The ToL Budget Is Our Future

What kind of Township do you desire for you and your family?

Public input on the ToL budget will take place next Wednesday and Thursday. As was fully expected, Mayor Rick Green and his slate captain, Councillor Kim Richter have put out their spin. The mayor says he put together a "well-qualified finance committee" (qualifications of most members are very questionable).  They came up with the need for a .93% property tax increase and there is much we can cut and new things we can try.

Reality is that the committee's recommendation of a .93% cannot be substantiated and the mayor has been unable to explain it from the beginning. He referred all questions to staff and staff were not present at the private finance committee meetings. Plundering required reserves and leaving scores of infrastructure items UNFUNDED is not a proper budget Mr. Mayor. 

Bob Long's 5% proposal is sound and follows all of the studies that have been done, including a 2004 report that involved over 500 ToL residents and a bunch more for the second half of the study. They determined in 2004 that the ToL would have to raise 4% per year and that was without full-time fire. 5% would fund our roads and keep our assets from crumbling. 5% will fund much-needed projects during a time where lots of provincial and federal dollars are there to help us, if we can pay our share. A 5% increase will prevent the ToL from quickly turning into a crumbling, deteriorating welfare state of desperation. 

Councillor Kim Richter is dyed in the wool NDP, and you know what the NDP does with fudge-it budgets and terrible financial decisions that run communities into the ground on the fast-track. Mayor Rick Green is attached at the hip with Richter and YOU cannot allow them to destroy OUR Langley Township. Those two have cooked up this plot for a long time now. It was a self-fulfilling prophecy for them to blame council for ANY tax increase. 

Council was generally prepared to compromise with Green on a 3.95% tax increase that would still provide challenges in future years. But the mayor's arrogant statement that he would not support a 5% nor even a 3.95% increase (when he knows reality full well), caused council to vote to take a proposed 5% out to the people for comment and input, for the good of our community. It was a very prudent decision. At 5%, that would add $64.18 to the average household (based on a home valued at $478K). 

The future is yours Langley. You can pay a reasonable amount now, or you can be sacked later with the need for huge tax increases of up to 15% or more to play catch-up. The later is simply NOT an option. Don't let Mayor Rick Green and Councillor Kim Richter cause our community to crumble.

RCMP Clears Innocent MLAs

The Langley Times reported Breaking News at 4:00pm today (and revised the article at 5:15pm tonight ) that the Langley RCMP has released a statement.

The Langley RCMP in conjunction with the RCMP Commercial Crimes Division has found no grounds to support allegations made by former Langley School Board Trustee and former unsucessful Township Council candidate Sonya Paterson.

Ms. Paterson filed a complaint in December 2008 complaint against MLA's Rich Coleman and Mary Polak. She alleged the two MLA's contravened the Local Government Act and also asked that the RCMP investigate Township Councillor Jordan Bateman. Ms. Paterson accused Bateman of using BC Liberal voter lists to win the 2008 campaign. Bateman has denied the allegations and the RCMP is stil investigating other aaspects of this case. Perhaps those aspects include information provided to the RCMP by the Editorial Board of the Langley Record.

It will be interesting to see if Vancouver Sun reporter Daphne Bramham will publish the results of the investigation and the clearance of these innocent elected officials. It should be easy for her to do so because she won't have to send a bootlicker "all the way" to Langley like The Sun had to do for the Township's Campaign Finance Reports. Isn't that a shame?

The Green-Richter Slate Turns The Channel

An old axioms in politics is when things go bad, a politician must turn the channel. Rick Green and a small number of the Vocal 150 were on teewee last night trying to turn the channel after their crushing and humiliating defeat with the Mufford Overpass vote and are now stating they will "fight" over Brown Pit gravel extraction. We wish them much luck, and are glad to see them channeling their energies into an issue that the whole community can agree upon. Of course this doesn't seem to be much of a fight as all the locals agree that Brown Pit should not be mined. Every current member of council had issue with it when the provincial government released the plan, and it seems like the BC government is leaning towards not using Brown Pit. This article on a letter from MLA Rich Coleman clearly states that fact. We are certain that the minister is working very hard to nix the Brown Pit plan. Clearly it will NOT be through any efforts of the Green-Richter slate whatsoever.

It is very interesting to note that although Mr. Moats attacked Township Councillor Jordan Bateman on the Mufford overpass, Mr. Moats would be wise to note that Councillor Bateman has been one of the biggest supporters of nixing the Brown Pit extraction. In our opinion, the residents surrounding Brown Pit would be wise to distance themselves from Mayor Rick Green, Councillor Kim Richter, the overpass Vocal 150 and others of that elk.

The majority of Brown Pit residents have clearly and calmny articulated the facts, figures and potential impacts of this extraction, and they have gained the respect and attention of the provincial government. Remain sane and stay the course as a respectable group and we believe good things will come of it.

The Nasty Budget Politics of Two

By Special Editor Dr. S.

"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedies."

-- Groucho Marx

In December 2006 Councillor Kim Richter wrote this letter to her own website entitled, “Don’t Dare Blame Tax Hikes On Firefighters” which was posted on her website. She made some very valid points on the need for full-time Fire Fighters, calling it “a service that we all rely on in this community, especially the elderly and anyone needing emergency services.”

Richter also explains the lengthy process that council, the Fire Department and an independent consultant went through, in order to make the commitment to move to a full time system. She speaks to it here:

“They determined that the cost of full time firefighters in the Township would equal a 2% increase in the Township’s base tax rate for each fire hall that was brought onto full time status. They put together a plan of how many halls should be full-time and when they should go “online”. They then took this plan and brought it to the public, Richter explained the “very public process” as:

“They went to malls throughout the Township with complete information on costs, timelines, and budget implications. They had flip charts and questionnaires. They asked Township taxpayers if this was something they wanted and something they could financially support. They spent many hours talking to many people from all walks of life and from all corners in this community.”

And as we all now know, the answer was… Yes. As Richter says, “The answer that came back to Council from this very public process was a resounding “Yes – Do it”. In fact, the independent consultant that assisted the Township’s Fire Department throughout the public consultation process commented in his final written report (which is a matter of public record) that he has never seen stronger or more unified public support for an initiative like this. He said it was abundantly clear that this community supported the proposed graduated move to full-time fire service.”

We applaud the fact that Richter had such concern over the efforts of all the people involved in the process, “I think your editorial (The Langley Times) belittles these efforts because all of the people involved in this process, whether firefighter or taxpayer, genuinely care about their community and are genuinely concerned about this important aspect of public safety.” She also acknowledges “They know it’s not free.”

We also applaud all of council as they “decided to listen to the Fire Department, to the Consultant, and to the public. As a group, they decided to move in a graduated manner towards fulltime fire service.” They made this choice knowing the facts and having their eyes wide open to the fact that, as Richter put it, “This clearly meant a 2% tax increase in each year that a new fire hall was brought into fulltime service.”

We applaud Kim Richter's VERBAL support for the Full Time Fire department. And the fact that Richter even went so far to VERBALLY commit to a tax increase, to ensure the growth of this department, as she said: “This is definitely a tax increase that I and the taxpaying public support. I have never disputed that.”

BUT, Councillor Kim Richter voted against the budget that year. The same budget that would provide for fill-time fire services and that THE PEOPLE overwhelmingly supported.

Once again, we are now left with the question of where Councillor Kim Richter's verbal support for community needs has gone? It seemed clear, yet we see Kim Richter voting to entertain the idea of lengthening the full-time fire fighter expansion in Walnut Grove, to as much as a six year window. We see the finance committee she is he Vice Chair of putting forward recommendations for a .93% tax increase that cannot lead to anything but a budget deficit (which you cannot do under the Community Charter) in the first year of a 3 year plan. Where did the 2% go that Richter was willing to pay in order to properly fund the Fire Department? Is not the newly proposed “review” of the Fire Department that Richter personally recommended to the new finance committee and then to council, not just another attempt to pull out of the original commitment she had made? Is her wish that the outcome would be to put off full-time fire expansion indefinitely? There is not a review of the RCMP suggested, so why has the Township Fire Department been singled out?

From the rhetoric and her recent website post we can see that this new budget will not be approved by Councillor Kim Richter. To post a statement that a 5% tax increase has been approved by Township Council is unethical at best.

We leave you with some words of wisdom from Councillor Kim Richter herself...

“It is wrong to blame the financial problems currently faced by the Township on the firefighters. They have done nothing to deserve to be the scapegoats. All they ever wanted was to provide a safer community and they took a very reasonable and affordable approach to doing so.”

-- Councillor Kim Richter

“Yes, fulltime fire fighting is a significant cost driver in the Township’s budget. We all knew that it would be.”

-- Councillor Kim Richter

“The enemy here is not each other - it's inaction. We need to get on the same page fast or the Township will suffer."

-- Councillor Kim Richter

Really Kim? So then why this inaccurate rant that was posted at 4:57pm on Tuesday, March 24, 2009 and transcribed from your cellphone call from the 2nd floor of the Township Facility's parking area DIRECTLY after the budget meeting had ended? And why wouldn't you put your name on it as the author who provided the transcription? Who are the true enemies here? Once again you are ordering from the menu, but you are refusing to pay the bill.

What We Don't Know

This message speaks very clearly for itself. It speaks louder and is more sobering than any silly poet. Thanks to Garry & Sherry Tingley for these VERY wise words that should cause all Langley residents to think long and hard.

The older we get the more we DON'T KNOW.

• We don't know why there is a Notice of Exclusion Application (ALR) in the Langley Times, Mar. 20, Page 5 for housing and there aren't protests, Town meetings, ugly letters in the paper and delegations to Council.

• We don't know why all of Willougby including the Events Center has been developed on good farm land and there were no protests.

• We don't know why we were accosted at the Co-op by people who can't even explain the issues of the Mufford Overpass but want folks to sign a petition against it. When they are asked to talk about it the answer is - "the Township wants to destroy our farmland, you have to sign it !!"  My response was bring me some farm produce from that piece of property and you got yourself a deal. Otherwise I'd like a safe path of transportation from my home to ALL of the amenities of the community I live in.

• We don't know why our streets here in Milner have been "littered" with old election signs turned inside out and with "save our farmland" written on them. Are there any guidlines about roadside signs?

• We don't know why there is such a commotion about the worst piece of farmland and best crop of swamp grass in the valley when the outcome is likely improved land quality.

• We don't know how folks think that roads bring cars when  ALL  of the time ALL cars come from houses and we are putting houses on farmland every single day.

• We don't know why this community is so proud of being the "Horse Capitol" which translates into piles of horse manure on some (many) small pieces of property and yet we still rely on ground water. It is a tough decision ... remove a little gravel and fill it with nice top soil for good drainage OR horse manure on a huge amount of the land draining into the "public use" aquifer ... which to choose ???  ... which to protest ???

• We don't know why votes can be "re-done" and embarrassing name calling of people, threats, cheering, clapping and repetition of whining is an acceptable part of a meeting that appears to have explicit rules for some parts but not for other parts of it.

• We don't know why people don't follow the Golden Rule ... the Overpass may effect us here on our street in Milner with more traffic (likely not) but when we leave our house we become traffic on someone else's road and they don't protest.

• Mostly, we don't know how  JIM McGREGOR (Langley Times, Mar.20, Page 8) knew exactly how we feel, think and approach life and wrote an article about it !!!!!    THANKS Jim.

• We DO know the Council is for EVERY single resident of Langley and sometimes we are happy and sometimes we are not ...

Stay the course folks. 

Garry and Sherry Tingley 

ToL Council Circus Number Two Set For Monday

Circus Performers Gone Wild - No It's Not a Condom Commercial

Another Week of the Televised Rookie Mayor Rick Green Show

ToL Council will meet this Monday, March 23rd at 3:00pm and again at 7:00pm. A host of well-know circus performers from the slate' s Vocal 150 will be on hand to make their insulting and accusatory delegations, followed by a meeting that lacks all proper council decorum. Ringleader rookie Mayor Rick Green will once again allow the circus and sideshows to continue, with little to no calls to order.  

NDP sacrificial lamb (MLA candidate Kathleen Stephany) will be present to follow in Councillor Richter's NDP footsteps of pandering to the Vocal 150 audience. Someone should remind Ms. Stephany that her new-found party (the NDP) actually initiated the whole GATEWAY PROGRAM discussions. The ROBERTS BANK RAIL CORRIDOR study (and resulting overpass proposal) facilitates the Gateway Project. Of course it is a well-known fact that the NDP could not get Gateway off the ground and the BC Liberal party is in the process of making Gateway a physical reality. Perhaps that is why Ms. Stephany and her NDP handlers are soo angry? Come out to chuckle at the hypocritical NDP delegation. But what else would you expect from them?

The evening council meeting is a televised one, and you can be sure this is why our side-show mayor initiated the overpass reconsideration motion for this particular meeting of council. Mayor Green will be purring like a Cheshire Cat with his motion to reconsider the overpass that is certain to be seconded by Kim Richter, followed by hoots and shouts from the Vocal 150, culminating into another centre-stage Township-dividing "Mayor's Report" that reminds council of the past election, complete with finger-pointing arrows at council for not supporting the platform that only the Green-Richter slate ran on. Come out to see the sideshow and bring plenty of cotton candy with you. Watch the rookie mayor in centre ring cater to the needs and wants of his Vocal 150, while failing to maintain decorum as usual. 

*** See Special Meetings of Council This Week At Very End Below ***

Monday, March 23, 2009

Special Council Meeting 3:00pm - (?) 5:30pm

Agenda here

Minute Special Council Meeting March 9, 2009 here

Minutes of Council Budget Meeting of March 10, 2009 here

Minutes of Council Budget Meeting of March 11, 2009 here

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Doc 16 (not available from ToL)

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Regular Council Meeting 7:00pm - (?) 

Agenda here

Minutes here

Minutes of Public Hearing here

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Other Special Meetings of Council This Week

Tuesday, March 24, 2009 - Special Budget Meeting 3:15pm - 5:15pm

Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - Special Budget Meeting 3:15pm - 5:15pm

Talk of the Town

Talk of the Township of Langley this week included more overt attempts by the media to shape public opinon. First a local editor controlled by the slate focused his laser on people the slate love to hate as he covered the campaign financial disclosures. Instead of praising their honesty, he singled them out....no surprise. What was shocking was this man's inability to resist dragging an older pillar of our community into the whole campaign donation discussions. What was his motive for this? Clearly it was to discredit this person. Shameful.

Next, a Vancouver-based princess complained that that bootlickers were required to be dispatched from her centre of the universe media palace, because the ToL requires people to appear in person to review the campaign financial data. A commendable smart data security feature that requires people who wish to view the data to sign a register. Apparently the princess objected to having to work for her story.

Again the editor of the Langley Mimes could not resist another opportunity to take a cheap shot at slate opposition councillors, so his Friday edition included another round of campaign finance attacks that now included some inuendos about the ALC and a former mayor. The silliness reached a zenith when a long 1997 development story was weaved, only to find that the candidate receiving the money wasn't even on council in 1997! What was his point with all this nonsense?  Again, discredit people and drive public opinion against them. The slate was left untouched and even praised by Friday. One member of the slate insinuated that donations were not solicited. Well, we have proof that people were contacted and a run for mayor was seriously entertained by this person who failed in the attempt to raise the booty.  

Our Editorial Board has been talking to many members of our community this week (as always) and we can tell you that a certain editor and his newspaper may suffer greatly for their partisan press tactics. It is now very apparent that the South Asian community is VERY upset that in the campaign finance reporting,  they feel their developers have been singled out. Also, some big advertisers are reconsidering their budgets to this particular rag and changes may be afoot. If this editor and his paper continues down this trail, we may see him and his newspaper online next to the Langley Record, imagine that!  

The True Costs of Public Engagement

The Editorial Board of the Langley Record had to chuckle at the latest musings of Fred the Horny Toad. This guy is ranting and raving over a professional poll that was commissioned by the Township to query the community on the Mufford/64th Avenue Overpass. A whole $9,500!

Rick Green and Kim Richter have just cost the Township of Langley a whole lot more. First, they got their Standing Committee on Finance to conduct a witch hunt that wasted many hours of staff overtime. All for nothing. No evidence of wrongdoing, bad financial practices, etc. were uncovered. Worse yet, no one will tell the public how much this 9 week witch hunt cost the taxpayers in staff time and overtime. How much was that Rick and Kim? 

Next, despite public engagement in 2004 & 2005 on the overpass, as well as ALC documented receipts of input from the local community as outlined in a memo, Rick Green and Kim Richter once again squandered taxpayers dollars to hold two open houses and a public input session with council. Next, the mayor vowed to bring this all back up again in the next council meeting of 23 March so that the slate's NDP buddy can grandstand to the love fest, along with the usual cast of unhappy Green-Richter Slate supporters. 

Pre-event work, advertising, story boards, hall rental, staff time and more. How much did all that cost the taxpayers of the Township of Langley? Mayor Green and Councillor Richter need to fess up and tell us very clearly how much that financial witch hunt and the extra public engagements cost us, and they need to do so now. 

As for the two open house events, they were hi-jacked by VALTAC and therefore the ToL should be charging all those costs back to VALTAC and the Green-Richter slate insiders that it benefitted. The general public was squeezed out of this process because of the hijacking. VALTAC and the malcontents should be made to pay for these expenses.  We are all for democracy, but we are not in support of programs benefitting only friends and insiders. The motley crew live in the mayor's office many times per week and the slate is clearly trying their best to manipulate this overpass outcome. All for the benefit of friends and insiders. 

The local publicists are silent and you won't read it anywhere else folks. In fact, they are trying their best to shut us down and silence democracy with idle threats of investigations, law suits, wrongful accusations of libel and slander and a host of other very dirty tricks. But this is the way that slate operates. It's OK to attack Ferguson, Ward, Fox, Bateman and others, just don't reveal the truth about their slate members and bootlickers, as that is pushing the democratic process. How hypocritical!  But what else would one expect from NDP supporters and loving sympathizers? 

Vancouver Sun Reporter Latest Publicist For Green-Richter Slate

Earlier this week we identified the local publicist for the Green-Richter Slate. Today, the Vancouver Sun's Daphne Bramham step forward again. This reporter has previously been known to write glowing articles about Councillor Kim Richter. Then another Green-Richter slate candidate that lost received another publicity piece from this same Sun reporter.

Earlier this year following the same slate loser's RCMP complaint, The Langley Record provided documents to the RCMP that clearly showed this losing candidate used a BC Society for political purposes (also known as an "Elector Organization"). Although Daphne Bramham, Matthew Claxton and Al Irwin were copied on the message and received the document, no reporters followed up on this part of the story.

It is very clear that Daphne Bramham is not interested in all sides of her stories. She simply jumps to requests from the Gren-Richter slate. Remember this when you read The Vancouver Sun and most especially any articles from Daphne Bramham. Maybe NDP roots run deep, eh?

P.S.
Did you catch the local Langley Mimes rag?

The local slate publicist wrote much of the campaign financing articles and made sure he injected a few good jabs to folks like Dan Sheel. Did you read the cheap shot about Dan putting $4 into his campaign? I guess in the publicist's opinion, candidates can't open bank accounts! Then there is all the talk about who got money from whom. But you notice that there was no mention of Richter and very little about Green. Imagine that? The other slate loser was also left out of much of the conversations. This is now the Green-Richter Slate Happy Rag. We think we would rather read the realtor ads than their version of local journalism.

Fudgit Budgets

We have been looking into the candidate filings on expenses and we have heard some interesting testimony concerning what is behind all the numbers. A certain candidate used another slate member as the printer for this candidate's handbills. Hence the printing work was done for far less than market rates. Now this candidate is busy assailing others for spending soo much. Just imagine!

Next, we have another candidate who declared around $12K in campaign expenses. The problem here is that a large prop was used extensively during this particular unsuccessful campaign, and it appears that it was not disclosed. We were told by an elder of the community in the known that this prop cost the candidate some $15K. So, a losing $27K campaign was written up as just $12K. We will be checking to see if an addendum is filed. If not, the authorities and CRA will be alerted. All from the same slate and all attacking certain other candidates. Imagine that.

Reason 488 Why Kim Richter Cannot Be Mayor of Langley Township

Kim Richter was only able to raise $3,968 to launch a campaign for Township Council. There were no informative mailings to the residents and very little details about her platform, except for a poor quality handbill.

We never see what Kim Richter considers to be her "accomplishments" while on Township Council all these years. Could it be that she has only accomplished providing an opposing vote and many, many motions that go without a seconder?

Kim believes the $3,968 is something to be proud of. But during the election she called out beyond the borders of the ToL frantically trying to collect $20K to make a run for mayor. Now her and Editor Ogre lash out at people that had been able to raise much more than Kim Richter had.

We think she needs to fire the campaign manager and get a professional if she intends to try and walk in a certain female's shoes and eventually get a library named after her. The Kim Richter Memorial Bookmobile or something.

Ogre Alert - Editor Ogre Lies

Ogre Sighted Near ToL Municipal Facility

*** 8:00pm Update *** See Below
Just a short while ago one of our reporters spotted a librarian bun entering the Township facility with a hunch-backed ogre following very close behind. The ogre had the look of a kid heading into a candy store, no doubt to view the reports on campaign financing.

Of course the ogre will very soon be typing his little heart out. Is it anyone's guess that the object of the crass comments will be aimed squarely at Councillor Jordan Bateman? Of course Bateman will be the focus of his silliness, as the ogre cannot comprehend the financing of a professional campaign that engages people who usually don't get out to vote and udually go unreached.

The ogre is not very skilled in basic math nor the use of Excel, as his numbers today just don't add up to the facts. You can double-check his pack of lies with The Langley Times numbers that were reported by Editor Frank Bucholts himself. Perhaps a certain politico took good care of yet another pal? Maybe the ogre should stick to videography? But then again if you are just zooming in and making poor quality videos, you can't be a very good liar now, can you?

*** Update ***
Anatomy of a Liar

From Editor Ogre:


From The Langley Times:
We rest our case. Editor Ogre is a big liar. The deception from Cllr. Richter deserves an apology to Cllr. Jordan Bateman pronto. The ogre has done it again, showing that Councillor Kim Richter and her website cannot be trusted to report the facts. The ogre is once again a HUGE political liability for the Green/Richter slate. This is why the ogre must accuse others of deception, as he is the real liar, but in total denial!

An Open Letter to Fred M***

We will not tolerate the reports of libel, slander, etc. and all the other garbage that has come from the real "dark side", most often directly from a particular "editor" on behalf of his politico spouse. 

To Fred M. (the real "Horny Toad" of Glen Valley) we stand 100% behind our Co-Op story and we take exception to anyone slandering and making libelous statements against one of our special editors. If anyone wishes to file their legal claims now, please do so. Bring it on! We welcome it, as we have had someone on retainer for some time now documenting items that are very interesting. We have done so because we know some politicos and their boot lickers like to make idle threats constantly and not do their homework here in Langley. That is why they were sued in 2001.  They should just act and not flap the jaw. Get on with it, or just be silent silly side show.  

Fred (Mr. Horny Toad) posted his own brand of snake oil and venom constantly on this blog day and night. Then his masters jerked his tight leash and he had to hang it up. We obliged Mr. HT by answering his numerous questions and gibberish. We are very pleased to see him go, as it frees up all kinds of time for our editors to do what we intended to do with this blog in the first place, and that is research. We research events and issues in the Township and post the results here. 

We provide another side of the story that people weren't getting in the past. As for people who comment, we know many of them. The are smart and decent folks and we respect them. We allow the malcontents to post on the other site with their cohorts, as they find comfort and therapy there. Birds of a feather and all that. Get a crowd of them together and you will find every sour puss in the ToL - one big frown! The group should really become the "happy meds" crowd along with their leader, the unemployed Pied Piper with tripod. 

Caught in the Cross Hairs

It has come to our attention that the Otter Co-op was caught in the cross hairs this past weekend and it has made many members quite uneasy and unhappy. As some of you who shopped there this past Saturday/Sunday will know, there was a presence of commonly known boo birds and local pseudo want-to-be politicians (and politicians including Cllr. Richter), who strong-armed unsuspecting shoppers in to signing a petition or letter to the ALC regarding the Mufford overpass proposal.

Upon investigation, this intrepid reporter found out that initially the General Manager of the Co-op denied the group from having the tables outside and following through with the information and signing. Apparently feeling the denial was based on the fact that the Co-op, a very community minded organization, felt this was too politically charged of an issue and they wanted nothing to do with it.

This was a very smart move on their part except, that an unnamed female and male (who were front and centre at the tables) phoned several Co-op Board members and complained that they were being denied and if they were no allowed to do so, they would picket the Co-op on public property along 248^th St.. Feeling the pinch, the Co-Op Board overruled the General Manager and allowed the two day love fest/ signing to go forward.

This can only be viewed as corporate blackmail. Is this not bullying of the highest magnitude? These folks are all working in a clandestine way for the Green slate camp. So, Green and Richter must know of, and support, their activities evidencing and confirming a typical Green/Richter tactic….if I don’t get my way I will threaten or bully until I do.

This is a disgusting example of how the Green slate camp works and a true embarrassment for the Co-op Board and Management who now have to regroup and hopefully this week deal with the situation so next weekend shoppers can truly go to the Co-op and enjoy the shopping experience without having to feel harassed and uncomfortable.

It is of note that there are at least five members of Council who are members of the Co-op, Green, Richter, Fox, Dornan and Ferguson. Three supported the overpass and two voted against it. I wonder if the opposing view will have equal access to the Co-op shoppers next weekend?

This mayor simply doesn’t know how to lead. He is like a little boy in the sand box. If he doesn’t get HIS WAY, he throws sand in to the other boys face. He can’t compromise or work to consensus, nor does he have any desire to. I guess the question one asks is if the vote to reconsider fails, what will be his next tactic, hopefully it won’t involve bullying another business like his troops did with the Co-op that up until now has been a community leader! These Green-Richter strong arm tactics will do nothing but tear our community apart. It is very apparent that in the pursuit of taking good care of friends and insiders, the slate just does not care about the overall good of our community.

-- By Special Editor # 2

Overpass Opponents Are Few

The Editorial Board of the Langley Record has been busy checking facts related to the various local blogs and what people were searching for to get to them.

It is interesting that the average Langley resident has not searched any words on Google or Yahoo related to the overpass, in order to find their way to these local sites. We will keep confidential the other findings (and our sources), so here are the top searches that brought people to the Langley Record over the past 5 days. There were more, but here are the top ones:

Google Top 20:

Yahoo - There were 20 people that used it over the past 5 days to get to us:

VALTAC
In other news, VALTAC has now become a political organization, despite a recent public presentation where spokesman Peter Holt said they were truly independent and non-partisan and they have expelled their political member. Take a look at these statements. Not very political, eh?

A few friends of the Record have opined that perhaps VALTAC's main mission was the Mufford overpass, and not passenger rail and transportation. This past week, even Sonya Paterson went at VALTAC for not speaking about passenger rail in the area. Of course Paterson is wrong with an assumption that passenger rail is now not possible according to the engineers that have studied the subject. But the point here is that VALTAC has departed from passenger rail and is now a political group that is very focused on the Mufford Overpass.

The Township of Langley Budget Process

By LR Special Editor Michelle Sparrow

As a Homeowner and a mother of four, I have been approaching the Township budget process as I would with my own personal household budget. During this time of economic uncertainly, I like many others, have reassessed my own personal household budget. My husband and I have made choices, like putting off that family trip or a large reno to our home. We have done so because what is ultimately most important to our family is security, peace of mind, and the knowledge that we will make it through and be stronger for it.

I look at the Langley Township’s budget options and I am left thinking of what it would look like if it were a typical household’s budget. Let’s say for example that a typical household chose to budget in a similar fashion to Mayor Green’s finance committee’s recommendations. They take their expenses and income and come up with a “lean” budget, which they feel will be the best option for their family to get through the tough times. They trim that fat and only budget for current expenses, not leaving room for a surplus of savings or household improvements. They live this way for three years, feeling good that they have tightened the purse strings, and are living on less. As the years pass, they begin to notice home repairs that are mounting, but not having budget for that, they are forced to leave them for better times.

At the end of the three years they take stock of where they are now. They are stunned to find they have been left with a staggering amount of debt and have a house that is falling apart. They thought they had made the right choice, but what they were not aware of, was the real cost of living. Over the years their lean budget was actually carrying forward a large amount of debt each year. The repairs they had been putting off have also compounded, and the odd fix it jobs have now turned into major repairs. We can all look at this scenario and say, they did not make the right choices for their family. It does no good if they are not working with the true numbers. One needs to account for life’s “what if’s” and everyday repairs, and still come out ahead each year. Whether it is a household or a Municipal budget, we all play by the same rules. The Township is faced with the same challenges and responsibilities, as we the homeowners are, just on a much larger scale. We have to be responsible and have our eyes wide open to the reality of our financial situation.

It makes no sense to create a budget to live by that in all reality will only leave us with debt, a depleted savings account, and a long list of repairs. Mayor Green’s finance committee’s recommendation of less than 1% a year will leave us with a shortfall of $5,825,426 by 2011, all to keep as close to the promise of 0-0-0 as possible. I think each and every Township resident needs to look the true number of what a properly funded budget will cost your household each year. Is it $65, $100, $200 more a year per household?? We will have to wait and see the numbers, but it seems to me the best approach is to face things head on and plan for the reality.

Two Sides to Every Story

Councillor Kim Richter's website today attacks SYNOVATE a global leader in market intelligence and research.  The ALR Commission and Township of Langley staff have also now been brought into question through innuendo in the Richter website article. We will address the poll in another post, but we wish to address the ALR Commission and the application findings here.

Although Councillor Kim Richter provided the public with this overview findings of the ALR Commission, The Langley Record now provides you with the other side of the coin:

Despite the rhetoric from VALTAC , numerous Green insiders and Mayor Green's own public statements of the public process being a "sham", the ALR Commission staff have now confirmed for us that "In 2004 and 2005, area farmers contacted the Commission to express concerns over potential agricultural impacts on farm operations" with any proposed overpass. 

At NO time did ANY ToL councillor ever state that the proposed overpass would have no impact on agricultural lands. As stated in the findings of the ALR Commission:

"...the proposal has been necessitated by events which predate the ALR and which the Commission has acknowledged in previous decisions, thus the focus of the Commission's decision should be on minimizing impacts on agriculture and wherever possible achieving benefits to agriculture"

It is a fact that the Commission's agreement in principle with the new road clearly stated nine (9) pre-requisites to minimize the impact and IMPROVE agriculture in the area (see Page 5 of the document for the details of the 9 prerequisites). 

Why did the Green/Richter slate dig up this report now, when it was clearly available online since November/December 2008? Yet another ploy by the Green/Richter slate to kill the overpass, but more importantly to kill future agricultural benefits from this project! That's right folks, Mayor Green and Councillor Kim Richter have ignored the fact that a condition of this overpass work moving forward is for the project to greatly improve drainage for the entire Milner Valley,  in order to enhance agriculture for the wider area. 

Therefore, you can see that the desires of a few Green/Richter slate insiders is more important to the slate than the Milner Valley as a whole. 

Editor Bucholtz Becomes Publicist

News Flash - See below in Red

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"A publicist is a person whose job is to generate and manage publicity for a public figure, especially a celebrity, a business, or for a work such as a book or film. Publicists can be local, regional or national level. They can also have special expertise in areas such as entertainment or literary publicity. An older meaning of the term is closer to pamphleteer: someone who circulates ideas by publishing them, perhaps in ephemeral forms."

Just before the municipal election last year, The Langley Times began to embark on new territory. While other candidates were forced to pay for high-priced election advertising, The Times allowed members of the Green/Richter slate to use their Letters to the Editor as free publicity and advertising.

Since the election we have been The Langley Times Editor Frank Bucholtz use his Opinion page to advance the agendas of Mayor Green, Councillor Richter, and now the NDP. In fact, Bucholts had an Opinion written by Langley Tmes Al Irwin removed one Sunday evening earlier this year after the mayor called his home to complain about the article that appeared online. You can read the full piece here, even though The Langley Times removed all traces of it long ago. Bucky and the mayor certainly did not want you to see this.

In our Opinion, Editor Frank Bucholtz is the new Publicist for the Green/Richter slate and the NDP. Now that Bucky got two of Green slate elected, he has moved on temporarily to the the pamphleteer for the NDP. Be warned, his opinions are meant to create an outcome. So, is this editor of the local rag a pamphleteer or a puppeteer?

The "other" blog has just posted an open endorsement for the NDP candidate for MLA for Langley. Councillor Richtor slams Councillor Bateman for his BC Liberal affiliation, but she how now shown her true NDP colours. You will recall that Richter ran under the NDP banner and lost in the past.

Kim Rihcter's NDP Support & Endorsement from the other blog:

The Langley & Provincial Liberal arrogance of their blatant right of entitlement to interfere with our Langley municipal elections on School Board and Langley Township and most recently the blackmail shotgun approach on the Glover overpass is unfathomable and grossly disrespectful of our electorate. We must teach them a lesson that they will long remember. Please Vote to oust Polak and Coleman. Vote Stephany | 03.12.09 - 1:05 pm |

When Will Richter Lash Out?

The Township of Langley budget process is in full swing and staff have tried their best to work with all the revenue numbers, projects to be funded, unfunded, etc. In the first budget meeting Councillor Kim Richter accused staff of trying to promote a tax increase when they prepared various models of the numbers. Apparently Richter hasn't much indepth knowledge of budgets, as this is a normal part of the business budgetting proces.

Cllr. Richter also took opportunity during that same meeting to attack Colin Wright, Manager of Engineering for the Township. Mr. Wright is a well-qualified engineer and he simply stated that the ToL has a tremendous amount of roads and other infrastructure assets that require ongoing maintenance and upgrades to protect these valuable assets. In the past, budget cuts simply postponed this asset management and caused huge problems that required catch up later. Mr. Wright communicated a well-known fact that a response to a crisis costs much more (sometimes 25-50% more) than simply maintaining assets.

Councillor Richter loves to order off the extensive menu, but she always seems to skip out when the bill is coming. One of our editors is doing the research, but we've found that many council colleagues are tired of her promoting various projects and causes, only to vote against the final budget. We fully expect Councillor Kim Richter to vote against this budget. Although it will be packaged as something that it is not, you can be sure her vote will be purely for political reasons and most certainly for self-promotion. 

Mean is Now Green

Several readers have called and also one posted here about the Kim Richter overpass flip-flop.

Yes, you are correct. On November 12, 2008 in an all-candidates meeting, Councillor Richter clearly stated that we cannot be quick to turn away $40M in funding. Before the vote, Richter took a back seat in allowing Green to have a roid rage, accusing the council of bowing to provincial government pressure, being held hostage over the $40M, etc.

It was also interesting to see that despite the local media saying that it is council who are still fighting the last election. Just hearing Green's prepared statement read to the smaller love fest group the meeting will make it clear to everyone that this rookie mayor is still fighting the last election. It was a mean-spirited statement from this mayor. But Bucky and the crew just continue to love him all over!

We also received many calls and comments about a certain "blog editor" that we have chosen not to publish here. Members of the general public watched his videos of the overpass discussion and vote and many people called him a "creep" for zooming in his camera several times on Councillor Jordan Bateman as Mayor Green was speaking. "Creep" was the kinder of the comments received and others talked about his "stalker" activities over the years, which included the hiring of a private eye to conduct surveillance on Bateman. One person talked in more detail terms about what kind of "sicko" would hire someone to tail the father of two young girls. You can see the stalker's voyeur cam you know where. Lots of people laughed at his apparent lack of camera skills with the zoom clicks and out of focus shots.

Reason 487 Why Kim Richter Is Not ToL Mayor Material

The Mufford/64th Overpass vote on Monday shows us another clear reason why Councillor Kim Richter is not mayor material and would only hold back the Township of Langley.

Cllr. Richter lives in central Langley and is completely out of touch with our urban Langley. There is a balance in our community, but the fact is that the majority of our population lives within the urban 20% of our Township. Richter is completely out of touch with urban Langley and makes decisions as though she despises or resents urban Langley for even being part of the ToL.  

Not long ago, Councillor Richter suggested that due to the number of accidents on 200th Street, speed limits should be reduced. One has to wonder with comments like that, just how many times per year Cllr. Richter even travels along 200th Street. Maybe 2-3 times per year? Had Richter travelled on 200th Street she would know very well that with the sheer amount of traffic on 200th, probability alone would say there would be more accidents! Reducing speed limits is also a very foolish suggestion, as traffic often moves at or below the speed limit much of the day due to volume, unless you are talking about 2am. 

Councillor Kim Richter - Just not Township mayoral material. More reasons to come!

Crazy Council Meeting

This council meeting certainly matches the ToL circus!

Sore Losers Lie About Overpass

Councillor Kim Richter's blog has pulled out all the stops and outright lies about the new overpass and any cost overruns.  Richter's blog says:

"Translink VP Sheri Plewes answers Clr. Kim Richter confirming that all land purchase overpass cost overruns will be the major responsibility of Langley Township!"

Well, reporter Matthew Claxton and others present, must have been at a different meeting than Councillor Richter and her cohorts, as Claxton says in today's Langley Advance:

"Richter asked about cost overruns and who will pay for them, if there are any. Plewes said initially that cost overruns would be taken on by the Township, but later said some could be shared with the province, as well."

Once again the Green/Richter slate blog tells you what they want you to hear and ignores the facts. We should also note that Councillor Richter must be confused, as over the past few months she has been saying that large construction projects should wait, as with this economy they will only get cheaper. Why then would there be any cost overruns?

Our Construction Expert Editor says that currently vendors are quoting 10%-15% lower than our pre-economic meltdown rates. Our expert also points out that as the Township will control the tendering process, the ToL could reduce scope of work or adjust specifications to achieve cost containment. Would you like to build this much-needed overpass during a time such as this, or 20 years from now when the costs will be so much more? The Green/Richter slate just don't get it.

Monday's ToL Council Meetings

Meetings of Interest This Week:

Monday, March 9, 2009

Special Council Meeting

Fraser River Presentation Theatre - 3:00pm - 5:30pm

Public Hearing

Fraser River Presentation Theatre - 7:00pm - ?

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Special Council Budget Meeting

Fraser River Presentation Theatre - 3:15pm - 5:15pm

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Special Council Budget Meeting

Fraser River Presentation Theatre - 3:15pm - 5:15pm

Monday, March 9, 2009 

Township of Langley Council - Reports & Documentation

Special Council Meeting - 3:00pm - 5:30pm

Council votes at 3:00pm to go into a Special Closed meeting. Following the Special Closed, council returns to deal with the rest of the agenda. Sometimes this is at 3:30pm and sometimes not until 4:00pm. It depends on how much in-camera time is required. The meeting must end by 5:30pm. Click words below to access official ToL documents.

Agenda

Minutes of Last Special Meeting

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Special Meeting of ToL Council - Public Hearing - 7:00pm until ?

During this public hearing, council will listen to proponents of various developments and members of the public that have submissions on these proposals. No decisions are made at this Public Hearing and council does not ask questions, they simply listen to public input.Click words below to access official ToL documents.

Agenda

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