As taxpayers in Solar Colwood, where one wonders whether we signed on for a never-ending “send in the clowns” instead of a fully functioning council, we've had the breathless announcements over the past few years — loans to staff to buy electric bicycles, the never ending self-aggrandizement of their total commitment to all things green, organic, sustainable — you get the picture.
Then along comes Colwood, front and centre at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention condemning smart meters even though they bragged about them so much originally that you'd think they invented them.
There have been so many flip flops by this over-spending, under-achieving council one can only watch in despair.
Council has caved in to a very small group of naysayers, probably the same ones who use cellphones, microwaves and more, and made themselves look like total incompetents in the process. Some of them will probably ask for our votes again in the November elections.
As a former councillor of Cobourg, Ont., from 2000 to 2006, in a municipality of 18,000 plus we were subject to far more rigorous scrutiny. Community cable TV covered every meeting, the local newspaper sent a tough reporter and our every word was out on the street next day, we were accountable.
Colwood, we deserve better. The whole region deserves better.
We need mayors and councils actually prepared to discuss amalgamation instead of protecting their own little fiefdoms.
Colwood needs to start by amalgamation with Langford. They have the smarts, the tough decision makers, the movers and shakers. We have the land. How's that for a merger.
Call it Colford or Langwood and let's get decision makers instead of lightweights who are not up to the job.
Pamela Jackson
Colwood