The Two Faces of Mayor Rick Green

Since Mayor Rick Green took office, he has NEVER voted to approve a budget that among other things, would fund our Township Fire Department. In fact, shortly after taking office Mayor Green realized that significant tax dollars go to fund police and fire services, or "Protective Services".

Green commenced putting pressure on several department heads to make cost-cutting recommendations. One of the department heads who faced heat and pressure from Green was Township Fire Chief Doug Wade. Wade did as requested and presented what could be done to reduce the fire budget and that was to put off the planned full-time hall in Walnut Grove. This at the same time the Golden Ears Bridge was about to open. But Wade only did as directed and that was to detail what COULD be done. A majority of Council voted to fund the fire hall.

The following budget year under the same pressure, Wade again complied with other recommendations. Mayor Green would tell you as he did in the campaign that his son-in-law is a firefighter elsewhere and that he fully supports the Township Fire Department. But in Council through budget votes and demands, his actions have spoken louder than his rhetoric.

Then there was the 2009 Canada Day celebrations where Mayor Green got frustrated from a lack of parking available to him. Green ordered a Township Firefighter to remove his official fire vehicle so that he could park his personal vehicle at the site. All with a total lack of concern for public safety.

Not long ago Mayor Green ran into some firefighters who were on duty. They were purchasing food for the meals they are entitled to eat while on duty and the fire apparatus was parked outside as they made a quick stop. Mayor Green quickly made a call to a fire official asking why the fire truck and these fire fighters were at the market. The response was that they are allowed to eat their dinners.

Now comes word through this Langley Advance article and a similar article in the Langley Times that last week's brush fire was a little too close for comfort for Mayor Green and his acreage.

Another resident grateful to the firefighters is Township Mayor Rick Green.

"That was a couple of hundred yards from my place," the mayor said. He was considering trying to evacuate his five horses and other livestock before the fire was brought under control.

"This has been my worst nightmare," Green said. He examined the extent of the damage from the two fires on Sunday and was amazed at how much land had been scorched. "The fire department did an outstanding job," Green said.

Now we don't wish fire on anyone and that certainly would include Mayor Rick Green. But this love-hate relationship of Green with the Township firefighters is odd at best. Will Mayor Green's gratefulness cause him to finally approve a budget to pay for the fire department next time around? Green's relationship with the fire department is as dysfunctional as his relationship with our two Langley MLA's.

You can't have it both ways Mayor Green. Either you show leadership by supporting and paying for these vital services with your budget vote, or you step aside because of some very weak leadership. Which will it be? Fire is everyone's "worst nightmare" Mayor Green. This is why we fund a fire department and proper equipment.