Citizens try to elect politicians that they think will represent their views and opinions.
All politicians claim to be trying to look out for these citizens. But in actual fact, is this true? No one expects Vernon council to act on every concern but we expect them to listen. The council seems to listen to the planning department recommendations regularly. But are these recommendations always the right thing?
The planning department looks at the city plan and direction of council and ensures all regulations are met to at least the minimum requirements set. But when they make their recommendations do they look at the people affected?
It does not seem so. In the case of the rezoning application to build a four-storey apartment building, this seems especially true. To have reached the stage of rezoning, this project must have been on the planning department’s radar for months if not years. But the citizens most affected were not informed of the project until the rezoning sign went up. They were also only given about two-and-a-half weeks to come up with a response before the one and only public meeting on the issue.
Repeated requests by the affected citizens for councillors to talk to them or come and look at the issue have been ignored, with just a couple of exceptions on council who are doing their due diligence. So back to my original question, how can politicians claim to care about citizens and their issues if they refuse to talk to them or look at the problem?
Gerry Manley
Vernon