Editor:
Re: Council plans to end question period, Jan. 29.
It seems White Rock council potentially wishes to follow a trend from other B.C. communities and dispense with a question period at the end of each council meeting.
Whatever other communities are doing is irrelevant, even if only the occasional question is raised in a public forum and which is the electorate’s right in an open and democratic process.
Mayor Wayne Baldwin states it “is really a non-event,” given that only a few have exercised that right – so presumably it is not too onerous.
Nonetheless, it is incumbent on the whole council to support the retention of people’s rights and make the council accountable rather than expecting their electorate to send emails or letters.
I suspect the people of White Rock will have little sympathy for a council expected to respond to the occasional question coming, as Coun. Lynne Sinclair described, “at the end of a long council meeting.”
Perhaps the agenda could be changed to include a short nap prior to any potential questions?
David Hutchinson, Surrey
