Nanaimo City Council Meeting
Monday, Oct. 31, 2011 - 7:00 PM
Shaw Auditorium
Shaw Auditorium
Vancouver Island Convention Centre
Democracy Works When The Public Stays Involved
It Is Too Important To Leave To Politicians
If you can attend in person that is the best way to see your business being taken care of, second best is watching on Shaw Cable from the comfort of your easy chair, it is also available live online using this link, and last but not least is reading what the local press says went on.
Archived video is available of previous meetings at the same link used for live online coverage. You have to remember that the newspaper does not print everything that happens in a council meeting, and as a matter of fact, if their reporter dozes off at the wrong time, they might even miss something important. So, watch the meeting for yourself, and get involved with how YOUR city council takes care of YOUR business.
Past councils have been pretty generous with the way they have been spending your money, but don't blame them, YOU are the one who needs to keep on top of what is really going on if you ever hope for your taxes to quit going up every year.Remember taxes are scheduled to increase by nearly 25% in the next four years. If you don't think you can afford another $500 or so, then you need to be more involved with the process.
This council voted behind closed doors to spend $16 million on a new annex for city hall staff, in spite of a report which said that $4.2 million would upgrade the existing annex. That's YOUR money they are playing fast and loose with, and they did it without going to public tender! GET INVOLVED!
You can view this week's Council Meeting Agenda here - - - Agenda .
I agree that the public needs to be involved, however, I disagree with your notion that we should not also "blame" the council for how they spend tax dollars.
ReplyDeleteWhile I understand your sentiment, they are to blame, moreso than the taxpayers. We entrust and empower them to make the right decisions and when they don't, the public is responsible for their actions? Are they not accountable? They have a responsibility to the citizens of this city.
It is a dangerous curve if it becomes a common belief that the city council, at the end of the day, is not even responsible for their own decision/actions (because that responsibility falls on the citizens as we are the apparent watch dog).
Yes, the citizens of Nanaimo should pay attention to how our tax dollars are being spent. However, the city is also responsible for making sound decisions. I am accountable for my job, just as they are theirs.
To insinuate that the citizens enable the politicians do to as they please disables their own morality and accountability.
I understand that Shaw will not be televising this meeting nor any Council meetings until after November 19th. If your readers want to view the debate they will have to attend the meeting in person.
ReplyDelete