Some haters over at the unnamed slanted blog continue to speak about us, even though they promised not to do so because we were deemed irrelevant. People just can't stop talking about something that bothers the hell out of them, and so we let them rant on.
Although the slanted blog "editor" has remained completely anonymous for the couple of years they have been around, they have this itch that needs to be scratched by trying to guess who we are. Like we said before, if they come out with their blog slate and stop hiding behind the BS "editor" screen, then we will be happy to do the same. By remaining anonymous, they just seek to protect and cushion their site owner, Councillor Kim Richter, from the outrageous comments and border-line slanderous statements that they constantly post. At the same time they have the gall to accuse us of all that! We are not protecting any candidates or providing them with a level of deniability as they do.
We gather if our comments were directed negatively towards a certain young councillor or other members of the previous council that Richter cannot get along at all with, then that would make our posts OK. Yet another double standard, but not surprising for Councillor Richter. Has that blog ever posted ANYTHING at all positive about Councillor Bateman or the others they dislike? No. That is because their blog is totally unbalanced and crosses the hate line frequently. But they fail to realize that only their fan club can overlook the hate. Intelligent people see right through it all and understand how this same behaviour carries over to interactions with our Township Council meetings and shamefully decisions that impact on our residents. At least Councillor Bateman has the integrity and guts to report the facts on council and often in a non-partisan way. This is another sign that Councillor Richter's inaugurial statements about working together was very disengenuous to say the least. The Langley Record will post the positive and the negative for sure.
We didn't want to speak about it, but we want to make a few things very clear
- We have no plans to fold this blog and start another. We post when we have things to post and we don't post to hear ourselves talk like other sometimes do.
- They can call it a "major lie", but we did clearify our post on snow removal. The fact is that in the January 12th council meeting Councillor Richter was very negative in her comments related to snow removal. Regardless of how you slice it and dice it, you cannot divorce staff from the job and road conditions regardless of how much you talk about policy. Let's see what Councillor Richter does in the budget hearings to pay for this very expensive service, shall we?
- Our council correspondent does us a favour by providing us with an audio file of the various meetings. The Editorial Board then reviews the audio comments and create a blog posts. We know exactly what was said, and in time perhaps we will post the audio files for you to hear it for yourself. This is how we plan to destroy their accusations each and every time.
We did not create this blog to attacked Mayor Green, Councillor Richter or anyone else. But we will post our observations that we are entitled to and as these people are public officials, we have a freedom of the press to print our observations as long as we don't personally attack them with accusations that are false. We will also hold them accountable and this is the real crux of their disagreement with us. As far as nick names and such, the other blog has put labels on various politicians, and certainly singles out one in particular all the time. The tables have turned and they are now very upset and accusatory. Again, we want to make it clear that we are not intimidated and are here to stay.
Councillor Richter gave a long disertation during the inaugurial meeting about council working together. If she meant that and did not simply grandstand to the large audience, then she should practice this in her council interactions and blog posts. There is a saying...if you want to have friends then you have to show yourself friendly. Many times in life you earn respect by first showing respect to others without expecting anything in return. We would welcome Councillor Richter moving in a direction of cooperation and respect with her fellow councillors.
We would also like to say that while the snow removal plan did leave many residents snowbound because of where they live, the managers of that program presented the snow removal plan to council during the last meeting in December 2008. We can report that there were NO objections to the plan as presented, not even from Councillor Kim Richter. This same plan was then advertised several times on the Township newspaper page and posted to the TOL website. No public comments were posted in the local papers after the plan was posted. These storms were the worst in 50 years and they are not something we can expect every year. While it would be nice to plow every street, it is an unrealistic expectation for almost 1,000 KM of TOL roadways. It seems better to us to have plows available for the clearing of emergency vehicle runs, with a call centre to sort out resident requests for plowing to facilitate their work attendance or medical challenges. TOL staff is expected to report back on the possibilities and then we can look at the costs for the various options. We don't see anything unreasonable about a sober look at things. As this storm did not result in Mayor Green declaring an official State of Emergency, discussions regarding relief after 72 hours is irrelevant.
Finally, Mayor Green acted much more professionally in the last council meeting, and we commended him for containing his viable anger with regards to Councillor Kositsky's questions and comments directed at the new finance committee and the hiring of a consultant. We will continue to report the good and the bad. Again, we hope this move by the mayor will be a permanent one, bringing mayor and council to a new level of working cooperation.
The good and the bad. Read it here and we will continue to exist. Don't listen to haters!
12 comments:
Hypocrisy, thy name is Richter.
"They can call it a "major lie", but we did clearify our post on snow removal. The fact is that in the January 12th council meeting Councillor Richter was very negative in her comments related to snow removal. Regardless of how you slice it and dice it, you cannot divorce staff from the job and road conditions regardless of how much you talk about policy"
I think it is very dissingenous of you to suggest that although Richter blamed the snow removal mess on TOL policy she was really attacking city staff.
Of course you can divorce the TOL's policy on snow removal from the staff. For example,if the TOL's policy says "don't put any salt on any road"that certainly cannot be attributed to the guy who dirves the snow plow. In fact, the "union head" who posted on Bateman blog regarding snow removal did just that. He said don't blame the union guys(i.e. staff), they were only following TOL's policy.
As far as Richter criticizing the staff when you look at the video clip on her blog it is VERY obvious that she was criticising the TOL (which includes all coucillors)not the staff. You can't be any clearer than she was. And it was only after I brought that to your attention that you changed your posting.
Its fine to criticize when it is warranted but this constant unwarranted criticism of Richer is a little "over the top"
Horny Toad
HT:
So keep touting the party line because you were not present at the meeting and did not hear her comments, nor the childish statements about being able to pay for an events centre and other things.
Mayor and council had already discussed the whole snow removal issue and the Director of Engineering had already given a briefing to council. Mayor and council instructed staff to investigate options and report back with likely options and associated costs. Mayor Green even seems content with that process.
Why on earth would council approve a plan to plow all streets within 72 hours when they already voted to have staff investigate options and report back on costs?
The presentation of this motion appears to have moved forward to:
1. Grandstand for public and media
2. Make other council members appear unconcerned.
3. Take credit for an issue that she pre-promoted in the newspapers.
4. Another motion that once again panders to a group of residents to win votes.
You will note that Councillor Ferguson also had a motion related to snow removal on the regular council meeting agenda and withdrew it based on the council decision.
If you are going to tout the party line, at least appear at the meeting and understand what had happened and in what order.
Richer seems to be doing a good job
landscape
"You will note that Councillor Ferguson also had a motion related to snow removal on the regular council meeting agenda and withdrew it based on the council decision."
As did Richter.
I'm not spouting any PARTY line as I have no affiliation. I will criticisze ANYONE of them if I think it is warranted and I, as a taxpayer, am negatively affected.
Richter may well be doing everything she does in order to garner voter. I can't read her mind any more than you can. As I said before she was the ONLY councillor at the Water open house. If she spent HER TIME (don't know about you but my time is quite precious)to be there to answer taxpayers questions I'm not too concerned about her motivation. I'm sure being a councillor takes a LOT of time and I'm sure they all do it for difference reasons. e.g. I'm sure Bateman does it because he is looking for a carreer in politics-that's why he fought the bad optics of the LEC so hard.
But getting back to Richter its pretty obvious to me that she strikes a chord with MANY township residents judging from the articles and support in the paper. And perception is everything.
"So keep touting the party line because you were not present at the meeting and did not hear her comments, nor the childish statements about being able to pay for an events centre and other things."
You are right, I wasn't at the meeting but I did see the next best thing which was the video clip of Richters "snow removal" comments .
So are you trying to tell me that what I saw, and heard her say on the video was NOT what she said. "Give me a break."
Horny Toad
Gururaj: Most people that say that don't see her in action in council on a regular basis. If they did they would question what she has actually accomplished all these years. It is a valid question and discussion.
HT: The video shows what Richter said and does not include the staff presentation or discussions from other councillors, right? So you can only base your comments on what Richter said and not in context with everything else and that is why that blog will select what they show you. Fair enough though, as that is politics.
So because Richter attended one meeting that makes her the best councillor on the planet? What is these councillors stay home from the meeting but research things as Bateman, Fox and others do. IO guess that is less important and relevant. I could attend a meeting and be seen, but that doesn't mean I researched the topic and presented legitimate motions to correct something. I guess you are easily impressed. I like to see what she has accomplished all these years in a concrete way. I don't see any concrete examples of accomplishments there. You can talk or you can do.
To believe that Kim's ambition is not to be a full-time politician ignores all of the failed attempts to do so, as well as all the false starts for the mayor's job. Perhaps part of the hatred for Bateman is contained in the fact that apart from the rhetoric that the other blog spreads, Jordan Bateman enjoys the respect of many senior political leaders and over 9,200 TOL voters. So they must constantly discredit and attack him for his age and activism. But Jordan does his homework on topics that come before council and if I was too seek a supporter for something I though would be good for the TOL, he would be my first choice, along with Charlie Fox. These two guys spend hours in study on the issues and will go out on a limb to garner council action.
"Its fine to criticize when it is warranted but this constant unwarranted criticism of Richer is a little "over the top"" - Horny Toad
Ah, so it is perfectly fine with you that the other blog is highly critical of Councillor Bateman, Fox and former Mayor Alberts and included something bashing Alberts or Bateman in every post they made, whether or not the article actually had anything to do with them.
I don't see Horny Toad lecturing the other blog's "completely anonymous editor" for his personal attacks and name-calling of certain people as being "over the top" as you term it Horny. You will recall last year's Four and a Half Men cartoon cover, Flip Flop Fox, etc.
You have the same double-standards of your slate Horny Toad. Its called hypocrisy. Check your dictionary and see if pictures of the slate appear there along with BR the anonymous (not) editor.
"HT: The video shows what Richter said and does not include the staff presentation or discussions from other councillors, right? So you can only base your comments on what Richter said and not in context with everything else and that is why that blog will select what they show you"
BUT, its OK for you to base YOUR criticism on what she said? Right!, I understand.
"Ah, so it is perfectly fine with you that the other blog is highly critical of Councillor Bateman, Fox and former Mayor Alberts and included something bashing Alberts or Bateman in every post they made, whether or not the article actually had anything to do with them."
Actually, I have been commenting (and criticizing Bateman when I felt it was warranted) on Bateman's blog for 3 years.
Its only on the snow removal issue that I started to read Richters blog.
" Perhaps part of the hatred for Bateman is contained in the fact that apart from the rhetoric that the other blog spreads, Jordan Bateman enjoys the respect of many senior political leaders and over 9,200 TOL voters."
Wow, now thats an achievement worth pursuing. Wasn't it Coleman whose credibility came into question on the forrest land swap deal. Boy, I'd sure like to be palsy-walsy with the same politicians who are responsible for the misscarriage of justice called the BASI/Verk court case. Now thats a goal worth pursuing.
And as for hatred, I don't have any hatred for Bateman. I'm just sore that my taxes increased due in part to his promoting full time firefighters in his previous election campaign. And, while there is nothing wrong with full time firefighters, I do find it hypocritical of him to PROMISE no tax increases (due to full time firefighters) and then turn around and VOTE for tax increases. A vote he justified by boasting that he was party responsible for keeping the tax increase to on 4-5%.
Horny Toad
Our comments were based on what she said in light of the prior staff presentation and council decision to have staff investigate options and report back with them and associated costs. Is it fitting and prudent for Richter the self-proclaimed financial and accountability watchdog to ask council to approve removal of snow on ALL TOL roads within 72 hours without first knowing the costs associated with doing so? She is on the new finance committee for God sake Horny Toad! Is this how you research and approve spending? You had better stop being critical of Bateman and watch Richter who wants to spend your tax dollars without even knowing how much it will cost.
Did you also know that in late 2008 Councillor Richter presented a motion for the TOL to eradicate an invasive species, the North American Bull Frog? She did so without research, as if she had checked with LEPS in advance of her motion she would have found that this bullfrog is protected under federal law and the only way to eradicate it would be to capture thousands of eggs in all waterways in the TOL for several years at a cost of millions of dollars to the taxpayers.
Fortunately for us taxpayers cool-headed Councillor Mel Kositsky offered a motion that council later approved to have staff consult with LEPS on the eradication of all invasive species and report back on methods and costs. This is prudent fiscal management, wouldn't you say readers?
So, LR Editor, you're not sobbing in your beer or quaking in your boots that Kim and Bob Richter don't like you?
LOL! We still don't understand why the others on council are so hated, especially if they aren't viewed as threats as it is profess elsewhere in blog land.
We really don't want to say much of anything about the other half as he is a private citizen and not a public official. He claims only to be nothing more than the photographer of the other blog.
We will say that we have little time for hate and personally we really don't "dislike" these folks. We do disagree with some of Kim's politics and when we do, we will state what we disagree with. It is nothing personal though, at least not on this side.
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