Another Shameful Slate Sideshow

************ UPDATED FEB 17, 2009 *************

Tonight's meeting televised to the masses on cable TV was a shameful display of disdain and hatred that the Green/Richter slate have for this current council. Councillor Charlie Fox had received a huge pile (24"/2 feet high - see below) of budget and related materials that the Mayor's Standing Finance Committee had either received or requested from staff as research. With this huge pile of materials and no idea where the committee is going with conclusions and recommendations, Coun. Fox put forth a Motion to get the committee to issue an interium report.

Councillor Richter was the first to take exception to the Fox motion as she accused the councillor of discrediting the three civilian volunteers on this Mayor's Standing Finance Committee. Councillor Fox NEVER attacked any volunteers in his motion or discussions about it. Next, Councillor Steve Ferguson made it clear to mayor and council that this committee had private meetings in the mayor's office (after the official meeting) and never invited him. Mayor Green said he took exception to that comment and suggested that Coun. Ferguson was always invited to every meeting. Ferguson disagreed with the mayor on that point.

Mayor Green also went into a big defence regarding his finance committee and their credentials. Again, there were unsolicited comments because no one attacked the committee's credentials. The Editorial Board was speaking with a well-seasoned investigator who opined that generally guilty people end up defending things that have never been questioned in the first instance. It is a basic rule of structured interview/ interrogation and investigation. Looks like The Slate has been caught red-handed. Secret meetings and a grossly unqualified committee.

It is interesting to note that standard committee volunteers in the Township have always submitted full resumes and have the been interviewed by mayor and council. Members of this Standing Finance Committee are insiders and campaign supporters - individuals hand-picked by Mayor Green himself. No extensive resumes, no interviews, nothing. Our Editorial Board has been doing some research and we have serious questions about the credentials of the majority of Finance Committee members.

To add insult to injury, Mayor Green said for the second time that perhaps the people on this committee have more budget experience than some members of council. What a slap in the face to his fellow council members! How arrogant! The man does not understand that he must work WITH council and not just with his slate. What Once again he was seen huffing and puffing each and every time a council member disagreed with his viewpoint. The body language is very clear with this mayor - he and his insiders know everything and this council is just plain stupid.

The Editorial Board took a telephone poll of a large cross-section of people we know who had been watching the meeting on TV. Our council monitors were also present for the meeting. All agree that the bully was back in the playground and the slate are clearly running damage control BEFORE anyone has struck out against their committee (with questionable qualifications). But it will soon be time to Roll Up The Rim and then we will see how the slate tries to turn this committee's findings into ammunition against the remainder of council. But tonight was nothing short of a slate Gong Show for sure. Meeting process has now been thrown out the window and the sideshow is in full swing. Stay tuned and watch the moves of this slate!

*** FOX MOTION & NOTICE OF MOTION***

Motion #1

Whereas the Mayor’s Standing Finance Committee has now been meeting one day short of 7 weeks, and there 13 weeks left prior to final date for approving this years budget, and for 3 of those weeks Council does not meet, and

Whereas to date Council has received only Notes, Minutes and comments made in the local press without a report or recommendations from the Committee, and

Whereas most, of not all, neighbouring communities have gone to third reading on their budget and in some cases completed the public consultation which we in the Township have yet to formally begin,

Be it resolved that a preliminary report from the finance committee be presented to Council in the afternoon meeting on Monday, March 2nd, and this outline the progress made to date and updates on any recommendations forthcoming to Council for consideration.

Final approval by amendment– Tuesday, March 3rd


Notice of Motion

Whereas Mr. Maitland made a presentation to the joint Finance and Council Priorities Committee meeting on the background and basic tenants of the Property Endowment Fund as it works in the City of Vancouver which is governed by the Vancouver Charter,

Be it resolved that Mr. Maitland be contracted to review the Township Land inventory of non ‘DCC’ lands and prepare a report to Council recommending which lands would be available for re-sale purposes, and

Be it resolved that Mr. Maitland review the Township policies and processes as to land holdings and disposition and recommend amendments to the Township's current bylaws, policies and procedures to make the necessary recommendations to transform the Township's Land Reserve fund to a Township Property Endowment Fund,

And Further, that once the regulatory framework is known, that Staff and Council schedule a workshop to review the recommendations and the Possible Surplus Properties that could be developed in accordance with such a Fund.

THE TOWNSHIP POOP PILE

Councillor Richter used to proport to be the finance & budget watchdog on council. Now it appears that watchdogism has been abandoned with the new Green/Richter Slate and left to The Langley Record.

HOW MUCH STAFF OVERTIME DID ALL THIS WORK COST THE TOL TAXPAYER?

A big thanks to Councillor Charlie Fox for exposing this waste, and providing a photo of the pile of poop to all of the media.