Monday, September 10, 2007

Questions to Mayor Corner.

At the August 27th meeting of Council I suggested that the proposed Sports Complex was developed without input from the general public and only special interest groups were able to have input. Your Worship told me that special interest groups had no input for the Sports Complex plans. Since then I discovered that the information was misleading. Let me read to you from the Minutes of GVSC October 13, 2005 and again from the Minutes of GVSC October 27, 2005:

from Minutes of GVSC October 13, 2005

"2. GENERAL MATTERS:

Delegations and Recognitions Funtastic Sports Society – Summer Festival

2.1 Letter from the Funtastic Sports & Music Festival dated October 13, 2005.

Mr. Jason Gilbert, Executive Director, provided the Commission with a presentation requesting that consideration be given to partnering with Vernon Funtastic on a sports complex project."

from Minutes of GVSC October 27, 2005 -

"6. PARKS & RECREATION UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

Funtastic 6.1 Letter from the Funtastic Sports & Music Festival dated October 13, 2005;

PowerPoint presentation made by the Funtastic Society at the October 13, 2005 GVSC Regular meeting.

Moved by Commissioner Nicol Seconded by Commissioner Taylor THAT the letter from the Funtastic Sports & Music Festival dated October 13, 2005 be received; AND THAT GVS attempt to secure a long term lease with DND, work towards securing a new site to build a multi use sporting facility and develop a vision of how a new complex can be built to accommodate other sporting facilities and tournaments.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

Moved by Commissioner Cochrane Seconded by Commissioner Nicol THAT this item be brought forward to the December 2005 GVSC Regular Agenda in order to inform the new Commission members of the particulars of this issue.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY."


Now I have some specific questions:

1. When did informal negotiations commence with the owner of Coldstream Ranch for the purchase of the Spicer Block?

2. Has Coldstream Council been aware of these negotiations?

3. If not, who authorized these negotiations?

4. Was Council aware of the letter sent to the ALC by Mr Al McNiven on May 8, 2006?

5. If not, who authorized said letter?

6. If Council was aware of the above letter, how did it happen that nobody realized that it was inappropriate for GVSC to contact the ALC directly?

7. Why was the community of Coldstream kept in the dark about the Sports Complex plans and the plans of purchasing the property for this purpose?

8. In light of the response of the ALC

“Given the very high agricultural capability of these lands, and their current agricultural use, the Commission would likely not support the conversion of an additional 40 to non farm uses”

why would we continue proceeding with the present venture?

It appears to me that GVSC and its Chair was trying to do an end-run to secure said lands for the Sports Complex so the taxpayers of Coldstream could not prevent such an event.

This is definitely not the way our Mayor should represent the community that elected him and I suggest to Council that they should select a representative to NORD who will keep the interest of the taxpayers of Coldstream paramount on this important legislative body.

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I have been a resident of Coldstream since 1976. I have had 15 years of experience on Council, 3 years as Mayor. As a current Councillor I am working to achieve fair water and sewer rates and to ensure that taxpayers get fair treatment. The current direction regarding water supply is unsustainable and I am doing all I can to get the most cost effective water supply possible.