Friday, December 21, 2007

LFP's Take On Water Meters and Quacking Ducks

How ludicrous are Councillor Charlie Fox's statements in Wednesday's Langley Times? Fox was quoted to say: "he didn’t know where the idea came from that the water meters have been considered" and he even further put his foot in his mouth when he also said: "he has never voted for water metering, and has never had the opportunity to say what his stand on the matter is". Sad isn't it? And we had such great hopes for Charlie when he was first elected too!

So Charlie and LFP readers let's refresh the facts as they really are and as they occurred.

As Cllr. Kim Richter was quoted in the same article: “If it looks like a duck and walks like a duck, it probably is a duck”. Charlie, you were an observer to the task force on the draft Water Management plan development and worse still you voted to send the draft water management plan to the two public open houses with, in my opinion, obviously the full intent to comply with the ministerial order to essentially rubber stamp the report for the Minister prior to December 31st 2007 in compliance with the time lines set out for the final report submission by the Minister.

Charlie, why did you not question it before sending it to the public? Charlie, the water meter implementation in the report that calls for installation for EVERYBODY in Langley including every private well was a "core recommendation" in the water plan that you sent to two public open houses without any discussion at all on it! How could you and his Eminence, Mayor Alberts, ever have sent this piece of vague slop to the public in its present format without any discussion whatsoever? You Sir, did have the opportunity to question it! In fact the water meter requirement was the only item that was NOT vague, except for the part of who was to pay for it! You did not even ask that question Charlie, before sending it to the two open houses!

Did you even listen at the meetings you attended? Correction Charlie, you did have an opportunity to give your opinions on the water meter core recommendation in the water plan that YOU voted to OK and send to the two public open houses. Did you even read the final draft water management report? Charlie, face it, Richter is right, it is a duck! Are your comments now intended to be a duck as well?

Readers, let's be clear about it. If Cllr. Richter had not rung the alarm bells on this issue, the attendance at the two open houses on the water management plan would have gone unnoticed and this current Mayor Alberts' majority slate on Township council would have simply rubber stamped the report and sent it back to the Minister for implementation!

To further demonstrate the tunnel vision of this "good ole boys club" on Township council, they did not even second Richter's two motions on the water management plan for discussion that were quoted in the same Langley Times article. Specifically, "Later at Monday’s meeting, Richter’s notice of motion, for a referendum on metering private wells, got no seconder. Richter wanted two referendum questions, on well metering and a separate water management board with taxation authority, included in the 2008 civic election." The "boys" did not even want to discuss it at all!

This Editor specifically loved the Langley Times reporter, Al Irwin's closing comment: "Richter told council she hopes some members of council make a New Year’s resolution, 'to start seconding some motions, at least for discussion.' "
Journalistic KUDOS to Al Irwin and the Langley Times on excellent, insightful, relevant, and publicly informative reporting!
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