langleywatchdog…. and more!

So the Langley Advance headlines read – 7.29% tax hike suggested by staff, Council calling for a tax increase of 4%! As somebody who has been there, nothing has changed! Staff, for the most part create the process that will best justify their wishes, control of the process, and the result. All of this brings me back to my first budget process after my election as Mayor of the Township of Langley in November of 2008 – an eye opening experience, one that you had to see to believe! My implementation of a “Mayor’s Standing Committee of Finance” faced the focus of staff behind the scenes with undue influence and obstruction and the then Municipal Council’s public outrage to the Standing Committees creation. I had appointed the then retired managing Director of BDO Dunwoody, a just retired Federal tax auditor and a local lawyer (all volunteers) and three Council members to the committee. This committee was set up per the Mayor’s authority under the guidelines of the Community Charter. We learned a lot about the facts behind Municipal budgeting through this process and what really goes on.

Some History from my term as Mayor – The Council of the day decided, because they strongly objected to the creation of a “Mayor’s Standing Committee of Finance”, that they would NOT participate in any budget discussions and would leave it to the Standing Committee to submit a report to Council. For the record all members of Council were invited to attend the Standing Committee meetings, but to no avail. We were very open in looking at Zero based budgeting to which Mark Bakken, our CAO noted in one of our first meetings “we practice a form of Zero based budgeting”! Message to Mark Bakken at the time – there is no such thing, it is Zero based OR it is NOT.

After about 3 ½ months of long, very frequent and very involved detailed budget discussion meetings with committee members, staff, and department heads – a department by department, line by line analysis of the provisional budget proposed by staff occurred. I have been lead to believe this kind of analysis had never been undertaken before by and/or for any previous Council and you can bet it hasn’t happened since. A final report was then presented to Council.

The result – A Standing Committee of Finance Report was submitted. It was lengthy but in the final analysis, fully explained it recommended a tax increase of 1%. In a motion put forward by Councillor Bateman immediately after the committees presentation (same meeting) ignored the Standing Committee’s report, not a question asked, and moved a motion for a tax increase of 5% – which was immediately approved by council.

To today’s news on budget discussions – per the Director of Finance public comments “they need to find $5 million in savings, spending reductions or increased revenue”. Or Mark Bakken’s (TOL CAO) comments “We likely have a lot more priorities or hopes than we may have resources” or “Council may have to prioritize or look for creative ways of raising revenue and reducing expenses”!

Excuse me but as that old saying goes “Bull Shit is trying to Baffle Brains”!

Have we not forgotten something here, a number of items staff never want to talk about? Our committee went line by line with every department head reviewing every category and sub-category of which there are many within a complete Municipal Budget.

Township of Langley Capital Budget – There are numerous headings used by staff; just a few examples – “Capital Budget approved not funded”, “Capital budget approved and started” or “Capital Budget approved, funded, not started”! 

Just in one area we uncovered something very interesting, a category that at first glance seems insignificant probably significantly inflated from what it was back in 2009 in every department! That is in the Category – “Capital Projects approved, funded, not started”! We found that throughout the budget this category was nothing but a catch all for taxpayer funds, put another way, slush funds. This was a catch-all for a wide variety of projects over the years that had been approved by the Council of the day, those major or minor that had been delayed, forgotten about, lacked any urgency to conclude and/or those put on hold for one reason or another. Probably in some cases they were a ruse! This appeared to have been going on for years unchecked. A normal process would be if these funds were not expended and project started within a year, those funds should revert to general revenue. If you extrapolate this practice over many years you are talking a significant number of financial slush funds throughout the budget that are being protected and carried forward year after year after year.

Township of Langley Operations Budget – So Township / Municipal Staff led by their CAO seem to feel it is their rite of passage and they are above being questioned as to line items in the budget dealing with regular activities and costs. God forbid if we can achieve better results by implementing new and more productive methods to achieve the same or in many cases better results throughout our Township service model at a lower cost? Number of vehicles requested vs need? I am not suggesting that government services (public sector) can be operated the same as or with the same efficiency as the private sector (for a wide variety of reasons), however there has to be a willingness on the part of public sector management to do better and be more accountable.

As to public sector wages – by any measure they are the best by any comparison to the private sector and are a product of agreements negotiated on behalf of the Public Sector in Metro Vancouver by RES (Regional Employers Services). That’s right, public sector employees negotiating for public sector employees. Fact, the negotiators will receive the same or better increase than those they are negotiating for. After all it is only your tax dollars they are spending! Not all municipalities take advantage of these services but their negotiated settlements form a template throughout the region. A number of years ago as a Delta Alderman I served on the then Metro Vancouver labor relations Committee. The only thing that has changed is it has been expedited.

Summary: We sincerely wish our new council well in their efforts in concluding a municipal budget with a tax increase of 4% which is their publicly stated goal. The majority of this council were elected on a very well thought out plan that will start the Township on a road to delivering on the services, facilities and roads required for such a dramatically fast growing Municipality. It certainly can be done it just requires determination and focus to cut through all of the internal noise and obstruction.

RG

I am working on a few posts at present that I believe are of significant concern to Township of Langley Residents, come back often for news of interest to Township residents.

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Our Year End Message: Well, it has been a full and very interesting year in politics in the Township of Langley. In 2022 we took a very active role in the 2022 Municipal Election reporting on and being very straight forward on our opinion on issues and individuals as most of you will know and recognize. We ultimately took the position we did in support of Eric Woodward and his “Contract with Langley Team” based on his straight-forward talk dealing with issues of concern to everyone complete with how he was going to achieve a successful conclusion. I believe the election results – 6 of 7 elected to Council and 3 of 3 elected to School Board is proof of the public’s support. Those results speak volumes to community support, all regions, and all polls. With those campaign promises comes community pressure to deliver. They have the majority and they have the mandate – it is now time to deliver! By the way, they have made a great start!

We at www.langleywatchdog.com are gearing up for a very active year in 2023, preparing a number of featured BLOG Posts on issues, Breaking News and information. All of this focused on what will seriously affect residents of the Township of Langley, primarily at the Provincial and Municipal levels. Provincially, we have a NEW premier in David Eby.

Municipally we have numerous Township of Langley issues plus Metro Vancouver’s regional issues that including Transportation that unfortunately residents are just are not but should be aware of. There is so much material and information that is just not getting into the Public’s hands; we will keep our readers informed. What is really happening behind the scenes, check us out starting again the first week of January 2023, tune into  www.langleywatchdog.com .

Over 150,000 views to-date! Feel free to contact me at any time by email, Facebook or by phone. All contact information is available on our BLOG and ALL contact is guaranteed to be confidential!

On behalf of www.langleywatchdog.com we want to wish all of our readers a very Merry Christmas and a Healthy, Happy and Prosperous New Year. See you in January 2023!

RG

I am working on a few posts at present that I believe should be of significant concern and interest to residents of the Township of Langley.

Protect your Democratic Rights – Protect your NEIGHBORS Democratic Rights – stay informed, stay involved and STAY ACTIVE!!!

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  The election campaign is over, so it is now time for our NEW Township of Langley Municipal Council to put their money where their mouth is. My observation of their first council business meeting sent a strong message that they are doing just that, what a refreshing start!

Their published agenda was long and it contained many items that will be of serious public interest dealing with many of the “Contract with Langley” election commitments and promises. The most relevant and obvious observation, beyond the issues that they dealt with, was the decorum among members of council, the attitude of all members of council that were present towards each other, and in a couple of cases to disagree without being disagreeable.

It was interesting that Councillor Kim Richter was absent from the first regular meeting and yet attended the evenings Public Hearing. No reason was given?

The benefits of having a majority on council were clearly on display, however with that majority comes a very real responsibility on the part of the meeting chair, Mayor Eric Woodward. The meeting was very well chaired displaying a humble willingness to ensure they were not going to be overpowering but were inclusive for comment by all members as well as through a well laid out series of “Notices of Motions”. A special shout out to independent Councillors Margaret Kunst and Michael Pratt for their professional  participation expressing their views in what might seem to be a challenging new environment. This meeting shows it can work well. All in all it was a great start; the first meeting of a four-year term and “Contract with Langley”!

I have no problem saying, which I have done recently; the campaign put together by the Contract with Langley team was the best I have seen in over 40 years of being involved in politics. They clearly laid out the issues; they laid out their platform, all the while incorporating their plan of how they were going to pay for their promises. Their presentation was extensive with simple but well put together graphics in signage, print, extensive social media messaging including numerous videos, partnership / endorsement support of community sport groups plus numerous community town hall events. The underlying key feature of everything they were promising, was their need to elect a majority of their team to be able to deliver on their promised platform. They now have their majority, they now have their mandate – now it is time for them to deliver, and it is up to them.

Elections are often treated with a healthy dose of skepticism by the general public in terms of delivering on election promises. Aside from the normal agenda items for 1^st and 2^nd readings, 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd readings, 3^rd readings and correspondence items, the following is an abbreviated recap of some key steps this council took in their first meeting to obviously meet the expectations they set through the promises they made. It speaks volumes to their commitment to deliver:

Notice of Motion from Councillor Rindt regarding the Agricultural Land Reserve: Of significant importance was a Notice of Motion on the 93 acre Bucci Developments property at the corner of 64^th / Mufford and 208^th, serving notice that the Township of Langley WILL NOT support any exclusion application to the ALC of this property. It is “contrary to the public interest due to the quality, location, and Council’s preference to retain agricultural land within the Township of Langley”. This was unanimously supported. NOTE: This property is part of the historical Hudsons Bay Farm that the B.C. Liberal Government, through TransLink in 2009, attempted to run the Mufford Crescent Diversion through the middle of, diverting all traffic over to the corner of 216^th and 64^th. While it took an extensive two year fight against all of the major players including our Council, our Community Minority Report to the ALC finally won out when I was the Mayor.

Notice of Motion from Mayor Woodward for the Reconsideration of the Conwest Gloucester Application: Primary goal is for the reconsideration and further discussion regarding the Community Amenity Contributions (CACs) for the benefit of the Township of Langley. Majority supported, Councillor Kunst opposed.

Notice of Motion from Mayor Woodward for the Reconsideration of the Qualico Mitchell Williams LLP Application Development Permit No. 101029: Primary goal is for the reconsideration and further discussion surrounding density, road networks and Community Amenity Contributions (CACs) for the benefit of the Township of Langley. Majority supported, Councillor Kunst opposed.

Notice of Motion from Mayor Woodward for the Reconsideration of the Qualico Mitchell Williams LLP Application Development Permit No. 101027 and 101213: Primary goal is for the reconsideration and further discussion surrounding density, road networks and Community Amenity Contributions (CACs) for the benefit of the Township of Langley. Majority supported, Councillor Kunst opposed.

Notice of Motion from Mayor Woodward for a Community Amenity Contributions Policy Update: A very detailed explanation to staff directing staff to prepare an update to Council’s CAC policy based on the detailed explanation outlined. Included was a priority list of the community amenities to be included. This was unanimously supported.

Notice of Motion from Mayor Woodward – Direction to staff for NEW Community and Planning Priorities: A very detailed request to staff for CAC update, complete review and update of neighborhood plans within Willoughby, consolidation of Greenway amenity policies, complete Booth, Rinn and Fernridge neighborhood plans, complete and update Williams Neighborhood Plan, complete and update Smith Neighborhood Plan, and disband the Willowbrook Planning Team to provide a wider spectrum of public input. This was unanimously supported.

Notice of Motion from Mayor Woodward for Willoughby Arterial Road Community Amenity Program (WARCAP) Consolidation with Road DCCs: A direction to staff dealing with a process to update DCC charges and the consolidation of such to advance the need for the promised update to Willoughby Arterial Road improvements. (Example 208^th and 80^th among others) This was unanimously supported.

Notice of Motion from Councillors Pratt and vanPopta regarding a Final resolution of North Langley Water Issues: A detailed motion directing staff to report back to council a process to cease the use of well water in Fort Langley and implement the service of Metro Vancouver water to this area as soon as possible. This was unanimously supported.

Notice of Motion from Councillor Baillie to add 40 full time firefighters 2023 – 2028: Due to the extensive growth within the Township of Langley and the current understaffing of full time firefighters staff are directed to incorporate the costs of 40 full time firefighters spread over a 5 year time span. This was unanimously supported.

Notice of Motion from Mayor Woodward requesting review of Salmon River Uplands Rural Community Plan: That Council considers any residential subdivision in the Salmon River Uplands area to be contrary to the public interest if subdivided under current minimum parcel sizes and before Council addresses minimum parcel sizes in relation to the review. This was unanimously supported.

Notice of Motion from Mayor Woodward for the initiation of Priority Project Works with initial Preparations: That staff initiate the planning for 1) a NEW Indoor Pool and Community Center within Yorkson Community Park in Willoughby 2) A NEW Soccer Campus within Smith Neighborhood Plan in Willoughby and 3) A NEW Ice and Dry Floor recreation facility at the Langley Events Center in Willoughby. This was unanimously supported.  

Notice of Motion from Councillor vanPopta for Council Consideration of project 08-26-0225 (45 Story Vesta Tower) at 80^th and 200^th Street: In a very detailed notice of motion and reasons for it that Council advise staff to communicate with Vesta Properties in writing that they will not consider (they will deny) the planned 45 story high-rise at this location directing them to complete their previously approved planned community consisting of low rise condominiums and townhouses. This was unanimously supported.

Full Disclosure, I fully support the foregoing initiatives however while I understand the sentiment I totally disagree with the following Notice of Motion and explain why. I am sure many will disagree with my conclusion but think about someone new wanting to run?

Notice of Motion from Councillor Baillie – Election signs to be restricted to Private Property: Direction to staff to bring forward an amendment to the Election and Political Signs by-law prohibiting any and all election signage on Township property.

Editorial opinion – As a political activist, candidate, elected and campaign manager for over 45 years, municipal, provincial and federal, I hate election signs with a passion and more than anyone, however democracy has a price and comes at a cost. It is increasingly difficult for non-incumbents to raise their profile during an election campaign. We are now running elections every 4 years, less frequent elections bring less opportunity to raise community profile. Many will remember our elections were every 2 years. Our new campaign financing laws place further restrictions on anyone interested in running. Three weeks of looking at unsightly election signs, every 4 years is a small price to pay for our democratic process. I would also suggest it is somewhat a conflict-of-interest for an elected Municipal Council to place restrictions on future candidates vying for their jobs. I remember a comment made about damage and theft as a problem – I know that problem better than anyone, it is a fact of life and it is still no excuse to impose these restrictions on future candidates. I would hope that Council will reconsider this move or at the very least have staff prepare a report on election signage policies of surrounding municipalities.    

Summary

As is clearly identified in their first agenda, this Council appears to not only want to change how things are done but are determined to move quickly in their efforts, I applaud them for that. It strikes me that this is only the start of implementing the changes the Township of Langley has been looking for, for over two decades. They have to use their majority wisely and if my experience on a Council as part of a slate means anything, there will be conflicts and disagreements – that is healthy. Again you can disagree without being disagreeable!

As I see it, while this is only the first meeting, a lot of hope lies with the residents of the Township of Langley that we are entering a new age that is not controlled by back room lobbyists. It is a great move forward. I will be reporting on the activity and progress of this council on a regular basis over the next four years.   

RG

More interesting 2022 Municipal Election News coming soon!

Protect your Democratic Rights – Protect your NEIGHBORS Democratic Rights – stay informed, stay involved and VOTE!!!

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In what can only be described as a very dirty and distasteful election campaign initiated by a few individuals with deep personal hatred issues, the targets of that hatred took the high road and won! A review of poll by poll results speaks volumes in support of the wishes of Township of Langley residents wanting good transparent government to get things done! 

We have seen how a series of FOUR year terms, has affected our growing municipality. Depending on which numbers you want to look at, our population has increased by about 40,000 people in ten years or 5,000 per year, or about 20,000 during one FOUR year term. Losing the capacity or will to improve the necessary infrastructure year after year on the heels of approving a massive increase in development – well, have seen the result.

The sad reality is our municipality has been, up to now, run by power brokers and self-interested individuals with insider connections, unbeknown to innocent tax payers. I found out about the real corruption going on in the Township of Langley as Mayor with nobody on council willing to support the need for change. With no support for the change we needed back then, we have what we have today.

Nobody can say there wasn’t a clear choice in this year’s election. The Whitmarsh, Coleman, and Sparrow campaigns were effectively campaigning to keep the status quo – and from my perspective their campaigns were very poor by any effective campaign standards. On the Coleman campaign, I was waiting for another shoe to drop, and it never came. Given Rich Coleman’s political experience I couldn’t believe they ran such a poor and ineffective campaign – from messaging to signage to design and graphics it left one wondering what was this was all about? What did they plan to achieve?

In my 45 years of experience, the Contract with Langley campaign was outstanding. Everything from the volume of Social Media, to Print Media, to graphics, their messaging and their platform, all with an excellent presentation. From on-line videos featuring Eric Woodward and each of the team’s candidates, to endorsements by user groups, to live streaming community Town Halls, to on-site videos of their community initiatives in their platform, as well as speaking directly to residents of the Township of Langley. Most important they answered all of the obvious questions in a very public way. So to their incredibly successful results:

Eric Woodward topped all polls except one.

Contract with Langley Councillors filled 5 of the top 6 spots on Council.

Contract with Langley candidate Barb Martens topped the polls in her first try.

Despite a clique of angry Fort Langley residents Eric Woodward topped the Fort Langley Poll.

Despite a clique of angry Fort Langley residents Contract with Langley candidates did very well in the Fort Langley Poll.

Contract with Langley candidates became the first slate / team to get elected in the Township in over 20 years!

All three Contract with Langley School Board candidates won a spot on School Board.

2 of the 3 Contract with Langley School Board Candidates topped the polls.

So now what, where do we go from here?

Contract with Langley ran a great campaign, and obviously based on my BLOG Posts and endorsements we supported their team plus two independents. (7 of 9 that we endorsed won in the election) So now the pressure is on; they have the mandate they wanted, they have the mandate they needed to get things done. They know what they have to do now to deliver on their campaign promises, the residents of the Township will be watching, there are no excuses. I argued in favor of their team, knowing what is necessary for a Council to move our community forward. It is their time to show they deserved our trust.

This election stands to be the most transformative election in our history, and that is not hyperbole!  

What about Voter Turnout throughout the Lower Mainland? It is shocking!

As we have repeatedly warned our readers, elections have consequences. Reviewing the election results throughout the Lower Mainland sends a very concerning message. As we know, Municipal election turnout has not been great over many elections. Having said that as you can see below, 22 Municipalities / Cities reflect a decline in voter turnout, some greater than others. In one City close to home, it has hit rock bottom which doesn’t say much about the newly elected Mayor and Council.

What can be done about the low turnout in Municipal elections? Have we reached the point that there should be a penalty for not voting or conversely a bonus / credit for voting?

I am sure most people have heard that your Municipal / City government have the singular biggest effect on your families daily lives. When you analyze voter turnout numbers there can be a number of qualifications or reasons that align with any respective turnout number. Obviously a Mayoral contest raises the interest, the number of candidates (especially for Mayor) raises the interest, and high-profile local issues raises the interest, but despite all of that it doesn’t alter the question – Why are our Municipal elections drawing such little interest? There are some interesting conclusions that can be drawn, especially one close to home.

Here is a list of 22 Municipalities and Cities throughout the Lower Mainland, all showing a decrease in voter turnout vs 2018 of eligible voters, some more than others:

Belcarra – 74.6% turnout – down 10.1%      

Anmore – 50.8% turnout – down 1.2% 

Vancouver – 36% turnout – down 3.1%

West Vancouver – 35% turnout – down 2.7%

City of Surrey – 34% turnout – down 1.6%

Port Moody – 31% turnout – down 5.9%

City of White Rock – 29.4% turnout – down 10.2%

City of Delta – 28.5% turnout – down – 14.3%

City of New Westminster – 27.3% turnout – down .02%

Township of Langley – 26.5% turnout – down 3.9%

City of Richmond – 24.5% turnout – down 12%

City of Abbotsford – 23.6% turnout – down 12.3%

District of North Vancouver – 23.5% turnout – down 13.!%

Pitt Meadows – 23.3 % turnout – down 16.9%

City of Chilliwack – 24.7% turnout – down 14.3%

City of North Vancouver – 22.4% turnout – down 11.4%

City of Mission – 21.9% turnout – down 9.8%

City of Maple Ridge – 21.5% turnout – down 12%

City of Coquitlam – 20.1% turnout – down 5.2%                      

City of Burnaby – 19.3 % turnout – down 12.7%

Port Coquitlam – 18.3% turnout – down 9.8%

City of Langley – 17% turnout – down 8.2%

NOTE: City of Langley: A number of conclusions / opinions can be drawn from these election results. Yes, you can say a win is a win – however those that disregard the reality of election voter turnout, does so at their peril. Looking at the City of Langley turnout numbers, it screams “None of the Above”!

A reality check for the City of Langley – Think about it – 22,166 eligible voters and you win with 2,434 votes and your opposition receives 1,290 votes. Put it another way 1 in 6 eligible voters cast their ballot – or 1 in over 9 voters who cast their ballot did so for the winner, that is nothing short of embarrassing! If I was the elected Mayor I would be alarmed!

Summary: Elections have Consequences! Remember we are electing our councils for FOUR years in today’s world which can be very impactful, either negative or positive? From my observation our elections have taken on a different impact which has yet to be realized by the public.

 RG

More interesting 2022 Municipal Election News coming soon!

Protect your Democratic Rights – Protect your NEIGHBORS Democratic Rights – stay informed, stay involved and VOTE!!!

The Contract with Langley platform has been published in detail; with 5 supporting votes on Council, they guarantee to follow through on building infrastructure and instituting policies that are clearly outlined in their campaign material. To move forward we need a Council that does not get bogged down with political infighting and gotcha politics which has been the norm in the Township of Langley for decades, all favoring local unelected Power Brokers!

Through a “Fair Deal from Development” the Township of Langley can move forward and not have to impose these costs onto property taxpayers to solve these problems.

• Fix the embarrassing 208^th Street, 80^th Avenue and other major roads in Willoughby!

• Expand the Aldergrove Community Centre with a new vision for progress in Aldergrove!

• A NEW Indoor Pool, youth and community centre in Willoughby within Yorkson Community Park at 80^th Ave. Currently there is no plan for one!

• Build a youth soccer campus for and in partnership with LUSA, at least four NEW synthetic turf fields, one of which will be fully indoors for all weather use!

• Finish Fraser Highway from Murrayville to Aldergrove within 8 years, along with water and sewer infrastructure!

• End closed-door Council decision making and the sale of public lands without transparency, fair process or public input!

• Replace our fire-halls for Brookswood and Walnut Grove with a NEW plan for community-oriented policing and second stage housing!

• Fix our broken permit and development processes that increase costs for so many while delaying the new housing that we need!

• Create a NEW Housing Action Plan that ensures 10% of all new housing will be permanently set aside as truly affordable rental housing!

• Get residents and taxpayers a Fair Deal from Development to complete our Plan for Progress and Plan for Schools before, it is too late!   

Our Endorsement

Our choice for Mayor – Eric Woodward – Contract with Langley.

Eric Woodward has jumped into this race with the most comprehensive plan that I have seen in over 40 years of being involved in Municipal Politics. There are two fundamental guiding principles in making our decision 1) What is their platform against what is the community need? (Specifics, not Platitudes.) and 2) How are they going to get the 5 votes needed to deliver on their election promises? As a former Mayor their plan makes abundant sense and is long overdue:

#1 – What is the plan vs what is the public need.

I have watched Eric closely over the past 4 years and found him to have done an excellent job in preparation on his arguments on an issue. Eric repeatedly brought forward ideas and ways to fund them (i.e., Development and Financial Reform) and yet he was repeatedly shot down on a wide variety of ideas he brought forward. His performance and work ethic was head and shoulders above anyone else at the Council table. This is the reality of politics playing out with 9 independents, recognizing the majority of those independents at the Council table were controlled by the power elite of the Township. The Contract with Langley Plan deals with our need and is complete with detailed specifics including a financial plan on how he we can pay for it – the bottom line, not from property tax but “Getting a Fair Deal from Development!”

#2 – How are they going to get the 5 votes needed to deliver on their commitments?

The harsh reality is that you need support from, hopefully, a group on Council that are elected with and are all committed to support their advertised platform. Now I can assure you, after talking to the candidates running with Contract with Langley; they are independent in their general thought and mind BUT, support their platform of ideas – which is key to getting something significant done for the people of the Township of Langley. All of this answers the question as to how they are going to achieve their promise.

The KEY – They need your support to get elected in support of their promise. A group of 9 independents will not achieve this goal or our goal of building the necessary infrastructure in our communities. All of these candidates are long-time residents of the Township of Langley and are extremely professional in their regular lives. Through my research and in discussion with all of these Candidates I firmly believe all of them will make Township of Langley residents proud of their Municipal Council and will fully live up to all commitments they have made in this campaign!  

Our Choice for Township of Langley Councillors –

“Contract with Langley”

Tim Baillie – Retired Surrey Fire Department Captain – South Langley

Barb Martens – Constable Vancouver Police Dept. 20 yrs. – Walnut Grove

Steve Ferguson – Retired School Teacher (8 Term Councillor) – Brookswood

Misty Van Popta – Project Management Professional – Fort Langley

A J Cheema – Small Business Owner, Coach – Salmon River

Rob Rindt – Farmer, Small Business Owner – Rural Langley

“Independents who we see reflect a new vision and relative youth”

Brit Gardner – Community Activist, Transit Activist – Fort Langley

Michael Pratt – Community Planning and Housing Activist – Willowbrook

Our Choice for Township of Langley School Board – There is an absolute need for coordination between our Municipal Council and our School Board in support of

new school locations and facilities to meet our school district needs.

“Contract with Langley”

Holly Dickinson – Surrey School Teacher – Murrayville

Joel Neufeld – Surrey Firefighter – Fort Langley

Sarb Rai – Federal Public Servant – Brookswood

“Election Alert” – While it might be hard to believe for residents of the TOL who have not been involved with Municipal Politics in the Township of Langley, there are “Multi, Multi, Multi Millions of DOLLARS at stake depending on who wins this election. That threat is playing out during this election campaign through the dissemination of hearsay, gossip, innuendo and the spreading of fictitious stories on-line with a personal grudge.   Now there is a campaign of stealing and the destruction of many “Contract with Langley” election signs. It does not take a rocket scientist to look around and see who is responsible – the power brokers are feeling threatened. We cannot let them prevail unless you want to see your community sold out. If you see anything or know anything, please contact us immediately.

“Advance Voting Information” for residents of the Township of Langley 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Brookswood – Thursd. October 13^th, 2022 – G. Preston Rec. Centre/Rm B&C – 20699 42^nd Ave.

Please remember to VOTE – nothing will happen without your support!

RG

More interesting 2022 Municipal Election News coming soon!

Protect your Democratic Rights – Protect your NEIGHBORS Democratic Rights – stay informed, stay involved and VOTE!!!

Share this BLOG; forward it to your friends, neighbors, and relatives!

To comment on this post – Click on this Post, top left-hand corner under recent posts.

Township mayoral candidates clash over financial disclosures, blind trust….

Eric Woodward claims Rich Coleman is violating rules on disclosing his assets.

(source Langley Advance Times)

Langley Township mayoral candidate Rich Coleman should disclose the assets he has in a blind trust, according to rival mayoral candidate Eric Woodward.

Woodward raised the issue in September, after the candidates registration forms were filed with the chief election officers and posted on the Township website.

When running for civic office, candidates have to disclose their corporate or personal investment holdings, including property they own, along with businesses they own, or which pay them a salary.

Coleman’s disclosure lists “blind trust” under his disclosure section, along with his B.C. Government Pension from his career as an MLA and cabinet minister.

“If you have assets in a trust structure, you still have to disclose the assets”, Woodward said.

He said it’s “outrageous” that Coleman isn’t disclosing what he owns and said it would make it impossible to determine if there are conflicts of interest if Coleman were to be elected mayor.

Woodward said he does not believe Coleman doesn’t know what’s in his trust.

“It hasn’t been very active” Coleman said of the trust – (editorial comment – If the trustee controls the trust how would Coleman know whether it has been very active or not? It is a ruse!)

The Langley Advance Times reached out to the provincial government, and the ministry of the Attorney General said that disclosure statements must detail an elected-officials, corporate and personal holdings; including the name of each business providing financial remuneration to the candidate, and a description and location of land in which they own an interest.

Woodward’s disclosure notes his ownership of shares in two credit unions, but the bulk of the disclosure is about Fort Langley Properties Ltd., a holding company which owns 20 properties in the Fort.

From langleywatchdog – IMPORTANT – Given the Attorney General’s Ministry statement above the residents of the Township of Langley MUST ask themselves what is Rich Coleman hiding, what doesn’t he want you to know? Facing the above reality, he cannot be trusted!

The langleywatchdog.com Endorsement follows, we believe THE CHOICE IS CLEAR:

Our choice for Mayor – Eric Woodward – Contract with Langley.

Eric Woodward has jumped into this race with the most comprehensive plan that I have seen in over 40 years of being involved in Municipal Politics. There are two fundamental guiding principles in making our decision 1) What is their platform against what is the community need? (Specifics, not Platitudes.) and 2) How are they going to get the 5 votes needed to deliver on their election promises?

As a former Mayor with knowledge and experience in the office this plan ia absolutely doable, makes abundant sense and is long overdue for our taxpayers and residents.

#1 – What is the plan vs what is the public need.

I have watched Eric closely over the past 4 years and found him to have done an excellent job in preparation on his arguments on an issue. Eric repeatedly brought forward ideas and ways to fund them (i.e., Development and Financial Reform) and yet he was repeatedly shot down on a wide variety of ideas he brought forward. His performance and work ethic was head and shoulders above anyone else at the Council table. This is the reality of politics playing out with 9 independents, recognizing the majority of those independents at the Council table were controlled by the power elite of the Township. The Contract with Langley Plan deals with our need and is complete with detailed specifics including a financial plan on how he we can pay for it – the bottom line, not from property tax but “Getting a Fair Deal from Development!”

#2 – How are they going to get the 5 votes needed to deliver on their commitments?

The harsh reality is that you need support from, hopefully, a group on Council that are elected with and are all committed to support their advertised platform. Now I can assure you, after talking to the candidates running with Contract with Langley; they are independent in their general thought and mind BUT, support their platform of ideas – which is key to getting something significant done for the people of the Township of Langley. All of this answers the question as to how they are going to achieve their promise.

The KEY – They need your support to get elected in support of their promise. A group of 9 independents will not achieve this goal or our goal of building the necessary infrastructure in our communities. All of these candidates are long-time residents of the Township of Langley and are extremely professional in their regular lives. Through my research and in discussion with all of these Candidates I firmly believe all of them will make Township of Langley residents proud of their Municipal Council and will fully live up to all commitments they have made in this campaign!  

Our Choice for Township of Langley Councillors –

“Contract with Langley”

Tim Baillie                   Retired Surrey Fire Department Captain      South Langley

Barb Martens             Constable Vancouver Police Dept. 20 yrs.    Walnut Grove

Steve Ferguson          Retired School Teacher (8 Term Councillor) Brookswood

Misty Van Popta        Project Management Professional               Fort Langley

A J Cheema                 Small Business Owner, Coach                       Salmon River

Rob Rindt                   Farmer, Small Business Owner                      Rural Langley

“Independents who we see reflect a new vision and relative youth”

Brit Gardner               Community Activist, Transit Activist            Fort Langley

Michael Pratt             Community Planning and Housing Activist  Willowbrook

Our Choice for Township of Langley School Board – There is an absolute need for coordination between our Municipal Council and our School Board in support of

new school locations and facilities to meet our school district needs.

“Contract with Langley”

Holly Dickinson          Surrey School Teacher                                   Murrayville

Joel Neufeld               Surrey Firefighter                                          Fort Langley

Sarb Rai                       Federal Public Servant                                  Brookswood

“Election Alert” – While it might be hard to believe for residents of the TOL who have not been involved with Municipal Politics in the Township of Langley, there are “Multi, Multi, Multi Millions of DOLLARS at stake depending on who wins this election. That threat is playing out during this election campaign through the dissemination of hearsay, gossip, innuendo and the spreading of fictitious stories on-line with a personal grudge.   Now there is a campaign of stealing and the destruction of many “Contract with Langley” election signs. It does not take a rocket scientist to look around and see who is responsible – the power brokers are feeling threatened. We cannot let them prevail unless you want to see your community sold out. If you see anything or know anything, please contact us immediately.

“Advance Voting Information” for residents of the Township of Langley 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Aldergrove – Tuesday Oct. 11^th, 2022 – Ald. Credit Un. Com. Centre – 27032 Fraser Highway

Murrayville – Wed. Oct. 12^th, 2022 – W.C. Blair Rec. Centre/Studio 4 – 22200 Fraser Hwy.

Brookswood – Thursd. October 13^th, 2022 – G. Preston Rec. Centre/Rm B&C – 20699 42^nd Ave.

Please remember to VOTE – nothing will happen without your support!

RG

More interesting 2022 Municipal Election News coming soon!

Protect your Democratic Rights – Protect your NEIGHBORS Democratic Rights – stay informed, stay involved and VOTE!!!

Share this BLOG; forward it to your friends, neighbors, and relatives!

To comment on this post – Click on this Post, top left-hand corner under recent posts.

The Contract with Langley platform has been published in detail; with 5 supporting votes on Council, they guarantee to follow through on building infrastructure and instituting policies that are clearly outlined in their campaign material. To move forward we need a Council that does not get bogged down with political infighting and gotcha politics which has been the norm in the Township of Langley for decades, all favoring local unelected Power Brokers!

Through a “Fair Deal from Development” the Township of Langley can move forward and not have to impose these costs onto property taxpayers to solve these problems.

• Fix the embarrassing 208^th Street, 80^th Avenue and other major roads in Willoughby!

• Expand the Aldergrove Community Centre with a new vision for progress in Aldergrove!

• A NEW Indoor Pool, youth and community centre in Willoughby within Yorkson Community Park at 80^th Ave. Currently there is no plan for one!

• Build a youth soccer campus for and in partnership with LUSA, at least four NEW synthetic turf fields, one of which will be fully indoors for all weather use!

• Finish Fraser Highway from Murrayville to Aldergrove within 8 years, along with water and sewer infrastructure!

• End closed-door Council decision making and the sale of public lands without transparency, fair process or public input!

• Replace our fire-halls for Brookswood and Walnut Grove with a NEW plan for community-oriented policing and second stage housing!

• Fix our broken permit and development processes that increase costs for so many while delaying the new housing that we need!

• Create a NEW Housing Action Plan that ensures 10% of all new housing will be permanently set aside as truly affordable rental housing!

•  Get residents and taxpayers a Fair Deal from Development to complete our Plan for Progress and Plan for Schools before, it is too late!

Our Endorsement

Our choice for Mayor – Eric Woodward – Contract with Langley.

Eric Woodward has jumped into this race with the most comprehensive plan that I have seen in over 40 years of being involved in Municipal Politics. There are two fundamental guiding principles in making our decision 1) What is their platform against what is the community need? (Specifics, not Platitudes.) and 2) How are they going to get the 5 votes needed to deliver on their election promises? As a former Mayor their plan makes abundant sense and is long overdue:

#1 – What is the plan vs what is the public need.

I have watched Eric closely over the past 4 years and found him to have done an excellent job in preparation on his arguments on an issue. Eric repeatedly brought forward ideas and ways to fund them (i.e., Development and Financial Reform) and yet he was repeatedly shot down on a wide variety of ideas he brought forward. His performance and work ethic was head and shoulders above anyone else at the Council table. This is the reality of politics playing out with 9 independents, recognizing the majority of those independents at the Council table were controlled by the power elite of the Township. The Contract with Langley Plan deals with our need and is complete with detailed specifics including a financial plan on how he we can pay for it – the bottom line, not from property tax but “Getting a Fair Deal from Development!”

#2 – How are they going to get the 5 votes needed to deliver on their commitments?

The harsh reality is that you need support from, hopefully, a group on Council that are elected with and are all committed to support their advertised platform. Now I can assure you, after talking to the candidates running with Contract with Langley; they are independent in their general thought and mind BUT, support their platform of ideas – which is key to getting something significant done for the people of the Township of Langley. All of this answers the question as to how they are going to achieve their promise.

The KEY – They need your support to get elected in support of their promise. A group of 9 independents will not achieve this goal or our goal of building the necessary infrastructure in our communities. All of these candidates are long-time residents of the Township of Langley and are extremely professional in their regular lives. Through my research and in discussion with all of these Candidates I firmly believe all of them will make Township of Langley residents proud of their Municipal Council and will fully live up to all commitments they have made in this campaign!  

Our Choice for Township of Langley Councillors –

“Contract with Langley”

Tim Baillie – Retired Surrey Fire Department Captain – South Langley

Barb Martens – Constable Vancouver Police Dept. 20 yrs. – Walnut Grove

Steve Ferguson – Retired School Teacher (8 Term Councillor) – Brookswood

Misty Van Popta – Project Management Professional – Fort Langley

A J Cheema – Small Business Owner, Coach – Salmon River

Rob Rindt – Farmer, Small Business Owner – Rural Langley

“Independents who we see reflect a new vision and relative youth”

Brit Gardner – Community Activist, Transit Activist – Fort Langley

Michael Pratt – Community Planning and Housing Activist – Willowbrook

Our Choice for Township of Langley School Board – There is an absolute need for coordination between our Municipal Council and our School Board in support of new school locations and facilities to meet our school district needs.

“Contract with Langley”

Holly Dickinson – Surrey School Teacher – Murrayville

Joel Neufeld – Surrey Firefighter – Fort Langley

Sarb Rai – Federal Public Servant – Brookswood

“Election Alert” – While it might be hard to believe for residents of the TOL who have not been involved with Municipal Politics in the Township of Langley, there are “Multi, Multi, Multi Millions of DOLLARS at stake depending on who wins this election. That threat is playing out during this election campaign through the dissemination of hearsay, gossip, innuendo and the spreading of fictitious stories on-line with a personal grudge.   Now there is a campaign of stealing and the destruction of many “Contract with Langley” election signs. It does not take a rocket scientist to look around and see who is responsible – the power brokers are feeling threatened. We cannot let them prevail unless you want to see your community sold out. If you see anything or know anything, please contact us immediately.

“Advance Voting Information” for residents of the Township of Langley 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Fort Langley – Thursday October 6^th, 2022 – Fort Langley Community Hall – 9167 Glover Rd.

Walnut Grove – Frid. Oct. 7^th, 2022 – Walnut Grove Com. Centre/Gym – 8889 Waln. Grove Dr.

Willoughby – Saturday October 8^th, 2022 – Langley Events Centre/Gym 2 – 7888 200^th St.

Aldergrove – Tuesday Oct. 11^th, 2022 – Ald. Credit Un. Com. Centre – 27032 Fraser Highway

Murrayville – Wed. Oct. 12^th, 2022 – W.C. Blair Rec. Centre/Studio 4 – 22200 Fraser Hwy.

Brookswood – Thursd. October 13^th, 2022 – G. Preston Rec. Centre/Rm B&C – 20699 42^nd Ave.

Please remember to VOTE – nothing will happen without your support!

RG

More interesting 2022 Municipal Election News coming soon!

Protect your Democratic Rights – Protect your NEIGHBORS Democratic Rights – stay informed, stay involved and VOTE!!!

Share this BLOG; forward it to your friends, neighbors, and relatives!

To comment on this post – Click on this Post, top left-hand corner under recent posts.

The taxpayers collective choice for the next Township of Langley Municipal Council will be the most critical decision they will make for decades – good or the bad? The following endorsement decisions are based on independent research, practical in-elected office experience as your mayor, and the known history of each candidate.

What is their potential for achieving 5 votes should they get elected!

To start with, all candidates deserve our thanks for putting their name forward to run for election in this campaign. It is a difficult task and a serious learning experience for most. The unfortunate part is that the vast majority of candidates are offering nothing more than political platitudes (a statement that is boring and has no meaning because it has been said so many times before) or trite remarks (dull and boring i.e., non-specific) in their election material either in print or on-line. The vast majority of candidates are relying on this bogus line of being “independent” as somehow being of significant value. It is just another way of saying I do not have a plan or an idea that I want to see achieved in my community. An example, just because you say you are independent does not mean you cannot come out and show support for the ideas of others, but nobody running as a so-called independent has ventured into that space. That is because it is seen as political, thus the problem 9 independents coming to a decision on anything.

We have had an independent Council for over 20 years, so they say, what has that done for us, nothing other than maintaining the status quo which is only in the interest of developers and local power brokers? Special favors for friends and insiders! I have had first-hand experience of that while in office. They have had a stranglehold on the Township of Langley for decades, let’s break loose from those chains of control.

As I see it there are a couple of candidates for Councillor who are exceptions to that rule which I will outline later in this BLOG Post.

So, getting to our decision in terms of who we support? There are two fundamental guiding principles that should guide our decision 1) What is their platform against what is the community need? (Specifics, not Platitudes.) and 2) How are they going to get the 5 votes needed to deliver on their election promises?

Mayoral Candidate Rich Coleman –I have had a lot to say against Rich Coleman over the past 3 weeks and beyond. For very detailed reasons and arguments against Rich Coleman for Mayor go to go to our BLOG Posts of September 8^th, 2022, September 15^th, 2022, September 20^th, 2022, September 30^th, 2022.

Mayoral Candidate Blair Whitmarsh –I have had a lot to say against Blair Whitmarsh over the past 3 weeks and beyond. For very detailed reasons go to our BLOG Posts of September 12^th, 2022, September 20^th, 2022, September 26^th, 2022, September 30^th, 2022.

Mayoral Candidate Michelle Sparrow – Michelle Sparrow talks a great deal about collaboration with Council and yet she has served two terms on Council as an independent and has failed to accomplish anything while in office. While on Council Michelle did not show that she has the experience or the leadership skills necessary to sit in the Mayor’s chair. This reality is in line with the performance of all of our other Township of Langley Councils populated by independents. Michelle’s platform again is made up of political platitudes, nothing defined, nothing specific with no plan to make development pay for itself.

Our choice for Mayor is – Eric Woodward – “Contract with Langley”.

Eric Woodward has jumped into this race with the most comprehensive plan that I have seen in over 40 years of being involved in Municipal Politics. It is complete with detailed specifics as well a financial plan on how he we can pay for it – the bottom line, not from property tax but “Getting a Fair Deal from Development!”

Eric’s well detailed published plan covers #1 above – What is the plan vs what is the public need.

Just for the record, I had a testy relationship with Eric up to about 6 months before the 2018 election and I am pretty sure he didn’t support me in 2011 and 2014 campaigns. Quite frankly I do not care, I do not take things personal. Through a friend of Eric’s at the time we met to discuss his campaign as he was going to run for Council. We went on to meet about 4 more times and I challenged him on a number of fronts, liking what he said I endorsed him in the 2018 campaign. He came in 2^nd across the Township, only missing top spot by about 400 votes. I have watched Eric closely over the past 4 years and found him to have done an excellent job in preparation on his arguments on an issue. Eric repeatedly brought forward ideas and ways to fund them (i.e., Development and Financial Reform) and yet he was repeatedly shot down on a wide variety of ideas he brought forward. His performance and work ethic was head and shoulders above anyone else at the Council table. This is the reality of politics playing out with 9 independents, recognizing the majority of those independents at the Council table were controlled by the power elite of the Township.

All of this brings us to the next point 2) How are they going to get the 5 votes needed to deliver on their commitments? The harsh reality is that you need support by, hopefully a group on Council that are elected with you who are all committed to support their advertised platform. Now I can assure you, after talking to the Team of candidates running with Eric, they are independent in their general thought, BUT support their platform of ideas – which is key to getting something significant done for the people of the Township of Langley. All of this answers the question as to how they are going to achieve their promise.

The key – They need your support to get elected in support of their promise. A group of 9 independents will not achieve this goal or our goal of building the necessary infrastructure. All of these candidates are long time residents of the Township of Langley and are extremely professional in their regular lives.

By running a TEAM of 7 candidates (Mayor and 6 Councillors) Eric answers 2) How they are going to get the 5 votes needed to deliver on their commitments?

Through my research and in discussion with all of these Candidates I firmly believe all of them will make Township of Langley residents proud of their Municipal Council and will fully live up to all commitments they have made in this campaign!

 Our Choice for Township of Langley Councillors –

“Contract with Langley”

Tim Baillie – Retired Surrey Fire Department Captain – South Langley

Barb Martens – Constable Vancouver Police Dept. 20 yrs. – Walnut Grove

Steve Ferguson – Retired School Teacher (8 Term Councillor) – Brookswood

Misty Van Popta – Project Management Professional – Fort Langley

A J Cheema – Small Business Owner, Coach – Salmon River

Rob Rindt – Farmer, Small Business Owner – Rural Langley

“Independents who we see reflect a new vision and relative youth”

Brit Gardner – Community Activist, Transit Activist – Fort Langley

Michael Pratt – Community Planning and Housing Activist – Willowbrook

Our Choice for Township of Langley School Board – There is an absolute need for coordination between our Municipal Council and our School Board in support of

new school locations and facilities to meet our school district needs.

“Contract with Langley”

Holly Dickinson          Surrey School Teacher                                   Murrayville

Joel Neufeld               Surrey Firefighter                                          Fort Langley

Sarb Rai                       Federal Public Servant                                  Brookswood

Platform Detail for the “Contract with Langley” Team – We will be publishing, up to the day before the election, all on-going news of the election campaign plus all of the Contract with Langley platform detail that have been published and guaranteed by the Contract with Langley Team. Stay tuned!

“Election Alert” – While it might be hard to believe for those who have not been involved with Municipal Politics in the Township of Langley “Multi, Multi, Multi Millions of DOLLARS are at stake with respect to who wins this election. That threat is playing out during this election campaign through the dissemination of here say, gossip, innuendo and the spreading of fictitious stories on-line by a small cabal of Fort Langley residents with a personal grudge. Now there is a campaign of stealing and destruction of many Contract with Langley election signs. Looking around, it does not take a rocket scientist to see who is responsible and the power brokers that are feeling threatened. We cannot let them prevail unless you want to see your community sold out. If you see anything or know anything, please contact us immediately.

“Advance Voting Information” for residents of the Township of Langley 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Willowbrook – Wednesday October 5^th, 2022 – Civic Facility / City Hall 1^st floor – 20338 65^th Ave.

Fort Langley – Thursday October 6^th, 2022 – Fort Langley Community Hall – 9167 Glover Rd.

Walnut Grove – Frid. Oct. 7^th, 2022 – Walnut Grove Com. Centre/Gym – 8889 Waln. Grove Dr.

Willoughby – Saturday October 8^th, 2022 – Langley Events Centre/Gym 2 – 7888 200^th St.

Aldergrove – Tuesday Oct. 11^th, 2022 – Ald. Credit Un. Com. Centre – 27032 Fraser Highway

Murrayville – Wed. Oct. 12^th, 2022 – W.C. Blair Rec. Centre/Studio 4 – 22200 Fraser Hwy.

Brookswood – Thursd. October 13^th, 2022 – G. Preston Rec. Centre/Rm B&C – 20699 42^nd Ave.

Please remember to VOTE – nothing will happen without your support!

RG

More interesting 2022 Municipal Election News coming soon!

Protect your Democratic Rights – Protect your NEIGHBORS Democratic Rights – stay informed, stay involved and VOTE!!!

Share this BLOG; forward it to your friends, neighbors, and relatives!

To comment on this post – Click on this Post, top left-hand corner under recent posts.

Up to now the silence has been deafening from Rich Coleman and Blair Whitmarsh, two candidates for Mayor of the Township of Langley with respect to their position on the development in the Township of Langley. The comments I speak of are those they made in response to the specific question of “how they thought the Township was managing its rapid growth and development” at an ALL-Candidates meeting. The following will dissect and respond to the comments attributed to them in the recent issue of the Langley Advance Times filed by reporter Mathew Claxton.

Sometimes you just have to give candidates enough rope as they say, so on Monday night at the LEC they let the public know exactly how they feel and what they stand for. This past Monday night at the Langley Events Center, the Langley Chamber of Commerce held their ALL Candidates meeting for the October 15^th 2022 Municipal Election. Mayoral candidates Rich Coleman and Blair Whitmarsh offered some very illuminating answers, those that the public should be aware of. You can’t make this stuff up!

Unfortunately, this is how the Township of Langley has become the wild wild west and a laughingstock on lower mainland property development. Something just has to change, and this election is our best opportunity to get it right. It is no secret at this point that I am in opposition to both Rich Coleman and Blair Whitmarsh for Mayor, for exceptionally good reasons which I have detailed in a few previous BLOG Posts.

But let us get to the public comments made by each of these candidates:

Rich Coleman (RC): In what can only be described as astounding statements, he said the following, they are followed by my response –

RC – “I don’t think everything’s bad here, I really don’t,” said Coleman

Response – Rich, you cannot be serious? Do yourself a favor and get out and talk to residents!

RC – He also issued a warning about putting infrastructure first before development!

Response – Rich, excuse me, BEFORE DEVELOPMENT; who do you think you are kidding? Willoughby has upwards of 40,000 residents now, an increase of about 35,000 in the last decade (10 years Rich). This will grow to about 70,000 in the next decade per the Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) that your Liberal Government insisted on through Metro Vancouver. The development was here about 5 years ago, what are you thinking?

RC – “I remember the 1970s, when the Township of Langley went ahead and put in all the services, sidewalks, and curbs in Walnut Grove, and nobody came to build. And our community “almost went broke.”

Response – Drawing any comparison of Willoughby to Walnut Grove is like comparing apples to turnips. First, that was in 1970 Rich, we are in 2022, just saying. In the 70s, development legislation was nowhere near what it is today. Development Cost Charges were nowhere near what they are today, Community Amenity Contributions were not in existence in the 70s. Rich, Walnut Grove today has a population of about 25,000 (what was it when it first built out?), almost half of what Willoughby has today. By the way Rich, in case you had not noticed, they have come to build.

RC – “There are some things you can always do better, particularly on the road infrastructure.”

Response – Really Rich, only road infrastructure? What about active all-weather parks, ice sheets, a pool, a community center, a seniors center, sidewalks, greenways and so much more! For a population of about 70,000 people in 10 more years! So how would you like to pay for that road infrastructure Rich? – Increasing DCCs to your developer friends? What about all of the other infrastructure that I list? Bring our CACs up to a competitive level with adjoining municipalities / Cities? OR is your idea to pay for them through increased property taxes? It sounds like it is, because the money has to come from somewhere and you are not in favor of development paying for itself.

General Comment on Rich Coleman – First of all you may notice that Rich Coleman’s Campaign, both for him and his slate does not address the significant issue of needed infrastructure, what we need and how to pay for it. He has also never addressed the funding issue for road improvement nor timing on getting it done. He does not comment about adjusting Development Cost Charges annually (developer expense) or implementing a competitive Community Amenity Contribution Program (developer expense) to pay for any infrastructure that is needed within our community. Therefore, one can only conclude that Rich Coleman does not believe that development (his friends) should pay for itself and that the taxpayers obviously should have to pay for everything through property taxes.

Blair Whitmarsh (BW): – In a couple of statements, he showed his determination that the status-quo is just fine!

BW – Whitmarsh acknowledged the challenges of growth saying, “the Council has tried to make good decisions.”

Response – Blair, the taxpaying public did not vote for you to TRY to make good decisions, they elected you to MAKE good decisions. There is ample community and staff support, and input provided to Mayor and Council to understand the need for supporting infrastructure along with the implications of not doing so. Taxpayers of the Township of Langley can no longer afford to gamble on you any further, not only based on your performance to-date, but your determination not to make development pay for itself. Existing taxpayers cannot afford to pay for this infrastructure through their property tax annually.

BW – “But I don’t think we’ve been able to keep up with the pace of development,” he said.

Response – Blair, you were part of the Council for two terms (8 years) that approved all of this development and you have done so with absolutely NO consideration and/or thought for the infrastructure that our community needs. Those decisions equate to total irresponsibility from you and your majority on Council especially considering the fact our DCCs are not annually reviewed (an expense to developers) and our CAC program (an expense to developers) is pennies on the dollar compared to surrounding Municipalities and Cities. It is no wonder we are in the infrastructure deficit we are in today. You are at fault, your words, not mine.

BW – “The Township is at a place where development doesn’t pay for itself.”

Response – This is not rocket science Blair, it does not pay for itself because you and your majority on Council have not, from the beginning, made it pay for itself. This is a shocking statement for any member of Council to make. It reinforces the argument that we need a change on our Township of Langley Municipal Council!

General Comment on Blair Whitmarsh – The debate surrounding who to vote for in the upcoming Municipal Election, is not a personality issue – It is a competency issue. We cannot afford another 4 years of an incompetent, do nothing Council who have allowed this serious infrastructure deficit to occur – Blair’s statements above prove our point. We have seen how close Blair has been to the development community – (SEE BLOG Post of langleywatchdog dated December 4^th, 2020) While not found guilty, the evidence was very damming in moral and ethical terms for anyone serving as your representative on our Municipal Council. It was shocking.

Summary – Election campaigns unfortunately are always filled with political speak and vague platitudes which skirt any specifics of what they are talking about. An example of that is in the 2018 election where 5 candidates promised action on 208^th Street, but after being elected voted against asking for a staff report to move this much needed initiative forward. Margaret Kuntz is quoted from the ALL Candidates meeting that she does not agree with borrowing to finish 208^th. Well obviously, Margaret Kuntz does not understand the principle of borrowing against future DCCs, which is a way you can responsibly move forward in finishing 208^th Street.

The above summary of comments made in a significant ALL Candidates meeting are but a brief example of the true thinking and summary of how our community is in the trouble it is. Personal gripes and grievances find their way into political discourse with their true intentions and rationale buried from the public eye.

It is long past time that the electorate become active in this election – elections are not a spectator sport, they are a participation sport. That only means that all of us at a minimum responsibility should be educating ourselves about the political history of those running. Who they are, what they stand for and what they will do if elected, recognizing our council needs 5 votes on Council to accomplish anything. Let us move forward with a CHANGE on Council.

RG

More interesting 2022 Municipal Election News coming soon!

Protect your Democratic Rights – Protect your NEIGHBORS Democratic Rights – stay informed, stay involved and VOTE!!!

Share this BLOG; forward it to your friends, neighbors, and relatives!

To comment on this post – Click on this Post, top left-hand corner under recent posts.

As residents of the Township of Langley, all of us have felt the pressure of growth – over the last decade we have seen an increase of close to 40,000 residents! Our current Municipal Council, the incumbents, running for re-election and those running on the Elevate Langley slate are only interested in maintaining the status-quo; that is continued favors to friends, insiders, developers while continuing inaction on the infrastructure crisis we are all facing.

I will go back to my BLOG Post of September 20^th, 2022 – the choice is not independent vs slate. When you hear candidates sing the praises of being an independent, it is frankly something that has garnered a very misleading value in the public’s mind. If you believe that the Township of Langley has had a council made up of independents over the past two decades, and most residents as well as members of Council say they are independent; then weighing that claim of independence against your council accomplishing anything of value to residents, it proves to be a misnomer (a wrong or inaccurate name or designation). We are in a critical infrastructure crisis; how is it working for us so far; IT ISN’T! This Council has proven the fact as independents they have been incapable of accomplishing the job you hired them to do.

I know and appreciate the Township’s terrible history of slate politics, but that was two decades back. Since that time, the so-called independent voice on Council has achieved nothing.

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results”

Our population two decades ago was about 105,000, today we have approximately 150,000 residents; growing exponentially faster than originally planned, with no meaningful infrastructure improvement investments being made in the last twenty years – Fire Halls / equipment, Fire Department staffing, Parks, Ice Sheets, All Weather Soccer Fields, Community Centers, Pools, Senior Centers, Roads, Sidewalks, green ways, bike paths and so much more.

Not ALL independents and/or slates are created equal: To accomplish the task of getting Council’s approval for the necessary infrastructure investment going forward you need 5 votes! I have experienced first-hand as Mayor the problems with being one of nine so-called independent voices on Council trying to obtain that support. For reasons that are nothing more than politically motivated, either internally within council or influenced by outside power brokers; getting the majority focused on what is in the best interest of the Township of Langley and you the voter was impossible. Petty council disagreements and attempted deal making as well as more serious partisan politics gets involved frequently which has an extremely negative affect on getting meaningful things done! It is wrong but that is the way it is, in reality.

The best way to explain what I am talking about is using a few examples on issues that I faced as your Mayor – Remember I was elected Mayor, a surprise in the eyes and minds of the incumbents that were reelected back in November of 2008. I have written extensively about the following issues, but for this purpose I will give you a short list with an abbreviated explanation, as follows:

Langley Events Center (LEC): When I was elected Mayor, the LEC was about 75% complete. In my first in-camera meeting, staff were asking for an additional $7.5 Million. Getting to that report, I requested a one-week deferral to better understand the issue as we had a new Mayor, a new councilor and one councilor was away. Barely getting that request out of my mouth Councillor Bateman called for the question on the motion to approve the report and request, it was approved with myself being the only dissenting vote. That irresponsible action by members of Council was consistent throughout my term, it was all political. My request was reasonable, responsible, not confrontational yet council were determined to send me a message – forget what was in the best interest of the Township and you the taxpayer. I have written extensively about this project. Due to the problems and issues, I uncovered, I brought in a legal firm from downtown Vancouver as well as BDO Dunwoody to review this project in detail. Both firms agreed with me, they asked how did you got yourselves into this predicament? I have said many times that this project was ripe for a Forensic Audit! Great project, irresponsibly created, developed, and managed. NO support from Independent Council members at great cost to you the taxpayer!

Mufford Crescent Diversion: The Mufford Crescent Diversion plan was initiated by the then B.C. Liberal Government under the guise of the Roberts Bank Rail Corridor project led by TransLink, an overpass over the rail line and Glover Rd. through the historical Hudsons Bay and Bella Vista Farms connecting with the 216^th and the 64 Ave. intersection, making over 300 acres of prime agricultural land impossible to farm which would ultimately have lead it to being removed from the ALR. It was designed and approved without Public Consultation, supported by then B.C. Liberal MLA Rich Coleman. After the 2008 election Mayor Rick Green had the TOL hold two Open Houses and a Public Meeting that saw over 1,000 people attending. There was also a public meeting at the LEC and an agricultural community meeting at the casino, both hosted by the Agricultural Land Commission. Combined the proposed project had 97% community opposition. Mayor Green received abusive opposition by six so-called independent members of Council, despite such wide-spread community support. While taking two years, we were successful in having it rejected by the ALC and referred it back to the funding partners for a better option – thanks to Chair Richard Bullock, despite all of the threats. Richard Bullock was removed as Chair of the ALC shortly after by the then B.C. Liberal Government. NO support from Independent Council members who supported the original proposal despite such wide spread public opposition; we won despite the opposition on Council, again thanks to Richard Bullock and the ALC!

Community Amenity Contributions: In the 2008 election, two of many items I had on my campaign platform were 1) Creating a public information profile on all Township of Langley owned properties previously unavailable (which we accomplished) and 2) Establishing a Community Amenity Contribution (CAC) program. After winning the election in 2009 I brought in Mr. Bruce Maitland (Retired Director of Real Estate Services for the City of Vancouver) to brief our Council on the background, benefits, and potential implementation of a CAC program. Vancouver were the leaders in Metro Vancouver of this initiative. The decision of our so-called independents on Council – NO that is fine for Vancouver, but we do not do that in the Township of Langley. The TOL introduced a very watered-down version of CACs a couple of years ago, but they are only at 25% of what Surrey is charging? Why? Thanks to the vote of Independents, it has cost taxpayers multi 100s of millions of dollars since 2009! NO support from Independent Council members!

Athenry Development on 208^th & 80^th: The Athenry Development on 208^th on the Willoughby Community Hall corner was brought forward to the new council. The previous council had given this project 1^st and 2^nd reading, held a public hearing and gave it 3^rd reading. As it dealt with approvals given to it by a previous council, it is required that the new council be provided with all of the information and material to-date. I wanted to ensure we had all of the information, so I requested the layout of the proposal that was given 3^rd reading. That reading was for a large mixed-use building in the center of the property while the NEW layout showed multiple buildings very-close to homes – about 15 feet from their back fences and 4 stories in height (over 40 feet) hovering over single family homes surrounding that property. This was an obvious breach of regulations surrounding what changes can be made at 4^th reading. Those regulations state that the only changes that can be made at 4^th reading are form, character, and design, NOT an increase in density! It was a highly contentious and controversial project which I strongly objected to, spoke, and voted against. However, despite the protestations of hundreds of local residents, the majority of so-called independents on Council approved the project. There were lawsuits and/or threatened lawsuits, however I know first-hand there were family break ups and serious loss of home values of up to $100,000. It was a travesty. Once again, the owner of that property had inside connections. It is Interesting, that this development property was-flipped since, and to-date only has one building built on the site. NO support from Independent Council members!

Landfill on Agricultural Land: A significant issue was an apparent breach of ALR regulations allowing a free reign for dumping fill on agricultural land. After a significant period of time fighting this issue, a diligent landowner brought to my attention that there was a memo sent to the ALC from our CAO advising that Council had agreed by resolution to send all applications through to the ALC for their consideration and/or approval. After doing my due diligence internally I discovered a copy of the memo and, that, no such resolution had been passed by Council. (A requirement under provincial legislation) In my view that is a deliberate act to mislead a provincial crown agency which is responsible to enforce provincial regulations. NO support from Independent Council members to deal with this issue appropriately.

Summary: I am sure everyone will agree, the examples that I outlined above were not controversial, and they were in the best interest of the public and the taxpayer. So why were they not supported? Internal politics and outside pressure from power brokers that did not want any change on Council, pure and simple.

While it might appear that I am fighting for a slate, that is not necessarily the case, however what I am doing is giving you examples of what happens when you do not have the votes (you need 5) in support of initiatives (infrastructure projects we need). So, let us put it another way, let us say you elect a mayor and eight councilors who each have their own priorities which is normally the case; why else would you run for Council if you didn’t have a platform of ideas you want to achieve on council? It then becomes an internal fight/discussion/debate on Council culminating in let us make a deal? What happens now? You have nine members of Council trying to negotiate with each other for votes of support. You end up with fractious relationships and factions on Council which cease to be constructive to a Council of the whole.

That unfortunately is just how it works out of sight of the public who elected them. Those that are incumbents or are running solely on the theme of being independent, will deny this reality; for those incumbents they are not telling you the truth, and for those having never served on Council don’t know what they are talking about. They mean well, but just don’t know the reality.

RG

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