Remember the names of those councillors who understand ‘consultation’ and those who don’t
By Letter to the Editor on January 5, 2019.
Re: The rezoning and development of Primrose parcel I am very saddened, disappointed and concerned by my experience with city council on the rezoning for development of green space on Primrose in Connaught. A consultation process produced an overwhelmingly negative response to the proposal. Ninety-two per cent of people commenting on the proposal were opposed. A petition gathered 700 signatures. There were more people attending the public meeting at city council Dec. 18 than the mayor could recall had ever attended before, many of them standing for lack of space in chambers for more than three hours to listen. Ten residents spoke against the motion; the only person speaking in favour represented the construction company that had apparently been working with city staff on developing the area for profit. After all this opposition to rezoning and development, three members of council recorded votes against the proposal to rezone. The rest were in favour. The three who voted against rezoning understand what consultation and community mean. The others evidently believe that consultation means that we will ask your opinion and then ignore it. There may be something else going on that I don’t understand, but it looked like these members of council showed indifference to residents, and deference to staff. I understand that council has a fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of the city, but what is the balance point between a modest increase in city revenue and damage to a neighbourhood? It looks like “open for business” is a higher priority for council than the health and happiness of residents. After the overwhelming community support for maintaining the green space, one has to ask the question: What does it take to get the attention of council? I understand that this decision will have a big impact mostly on the people living in the area and very little on the rest of Medicine Hat. However, the demonstrated unwillingness of council to listen will have a big impact on other neighbourhoods also, sooner or later. Those who understand what consultation and community mean are Clugston, Friesen and Dumanowski. Those who do not are Hirsch, McIntosh, Samraj, Turnbull, Turner and Varga. In an election, which is essentially a city-wide consultation process on who should lead the city, all candidates claim that they will listen to the residents. For the next city-wide consultation process (i.e. election), keep this letter on your fridge, and remember who on city council understands the meaning of consultation and who does not. Carl Nohr Medicine Hat 12-11
