The Hendricks doing all they could to be good neighbours offered property for a municipal trail, opportunity for the ToL to construct and upgrade 44th Avenue (between 216th Street and Benz Crescent) at no cost to the Township, a "significant" financial contribution to an "Agricultural Enhancement Trust Fund", and several other community benefits. The Hendricks operated through the whole process in good faith and expected fair treatment. The application and staff report were presented to Township Council at the June 1, 2009 meeting.
The June 1st ToL Council meeting was another strange one as with the Mufford/64th Overpass Councillor Richter said that there should be public input when agricultural lands are impacted or people seek exclusions. But with the Hendricks application, Richter supported the exclusion and angrily spoke out against a suggested public input session. Some council members then voted to refer this application to the Langley Agricultural Advisory Committee (LAAC) and incorporate a "public input session" into that meeting. As with the Mufford Overpass, the official "Public Hearing" process was ignored in favour of the very nebulous and non-bonding "public input session" that this mayor is now famous for.
The June 18, 2009 LAAC meeting was nothing less than an ambush of Mr. Hendricks. He was lured in to what he was thinking would be a fair discussion regarding his land. He thought he was being asked to provide constructive information, in exchange for constructive advice. Instead, Mr. Hendricks was forced to provide a presentation on his proposal (guess no one present could read the extensive staff report and application??) After that, Mr. Hendricks had to be lectured by Mayor Green's supporters and a member of LAAC that broke ranks by failing to listen to the public and decided to preach to Mr. Hendricks.
The final sacking of Mr. Hendricks came from none other than self-appointed quarterback Mayor Rick Green, who pontificated about wanting to "protect farmers". He said that people spoke of protecting farmlands, but he (Green) wanted to protect farmers. Mr. Hendricks, we feel so sorry for you neighbour. You acted in good faith and this mayor set you up for an ambush.
Let's see, shall we add this one to the list of Green comic book hero defenses?
Protection from gang violence
Protection from so-called hate crimes
Protection from "top-down" land use planning
Protection from crime in Aldergrove (security guards offered)
Protection from crime in Walnut Grove (is he for real?)
Protection from the Provincial Government
Protection from Metro Vancouver
Protection from Translink
Protection from the railroads
Protection from taxes
Protection from water metering
Protection from sand pits
Protection from aquifers
Councillor Kim Richter, Charlie Fox, Jordan Bateman and Bob Long probably protested the unorthodox "public input" session. We aren't sure if the Green-Richter slate is showing strong signs of a break up, but we wonder if Councillor Mel Kositsky is becoming Mayor Green's new lackey? He has often been seen voting in lock step with Green and seems to fiercely defend Green's primary platform issues.
3 comments:
Notch this one up with a couple of others this past week and someone (other that Bucky) write a novel titled; "How not to be a Mayor" or "What not to do when you are Mayor" or "Sit down shut-up and I am the Mayor and I and my friends will tell you what we want" or "Listen to me and my friends for advice because if you don't we will get you anyway". Another sad day in Langley politics.
I guess Green needs an ali - good on you Mel, you are filling Kim's shoes admirably.
I THINK WE SHOULD PLANT CONSTRUCTION TRAILERS ON ALL FARMLAND .THEY SEEM TO GROW REALLY WELL ON THE MUFFORD FARM EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT SAVING.
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