Editor: In a recent exchange of letters and emails with Township council, Tracy Vleeming of Aldergrove expressed her frustrations and proposed viable options with respect to the current RV parking bylaw.
I have done the same, and spoke to council as a delegation in February, 2012. In a response to Vleeming, Councillor Bob Long stated “I agree with you, but the majority of council supported the bylaw change. Regarding spring break, I’m sure that there is an allowance for a day or so prep time if you are taking the RV out at that time.”
Vleeming, of her own free will, forwarded that message to me. I responded to Councillor Long with the following questions:
1. Please explain the contradiction between your documented agreement with Vleeming and your vote against my proposals to council on Feb. 13, 2012.
2. Please provide a clear reference to the “allowance for a day or so” statement.
On receipt of that message, Long responded to Vleeming, stating that “Due to complaints. I’ll not be responding any further. Sorry. Please do not send my emails to others. Bob.”
I again challenged Councillor Long. I wrote: “As a council member, certainly you must be aware that any correspondence you have with constituents on municipal matters forms part of the public record. As such, it is subject to public scrutiny. The recipient is entitled to share said correspondence with whomever they please. You have elected not to respond to Vleeming, not because she shared your message, but instead it was due to the fact that I cornered you on the issue. Feeling trapped, you took the fifth.”
His response was “You can phone me any time, instead of snooping around other people’s emails.”
I am not aware that being the recipient of a forwarded email constitutes snooping. So far, Long has refused to answer these simple and straightforward questions. It has also been noted that, although Vleeming and I have sent emails to the official TOL email addresses, Long has been responding from a private gmail account (clrbob@gmail.com).
This is a very similar situation to that which has developed in the past couple of days within the BC Liberal Party. Is Long also attempting to circumnavigate the Freedom of Information requirements?
I encourage anyone who has had email correspondence with the Township of Langley on this or any other issue to check and make sure it came from the official TOL email addresses. In my opinion, Long’s behaviour is unacceptable.
On his website he states “The best tools a politician can use are his ears.” Councillor Long’s tools are in need of recalibration.
It also seems to me that the Township is now bullying secondary suite owners. Like RV owners, these folks exercised all due diligence, were in full compliance with the laws of the land, and acted upon information provided by council at the time, in good faith.
Now, like RV owners, they are facing penalties for acting in accordance with information and advice provided by council.
As always, I encourage others to contact me at albalogh@gmail.com.
Al Balogh,
Langley
