The real big news and the serious rumoured word on the street is that this election will pit two powerhouse Langley school board undercover and silent slates whose key slate members also are said to seriously dislike each other. Fireworks indeed are in store folks. This dramatic school board election stage was finally set with the controversial realignment of schools in Langley that culminated with the closing of H.D. Stafford (HDS) secondary school and introduced the middle school concept to all Langley parents and kids that created much anger, howls of protest, emotions and tears. So who are these slates?
One obvious strong rumour suggests that the "Stafford Closure Tag Team" on school board (Burton, Hogeterp, McVeigh, & Ross) who rammed through the closing of H.D. Stafford high school are one slate. Newcomer candidate Kari Medos who was also seen seated at the Rotary crab fest dinner with Burton, Hogeterp & McVeigh is also rumoured to be on their rumoured slate as well. They are also strongly rumoured to be very closely connected to the Langley Township Mayor Kurt Alberts Township council slate. Many go to each other's fundraisers and events. They are often seen seated together at many recent public functions pushing other independent candidates to far away tables by the washrooms. These new breed of silent non-declared slates was successfully first used by Mayor Kurt Alberts in his Township council elections.
FYI Mayor Alberts rumoured slate members are said to be at minimum councillors Bateman, Fox & Ward. The other rumour is that newcomer council candidate Bev Dornan, if she is elected, will replace Vickberg on Alberts silent slate, who decided not to run again. Lots of rumoured reports that Vickberg and Alberts are promoting and introducing Bev Dornan everywhere and anywhere. And if you don't believe that Mayor Alberts has a slate again this time see this previous advertisement of his just before the last election.
The other rumoured school board slate is the " Langley City & NDP Tag Team". This rumoured counter tag team slate is said to include key supporters like the past and present Langley City Mayors, Marlene Grinnell & Peter Fassbender as well as prominent trustee candidates Beck, Pona & Johnson who have strong NDP history and/or connections. It is rumoured that the Langley City Mayors are going to be instrumental in putting their political capital & machines behind this tag team to hopefully reverse the closing of the H.D. Stafford secondary school. The fact that Langley City advertises itself as a complete community has taken a major hit since the closure of its only high school, HDS. This is probably why this rumoured alliance of City & NDP candidate slate is occurring. If it is occurring. Remember it's a rumour. Strong rumour though. Oh by the way check out Joan Bech's website and note the picture of former Langley City Mayor Marlene Grinnell endorsing Joan!
So there you have it the big rumour of this election. Langley Township Mayor Alberts and his silent slate backing Burton, Hogeterp, McVeigh, Ross & Medos the "Stafford Closure Tag Team" versus Langley City's Grinnell & Fassbender's " Langley City & NDP Tag Team". You decide if it's true or false. But which is worse? A School Board run by Langley City or one run by Alberts and his "Good Ole boy's Club"? Both sound scary, very scary and it's not even Halloween yet!
Another tidbit or perhaps evidence of slates is this website, LANGLEY EDUCATION ADVOCACY PROJECT - L.E.A.P. This group describes itself on their website as "an informal group of parents who have come together to look to the future and to spread the message that students and parents should be treated with respect and empathy in their endeavors to find the best education possible in the Langley school district". Now it doesn't say who they are but curiously LEAP links to the Keep Stafford Secondary website if the reader wants to further help out.
We noticed that LEAP provided their Langley Township School Trustee Endorsements and the Langley City School Trustee Endorsements. Curiously they copie
d and used our LFP Final Election Candidates List too. We don't mind that but we at LFP would certainly wish that who ever you LEAP people are, please publish credit for our creating that list that you used! We know you guys obviously read LFP too! Thanks, but please credit your source!The interesting things on the LEAP endorsement list is the fact that they recommend Beck, Pona, Johnson & Shepherd with check marks and crossed out the names of Burton, Hogeterp, McVeigh, & Ross as well as Kari Medos. The suggestion is to basically plump the vote in this Editor' opinion. This is an old political tactic for first past the post elections. They left out the names of Petipas, Parker & Peterson though either way. They were not crossed out or endorsed. Does that essentially mean that these three are the only real independents running? Is this all curious speculation, or is this all further evidence of both slates? In any event this election in the Langleys is predominantly all about the school board trustees. Enjoy!
So if you aren't going to vote for the "Stafford Closure Tag Team", consider also not voting for their rumored sister slate, the Mayor Kurt Alberts Township Council "Good Ole boy's Club"!
For more information on the trustee candidates go to the Langley DPAC website to see the candidates, get their contact info and website addresses as well as their individual responses to the DPAC qustionaire. Langley DPAC published a Master file containing responses by all candidates as well as Master file containing candidate responses by question .
Also note that the next public Trustee Candidates Meeting
Wednesday October 29, 2008
7:00 - 10:00 PM at Christian Life Assembly 21277 - 56 Avenue, Langley, BC
Moderated by Matt Brandon
...
Wednesday October 29, 2008
7:00 - 10:00 PM at Christian Life Assembly 21277 - 56 Avenue, Langley, BC
Moderated by Matt Brandon
...
No comments:
Post a Comment