Dear Editor,
Response to Dave Lundy (Trending comment section, the Record, May 26):
Since there is little political balance in New Westminster, i.e. District Labour Council members representing NDP mayor, six councillors and five of seven school trustees, it is difficult to lobby the Liberal provincial government. I am surprised that even Mr. Lundy is unaware that the only Liberal in 40-plus years, then provincial MLA Joyce Murray, was key in having the Ministry of Education approve the replacement of NWSS in 2005.
Since then, the school board took two presentations for the replacement to the community, who turned down the proposals at public meetings.
It would be helpful if New Westminster didn’t keep making the issue a political football, and the public put aside the cemetery issue raised by Chuck Puchmayr, which was caused by the city, which did not decommission the cemetery prior to transferring the property to the school district.
Perhaps if New Westminster had some negotiation strength by having some balance in its political representation, we might have more success.
Brent Atkinson, independent New Westminster school trustee for 32 years
