As a volunteer of the Board of the Mission Heritage Association, I have a question: What is the purpose of Mission council in “firing us” before even talking to us?
Their decision was taken in the first month after being elected. We received a letter from the mayor in December 2014 telling us that council had decided to do changes in the administration of Heritage Park. No consultation, no questions asked. In the meantime though, with some stipulations, we remain in charge till the end of 2015.
What did we do wrong?
What will be the new way of administrating the Heritage Park? City council seems to have some ideas but none were shared with us. This firing is a unilateral decision taken from above and it goes against some 35 years of improvements in the park.
We requested a meeting with council early in January. We received our answer four months later: a second letter telling us that some other kind of administration would be in charge of the park.
In other words, we were fired.
It is not that the Mission Heritage Association took decisions without presenting its proposal to the council of Mission. On the contrary, everything was duly presented and approved in council. As for the results, just about everyone admits to the fact that the park is the jewel of Mission.
Again, what purpose does it serve to antagonize a group of volunteers that have at heart the welfare of our park?
If city council found a better way of administering the park, it could have communicated with us before firing us.
I feel that we, the board, are treated like criminals and because of that status, should have no say whatsoever in the future of the park.
In the meantime, I believe that we are still ready, willing and longing to be consulted by the city council of Mission. After all, we have some experience (35 years) and we do care for the park.
Jack Ethier
Mission
