Editor:
It is true that our current Langley Township council is dysfunctional. Blame can be found in more than one place.
Consider the following:
1. A mayor is the CEO of Council. He has several rights and privileges afforded him alone, i.e. second vote on Mufford, change of venue to accommodate large crowds – the list goes on.
2. The mayor does not require individual or collective approval of council to speak to or give an opinion to the ALR, Metro board or any other body or individual.
3. Metro board Chair Jackson has the sole authority to make appointments to that board, no matter how loudly the “gang of 6” protest.
4. Neither the mayor, you, I nor any Canadian citizen is required to divulge how they voted on a secret ballot as several Councilors have demanded of the Mayor.
5. Township Council before the last election carefully avoided the public eye and most discussions were a fait accompli before we were aware of them (real estate, soil, Mufford overpass etc.) That level of secrecy has changed now and the alumni don’t like it.
Our Mayor has represented his constituents in very difficult times. With no Council support, it was only through his public forums and citizen direct democracy that Fort Langley hearings, 208 Street truck route, Mufford overpass and others were not rammed down our throats as the previous administration wanted.
Mayor Green successfully hosts grassroots monthly forums and hundreds of citizens have received open responses to their questions, in spite of interference at Council level (removal of Mayor Green’s picture from Township advertising page) and by individual members attending these forums. Councillor Ferguson openly interfered and argued with constituents attempting to engage the Mayor. They obviously recognize and fear the grassroots popularity of these forums and seek to subvert them. Although all members of the public are welcome, but Council should know that no one yet has attended a Mayor’s forum with any desire to speak to them.
How can Mayor Green “play well” with a group who are sworn to stonewall his every effort and appear to take their directions from outside Municipal Hall?
Bob Moats, Langley
