Dear Editor
An open letter to Mayor Jonathan Cote:
It was highly concerning to read the report (Changes to council delegations procedure request form) to council at the Feb. 23, 2015 committee of the whole from your city clerk, Ms. Gibson, recommending that the delegation periods would be changed to prohibit the discussion of any development project once a notice of public hearing has been issued.
What was the genesis of this recommended change? Is this proposal not a retrograde step in your plan for a more open and transparent local government?
The proposal is plain wrong as it extends the delegation gag order by weeks and months and completely tilts the development process in favour of developers, as citizens will be forbidden from talking (at a council meeting) about their concerns with a project long before the public hearing.
Will council be prohibited from discussing the project with the public once the notice of public hearing has been issued?
I ask that you and your council do not accept staff recommendations to expand the gag limits on discussing (at council delegation times) proposed development projects as such a policy unduly limits citizens rights to make public comments on proposed developments within the City Of New Westminster.
Thank you for considering my request.
Christopher Bell, New Westminster
