Green Still Doesn't Get It

Mayor Green is still a rookie mayor, but since taking office in December of 2008 he is yet to learn what the job entails and how to be an effective leader. Unlike councillors, mayors take an oath to uphold the "Will of Council". Several times, Mayor Green has blatantly ignored the will of council and forged ahead with his own agenda. A classic example of this was the Mufford Overpass.

Green dragged council through the mud and forced them to vote on the issue twice. Despite the overpass receiving majority approval, Green refused to vote for the usual funding allocations for it during the budget process and continued to rally the ALC and others. Green said he was doing so as I "private citizen", just as he has done several times. But each time his correspondence has made it clear that he is writing as mayor.

Now within the past week, Mayor Green has once again clobbered people over the head. People that he should be diplomatic with in order to work with them. The ALC did something highly unusual by agreeing to meet with Mufford area farmers on the overpass application. The ALC is not required to meet with the public, but they did. The Commission also decided to hold a public open house on the Mufford Overpass in late August. They notified stakeholders and took out advertising in local newspapers well in advance.

Many public bodies such as Metro Vancouver and TransLink hold public input sessions over the summer months. But Mayor Green feels these meetings should be scheduled when he feels they should. Green sent this very unprofessional e-mail to the ALC (clearly as Mayor of the Township). An e-mail that has now been circulated around the planet by a VERY left-leaning loose cannon. Here is what Green said to Tony Pellett, Registered Planner for the ALC:

Tony: I am in total disbelief of the notice I just received from your office regarding the scheduling of a public information / input meeting for Monday August 30^th 7:00pm – 9:30pm regarding the Mufford / 64^th Overpass proposal. This project has been under consideration and in limbo for the past 18 months and in 1 month during the summer we have now received the notice of two meetings, one for direct land owners and farmers (just held during their busiest time of year) and the second for the public during the last week of the summer (many people taking advantage of their last week of summer holidays), and “we wonder why people are skeptical of decisions made by government or their agencies”? I must send my strongest opposition to the timing of this proposed meeting. IF, due to holidays by staff at the ALC, I am asking for it to be rescheduled for later in September.

Please advise at your earliest convenience.

Rick Green

Mayor

Langley Township

Again, Mayor Green is keenly aware of the Will of Council on this issue. This is just one of MANY examples why this council does not feel they can trust Mayor Rick Green. Regardless of whether you are for or against the Mufford Overpass, the mayor has been given very clear responsibilities by the Community Charter and the oath he has taken. Yet he continues to act out as a raging bull.

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.