As we previously reported here, Al Irwin of the Langley Times published an opinion that impacted Mayor Green and Councillor Richter. You cannot access the link to Mr. Irwin's article because it has bee removed and replaced with this pro-Green/Richter article by Frank Bucholtz, Editor of the Langley Times and a supporter of Mayor Green. Rather than speculate whether Green called his editor-in-pocket or not, we will leave the readers to draw their own conclusions and understand that the work of a bully is evident once again.
The second evidence of bully-work appears here in a letter from Mayor Green to the Langley Advance. While it would have been totally appropriate for the mayor to offer his view on the Events Centre, and to address an article written by an Advance reporter, these comments about Councillor Bateman's age should cause TOL residents some serious concern. They are seriously inappropriate for a mayor, and further prove a total lack of diplomacy and a spirit of cooperation. Diplomacy is a requirement for the job of mayor, and it is not evident here in the TOL thus far. We can only hope it will change.
"Councillor Jordan Bateman has said that I just don't understand the process. For the record, I have spent many more years than his age being very involved in successfully managing and owning business of significant size."Age really has nothing to do with it and in fact, being long in the tooth can at times stifle progress. We will reserve further comment as the evidence speaks for itself. Councillor Bateman's comments were respectful and accomodating to Mayor Green. Additionally, this all serves as a smokescreen so that Green can avoid releasing detailed information on how he intends to finance the Township over the next 3 years in order to avoid property tax increases. But read this..
--Mayor Rick Green
"The $5 million shortfall in federal funding equates to an eight per cent tax increase, if it was to be paid for through property tax rolls. That won't be the case, but it shows the impact of this type of decision."
--Mayor Rick GreenThe $5M for the Events Centre was not coming from a proerty tax increase, it is coming from a reserve fund for these purposes. So why is the mayor appearing to twist facts here?
When will Raging Bull get some emotional control and professionalism? Lack of plans and focus, not on speaking terms with councillors, holding grudges from the campaign, attacking their age and credibility, etc. etc. etc. If age amounts to a hill of beans in the big scheme of things, then perhaps it is high time for the good mayor to start acting his. Raging Bull is at it again. Stand clear.
11 comments:
I read the article. I thought it was in poor taste.
Green always talks about fighting the previous election, isn't that what he is doing right now?
I wish he would do something about picking up my garbage versus writing letters. I thought a Mayor was to bring dignity to office. Let's move on Green and focus on the community. The election is over.
I haven't had my garbage picked up in 3 weeks yet my friends in Surrey get their garbage picked up.
Maybe he should focus on the priorities of the community.
"The $5M for the Events Centre was not coming from a proerty tax increase, it is coming from a reserve fund for these purposes. So why is the mayor appearing to twist facts here?"So just where do you think the "reserve fund" came from in the first place? From the taxpayers, of course.And who do you think will replenish that fund? The taxpayers of course.Why would you attempt to insinuate that it is not taxpayers money? Oh yea, forgot-attack Green!The mayor is right to highlite this MAJOR screw up by Alberts, Bateman and the previous council. (Edited by site owner). And now we all get to pay for their incompetence. Horny Toad
Langley Record Editor: Horny Toad, we have been good to post your lone defenses of Green and Richter but we are not willing to allow anyone to post libelous and unfounded claims of criminal actions. If you have the "evidence" you say you have, then you should be talking with the RCMP and not posting innuendo on blogs. We are not "paying" for anything other than the failure of Mayor Green to move on after the campaign and present clear and detailed plans for how he will deliver on his many promises. If he spent his time drawing up the detailed plans (that he should have completed well before election day)instead of writing letters to the newspapers he might win some acknowledgement. You are behaving just as the Raging Bull. Be civil and respect us.
Dear I'm Tired,
We could not agree with you more! We'd love to see Green present a detailed plan for discussion and then we could talk about that and build some consensus. But instead he spends the time we are paying him to attack council members that he should be working with. We saw this during the campaign when he bullied the microphone away from people and shouted off. Very little dignity in that and one cannot embrace a Raging Bull. Green needs to move on and get working. We would be pleased to see that happen as well.
I can't see where I wrote anything libelous. But I can see where you might get a little agitated when someone objects to your smear campaign.
Horny toad
Everything that we have posted has been documented. You can call us names or behave like a bully, but you are ignoring the facts and blindly supporting your slate candidates. Green and Richter need to be held accountable, just as the rest of council does. We intend to hold our elected officials accountable. Perhaps we could post something favourable if mayor Green would stop his bullying and release a detailed plan for running this Township for the next 3 years.
It is your politico slate that keep the rhetoric up. You will note the Langley Advance and the Langley Times letters from Councillor Richter and her ending these letters with a blurb about the Langley Events Centre. Green and Richter are the ones that won't let go. See it for yourself man.
Just read a post on another blog by a fellow who works for Abbotsford on road maintenance(snow removal) who also lives in Langley. He said their roads are all plowed and that it just didn't seem too important in Langley. He was working 12 hours days to get the job done.This is another example of how the beloved "Alberts" and the past council just didn't get the job done. He was too busy spending tax money on pet projects to worry (or allocate resources) to mundane things like snow removal and many people have suffered because of this.I suspect next year will be better because I think that Green is a better manager who first priority is the welfare of the taxpayers of TOL.Horny Toad
LR Editor: We are very familiar with Murray Jones. Murray actually ran for council in 2008 and he's just a nice guy and Abby City worker. We like Murray.
We have to disagree with you that the snow issues are an Alberts problem or even a Green problem. If you attended that last council meeting our council watcher tells us that Public Works discussed the plan with mayor and council and reviewed the provisions of this plan. Mayor Green commented that he and his family have been very pleased with the level of snow removal for a rural area.
To everyone's fairness, this current storm is not a normal year and we all have to be considerate and understanding of that fact. The TOL plan is far from perfect, but now mayor and council can review it. We say it is not an Alberts or Green problem because mayor and council are to oversee the big picture (governance) and leave operations to the experts in public works, planning, parks & rec., etc. We don't want them to muck around with operations unless something is broken and then it requires governance and guidance.
If you read the TOL snow removal plan you will see that it is reasonable. But again, it is not perfect and does not address the odd year as this one has been. We see that Councillor Richter has put forth a notice of motion. We commend her for that and as several councillors that we are aware of want the discussion, she should get a seconder for discussion. But Kim (and now Green) have complained about costs, they have to be prepared to put their name to this and take responsibility for the costs, right?
You can access the current TOL snow plan here:
http://www.tol.bc.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1786&Itemid=677
"But Kim (and now Green) have complained about costs, they have to be prepared to put their name to this and take responsibility for the costs, right?"
You make the assumption that it has to cost more which I think is wrong.
With some creative planning using private contractors the cost might actually be able to be reduced. No need for additional costly equipment,no need for costly union overtime rates etc. Contractors will work 24 hours a day if needed to get the job done without all of the extras,and restrictions of using TOL employess. For example I live on a farm, have a small tractor that I have been using to keep a 2 or 3 block portion of our road driveable. nothing scheduled or fancy but I am sure there are hundreds of guys just like me who would probably enter into some sort of agreement with the city to support the municipal employees who would maintain responsibilty for the priority routes.
I realize that this was an unusual year that only comes along every 20 year or so. But the fact is that some juristictions handled it better than others which problably comes down to management. And seeing as how the TOP manager in a local government is the mayor he must bear the ultimate responsibility.
Horny Toad
LR Editor Comments:
Horny Toad, we certainly agree on the majority of what you have said and we also agree that strategic use of private contractors may possibly work well with for us.
We don't have the exact figures, but we don't think the Township's snow plowing budget is very big right now. So we question your thoughts on being able to do much more for less. But putting that argument aside, Green and Richter cannot have it both ways. If they say the current program provides for a very low level of service and we need to do more, then they also must agree to keep their names on the change if it ends up costing us more. That's all we are saying.
You keep mentioning Green and Richter in your attempt to portray them as being part of a slate. While I voted for both Green and Richter I've never met Green and only met Richter when I visited the Open House on Water Use last year. INCIDENTLY SHE WAS THE ONLY ALDERMAN IN ATTENDANCE.Yu would probably call that a "photo op" but if call spending a couple of hours talking to worried taxpayers a photo op, so be it.
I think she represents taxpayers better than any of the councillors. Perhaps that the reason she keeps getting re-elected.
Horny Toad
"Everything that we have posted has been documented"
Where is it documented that Green and Richter are part of a slate?
Horny Toad
She does attend some meetings when a good number of the public will be present and if she finds a number of people concerned about something she will put forth a motion. But in addition to the meetings you should monitor council meetings to see what she says and how she votes there. That is the total picture. Most voters don't have a clue what is happening in council and yes, on the surface it appears one way. But put together the other piece and view it in total like we do.
Incidentally another Green flip-flop was server comments from him during the debates that he would give the Mufford overpass money back to the feds and then at the last council meeting after seeing a presentation from staff he said that it was never an issue of giving money back, it was about finding the right alignment.
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