Dear editor,
Recently, Comox Valley Regional District director Larry Jangula brought forward a motion to require that all directors’ votes be recorded and become public record with published meeting minutes. Such a change would provide taxpayers and constituents with a clear and accurate record of how each director voted and what their individual actions were concerning every matter at the board table.
All of the Valley’s municipal councils record how each member votes and their meetings are video recorded and broadcast in local television media, providing the public with a clear and transparent look at how their affairs are being managed at the three City Halls. In sharp contrast, the Regional District not only does not record and publish their meeting voting records, nor are these meetings video recorded.
Because our Regional District represents a much larger and more diverse geographic area than the municipalities, attending the meetings which are held earlier in the day is a real challenge for most of us.
Today, personally attending these meetings is the only way each of us are able to know how their directors are representing them and managing their interests on issues that affect all of us.
So, it would seem that our directors would support Jangula’s motion and adopt a policy that is not only practised by all other Valley governmental agencies, but is the customary practice across Canada. This change would not cost taxpayers a dime and at the same time it would improve the transparency and accountability at the RD.
Surprisingly, the motion was defeated!
Voting for the motion were Jangula, Manno Theos, Barbara Price and Ken Grant.
Voting against the motion were Bruce Jolliffe, Edwin Grieve, Rod Nichol, Bob Wells, and Gwyn Sproule. Director Eriksson was absent.
It is difficult to understand why the five directors would choose to deny our community and those they were elected to represent the knowledge of what their actions are when conducting the people’s business.
If you believe that the RD director voting record should become part of the public record and be included in the published Regional District minutes please contact your director and tell them how you feel. It’s the right thing to do.
JM McIntosh
Comox Valley
