Mayor Down to Last Three Friends

Apparently Mayor Rick Green is down to his last three friends as VALTAC ignores parliamentary protocol and the Community Charter and blindly defends the mayor's actions at the ALC. You will recall that VALTAC once purported to endorse a return of the old Interurban passenger rail line, one that cuts through mostly agricultural lands and does not serve areas of regional density and development.

Over the past year, it is clear that VALTAC's clear motivation is to promote a family legacy at Mufford Crescent. VALTAC chairperson Lee Lockwood and members Roy Mufford and Jacob de Raadt accompanied the mayor to the ALC and now claim that the mayor represented himself as you can read here.

The mayor's presentation is clear and the ALC does not grant audiences or receive delegations from ordinary residents. Mr. Lockwood ignores the CLEAR fact that Mayor Green used his position as mayor to get the meeting with the ALC. In his own submission he admits to contacting the ALC when he was just Mayor-Elect to try and bully them. Former Mayor Kurt Alberts had not even vacated the seat when Green and his last remaining friends tried to get their own way and ignore the wishes of the majority of Township residents.

Shame on VALTAC for receiving taxpayer money (ToL Community Grant) and use of Township facilities and other ToL resources to fight the democratic will of a democratically-elected Council.

Should Township Council Censure Mayor Green?

Since first posting this story the Editorial Board has been bombarded with suggestions that Township Council should teach this mayor a BIG lesson and CENSURE him. As you can see from this Wikipedia article, Mayor Rick Green has certainly done enough to earn himself a censure.

ToL Council is wise and perhaps they are already seeking their very own legal opinions as to whether to take action against this loose canon? Are they? Should they? Could this be in the works?

Censure will certainly KILL any working relationship between this mayor and council, even if it is well-deserved. What would the bully do about that?

Note this from the Wikipedia article and tell us if this sounds like Mayor Rick Green's recent actions to you:

"(6) he disobeys the assembly's will and substitutes his own"

Township Big Gun Lawyers Set To Bully On Behalf Of Mayor?

The Editorial Board of The Langley Record recently discovered that last Friday the law firm that represents the Township of Langley (BULL HOUSER & TUPPER) accessed The Langley Record six times. You can see the firm's name in the upper left corner of the image above. It is now clear that someone at Langley Township hall asked for a legal opinion on The Langley Record, and swiftly.

Is this yet another bullying attempt by this mayor that has very thin skin? A mayor that ran on a platform of "openess and accountability"? Clearly this was mearly election rhetoric with the bullying tactics and his frequent crushing of democratic process.

More importantly, if Mayor Green was really and truly representing HIMSELF as a private citizen only, then why is he spending very costly Township resources like BULL HOUSER & TUPPER and not his very own private lawyer, supporter, insider, and appointee? Apprently even the mayor doesn't believe he was acting as a private citizen.

Mayor and The Milner Greens Form Secret Committee to Fight ToL Council

Delving deeper into Mayor Rick Green's submission to the ALC is proving to be very interesting. Take this one entitled, "REQUEST TO THE AGRICULTURAL LAND COMMISSION" once again:

"Our committee on behalf of our community urges the ALC to consider all our arguments..."

What committee is this? We checked the membership list of the Milner Community Association and Mayor Rick Green appears nowhere on it. So, it now appears that a secret committee was formed by the mayor to fight the will of Township Council. You may also recall that Mayor Rick Green decided to hold his first two "Mayor's Meetings" at the Milner Community Chapel Hall coincidentally before and after the 64th Avenue overpass.

Township funds paid for two costly ads in both The Langley Times and The Langley Advance. These ads wasted space by running a large old photo of Mayor Green (yes, that one which looks nothing like him but he orders all to use). Apparently this costly advertising paid with taxpayer dollars was to promote a secret committee comprised of Mayor Rick Green and some loyal supports. Should the mayor be paying us back for these costly ads out of his personal pocket? We think so!

Did Mayor Green use Township meeting rooms and staff time with this secret committee to fight Council? Take a good look at the documents we posted in our first article on the mayor's submission to the ALC. Minus the Township letterhead (with the mayor's old photo on it again), you can see the letter follows the same format used on official Township letters. Indeed, the very first slide with photos are clearly photographs used on the large screens in Council meetings and in official Township publications. Did Mayor Green get written permission from the copyright holders to use these photographs for his secret committee work?

Is the Mayor of the Township of Langley legally allowed to form a secret committee to act behind the backs of a properly elected Council, with the chief aim of this committee to overthrow the will of said Council? We think Mayor Green needs to put the big ego aside and address these issues and promptly issue a reimbursement of costs to the taxpayers and PRONTO.

During our research we found this gem from Councillor Kim Richter's blog dated February 10, 2006. We gather that the Milner Community, led by the Milner Greens warmed her little heart and caused her to change her opinion of Milner?

"You know that neat looking little church on Glover in Milner? Well, you better. Your Township Council on Page 3 agreed to spend your tax dollars to the tune of $132,000. Add this to the previous $400,000 given to the Milner Community Association and you now have invested well over half a million dollars for a heritage building. Good or bad investment? You decide."

-- Councillor Kim Richter's Blog

Should Township Staff Sue Mayor Green?

Anyone following Langley Township politics knows that Mayor Green has blasted ToL staff many times on many issues. A professional staff with impeccable credentials such things as engineering, municipal administration and finance. Yet, The Grocer That Couldn't knows more than all of these professionals. Or is it the Milner Greens? Those insiders that have convinced the grocer they know more than Township staff?

Throughout his submission to the ALC, Mayor Green accuses staff and funding partners of "Biased and misleading statements." He quotes over and over the biased opinions of men long past their prime who graduated from engineering programs that are now part of ancient history. But when you are getting up there in age yourself, you can't possibly listen to the younger folk or learn anything from then now can you?

There are many others, but here is a real damning quote against ToL staff, directly from Mayor Green's submission to the ALC entitled, REQUEST TO THE AGRICULTURAL LAND COMMISSION:

"This proposal was poorly contrived; planned and designed in-house with a veiled public consultation process to meet the legal minimums and deniable application made to the ALC."

-- W.R. Rick Green, Mayor of the Township of Langley

Stay tuned Tuesday as we tell you how Mayor Rick Green formed a secret committee with the Milner Greens to fight the will of Township Council and very possibly used Township staff and resources to serve this secret committee.

News Flash - Mayor's Office Pimped Out Like A Cheap Whore

BREAKING NEWS
UPDATE # 1 - SEPTEMBER 4, 2009
Some of our regular readers contacted several of our editors with information that will enhance this article and provide more factual information. We have now revised this piece with those items in mind. Since our story broke, one local newspaper - The Langley Advance had the guts to public this Opinion on "Green's Farmgate Fiasco". We know the hands of the other editor are all tied up. Certainly if any facts were to be published there, a call from the mayor would see that information removed pronto! But enjoy the Langley Advance - one local newspaper with some balls. --The Ed

As (now one) local newspaper cowers to the demands of Mayor Rick Green, the Langley Record stands alone as your first and fresh source for the real news behind the news. The Langley Record has now obtained a copy of a presentation used by Mayor Rick Green and his insiders during a recent delegation to the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC). Despite the spin campaign launched by Mayor Green today, as you can see from the documents presented here, Green DID CERTAINLY present himself to the ALC as the Mayor of the Township of Langley, despite his disclaimers and back-peddling. He used the office of the mayor once again to try to bully the ALC into submission and attempted to add credibility to the ramblings of his band of malcontents. Several who actually live in South Surrey and Whiterock.

As you see from the document's time lines (insert below - click to enlarge), then Mayor-Elect Green started to bully the ALC ahead of even taking the Oath of Office. Word is that he threatened to overthrow any ALC decision once officially sworn in, if they did not put an end to the overpass project.

The problem here has nothing to do with the overpass. It's all about Green taking an oath as mayor to carry out "The Will of Council". Although councillors can run around making such presentations, Mayor Green did swear to uphold the Will of Council. His e-mail to Council (here) clearly shows a mayor that has not read or fails to understand the Community Charter. You will recall that with the overpass, Green asked Council to vote twice as he and his cronies humiliated and brow-beat them.

This ALC matter is yet another example of Green's hypocrisy. This guy flapped his jaw often about "open and accountable government" before and after his campaign. But clearly Mayor Green has stepped way over the line of any professionalism, as he pimped out the Office of the Mayor of the Township of Langley like a cheap whore. Where was the openness and accountability here? There is NO evidence of this ALC presentation anywhere in Green's nauseating and cry baby Mayor's Reports.

Mayor Green definitely trampled on his Oath of Office and the Community Charter. He presented to the ALC a position that was plainly against the Will of Township Council. We have it on very good sources that even Councillor Mel Kositsky (who voted against the overpass) is now agreeing with the opposition to voice concern over Mayor Green's despicable actions. Kositsky is a student of parliamentary process and has scolded and instructed the mayor several times during this term. Kositsky must know that Green has really crossed the line big time, and it appears that he (Kositsky) is about to put his foot down. This mayor cannot be trusted.

Why won't Langley's publicity engine rag newspaper tell you the facts? Why do they continue to print Green's spin? You saw it here first folks. Read it for yourself. How disgraceful!

PLEASE note that Councillor Kim Richter is very silent on this issue. Wasn't Richter another vocal supporter of open and accountable Township government? You will recall that Richter supported Green on the overpass issue. Has her slate politics clouded her judgement in remaining silent on this lack of transparency and disclosure? This lack of trust Council now must have with this mayor? Richter now appears to be turning her back on all the moral and ethical rhetoric that she has wasted soo much Council time with. Shame on you Kim Richter for being complacent and sitting back while allowing dirty politics to be played out right under your nose!

See Mayor Green's full presentation (click here)

Some Balls From The Langley Advance - September 4, 2009

Some Luke-Warm Shite From The Langley Times (click to view):
September 1, 2009

September 3, 2009 (TODAY) - Note that NO members of Township Council were interviewed for this story. ONLY Mayor Green. WHY is that?

So Green represented himself to the ALC as a private citizen and did not use his office as mayor? We say BULLSHIT. It really doesn't matter, because either way - Green violated his Oath of Office and here is the proof from Mayor Green's very own ALC presentation given on July 27, 2009 (click to enlarge) that we are sure he didn't want you to see:


Is "Rick Green's Township" the Langley that you want? Taking care of friends, making a cheap whore out of the Office of the Mayor, mistreating staff and bullying a democratically elected Council. What a disgracing for the Office of the Mayor. This is Mayor Rick Green's vision for the Township of Langley. All as one local rag sits idle and spins Rick Green's bullshit.

Stay tuned all this week as The Langley Record presents you with more factual proof of Mayor Green's unrepentant smoke screens, bullying and strong-arm tactics. If one closed their eyes you could quickly picture a Third World dictator.

Action Continues This Monday - ToL Council Meeting

With summer break behind us, Township of Langley Council reconvenes this Monday, August 31, 2009. The Township made life easy on us by compiling each agenda with the supporting materials. So now you can look or download at a single document!


Special ToL Council Meeting - August 31, 2009 from 3:00pm - 5:30pm
Special Council packet click here



Regular ToL Council Meeting - August 31, 2009 from 7:00pm - 11:00pm
Regular Council packet click here

Several land and development discussions in this meeting. Let's see if the mayor's friend and insiders will trump the overall good of the people of the Township of Langley. One long-time Langley resident commented to our Editorial Board, "When I hear about Green I see red".

We are happy to note that 10,686 people have now read our documents on SCRIBD and there have been 79 individual downloads of our ToL Council documents!

Breaking News!

VERY informed sources tell the Langley Record that the much talked about $86,000 needed to fund the Langley Senior's Outreach may not be totally accurate. The local media has been reporting that this $86 Grand is needed for senior's outreach and seniors are precious to us all (or should be). But now we learn that a sizeable portion of these funds pay the salaries of paid workers to help "organize volunteers".

Why Isn't the local press reporting these facts to the public so everyone can make an informed decision? Are the local newspapers just looking to pin back the ears of the Liberal MLAs in Langley and make them feel some heat?

The Langley Record has been told that MLA's Rich Coleman and Mary Polak have extended the help of their office to assist with volunteer organizing and TransLink was contacted by the same MLA's. Word is that TransLink is offering HandiDart service to also come to the aid of these seniors.

In the upcoming Township Council Meeting on Monday, August 31st it will be very interesting to see if Mayor Rick Green proposes that Council write a cheque from a budget that he voted against, in order to fund a program where roughly 75% of the participants are from the City of Langley. Will Green's Mayor's Report serve up the usual grand-standing manure, complete with attacks on the MLA's, the Fraser Health Authority and others? Green loves to spout off in these reports, but one week later he will probably sneak into MLA Rich Coleman's BBQ for some free chicken and a chance to appear to be endorsed by Coleman. But word on the street is that after Green's show boating at the senior's meeting, Coleman has little use for Green and Green is likely to get a cold welcome if he dials for tickets to the BBQ as he did in 2008.

Perhaps Green can skip the BBQ this year and join his Socred hero, former BC premier Bill Vander Zalm in a hugg-in with the NDP and Carol James over the HST? Not a far stretch as Mayor Green gave a a local NDP provincial candidate the floor in a Township Council Meeting as many of Green's supporters worked hard to elect that Champagne Socialist who lost by a wide margin. Come hell or high water, Mayor Green is very likely to keep shooting blanks for another 2 years until some fresh blood replaces this aging dinosaur that has his own views of reality.

Mayor Green Shoots Blanks at Seniors Meeting

By Special Features Editor Inda Know

Let it be known that our seniors are the pioneers of our community. They laid the foundation for today's society and deserve our respect and support. At a rally hosted at the newly renovated Langley Seniors Centre on Saturday, the two local mayors spoke. Mayor Fassbender stated that he will see what his council is able to do. This is a novel concept - a Mayor working with his Council to solve an obviously serious community issue.

On the other hand, Rick Green the Mayor of the Township (who campaigned on a 0/0/0% tax increase over 3 years), stated; "to suggest that services to carry out outreach programs are available elsewhere in the community "is, quite frankly, insulting to the intelligence."
However, calling Outreach "an absolutely priceless" program, Green pledged that "one way or another, come hell or high water, this program will not be cut."

So the hypocrisy continues. Green promises the electorate a 0% tax increase which would have set the Township back years and used up all the surplus in short order. Now he vows to keep this outreach program running. From what, a budget that Mayor Green voted against and called unnecessary? Our seniors would have be paralyzed by a 0% tax increase as promised, and even as surely with Green's face-saving .93% tax increase that he and his cronies proposed in the third hour. The manure Mayor Green spoke about in the election would have certainly resulted in across the board hikes in such things as user fees for Township facilities and amenities. I am very certain that all preventative maintenance and upkeep of valuable Township assets would have ceased and deterioration of these assets was a done deal. Facilities would have suffered dramatically as well, all of which are well used by our seniors as part of their outreach programs. So where is the money coming from to cover the $86,000 shortfall? It is common knowledge that Rick Green does not work well with his Council as evidenced at weekly Council meetings and in public appearances with other Council members.

So, what is the solution Mr. Green? It is just like the election all over again - promising the world and not being able to deliver. Wasn't the Langley Airport to produce $1M more per year for the Township of Langley under a Green mayoralty? Wasn't there all kinds of fat and waste that Green's "Budget Bunnies" were to uncover with their 12+ week detailed examination of ToL financial records? The same Budget Bunnies that claimed the Township could save boat loads of money by collecting trash bi-weekly instead of weekly and eliminating laptop computers and Blackberries? If it were not for the diligence of a few Councillors who voted for a fair tax increase to allow this community to continue to provide services and infrastructure, this mayor would have no money to spend on anything.

But now Green attacks FHA executives (a familiar tactic of Green) and spouts off like a loose canon, promises single-handedly to solve this issue without working with the eight other elected Council members.

As a taxpayer, I want to know how Mr. Green intends to live up to his promise to our valued seniors that, "this program will not be cut." I hope our seniors are not waiting for a quick fix from this mayor - it just won't happen with his present Lone Ranger Mayor and his gun-slinging approach to governance. Clearly promises that have more bluster than luster.

Grant Ward Strong As An Ox

Grant Ward - There's No Keeping Him Down

About one week ago three term Township Councillor Grant Ward received a knee replacement at Langley Memorial Hospital. We heard that within 24 hours of the surgery he was spotted out and about around LMH and within two days the man went home under own power. Good on your Grant and our best wishes are with you as you heal and keep all those around you on the go chasing you down. 

We have it on good sources that only days before this surgery Councillor Ward peddled some 26 miles or so on his bicycle!  We also heard sadly that Mayor Rick Green did not reach out to Councillor Ward whatsoever to check on the Councillor's progress or extend any offers of assistance to his family. 

It is very common knowledge that Green had lashed out at Ward during the 2008 campaign regarding airport lease rates and a letter that Ward had published in the local newspapers that spelled the facts out for then candidate Green. 

Of course we all know that an expert report to council just two months or so, confirming that indeed the Township has been receiving more than adequate compensation on airport leases. In fact, the Langley Airport has done better than many other airports of its size.  One would think that certainly after the election, or even with this release of this report, Mayor Green would have reached out to Councillor Ward and extended an olive branch instead of giving him the cold shoulder around the ToL unless forced to acknowledge Grant Ward at public events, as Councillor Ward is a very active man in our community and participates in numerous events here. Keep mending Grant and keep speaking your mind. Many of us respect you for that keen honesty.  

Plugging Away

Some editors go fishing, but others apply some hard work and effort to the task at hand. The Editorial Board of the Langley Record has been approached by some seasoned journalists who see some great community value in the Langley Record and are interested in possibly acquiring us. Their many ventures are interesting ones and they have found a way to make a profit to boot!  We'll keep you posted as this develops and we can tell you that if talks solidify into action, The Langley Record will be one great place to read some awesome electronic media and a host of ideas. It would definitely be something that will give the struggling local rags a run for their money and possibly spell disaster for at least one of them.

Gearing Up

Langley Township Council has not met since July 20th as they took their annual summer break. Everyone will be gearing up for Monday, August 31st when ToL Council reconvenes.  There will be a 3:00pm Special Meeting of Council and then the Regular Meeting at 7:00pm. No public hearings are noted on the calendar. 

Of course the Langley Record will have all the agendas and reports for you to easily access right here and we will give you the straight scoop on the messy Green poop for sure. 

Possible Conflict - Township To Suffer

No Township Council meetings for a few weeks due to summer vacation. It was an interesting meeting of council last time around.

Our council watchers report some strange comments coming from Mayor Rick Green. It all started with the delegation that went on forever, as Vancouver-based developers ignored the Township's Sustainability Charter and the desires of the majority of the citizens of Langley Township. Staff have worked for many years to make the Sustainability Charter a reality. There was SIGNIFICANT public participation and residents supported the work.

Mayor Green hails from the food and supermarket industry. He believes that a 5,000 sq. ft. supermarket is not large enough. He wants 15,000 sq. ft. minimum and up to 30,000 sq. ft. if he could get it. The Vancouver-based developers are eying 200th Street in the area of 80th Avenue. The area was to be mixed-use to create an Urban Village. A mix of neighbourhood commercial and residential units. It would all compliment "gasoline alley", where gas stations on every major corner have been allowed to develop.

The end result is that commercial development will now go ahead of residential because these developers cried about the market. It's interesting that right next door to the Township, the City of Langley is approving residential developments and they are selling out (i.e. Paddington Station). Mayor Green reminded all of his 35 years of industry experience and that he still had a "few fingers" in some things. During this meeting, Mayor Green mentioned several times of his meetings with developers, and most especially with the proponents who were present and made delegations. We all know that developers are the largest contributors to most political campaigns. The question is, are Green's fingers in a conflict of interest?

Our council watchers noted that a strong Green supporter who owns land in this area was present and Green had been seen supporting him in local newspaper articles during the campaign. Does Mayor Green have any property interest or shares with this person? One should examine this.

In the end, a deal was made with the devil and commercial development will move forward. Residential and the Urban Village concept will take a back seat and you can thank Mayor Rick Green for the crap that will keep the 200th Street corridor a car-only environment for many, many years to come.

The only champions in this story are Councillors Jordan Bateman, Grant Ward and Kim Richter who opposed this travesty and spoke out and lost out to the motor heads on council who simply don't understand and who allowed Township staff to be slapped in the face. But hey, this is Langley Township under cowboy Rick Green. The very same man that accused former Mayor Kurt Alberts of "top down planning". The same man who allows a steady stream of developers to file through his office. So many insiders and speacial interest groups have come through the mayor's office over the past few months that now a special gate has been installed inside the door to help maintain order and decorum. Prior to this internal gate, those with connections had a "no appointment necessary" deal with the mayor.

Of note, under Mayor Kurt Alberts (and at the urging of Councillor Jordan Bateman) the 200th Street corridor was protected as a transit corridor. But Green and others have seen fit to forget that promise made to the Township. Shame, shame.

Monday Township Council Meetings

This week there will be a Special ToL Council Meeting and a Regular ToL Council Meeting. Both meeting agendas are packed with business ahead of the big summer break. 

It is interesting to note that during the Special afternoon meeting, two developers based in Vancouver are hoping to get Council to agree to move forward with commercial development, ahead of any residential development in the Jericho Sub-Neighbourhood area. Council had voted under Mayor Kurt Alberts to protect 200th Street as a major transit corridor. If commercial development is allowed to take over 200th Street, you can kiss good transit goodbye. Of course this wouldn't impact these developers, as their offices are in Vancouver where transit dollars and transit options are very plentiful. You can also see in the public engagement that some residents in the area fail to understand the value of density development and land use linked to transportation options. Do they like gridlock? When will we learn?

Click on links to access documents below.

Monday, July 20, 2009  

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

Agenda

Minutes of Special ToL Council Meeting - July 6, 2009

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Regular Township Council Meeting - 7:00pm - 11:00pm

Agenda

Minutes of Special ToL Council Meeting - July 6, 2009

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No Township Council Meeting This Week

The Langley Record has learned that both the Special and Regular ToL Council meetings are both canceled for this week. We have no solid reasons why these meetings were axed, but we do have some good clues.

It appears that Township Staff moral is at an all-time low. Mayor Rick Green views his role as a Commander-In-Chief of sorts. During the campaign his criticism of ToL programs and processes could be taken as nothing less than an attack on Township Staff. Once taking office Green questioned staff to a level of distrust, and many times attacked their personal integrity, professionalism and credentials.

Our sources tell us that staff have no idea what issues will trigger a rage and rants from the mayor. It all seems very dependent upon what issues are near and dear to Green campaign workers, and most especially his financial supporters. As ToL staff are very bright people, they've learned that by not issuing reports and promoting new initiatives, the council agenda is kept to a minimum. It also ensures that staff are kept away from any confrontation with the Office of the Chief Cowboy In Residence (Green). Why would intelligent people ever want to stick their necks out with a loose cannon like Green in power?

Mayor Green Does It Again

In a rare Langley Mimes story we see that Mayor Green has once again opened his mouth and inserted his foot. It was written with Al Irwin frankness and with Al's usual well-rounded research. You can be sure that this will all be lacking at The Mimes now that he is gone.

Irwin got a quote from CP and its a dozy. This is similar to last month during the opening of the new Golden Ears Bridge. Although the bridge was built with regional dollars through TransLink and a P3, Green insisted on thanking the two local MLA's for the money for the bridge.

Now we learn in yet another Green effort to grab headlines, he isolated CP Rail and pissed them off, breaking a long-standing cooperation that other like Mayor Peter Fassbender guard carefully. But Green charged ahead and tried to invoke his big puzzle revealed line again. What part of a public lease document is such a secret Mayor Green? We can tell you that you are far from a Sherlock Holmes.

"Mike LoVecchio, a CP spokesperson, said he is surprised Green has not contacted CP on this matter.

“First of all, the agreement is with BC Hydro, not the provincial government.” LoVecchio said that CP has not seen Green’s press release, nor has it heard from the mayor.

“It is fair to say Mayor Green has put a premium on public communication, but that doesn’t apparently include CP."

Wow, how embarrasing is that!

Eli Mina At Township Council

Eli Mina - The ultimate Canadian parliamentarian and walking Robert's Rules of Order, had to have paid an incognito visit to Township of Langley Council. Read the full article here. Some Eli Mina gems that can be directly linked to Township Council:

Mayor Rick Green

Let’s begin with raised voices. Mina says politicians can be prone to raise their voice and sound “very dramatic and emphatic” as they address a crowd or stand in front of a television camera.

The potential damage? “Your colleagues on council may take note that you crave public attention. They may feel insulted and hence tune you out.

The cure? “Consider the Chinese proverb: Strong and harsh words mean a weak cause.”

Councillor Kim Richter

Bad habit number two—sighing and eye rolling. Mina says politicians are guilty of such behaviour when listening to a citizen or fellow politician rant about the same tired argument; in other words, sounding like a broken record.

The potential damage? “Council will look like a group of childish and petty adults who cannot possibly be trusted with the tasks of overseeing large budgets and making significant policy decisions.”

The cure? “Park your ego, biases and impatience at the door and be fully committed to serving the needs of the municipality.” Also look to find “the gems” within “the fluff” of a person’s blather.

Councillor Mel Kositsky

Bad habit number three—rambling and repetition. Mina doesn’t think it’s appropriate for politicians to take up every minute of their allotted speaking time at a meeting just to express a point already made by someone else.

The potential damage? “Rambling and repetition take up precious meeting time and therefore makes less time available for significant issues scheduled later on the agenda.”

The cure? “Don’t feel duty bound to compete with your time hogging colleagues. Just state your point and stop.”

Thank you Eli!

Lots of Hypocrisy At The Mimes

Journalism hit an all-time low this week when Langley Times Editor Frank Bucholtz who this opinion piece on municipal taxes for their sister paper, The Surrey North Delta Leader. We now refer to The Langley Times as The Langley Mimes because it is common knowledge that Bucky (Frank Bucholtz) supported Rick Green in his run for mayor and threw former Mayor Kurt Alberts under the bus in the final days of the campaign by telling people in another opinion piece that Township residents should watch the tax inssue (interesting enough). Now he allows Green to call The Mimes to censor them, or to complain about content or a lack of coverage. Green does so frequently, and has boasted about it in public often.

Did Bucky forget this Mimes opinion piece he wrote just a short time ago? He had to admit that his buddy Rick Green was unrealistic with his 0-0-0 tax increases, but what about the value we get for our tax dollars here in the Township of Langley? Does Delta and Surrey provide more? We sincerely doubt that. Here's another gem where the good editor asks ToL Council to spend. A great cause for sure, but you can't have it both ways Bucky! But, Editor Bucholtz MUST stick up for his buddy Green and it is clearly evident right here, in our opinion. See for yourself with these links we've provided. 

Monday Township Council Meetings

On Monday, July 6, 2009, Township of Langley Council will meet for a Special Meeting and a Regular Meeting. Unfortunately the ToL did not release the agenda and reports for the Special Meeting. The agenda and information for the Regular Meeting of Council can be found here. The agenda is light and will probably result in a short meeting.

Monday, July 6, 2009 - 3:00pm - 5:30pm

Special Township Council Meeting 

(no agenda or reports available)

7:00pm - 10:00pm (?)

Regular Township Council Meeting

Minutes from June 22, 2009 Regular Meeting of Council

Agenda for July 6th Meeting

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Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

Like the old song says, 

"They say that breaking up is hard to do. Now I know, I know that this is true."

It is very interesting to note that Mayor Rick Green has possibly seen the light with regards to his council soulmate, Councillor Kim Richter. Green smartly did not second any of Richter's crazy motions at the last meeting, not even for discussion, as he has done often in the past. Richter was seen getting chummy again with Councillor Bob Long. Long did second some of Richter's motions or at least verbally agreed with her on many issues discussed at the last meeting of Township Council. 

We have witnessed Richter's cozying up to Long in the past, and Long resosponded with a season of accommodating Richter. That is until she stabbed him in the back, as she often does. You can count on an upcoming Richter family outing to one of Bob Long's restaurants soon, and that glowing photo essay by you know who very soon. Those two know how to get to Councillor Bob Long, but hopefully Long will remember who he is dealing with this time around.  

There is some very evident turmoil in the Green/Richter Slate toy box that could be severe and long-lasting. Richter's permanent smile has been replaced by a distant look of unhappiness. She lunged at Green's throat when the mayor recently inadvertently did not see Richter's light on in the speaker's queue. It seems that Richter's political strategy with Green has gone sideways, just as it has with Bateman, Ward and many others in the past. This is possibly due to political advice received from you know who, who does not have a clue?

Perhaps the permanent smile has now vanished because Kim Richter has come to realize that her star in the council chamber's has reached its zenith. Political baggage, age and a record of non-accomplishment has gotten the best of Richter these days. If pressed hard in an all-candidates debate, Richter cannot point to one major initiative she can legitimately take any credit for. Lately it appears that her council packet arrives on a Thursday like everyone else' and goes unopened until the council meeting has started. It is now very evident to all that she is reading her council packet as the meeting continues. Her questions sometimes result in another council member pointing out the obvious answer from the council packet. 

Our advice to Councillor Kim Richter is for her to focus on her work as an educator. She was recently appointed to Kwantlen Polytechnic University's Board of Governors and it seems to us to be Richter's true calling. One cannot serve two masters without your star burning up in a wild frenzy of self-destruction. It is very fitting as if one looks up the definition of the word "governess", you find that a governess is one employed to teach children and it's origins are "female ruler". We believe that in the educations arena, Kim Richter makes a fine female ruler. She fails the grade in the political world however. 

More Reasons Why Kim Richter Cannot Be Mayor

Reason 529 - 538   why Township of Langley Councillor Kim Richter cannot be mayor:

At the last meeting of Township Council the Langley Record has now learned that Councillor Kim Richter attached several groups of people in the Township. In reviewing the official file of the meeting, we have found that Richter is:

• Against helping sick people 
• Against helping old people
• Against helping anyone who works in the hospital taking care of sick people
• Against helping anyone working in a society taking care of old people
• Against the Langley Events Centre, Aldergrove pool and other recreation facilities
• Against proper planning for road maintenance
• Against reducing liquor seats in Langley Meadows
• Against reducing liquor service hours in Langley Meadows
• Against moving fast to connect people to sewer
• Against moving fast to protect the Salmon River from failing septic fields overflowing a few feet from its banks

It is also now very apparent to our Editorial Board that Kim Richter can’t work with anyone. Not her one time slate mates Rick Green or Grant Ward, not Kurt Alberts or Howie Vickberg, not Jordan Bateman or Charlie Fox, not Muriel Arnason or Penny Kirkpatrick, not Dan Sheel or Steve Ferguson, not anyone. 

Not even the fulltime fire fighters she claimed to support but voted not to fund and tried to stab in the back in the first month of the term. She couldn't work with John Scholtens, who froze taxes for six years. She kept fighting him with nasty letters and personal attacks. Maybe the problem is not the rest of the world. Maybe the problem is Kim Richter?

Happy Canada Day!

Although many politicians will be out kissing babies on Canada Day, we thought we would take a break from politics and wish you a very Happy Canada Day. As you enjoy our nation's big birthday celebrations and time with your family, take time out to wave some flags and remember all those great Canadians that protected our freedoms and made this great country what it is. 

Stay tuned the remainder of this week for more Langley-centered political details and some interesting commentary on our local political scene, based on some very recent Township events.