During the necessary safety precautions required by COVID-19, I believe that our town council must make extra effort to accommodate citizen input into council business.
At the recent Zoom meeting of council on May 13, the process did not allow any public participation. Documents related to the variance decision, objected to by more than 20 concerned citizens, were not available to view and required attendance at the town offices and comments on the decision within less than 24 hours, although record of the decisions were not available.
Many objectors are in the vulnerable elderly category and these requirements do not allow for fair citizen participation and input.
COVID-19 must not be an opportunity to expedite controversial decisions while public input is limited.
Patricia Byers
Qualicum Beach