If I could change some things in this city, I would start at Vernon city hall.
Ya ya, I know all of you folks out there that would say the cost to change would far outweigh any savings we would see but ….
1. Smaller buses would use less fuel. Less fuel, more economical, and perhaps fewer traffic jams in the downtown core at peak periods.
2. Stop sending fire trucks out every time an ambulance is called only to have them turn around and head back to the fire hall because they are not needed. Less fuel, more savings.
3. Pay firemen one rate when they are actually putting out fires and another when they are on call waiting at the fire hall. I’m sure you would find savings when you look at their salaries versus calls.
4. Put some money into the not so pretty arteries of this city. Update ancient (I’m not even calling it old anymore) infrastructure. It’s the stuff you can’t see that needs the most work.
Spend less on road calming, road diets, pretty roundabouts and more on sidewalks, sewer and water lines.
5. Go back to the clear bag recycling. Put the people back to work that lost their jobs at the recycling depot and help the environment by not driving.
Now that Christy Clark and her gang have implemented this new recycling (without any dialogue with the public), I’m waiting for her to raise the gas tax because we now have to drive to the recycling depot to drop off what we use to be able to leave curbside.
6. Find opportunities to work with developers on affordable housing and business leaders on creating jobs.
Do we need more million or half-million-dollar homes carving up the hills? We need affordable homes and some jobs so that young people can afford to buy them.
Oh boy, what if?
Donna Lochhead
Vernon
