Notes From City Council March 12, 2012

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Flip Flop Favourite Flavour

Including giving approval to an $844,000,000.00 financial plan which was increased by $700,000.00 with the allowance for a word smith to help city hall better explain themselves, city council did a couple of flip flops last night, bringing back previously passed issues for a re-vote.

One issue to get the official flip flop stamp of approval was an earlier decision to allow duplexes in an area of the older city. Local residents successfully expressed their desire to keep the flavour of the old neighbourhood which they feel would be hurt by the inclusion of duplexes. Notably, Jim Kipp changed his earlier vote which would have allowed for more varied housing in the area, saying he was respecting the wishes of the neighbourhood. The decision begs the question about infilling and densification you will often hear council talking about.

The other issue was revisited on a motion by newbie Councillor McKay which saw the defeating of a previously passed motion which would have had staff investigate alternate forms of funding for the potential purchase of Linley Valley.

Earlier city staff gave a presentation about a Transportation Master Plan study which is currently getting geared up. Planning is good, but the skeptic in me says this is another one of those make work projects for city staff, that will result in volumes of studies and reports to collect dust with the others on the shelf.

Other than the above notable items, the council meeting was a lot of time used to resolve very little. It was notable that local Ron Bolin pointed out that this council was the first in living memory that had actually increased the financial plan that had been presented by city staff.

And politicians wonder why the majority of voters have simply tuned out and dropped out of the process.