Vital to engage the electorate

Dear editor: This is the final letter in a series of six that poses questions to promote frank discussion and that will hopefully help everyone make informed decisions.

One of the most important functions of a councillor is to make decisions that are consistent with the views of the electorate.

There are far more creative ways to engage the electorate than simply asking for their views on issues, using alternative approval processes for new initiatives like the $250,000 annual tax bill that goes to the RDOS and there’s nothing in return. Here are the final three questions: 16. What changes should be made to the committees of citizens that assist council in making decisions? Should there be term limits of members?

In fairness staff did hire a consultant but they came out with really vanilla “solutions.” What’s really needed are a budget committee of citizens that help plan, a finance committee that monitors spending, an outreach committee that helps set municipal objectives based on citizen needs, etc.

17. What will councillors do to reach out and keep in touch with the broadest segment as possible for the community?

In my experience, once councillors are elected they forget who their bosses are. Instead they develop relationships with staff that bring them recommendations that are many times at odds with the OCP and other policies. The current CAO and the engagement consultant have done far more than any Councillor, except perhaps Helena Konanz, who met with me on three occasions to listen to concerns. As for the rest, email requests have virtually always been ignored.

18. How will you support the priorities of the people that elect you to council — will you just be a voice for a business group, sports group, specific group of land owners and so on?

Hopefully the foregoing letters have helped to answer this. Instead of, “Let’s elect Bob!” everyone needs to get the best possible mayor and councillor that’ll put their own interests aside and focus on what’s good for the community.

Frank, open and honest discussion is needed. Wayne Llewellyn Penticton said 63 per cent of residents favoured that as among the solutions to ease costs for residents.

Some people also may not remember, but in 2013 a staff report went to council asking for support to develop a cost-sharing arrangement on the recreation centre. That was approved and between 2014 and 2018, nothing has happened.

Except of course the introduction of a new environmental property tax where approximately $250,000 annually is sent to the RDOS and not one thin dime has come back to the city of Penticton for a single project.

It’s reported that approximately 20 per cent of the users of the recreation centre alone are non-resident, and that will only increase with any new development outside of city limits.

We need councillors that are willing to find new solutions for cost sharing, partnerships, as many other communities have done by cost sharing relationships with regional districts.

Examples of that would include Campbell River (arena funding shared with regional district Area D); North Cowichan (arena funding shared with City of Duncan) and Area E (Langford arena funded through a recreation commission of six municipalities); and Vernon (the new Kal Tire Arena shared with Coldstream and Areas B and C).

The “same old, same old” of the past is not going to move us forward.

Should you question potential councillors positions on any issues, why not pick up the phone and get more information? I am sure that any one of the candidates would be pleased to talk to you. Ed Coughman Penticton Or that this family of drugs is being studied now; and seem to give some relief of pain, some types of seizures, migraines and mental conditions?

Marijuana is being made available to the public in October, with the sure knowledge that it will give a high, and incidentally, a tidy profit for those who grow, refine and sell it.

Time, and sufficient long term medical research free from commercial pressures, will find out its true medical benefits; as well as its side effects and dangers.

We already know of its impairment of driving ability and judgement. Early studies warn of ill effects on young brains. Smoking is smoking; and we know how damaging long term cigarette smoking can be to the lungs and upper respiratory tract; and to those who have to suffer the effects of second hand smoke.

My advice: “wait and see, and “better safe than sorry”. Hold off use for a couple of years, at least.

The only solace comes from the fact that there are no “direct” overdose deaths from marijuana: in contrast to the deadly opioids. Severe reactions from withdrawal do not seem to occur.

Maybe it will reduce the rate of dependence on alcohol, or addictions to opioids. Maybe it won’t be a long term killer. Brad Houston

Penticton gall to advise the peasants that if he had won a seat in the legislature he would still have remained on council because he was quite capable of easily doing both jobs

And the mayor in a recent interview said he was troubled by all the negative personal comments made towards him.

If you were upset at comments made towards you, can you imagine how all the peasants felt as we stood down in the street outside your office in the hundreds as you gave away the farm (Skaha Park) , a deal that was 30 years long, a deal that sent shock waves through the community, a deal to the three wise men of Trio Marine Group Kelowna fame, a deal that would see the people of Penticton suing their own council!, a deal that would later cost the peasants a blistering $200,000 to get out of.

P.S. Here’s a thought for you voters to chew the fat over. Imagine if you will a successful election that results in Jakubeit being elected as mayor in Penticton and Tom Dyas (of Trio Marine fame) in Kelowna. Oh, what a tangled web we weave. Don Smithyman

Oliver