Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Closed Door Spending Secrets Not So Secret Anymore

Ok, so the Mayor Alberts' Township council now admits that they did buy the Bedford House Restaurant/bar property last summer! And now suddenly two more Councillors (Bateman & Kositsky) have finally joined Councillor Richter's call for an open and full disclosure of all the matters around the Fort Langley property purchases. As the Advance New's Editor said, "
"Our View: Not quite a lie - What are they afraid of?"
Do you smell fear around this issue too? Why? What else is lurking around in the background. Maybe the real question to be asked is how much will it ultimately cost the taxpayers of Langley Township and why? What other complimentary deals are there in addition?

Meanwhile secrecy for almost a year since purchasing the Bedford House on the topic and just recently after the fact a snake oil salesman attempt by the Township to create a community visioning input process about the area! Obviously the community did not like the secret ideas floated nor the secrecy itself. Nor does this Editor. Suddenly we hear about a waterfront vision! More 'Snake Oil Promotions'! What vision, never heard of one before! What rubbish. It certainly wasn't budgeted for, not that this Editor can find. For that matter neither was the $3-4-5-6 million grandstand fiasco! Any vision must have either been created in secret or suddenly pulled out of a hat! Why?

Monday in response to Councillor Richter's notice of motion last week to provide full and open disclosure on the Fort Langley land purchases deals the Mayor Alberts' led Township issued a terse short two paragraph press release. Instead of providing answers it creates more questions.
Obviously much still remains in secret. Any Councillor who whether they agree or disagree with these closed doors purchase topics are forced to a cloak of secrecy as the Municipal act can result in any violating councillors being kicked off council if any Councillor reveals secret "in camera" discussions which has been voted so by the majority of council. Councillor Richter describes the brief and terse release as the, "Sanitized version" and still calls for more disclosure. As the Advance Editorial said,

"What are they afraid of"?
In today's Langley Times the longest ever Editorial title I have ever seen was,

"Questions raised The disclosure of the purchase of the Bedford House restaurant and waterfront property at Monday’s Township council meeting raises more questions than it answers"
Editor Bucholtz in the editorial also refers to, "some basic facts which are widely-known and confirmed were left out". Why? His final comment hits the nail directly on the nose, "Taxpayers deserve complete details about how their money is being spent."
Clearly what we need are no more boondoggles, secrecy & stupidity.
We need,

to prevent this from continuing (PS: see your tax bill yet?),

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