Re: John’s Harding’s front-page story about the turnover of chief administrative officers in B.C. (‘Rotation at the top,’ The NEWS, Dec. 3).
Change is always difficult, especially when a person or group have been totally in charge for such a long period and no one questions their authority or their actions. In many municipalities (perhaps not Parksville), people elect councillors that will engage in the management of their communities and they want a transparent management staff to help them accomplish that goal.
People are no longer satisfied to be treated like mushrooms and the taxpayers, through their elected council, want to know what is going on in their communities. The people are no longer happy that (in some communities) senior staff attempt to keep council members and the people out of the loop by keeping everything a secret.
The people and our elected councils have the right to question staff. In some communities, during a council meeting, if anything that may appear to be sensitive or contentious is brought forward, the CAO shepherds the council members and the mayor into an in-camera meeting, in order to get the elected members to all be singing from the same song book under his or her direction.
In any event, change is good, transparency is good. It is time for the people to elect members of council and a mayor who are equipped to do the job and to attract people who put their names forward to help the people, instead of electing people who are using these positions as an income enhancer or because they have a big ego.
Ted SmithParksville