Like a ship which has lost its rudder, the Town of Qualicum Beach seems to be wallowing without direction.
Could this be a continuation of the dysfunction that reared its ugly head immediately after the 2011 election? It’s difficult to say, as we are not privy to any proposals that may be being discussed (argued? disputed? squabbled?) secretively behind the scenes. We simply get the results of these activities when they are brought to a conclusion — even when those conclusions are difficult for we peasants to understand.
The latest concerns the draft report of the town’s Age-Friendly Transportation Plan, as reported in The NEWS. When was this initiated? How much is it costing? The many excellent recommendations were greeted with uncertainty over availability of funding.
And why are no funds available for such overdue necessities? Could it be that all the effort to beg, borrow and redirect money to a multi-million dollar, nice-to-have-but-not-need-to-have new fire hall is going to divert the town from its bigger picture of provision of these measures (and others not mentioned in the report) to improve safety throughout the town?
The absence of promised public dialogue over the new fire hall proposal is also of great concern. It is time for the “in the spring” public meeting promise of the town’s CAO in January.
This continuing, deafening silence is not acceptable.
F.H. Horner
Qualicum Beach