tired engineers (including hanger on member Jacob deRaat) presented to Langley City Council.

With his chest puffed and his ego stroked by Township Council, Green felt he had tied the issue up (no pun intended). Things started to unravel later that week as Township Council received a pointed and rather blunt letter from TransLink C.E.O., Mr. Tom Prendergast in which he straightened the record out on several points that Mayor Green and his misguided citizens committee made in their presentations to numerous councils. Further, he implored the committee to correct the points made regarding TransLink's alleged support (which the committee interpreted quite incorrectly - listen folks, listen) and told Green in no uncertain terms to remove the TransLink logo from their presentation.

This was a huge blow to the committee as one of their reported key partners for support (both moral and funding) was allegedly TransLink. Mayor Green then shot back a letter to Mr. Prendergast using Township letterhead (what you scream!). I thought this was a citizens committee and that Mayor Green was actually just a simple citizen (Rick Green) on the committee, and not the Mayor as he had reported. So all of a sudden this is a Township Committee and his rebuttle is now clearly laid out on Township letterhead and I would guess typed by Township staff. Interesting that Green failed to use the "Mayor's letterhead" with his name and picture only - choosing to use the mayor and council letterhead. Perhaps he felt that all the names collectively added credibility to his cause? This is evidence of a blatant lie to Township Council and an abuse of power in his position as Mayor - are you a citizen or Mayor when you speak for this committee Mr. Green? We are very confused as you appear to throw your mayor's cape on and off at will.

Doesn't this bring back memories of the supposed "private citizen" Rick Green presenting to the ALC and mentioning five times in the presentation that he was mayor - another Community Charter violation methinks!

Now comes the biggest blow. My sources tell me that on Monday a week ago all members of Township Council, Mayors and Councils south of the Fraser and all other government bodies received a letter from the Mayor of the City of Langley simply challenging Mr. Green (no not Mayor Green) and his antique band of self-proclaimed railway officinados to answer to eleven points that represent some legitimate questions regarding the reality or authenticity of this proposed demonstration project. Apparently this rational letter caused an explosion. I guess it is fair to say relations between the Langleys are at an all-time low. With Mayor Fassbender's letter and Translink's rebuttal in hand this guest editor suspects that this project has derailed and hit the end of the line. There won't be any diesel smoke blowing from these engines, just from that smoke blowing from the ears of the Milner Greens. Of course as Holt and deRaat are from South Surrey and Whiterock, it would be unfair to label them as true Milner Greens. So why do they muck around in Langley anyway?

Next time folks, cross your 'T's' and dot your 'I's' before you stoke the coals. It will be a long time coming now, as all credibility has been lost. Area councils were all told that this proposal had regional support from all the other communities and TransLink. But now we find it was all a sham and this is why This Train Isn't Leaving The Station.

Monday Township Council

Township of Langley Council will hold a Special Meeting only this week as the agenda remains light. Of special note are two items before Council this week:

1. A report on Traffic Calming
2. The Master Transportation Plan - Road Network Plan and Classification

Also of interest is consideration for a resolution by Council to eliminate refugee transportation loans. Apparently the federal government gives loans to refugees to cover their medical examination and transportation to Canada. These refugees then come to Canada with debt that could total up to $10,000. Advocates would like to see the loans eliminated so that the government could simply pay the transportation costs for the refugees and lessen their burdens. Sounds like a great idea to us!

October 19, 2009 Special Council Meeting - 3:00pm - 6:00pm
Agenda and Reports (click green title bar to save time):

Oct 19 2009 ToL Council Special Agenda

Are They Really On Board?

Council members and mayors across the South Fraser are now calling into question the new task force to discuss a possible light rail demonstration project. Mayor Rick Green, along with reconstituted VALTAC/Heritage Rail members Roy Mufford, Lee Lockwood and Peter Holt did a horse and pony show before city councils from Surrey to Chilliwack. It was started that TransLink and several municipalities were on board with the idea. At Langley City Council they were read a list of communities that were identified as on board. Indeed we suggested that Green had done a good job here on the Langley Record.

Several mayors and council members from the region have now contacted our Editorial Board members to say they are very unhappy with what they felt was deceptive remarks made in their respective council meeting by this group. Even TransLink CEO Tom Prendergast has told Mayor Green and the group to stop using the TransLink logo in their presentations.

It is also interesting to note that Mayor Green in responding to the TransLink CEO used a Township letterhead that lists members of Council at the top. But after taking office, Green had replaced this type of letterhead with one that had his name only, along with a photograph of the mayor. So, it begs the question if Mayor Green selects letterhead based on who he is writing to and whether he wants to suggest that Council is behind him? It all seems very fishy.

Credit Where Credit Is Due

This Editorial Board has always maintained that we will report both sides good and bad with regards to the politicians we are holding accountable for their campaign promises. So, here goes:

Mayor Rick Green has done several things of positive note that we want to acknowledge. Firstly, several weeks ago you will recall that the mayor voted in favour of a motion that will authorize staff to establish a consultation with mayor and council to sort out issues and move forward. It was a positive approach that Green supported and in the end only Councillor Kim Richter opposed.

Next, in the last Township Council meeting they dealt with another wacky Richter motion to support her pal, Sonya Paterson. It was a clear attempt by Richter and Paterson to grab some headlines and the use of a VERY old photo of Paterson (don't you love it?) The publicity campaign succeeded and got some press because we all know that the local media is lame and too lazy to investigate anything. BUT, Mayor Green did not second this motion, nor waste any of his time on it. Green clearly had bigger fish to fry that he needed council support on and it appears that Green is slowly learning what we all knew...Councillor Kim Richter is insignificant and don't accomplish anything, except causing "Dis-organizational Behaviour". Again, kudos to the mayor for taking the high road here.

Finally, Mayor Green took the wishes of the majority of Township Council (more transit options and non-skytrain rail) and did something about it. He engaged local communities and politicians and we all know that with some political will, things could happen in this transportation area. Councillor Richter went on the attack, but once again her opposition was very insignificant. A motion to approve the formation of a South Fraser taskforce was approved.

Much can be accomplished when we all work together and although Kim Richter always slighted former Mayor Kurt Alberts for his slogan and talk of working together, we see that it is effective. Richter has promised a report card of sorts on Mayor Green and it has been VERY slow in coming. Perhaps she doesn't have the courage to turn against Willy Nilly and Horny Toad?

When One Person Doesn't Put Any Meaning to Tens of Thousands

Fresh off reviewing the audio tapes of Monday's Township Council Meeting. We hear that Councillor Richter's motion regarding a response from a group of Councillors never got seconded. Those Councillors you will recall had responded to the Mayor's visit to the A.L.C. regarding the Mufford Overpass, which was blatantly in contravention with the Community Charter (and which of course the lazy local media never picked up on but we sure did).

Well Councillor Richter's foolish, politically motivated, and "I won't work with the others" Motion, never got seconded. Not even by Mayor Green nor Councillor Mel Kositsky, two vocal opponents to the Mufford Overpass. Kudos now go to the "8 pack" for seeing through the charade of this pair, Kim Richter and her pal S.P. and their childish and truly dumbfounding Motion. It should also make plain to people that Kim Richter and her sidekick S.P. are not supporters of democracy. If they were, they would access Council's decision and move on.

This stage production by Richter speaks volumes of her poor choice of associates and lack of political abilities. Hasn't she figured out yet that her FLASH IN THE PAN Motions don't impact one bit on the organizational dynamics of council? And it is a subject that she lectures on (Organizational Behaviour) ever day of the week to boot! What's up with that folks? Following this type of lead, Kim Richter is sure to alienate everyone further. Most especially the general public in no time at all. In fact, we hear that this process is already happening in a big way out there in the ToL.

Sorry Kim, but this is one time that one person doesn't put any meaning to tens of thousands.

Monday Township Council Meetings

Two Township of Langley Council meetings this Monday:

Monday, October 5, 2009

Special Council Meeting
Begins at 3:00pm

Special Agenda and full Council package - click here


Regular Council Meeting
Begins at 7:00pm

Regular Agenda and full Council package - click here

Commentary...
The VERY partisan Motion from none other than the Chief Politico Councillor Kim Richter will be proudly presented in the Regular Meeting by none other than Kim Richter, while Big SOB and Sonya Paterson (the Tag Team) watch and film. Come watch and even boo Kim and Sonya as they once again try to rub the rest of Council's face in this issue decided long ago and forced into two votes by Mayor Green. If you miss it, The Langley Free Mess will have the censored highlights for your viewing pleasure, as The Idle One finds work for his feeble hands and juvenile mind. But hey, at least they can't throw him and his camera out like that PAC meeting eh? How demoralizing and how damaging to The Governess.

Maybe if all the people that were in favour of the Mufford Overpass would come out to Township Council, perhaps these people will get a life and realize that not too many support them and most do despise and loath them! Un-elect Kim Richter and send a clear message to the rest of the tag team that they need to hang it up.

Some people really need their medication doses increased to compensate for the mania. We've heard from quite a few people that have viewed the activity and public displays and have declared it all as "unusual" to say the least. Some have suggested a few diagnoses.

Strange Bedfellows Indeed Sherlock!

Just off a recent social event at the Langley Events Centre. Yes, that very same Langley Events Centre that Cllr. Richter was dead set against each and every step of the way. Well, it now seems that Cllr. Richter (at the Township's good will and expense) provided tickets so that Big Sob) and two Richter-aligned guests (Glen Tomblin and Sonya Paterson) could attend a hockey game. The deuce of spades accompanied the the deuce of Hades to show their colours ahead of the next election. Firstly, one would like the question answered as to why those two got free tickets courtesy of the Township taxpayers? After all, what have those two ever done for the ToL, but to slam staff and never support any Township endeavors or initiatives? One only has to listen to their speeches from the last election(s) to see that this deuce of spades has done absolutely nothing good for the Township of Langley. This is why the taxpayers didn't elect them to Township Council. Kim Richter always opposes things, only to then spend OUR money to entertain her friends and cronies. Let's investigate how Richter was able to invite guests on our dime, while other Councillors we not.

Now that Cllr. Richter has formally cut ties with Mayor Rick Green, we see her starting to form another slate with political alliances like these two as a precursor to the next election. But since the LLT days, Richter prefers to keep her slate appearing as a non-slate. Didn't Paterson and Tomlin learn their lessons the last election when they blew their money away to see only the Green and Richter portion of the slate elected? The financial disclosures were equally dodgy as we know for a fact that expenses were not accounted for in order to save face for at least one of the losing slate members.

As reported earlier Sonya Paterson made a poorly prepared and quite nonfactual presentation to Mayor and Council, challenging the root meaning of 'tens of thousands'. Last Monday this cause was championed by Cllr. Richter in one of the most politically charged and uni-dimensional motions ever seen at the Council table. This after Richter accused her fellow Councillors of "partisan politics". But Richter and her Langley Free Mess blog has it all wrong again, as their reference to a "six pack" of Councillors is inaccurate at best. You see, everyone (including Mayor Green) voted for the workshop/review, except Richter who was out to lunch and misjudged what would transpire. So, they better update The Langley Free Mess to include the "Eight Pack". Apparently Big Sob wasn't paying attention again.

Richter has clearly established herself as a loner on Council by not supporting the motion to get a consultant's advice on how to function better as a Council and be more focused and collaborative. Moving in a positive direction we gather is not her cup of tea, even though she professes to teach organizational behaviour and team building to her students. Now reaching out for old friends and alliances Richter not only courts Paterson and Tomblin on the taxpayers dime, BUT at a venue she never supported from the start. Vocally bashing the LEC and not voting for budgets to properly fund it.

Embarking on a new strategy of having these old 'friends' drop by Council and requesting delegations under false pretenses, all so that Richter can grandstand. Of course Paterson, lacking any tact and wanting desperately to become a real public official, enters Council like an obedient blind lamb to. Hasn't she learned from the last painful campaign that the general public loathes her and is tired of Paterson and her buddies? She was unelected for a clear reason and those 20 year old photos of her in The Langley Mimes is growing old. What is it with this old slate and old pictures anyway? It's a clear sign that Paterson and Green are not at all happy with their present selves. But neither is the public.

We have to hand it to Kim Richter...she is the master of opposing anything good for the Township of Langley. But she is equally good at getting the public feed bags out for her and her buddies, working the public teet to a science. This should lead to her getting a PhD in hypocrisy in short order.

What a folly Councillor Kim Richter has made of the governance process and the attempt by the rest of Council and the Mayor to at least try to foster a constructive 2.5 years going forward. This is a strategy that will backfire on Richter and stew her like a prune. The Langley Free Mess is a great tool to ensure she will never obtain the mayor's seat or other higher political ambitions. Glad to see The Mess back in action, damaging her polical career and further cementing her reputation as a Council who has accomplished NOTHING in all these years. Just a clanging gong that people have grown tired of hearing. And you know what they say about birds of a feather (Richter, Paterson & Tomlin).

A Spirit Rises

Under the watchful lens of videographer B.R. a whispering spirit arose from beneath the white cloak (five posts down) of one Mayor Green. Fresh off indulging on the good gratitude of the Township graces having attended an event at the Events Centre with a free ticket courtesy of Councillor Richter, once school trustee and defeated Council candidate Sonya Paterson applied and was granted a late delegation request to speak to Council.

Why Council allowed this, the Editorial Board has no idea because clearly it was based on a very false pretense. For all her experience and supposed knowledge she showed absolutley know knowledge of the Community Charter and the clearly stated roles and responsibilies of a Mayor. In her written words, she states, "the Mayors presentation reagrding the overpass." Now the Mayor states he was NOT presenting to the ALC as the mayor but as a private citizen. Well even his good friend Sonya is confused and hasn't figured out what role he was presenting to the ALC under. For someone who so desperately wants to be a member of Council she really and truly needs to attend some course work on good goverance and the implicit meaning of the Community Charter. This Editorial Board will research opportunities for her to get buffed up so to speak prior to any further public speaking engagements.

In her application to be a delegation she states she will speak publicly and further states;

" I will present a letter to Mayor and Council at the time of my presentation."

Well this Editorial Board would infer that would mean the letter accompanied her presentation but not so. She presented at 4:00 p.m. and the letter with the question arrived in Council's hand at about 6:00 p.m. One would believe she was not preapred as she stated in her delgation request but rather formulated the letter once she got home and then drifted it off through the cyber network.........hum, well prepared!

The Editorial Board has since got a copy of her presentation and the question are as follows;

.....The letter includes comments stating the “VAST MAJORITY of Township residents support the project” and “the community supports this overpass” and the largest exaggeration of all is the comment “the tens of thousands of citizens of the Township of Langley who support this overpass”. Where is the data that supports these comments?

It was interesting to note that Sonya Patterson's presentation was made before her party faithful as the likes of Eric Bysouth, Peggy McClay, Darlene Johnson and others were present and left shorlty after she finished. The irony of this all is that through the last Provincial Election all of these folks campaigned vehemently (letters to the Editor, sign campaigns and the like) against Mary Polak and Rich Coleman because of their support for the Mufford Overpass. Well Sonya, what don't you get about this picture?

Mary and Rich both made considerable gains in their numbers well in to the 'tens of thousands' of voters who supported THEM and the Overpass.......do you get it NOW? They won by garnering the most votes ever, so the answer is quite simple......tens of thousands of voters like them and the Overpass - end of discussion. They didn't like you and therefore they didn't elect you. Why don't you take the hint and find another community to move into and rant to. Langley has grown tired of Patterson, Bysouth, Mufford, et al. Time to get off the soap box you never had and stop the broken record.

Monday Council - Cllr. Steve Ferguson Proposes Making it Right

Monday, September 14, 2009 Township Council Meetings are as follows:

Special ToL Council Meeting - 3:00pm
Click here for Agenda

Public Hearing - ToL Council Meeting - 7:00pm
Click here for Agenda

Regular ToL Council Meeting - 7:00pm
Click here for Agenda

Councillor Steve Ferguson will present this Motion to Council (see below) in the 3:00pm Special Meeting of ToL Council. Cllr. Ferguson's Motion addresses Mayor Rick Green's presentation before the ALC (in violation of his Oath of Office and the Community Charter). It also addresses Green's ongoing problems working with Council. Despite what the Milner Greens tell you in The Langley Mimes rag, it is Mayor Green that is wrong and not the world.

If the mayor votes against this motion, then clearly Green does not believe himself when he says he represented himself as private citizen and not as mayor when dealing with the ALC. Of course students of democracy and parliamentary procedure will tell you that the mayor cannot shed his fur robe that way. We are certain that Councillor Mel Kositsky will have much to say on this topic, as parliamentary rules and procedures flow through his veins.

Council Steve Ferguson's Motion:

Goals and Directions 2010/11

Whereas Township Council is approaching the end of its first year of
a three-year mandate, and

Whereas the Mayor and Council have specific priorities, goals and
direction they wish to be presented at the Council table, and
Whereas Mayor and Council are bound by the Community Charter and
certain procedures need to be followed to carry out Council direction, and
Mayor and Council need to work together as cohesively as possible,

Be it resolved that the Township of Langley hire a consultant to do the
following:

1. Meet with the Mayor and each Councillor to clarify concerns, individual
goals, and possible directions for the next two years.

2. Have a workshop with Mayor and Council to discuss issues of concern,
procedural matters, and team-building relations.

3. Report back to Mayor and Council on the findings.

Mayor Down to Last Three Friends

Apparently Mayor Rick Green is down to his last three friends as VALTAC ignores parliamentary protocol and the Community Charter and blindly defends the mayor's actions at the ALC. You will recall that VALTAC once purported to endorse a return of the old Interurban passenger rail line, one that cuts through mostly agricultural lands and does not serve areas of regional density and development.

Over the past year, it is clear that VALTAC's clear motivation is to promote a family legacy at Mufford Crescent. VALTAC chairperson Lee Lockwood and members Roy Mufford and Jacob de Raadt accompanied the mayor to the ALC and now claim that the mayor represented himself as you can read here.

The mayor's presentation is clear and the ALC does not grant audiences or receive delegations from ordinary residents. Mr. Lockwood ignores the CLEAR fact that Mayor Green used his position as mayor to get the meeting with the ALC. In his own submission he admits to contacting the ALC when he was just Mayor-Elect to try and bully them. Former Mayor Kurt Alberts had not even vacated the seat when Green and his last remaining friends tried to get their own way and ignore the wishes of the majority of Township residents.

Shame on VALTAC for receiving taxpayer money (ToL Community Grant) and use of Township facilities and other ToL resources to fight the democratic will of a democratically-elected Council.

Should Township Council Censure Mayor Green?

Since first posting this story the Editorial Board has been bombarded with suggestions that Township Council should teach this mayor a BIG lesson and CENSURE him. As you can see from this Wikipedia article, Mayor Rick Green has certainly done enough to earn himself a censure.

ToL Council is wise and perhaps they are already seeking their very own legal opinions as to whether to take action against this loose canon? Are they? Should they? Could this be in the works?

Censure will certainly KILL any working relationship between this mayor and council, even if it is well-deserved. What would the bully do about that?

Note this from the Wikipedia article and tell us if this sounds like Mayor Rick Green's recent actions to you:

"(6) he disobeys the assembly's will and substitutes his own"

Township Big Gun Lawyers Set To Bully On Behalf Of Mayor?

The Editorial Board of The Langley Record recently discovered that last Friday the law firm that represents the Township of Langley (BULL HOUSER & TUPPER) accessed The Langley Record six times. You can see the firm's name in the upper left corner of the image above. It is now clear that someone at Langley Township hall asked for a legal opinion on The Langley Record, and swiftly.

Is this yet another bullying attempt by this mayor that has very thin skin? A mayor that ran on a platform of "openess and accountability"? Clearly this was mearly election rhetoric with the bullying tactics and his frequent crushing of democratic process.

More importantly, if Mayor Green was really and truly representing HIMSELF as a private citizen only, then why is he spending very costly Township resources like BULL HOUSER & TUPPER and not his very own private lawyer, supporter, insider, and appointee? Apprently even the mayor doesn't believe he was acting as a private citizen.

Mayor and The Milner Greens Form Secret Committee to Fight ToL Council

Delving deeper into Mayor Rick Green's submission to the ALC is proving to be very interesting. Take this one entitled, "REQUEST TO THE AGRICULTURAL LAND COMMISSION" once again:

"Our committee on behalf of our community urges the ALC to consider all our arguments..."

What committee is this? We checked the membership list of the Milner Community Association and Mayor Rick Green appears nowhere on it. So, it now appears that a secret committee was formed by the mayor to fight the will of Township Council. You may also recall that Mayor Rick Green decided to hold his first two "Mayor's Meetings" at the Milner Community Chapel Hall coincidentally before and after the 64th Avenue overpass.

Township funds paid for two costly ads in both The Langley Times and The Langley Advance. These ads wasted space by running a large old photo of Mayor Green (yes, that one which looks nothing like him but he orders all to use). Apparently this costly advertising paid with taxpayer dollars was to promote a secret committee comprised of Mayor Rick Green and some loyal supports. Should the mayor be paying us back for these costly ads out of his personal pocket? We think so!

Did Mayor Green use Township meeting rooms and staff time with this secret committee to fight Council? Take a good look at the documents we posted in our first article on the mayor's submission to the ALC. Minus the Township letterhead (with the mayor's old photo on it again), you can see the letter follows the same format used on official Township letters. Indeed, the very first slide with photos are clearly photographs used on the large screens in Council meetings and in official Township publications. Did Mayor Green get written permission from the copyright holders to use these photographs for his secret committee work?

Is the Mayor of the Township of Langley legally allowed to form a secret committee to act behind the backs of a properly elected Council, with the chief aim of this committee to overthrow the will of said Council? We think Mayor Green needs to put the big ego aside and address these issues and promptly issue a reimbursement of costs to the taxpayers and PRONTO.

During our research we found this gem from Councillor Kim Richter's blog dated February 10, 2006. We gather that the Milner Community, led by the Milner Greens warmed her little heart and caused her to change her opinion of Milner?

"You know that neat looking little church on Glover in Milner? Well, you better. Your Township Council on Page 3 agreed to spend your tax dollars to the tune of $132,000. Add this to the previous $400,000 given to the Milner Community Association and you now have invested well over half a million dollars for a heritage building. Good or bad investment? You decide."

-- Councillor Kim Richter's Blog

Should Township Staff Sue Mayor Green?

Anyone following Langley Township politics knows that Mayor Green has blasted ToL staff many times on many issues. A professional staff with impeccable credentials such things as engineering, municipal administration and finance. Yet, The Grocer That Couldn't knows more than all of these professionals. Or is it the Milner Greens? Those insiders that have convinced the grocer they know more than Township staff?

Throughout his submission to the ALC, Mayor Green accuses staff and funding partners of "Biased and misleading statements." He quotes over and over the biased opinions of men long past their prime who graduated from engineering programs that are now part of ancient history. But when you are getting up there in age yourself, you can't possibly listen to the younger folk or learn anything from then now can you?

There are many others, but here is a real damning quote against ToL staff, directly from Mayor Green's submission to the ALC entitled, REQUEST TO THE AGRICULTURAL LAND COMMISSION:

"This proposal was poorly contrived; planned and designed in-house with a veiled public consultation process to meet the legal minimums and deniable application made to the ALC."

-- W.R. Rick Green, Mayor of the Township of Langley

Stay tuned Tuesday as we tell you how Mayor Rick Green formed a secret committee with the Milner Greens to fight the will of Township Council and very possibly used Township staff and resources to serve this secret committee.

News Flash - Mayor's Office Pimped Out Like A Cheap Whore

BREAKING NEWS
UPDATE # 1 - SEPTEMBER 4, 2009
Some of our regular readers contacted several of our editors with information that will enhance this article and provide more factual information. We have now revised this piece with those items in mind. Since our story broke, one local newspaper - The Langley Advance had the guts to public this Opinion on "Green's Farmgate Fiasco". We know the hands of the other editor are all tied up. Certainly if any facts were to be published there, a call from the mayor would see that information removed pronto! But enjoy the Langley Advance - one local newspaper with some balls. --The Ed

As (now one) local newspaper cowers to the demands of Mayor Rick Green, the Langley Record stands alone as your first and fresh source for the real news behind the news. The Langley Record has now obtained a copy of a presentation used by Mayor Rick Green and his insiders during a recent delegation to the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC). Despite the spin campaign launched by Mayor Green today, as you can see from the documents presented here, Green DID CERTAINLY present himself to the ALC as the Mayor of the Township of Langley, despite his disclaimers and back-peddling. He used the office of the mayor once again to try to bully the ALC into submission and attempted to add credibility to the ramblings of his band of malcontents. Several who actually live in South Surrey and Whiterock.

As you see from the document's time lines (insert below - click to enlarge), then Mayor-Elect Green started to bully the ALC ahead of even taking the Oath of Office. Word is that he threatened to overthrow any ALC decision once officially sworn in, if they did not put an end to the overpass project.

The problem here has nothing to do with the overpass. It's all about Green taking an oath as mayor to carry out "The Will of Council". Although councillors can run around making such presentations, Mayor Green did swear to uphold the Will of Council. His e-mail to Council (here) clearly shows a mayor that has not read or fails to understand the Community Charter. You will recall that with the overpass, Green asked Council to vote twice as he and his cronies humiliated and brow-beat them.

This ALC matter is yet another example of Green's hypocrisy. This guy flapped his jaw often about "open and accountable government" before and after his campaign. But clearly Mayor Green has stepped way over the line of any professionalism, as he pimped out the Office of the Mayor of the Township of Langley like a cheap whore. Where was the openness and accountability here? There is NO evidence of this ALC presentation anywhere in Green's nauseating and cry baby Mayor's Reports.

Mayor Green definitely trampled on his Oath of Office and the Community Charter. He presented to the ALC a position that was plainly against the Will of Township Council. We have it on very good sources that even Councillor Mel Kositsky (who voted against the overpass) is now agreeing with the opposition to voice concern over Mayor Green's despicable actions. Kositsky is a student of parliamentary process and has scolded and instructed the mayor several times during this term. Kositsky must know that Green has really crossed the line big time, and it appears that he (Kositsky) is about to put his foot down. This mayor cannot be trusted.

Why won't Langley's publicity engine rag newspaper tell you the facts? Why do they continue to print Green's spin? You saw it here first folks. Read it for yourself. How disgraceful!

PLEASE note that Councillor Kim Richter is very silent on this issue. Wasn't Richter another vocal supporter of open and accountable Township government? You will recall that Richter supported Green on the overpass issue. Has her slate politics clouded her judgement in remaining silent on this lack of transparency and disclosure? This lack of trust Council now must have with this mayor? Richter now appears to be turning her back on all the moral and ethical rhetoric that she has wasted soo much Council time with. Shame on you Kim Richter for being complacent and sitting back while allowing dirty politics to be played out right under your nose!

See Mayor Green's full presentation (click here)

Some Balls From The Langley Advance - September 4, 2009

Some Luke-Warm Shite From The Langley Times (click to view):
September 1, 2009

September 3, 2009 (TODAY) - Note that NO members of Township Council were interviewed for this story. ONLY Mayor Green. WHY is that?

So Green represented himself to the ALC as a private citizen and did not use his office as mayor? We say BULLSHIT. It really doesn't matter, because either way - Green violated his Oath of Office and here is the proof from Mayor Green's very own ALC presentation given on July 27, 2009 (click to enlarge) that we are sure he didn't want you to see:


Is "Rick Green's Township" the Langley that you want? Taking care of friends, making a cheap whore out of the Office of the Mayor, mistreating staff and bullying a democratically elected Council. What a disgracing for the Office of the Mayor. This is Mayor Rick Green's vision for the Township of Langley. All as one local rag sits idle and spins Rick Green's bullshit.

Stay tuned all this week as The Langley Record presents you with more factual proof of Mayor Green's unrepentant smoke screens, bullying and strong-arm tactics. If one closed their eyes you could quickly picture a Third World dictator.

Action Continues This Monday - ToL Council Meeting

With summer break behind us, Township of Langley Council reconvenes this Monday, August 31, 2009. The Township made life easy on us by compiling each agenda with the supporting materials. So now you can look or download at a single document!


Special ToL Council Meeting - August 31, 2009 from 3:00pm - 5:30pm
Special Council packet click here



Regular ToL Council Meeting - August 31, 2009 from 7:00pm - 11:00pm
Regular Council packet click here

Several land and development discussions in this meeting. Let's see if the mayor's friend and insiders will trump the overall good of the people of the Township of Langley. One long-time Langley resident commented to our Editorial Board, "When I hear about Green I see red".

We are happy to note that 10,686 people have now read our documents on SCRIBD and there have been 79 individual downloads of our ToL Council documents!

Breaking News!

VERY informed sources tell the Langley Record that the much talked about $86,000 needed to fund the Langley Senior's Outreach may not be totally accurate. The local media has been reporting that this $86 Grand is needed for senior's outreach and seniors are precious to us all (or should be). But now we learn that a sizeable portion of these funds pay the salaries of paid workers to help "organize volunteers".

Why Isn't the local press reporting these facts to the public so everyone can make an informed decision? Are the local newspapers just looking to pin back the ears of the Liberal MLAs in Langley and make them feel some heat?

The Langley Record has been told that MLA's Rich Coleman and Mary Polak have extended the help of their office to assist with volunteer organizing and TransLink was contacted by the same MLA's. Word is that TransLink is offering HandiDart service to also come to the aid of these seniors.

In the upcoming Township Council Meeting on Monday, August 31st it will be very interesting to see if Mayor Rick Green proposes that Council write a cheque from a budget that he voted against, in order to fund a program where roughly 75% of the participants are from the City of Langley. Will Green's Mayor's Report serve up the usual grand-standing manure, complete with attacks on the MLA's, the Fraser Health Authority and others? Green loves to spout off in these reports, but one week later he will probably sneak into MLA Rich Coleman's BBQ for some free chicken and a chance to appear to be endorsed by Coleman. But word on the street is that after Green's show boating at the senior's meeting, Coleman has little use for Green and Green is likely to get a cold welcome if he dials for tickets to the BBQ as he did in 2008.

Perhaps Green can skip the BBQ this year and join his Socred hero, former BC premier Bill Vander Zalm in a hugg-in with the NDP and Carol James over the HST? Not a far stretch as Mayor Green gave a a local NDP provincial candidate the floor in a Township Council Meeting as many of Green's supporters worked hard to elect that Champagne Socialist who lost by a wide margin. Come hell or high water, Mayor Green is very likely to keep shooting blanks for another 2 years until some fresh blood replaces this aging dinosaur that has his own views of reality.

Mayor Green Shoots Blanks at Seniors Meeting

By Special Features Editor Inda Know

Let it be known that our seniors are the pioneers of our community. They laid the foundation for today's society and deserve our respect and support. At a rally hosted at the newly renovated Langley Seniors Centre on Saturday, the two local mayors spoke. Mayor Fassbender stated that he will see what his council is able to do. This is a novel concept - a Mayor working with his Council to solve an obviously serious community issue.

On the other hand, Rick Green the Mayor of the Township (who campaigned on a 0/0/0% tax increase over 3 years), stated; "to suggest that services to carry out outreach programs are available elsewhere in the community "is, quite frankly, insulting to the intelligence."
However, calling Outreach "an absolutely priceless" program, Green pledged that "one way or another, come hell or high water, this program will not be cut."

So the hypocrisy continues. Green promises the electorate a 0% tax increase which would have set the Township back years and used up all the surplus in short order. Now he vows to keep this outreach program running. From what, a budget that Mayor Green voted against and called unnecessary? Our seniors would have be paralyzed by a 0% tax increase as promised, and even as surely with Green's face-saving .93% tax increase that he and his cronies proposed in the third hour. The manure Mayor Green spoke about in the election would have certainly resulted in across the board hikes in such things as user fees for Township facilities and amenities. I am very certain that all preventative maintenance and upkeep of valuable Township assets would have ceased and deterioration of these assets was a done deal. Facilities would have suffered dramatically as well, all of which are well used by our seniors as part of their outreach programs. So where is the money coming from to cover the $86,000 shortfall? It is common knowledge that Rick Green does not work well with his Council as evidenced at weekly Council meetings and in public appearances with other Council members.

So, what is the solution Mr. Green? It is just like the election all over again - promising the world and not being able to deliver. Wasn't the Langley Airport to produce $1M more per year for the Township of Langley under a Green mayoralty? Wasn't there all kinds of fat and waste that Green's "Budget Bunnies" were to uncover with their 12+ week detailed examination of ToL financial records? The same Budget Bunnies that claimed the Township could save boat loads of money by collecting trash bi-weekly instead of weekly and eliminating laptop computers and Blackberries? If it were not for the diligence of a few Councillors who voted for a fair tax increase to allow this community to continue to provide services and infrastructure, this mayor would have no money to spend on anything.

But now Green attacks FHA executives (a familiar tactic of Green) and spouts off like a loose canon, promises single-handedly to solve this issue without working with the eight other elected Council members.

As a taxpayer, I want to know how Mr. Green intends to live up to his promise to our valued seniors that, "this program will not be cut." I hope our seniors are not waiting for a quick fix from this mayor - it just won't happen with his present Lone Ranger Mayor and his gun-slinging approach to governance. Clearly promises that have more bluster than luster.

Grant Ward Strong As An Ox

Grant Ward - There's No Keeping Him Down

About one week ago three term Township Councillor Grant Ward received a knee replacement at Langley Memorial Hospital. We heard that within 24 hours of the surgery he was spotted out and about around LMH and within two days the man went home under own power. Good on your Grant and our best wishes are with you as you heal and keep all those around you on the go chasing you down. 

We have it on good sources that only days before this surgery Councillor Ward peddled some 26 miles or so on his bicycle!  We also heard sadly that Mayor Rick Green did not reach out to Councillor Ward whatsoever to check on the Councillor's progress or extend any offers of assistance to his family. 

It is very common knowledge that Green had lashed out at Ward during the 2008 campaign regarding airport lease rates and a letter that Ward had published in the local newspapers that spelled the facts out for then candidate Green. 

Of course we all know that an expert report to council just two months or so, confirming that indeed the Township has been receiving more than adequate compensation on airport leases. In fact, the Langley Airport has done better than many other airports of its size.  One would think that certainly after the election, or even with this release of this report, Mayor Green would have reached out to Councillor Ward and extended an olive branch instead of giving him the cold shoulder around the ToL unless forced to acknowledge Grant Ward at public events, as Councillor Ward is a very active man in our community and participates in numerous events here. Keep mending Grant and keep speaking your mind. Many of us respect you for that keen honesty.  

Plugging Away

Some editors go fishing, but others apply some hard work and effort to the task at hand. The Editorial Board of the Langley Record has been approached by some seasoned journalists who see some great community value in the Langley Record and are interested in possibly acquiring us. Their many ventures are interesting ones and they have found a way to make a profit to boot!  We'll keep you posted as this develops and we can tell you that if talks solidify into action, The Langley Record will be one great place to read some awesome electronic media and a host of ideas. It would definitely be something that will give the struggling local rags a run for their money and possibly spell disaster for at least one of them.

Gearing Up

Langley Township Council has not met since July 20th as they took their annual summer break. Everyone will be gearing up for Monday, August 31st when ToL Council reconvenes.  There will be a 3:00pm Special Meeting of Council and then the Regular Meeting at 7:00pm. No public hearings are noted on the calendar. 

Of course the Langley Record will have all the agendas and reports for you to easily access right here and we will give you the straight scoop on the messy Green poop for sure. 

Possible Conflict - Township To Suffer

No Township Council meetings for a few weeks due to summer vacation. It was an interesting meeting of council last time around.

Our council watchers report some strange comments coming from Mayor Rick Green. It all started with the delegation that went on forever, as Vancouver-based developers ignored the Township's Sustainability Charter and the desires of the majority of the citizens of Langley Township. Staff have worked for many years to make the Sustainability Charter a reality. There was SIGNIFICANT public participation and residents supported the work.

Mayor Green hails from the food and supermarket industry. He believes that a 5,000 sq. ft. supermarket is not large enough. He wants 15,000 sq. ft. minimum and up to 30,000 sq. ft. if he could get it. The Vancouver-based developers are eying 200th Street in the area of 80th Avenue. The area was to be mixed-use to create an Urban Village. A mix of neighbourhood commercial and residential units. It would all compliment "gasoline alley", where gas stations on every major corner have been allowed to develop.

The end result is that commercial development will now go ahead of residential because these developers cried about the market. It's interesting that right next door to the Township, the City of Langley is approving residential developments and they are selling out (i.e. Paddington Station). Mayor Green reminded all of his 35 years of industry experience and that he still had a "few fingers" in some things. During this meeting, Mayor Green mentioned several times of his meetings with developers, and most especially with the proponents who were present and made delegations. We all know that developers are the largest contributors to most political campaigns. The question is, are Green's fingers in a conflict of interest?

Our council watchers noted that a strong Green supporter who owns land in this area was present and Green had been seen supporting him in local newspaper articles during the campaign. Does Mayor Green have any property interest or shares with this person? One should examine this.

In the end, a deal was made with the devil and commercial development will move forward. Residential and the Urban Village concept will take a back seat and you can thank Mayor Rick Green for the crap that will keep the 200th Street corridor a car-only environment for many, many years to come.

The only champions in this story are Councillors Jordan Bateman, Grant Ward and Kim Richter who opposed this travesty and spoke out and lost out to the motor heads on council who simply don't understand and who allowed Township staff to be slapped in the face. But hey, this is Langley Township under cowboy Rick Green. The very same man that accused former Mayor Kurt Alberts of "top down planning". The same man who allows a steady stream of developers to file through his office. So many insiders and speacial interest groups have come through the mayor's office over the past few months that now a special gate has been installed inside the door to help maintain order and decorum. Prior to this internal gate, those with connections had a "no appointment necessary" deal with the mayor.

Of note, under Mayor Kurt Alberts (and at the urging of Councillor Jordan Bateman) the 200th Street corridor was protected as a transit corridor. But Green and others have seen fit to forget that promise made to the Township. Shame, shame.

Monday Township Council Meetings

This week there will be a Special ToL Council Meeting and a Regular ToL Council Meeting. Both meeting agendas are packed with business ahead of the big summer break. 

It is interesting to note that during the Special afternoon meeting, two developers based in Vancouver are hoping to get Council to agree to move forward with commercial development, ahead of any residential development in the Jericho Sub-Neighbourhood area. Council had voted under Mayor Kurt Alberts to protect 200th Street as a major transit corridor. If commercial development is allowed to take over 200th Street, you can kiss good transit goodbye. Of course this wouldn't impact these developers, as their offices are in Vancouver where transit dollars and transit options are very plentiful. You can also see in the public engagement that some residents in the area fail to understand the value of density development and land use linked to transportation options. Do they like gridlock? When will we learn?

Click on links to access documents below.

Monday, July 20, 2009  

Special Township Council Meeting - 3:00pm - 5:30pm

Agenda

Minutes of Special ToL Council Meeting - July 6, 2009

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Regular Township Council Meeting - 7:00pm - 11:00pm

Agenda

Minutes of Special ToL Council Meeting - July 6, 2009

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