Opinion Volume 80IssueNo.25 — Citizens tired of inaction: Three-year term too long Democracy is not a pretty thing, residents could conclude after recent council meetings on the Peninsula. In Central Saanich, council spent over two hours June 10 discussing a bylaw that had been given both first and second readings amid extensive discussion before going to public hearing. Council members then heard input from property owners affected by the bylaws and from members of the public, before rejecting the bylaw at third reading. The bylaw lumped two separate areas of property — at Cowichan Head and Island View beach — together for seasonal tourist commercial zoning. When it failed to get a majority for third reading, it died on the table, essentially bringing the issue back to square one. As a result, both the property owners and the municipality are no farther ahead than they were before the entire process began. In other news, residents tell council that a gravel pit filling operation has operated without a permit for a significant period of time. Among the users of the pit as a dumping ground was the District of Central Saanich, whose trucks dumped dirt, gravel, stumps and concrete into the pit free of charge. Moving to mOner | issue, the Central Saanich Lions Club usually receives assistance with garbage pick-up and por- table washrooms during Central Saanich Days. This year, for the first time, Central Saanich.council ruled the Lions are on their own. : No longer is the arm of goodwill being extended, despite the benefit to the community. Meanwhile, in Sidney, residents can see another condomin- ium development going up on Second Street, just as council approves two readings of a bylaw for multiple-family residential development on the industrially-zoned Elleham- mer property. That issue goes to public hearing July 13. Meanwhile, a condominium development for some First Street property waits in the wings. Yet property on McDonald Park Road that is waiting for approval of an affordable housing development cannot find council support. - More and more often, we hear rumblings of discontent from citizens about actions taken, or not taken, by municipal councils. It seems the populace is preparing itself for a municipal election. In previous years, citizens would have a chance to select new representatives this fall. However legislation adopted prior to the November 1990 election established when — three-year municipal terms. There are some residents who say that current Minister of Municipal Affairs Robin Blencoe should be petitioned to change the three-year terms back to two years. From recent reaction to local government decisions, there is evidence that many residents are anxious for a chance to make changes in local government officials. Although a change in politicians won’t necessarily result in decisions which please everyone, we believe three-year terms of office are too long for the local government level. If we look at the track record of all three Peninsula municipalities, both good and bad decisions have been made during the past 19 months. But, particularly in Sidney and Central Saanich, inaction and inconsistent decisions are evidence enough to support calls for shorter terms. “TheReview Wednesday, June 17, 1992 = AG MOST OF WE THOUGHT IT'D BE | NTERESTING TODO-A KIND OF REVERSE VERSION OF VICTORIA'S "FLOWER COUNT. HE SAANICH PENINSULA IS "TWO" OR “THREE; VICTORIA IS "LEADING" WITH “looOe"... ™° Review Serving the Saanich Peninsula Since 1912 9726 - First St. P.O. Box 2070 Sidney, B.C. V8L3C9 Sidney, B.C. V8L3S5 656-1151 Publisher: Rory McGrath. Editor: Glenn Werkman Reporters: Valorie Lennox Advertising: Corrie Morozoff John Gelder Production Manager: Tamie Sargeant Office Manager: Lori Fitzpatrick Circulation Manager: Wendy Denison AN ISLAND PUBLISHERS NEWSPAPER S Ee Rikene BCYCNA a et A ‘ Ee >. BRITISH COLUMBIA = AND YUKON Ye. & CNA COMMUNITY nis S ong NEWSPAPERS Press ASSO ASSOCIATION PapeasicoMe ————— et CONTROLLED Condo residenis are second class Editor: Condominium owners are not citizens of Sidney, according to the mayor and council of Sidney. They are wards of the Strata Councils and may nof make com- plaints directly to the town’s gov- « emment. It doesn’t matter if the facts are comect and the claimant is a property-owning taxpayer! The ruling dated May 21, 1992, states: — “Thank you for your letter in which you bring to coun- cil’s attention the four changes to your building’s plans which were made at the time of construction of the building. “T understand that you consider these changes are important to you but as you are governed by strata council, we will not act on com- plaints unless supported and endorsed by this council.” The complaint in question was that, due to the negligence of the building inspector, the construc- tion of the condominium varied from the approved plans and, as a result, did not conform with the plans registered with the Registrar of Titles. S. Keith Jackson Sidney Need restraint Editor: The recent letters of Messrs. A.Y. Gordon (STA must return to teality, The Review, May 13) and Cy Relph (@arkinson’s Law, The Review, June 3) gave examples of the prevailing indifference in local government circles to the real world of bankruptcies lay-offs, dividend cuts, lower interest incomes etc. The North Saanich budget provides other examples. It seems council has raised their own pay to compensate for, among other things, the increases in the cost of tobacco and liquor which Tesult from increases in taxes. So in effect we pay their increased taxes as well as our own. They also plan to replace their chairs in the council chamber — acquired four years ago? — because Ald. Edo Nyland finds his uncomfortable. They then boast of economizing by discontinuing a service to the public — the spring clean-up, in the past hailed as a great contribu- tion to tidiness. If more pay. for themselves and less service to the public is their policy, they cannot claim to have made this clear when seeking election. They also boast of economizing by not hiring an extra engineering assistant, since to an onlooker the case made for the hiring was singularly unconvincing, this scarcely seems an achievement to boast about. Diminishing incomes may not be a problem for many but the loss of the supplemental homeowners’ grant will be. People can surely expect more restraint than is being demonstrated. Bill Powell North Saanich SPCA was great Editor: On Friday, June Sth, my wife and I saw a male peacock in our backyard on Tryon Place. A phone call to the SPCA brought a quick response in the form of an officer who was able to capture the bird with our help and take it to the SPCA facilities. We were very pleased at the quick response that the SPCA gave. The officer that responded did her best to maintain a calm approach to the bird and was able to cover the peacock with a blan- ket, which had a calming effect to the bird. M. Coburn Sidney PCA program avoided labels Editor: I am writing on behalf of all of us at the Peninsula Community Association. We have always felt that we have enjoyed a fair and reasonable relationship with The Review. We recognize that you are a voice of and to our community and have made every effort to utilize your media service to com- municate with our constituents. Both our acting-chair Dee Bailin and I were aware that you were involved in a dispute between us and a member of the commun- ity, Mrs. Bradbury. I was most pleased to discuss this issue with your reporter Valorie Lennox. Indeed, at-the conclusion of our telephone interview I felt comfort- able that we would be the recip- ients of another of her non- ~ judgmental and fact-presented articles. All of us at PCA were appalled and distressed to find that not only did the complaints of one person merit placement on the front page June 10) but your headline of- “Summertime Fun only for ‘poor’ children” and the closing quote of “It’s like saying you can’t go because you're black or Chinese,” have unfortunately labelled all those Peninsula residents who par- ticipate in our most worthwhile program. We feel that it is not only unfair and uncomfortable for those peo- ple but more importantly it contin- ues the impression of discrimina- tion that Mrs. Bradbury felt was so wrong of us. May I point out that the mandate of the PCA is to provide social services to members of our com- munity who require services over- and-above those provided by the governments, federally, provin- cially, and municipally. While we strive to meet the standards of the Human Rights Act we feel that we have the right to target our programs to those who have our highest priority — the people who are unable to access more expensive programs for whatever reason. We are very clear that we are not in competition with nor do we intend to duplicate the wonderful services offered in our community by private practitioners and gov- Continued on Page A8