NATURE

Sea, land, river

PEOPLES

Community

For earlier materials see Table of Contents

March 20^th

High pressure area in S Pacific still ‘controlling’ North Coast weather systems—a small front will cross QCIs this afternoon

Issue: Free Swim Passes to 1^st Responders ----

	Transparency AND accountability
	Background: Recently their was a 5% increase in swimming fees at local pool, then word leaked out that City giving free passes to 1^st responders – numbers varied from 35 to 7--- the director cleared this up by distinguishing between passes ‘offered’ and passes ‘activated’ (accepted? Used?)
Note the Cost increases to public went through a public meeting and the appropriate By-law passed (dates) ---- there were emails implying Council discussed giving RCMP etc free passes ‘in-camera’ – but no decision made The ‘discussion’ then moved to how many free passes given out – Mayor Pond was quoted in PRDN as saying only 7 ‘used’

Why were free passes given out?

Originally we were hearing that this was to counter ‘Vandalism’ at civic center

Implication was ‘safer’ if more cops etc around –plus increased staff ‘safety’ and less staff time needed ‘policing’ premises, etc

Subsequently the rationale became City’s obligation to keep staff fit (seen as a ‘job requirement)

Another dimension: should City compete with private business?

Local business owners Richard Lutz asked council for its intentions—had previously been promised City would not compete with local Gyms by providing (free, subsidized) full facility exercise equipment, trainers etc at Civic Center. Lutz was promised a response – presumably discussion and response all done in-camera

Below is the rumoured ‘full fitness center’ which will be funded by 2010 Olympic grants – and PR tax payers

Key Issue – Accountability

Secrecy & in-camera meetings is the way this council ‘works’

Local government must not only be transparent – but it must be accountable

Whatever the merits of giving free passes to 1^st Responders while increasing fees to Seniors etc by 5% ---- the latter was done in an open, public Council meeting, the former was done--- who knows where or by whom – and that is basically undemocratic (and contrary to Community Charter)

Whoever made the actual decision (the Administrator, the Recreation Director, Council in a secret meeting) ultimately it is Council who are ‘responsible’ --- and should justify it to public in an open meeting

An Aside: -- that is how things work around here --- remember the 5.1M$ ‘logic error’ in last years budget?

For me that is because Council (and staff) were flying on ‘automatic pilot’
thus no one noticed a 20% error ---

Who is in charge here??

We have an absentee Mayor who travels around BC, Canada, AK – presumably ‘selling’ Rupert to power brokers -- a mayor who bragged during a council meeting how under his ‘guidance’ the City had become ‘business friendly’ (code words for getting rid of bothersome staff like Tom Ireland, building inspectors, SQCRD administrators, etc) bothersome people who saw enforcing statutes, regulations etc equally for all as a given rather than a ‘tool’ to be used infrequently and as needed

Under this thesis then

We have an administrator who is not interfering with business, staff etc
We have a Council who feels most at ease doing the real business of the City ‘in Camera’
Staff that fills the vacuum by making their own decisions (Free 1^st Responders passes here – but more later)

Elections are about holding people accountable – and this is an election year

Created by LG on Feb 1, 2006

Last updated on Thursday, March 20, 2008