Dear Editor,
Response to Donna Brown
Donna, good morning. I feel I need to reply to your e-mail as I am not sure what you are trying to imply by your comments. I am not sure how long you have followed council and the work of council but I will point out that council agendas are made up by staff in a very systematic manner. Council agendas in the Township have been exactly the same way for the past decades. It has been consistent that all ‘Staff Reports to Council’ are on the ‘Afternoon Agenda’ and they always have been. The evening agenda has been for public hearings, development applications, development permits and the like. Council members, developers and the like have no influence on the agenda format or timing. The only way an agenda format can be varied is by a motion of the complete council.
The afternoon agenda is schedule to start at 2:30 yes, but with the ‘Special Closed Meeting’ embedded in the afternoon agenda and it usually running until at least 4 p.m. the business on the afternoon agenda does not get underway until that meeting is completed. As there is one delegation on the agenda and two ‘Reports to Council’ prior to the ‘Fernridge Community Plan’ item, it may well be 4:30 before that item reaches the council table.
I do need to point out that the agenda format in the Township does not differ from the communities around us. In fact some communities begin their meetings earlier than we do in the daytime.
I hope this helps to explain that Monday’s agenda was in no way adjusted, varied or influenced by any member of council or any developer as you imply. The agenda was created using standard practice that has been followed in this community for decades as I state.
Charlie Fox, Councillor, Township of Langley
