Cumberland BC: The Cumberlander Articles Section
Uncategorized · 30th July 2007
Editor, with permission.
Letters sent to council not on agenda for the second time
By Colleen Dane
Record Staff
Jul 27 2007
Regular correspondents with the Village of Cumberland were angry and frustrated this week when letters they’d sent to council didn’t appear on the agenda for the second time.
“Somebody decided to filter my letter again and I think it’s wrong — I think it’s really wrong,” said Colleen Crowther who’d asked questions in her letters about the proposed water tower at the Fish and Game Protective Association, and about noise complaints for the sawmill on Ulverston Avenue.
Joan Anderson, another resident whose letter hadn’t appeared, was also writing about that.
“I think you should read them all — that’s why I sent them to you,” said Anderson during question period.
Mayor Fred Bates said he would talk to staff about the issue — and said their explanation was that they weren’t added to the agenda because the issues are already being handled by staff, under direction from council.
Having letters on the agenda is particularly important, said the residents, because unless an issue is raised in the package, it can’t be asked about during question period, according to a procedure bylaw update done earlier this year.
Bates said that usually he works on the agenda with staff, but hasn’t been able to during the last few weeks.
He said council will give them clear direction about what to do with correspondence in such cases for the future.
In the meantime he said there was no update on either of two issues that were raised — that council is waiting for staff reports on the issues.
reportercomoxvalleyrecord.com
By Colleen Dane
Record Staff
Jul 27 2007
Regular correspondents with the Village of Cumberland were angry and frustrated this week when letters they’d sent to council didn’t appear on the agenda for the second time.
“Somebody decided to filter my letter again and I think it’s wrong — I think it’s really wrong,” said Colleen Crowther who’d asked questions in her letters about the proposed water tower at the Fish and Game Protective Association, and about noise complaints for the sawmill on Ulverston Avenue.
Joan Anderson, another resident whose letter hadn’t appeared, was also writing about that.
“I think you should read them all — that’s why I sent them to you,” said Anderson during question period.
Mayor Fred Bates said he would talk to staff about the issue — and said their explanation was that they weren’t added to the agenda because the issues are already being handled by staff, under direction from council.
Having letters on the agenda is particularly important, said the residents, because unless an issue is raised in the package, it can’t be asked about during question period, according to a procedure bylaw update done earlier this year.
Bates said that usually he works on the agenda with staff, but hasn’t been able to during the last few weeks.
He said council will give them clear direction about what to do with correspondence in such cases for the future.
In the meantime he said there was no update on either of two issues that were raised — that council is waiting for staff reports on the issues.
reportercomoxvalleyrecord.com
