The bear has been poked

Tuesday October 23 I received a call on my personal cell from the Penticton Mayor. He informed me that a couple of council members had asked him to speak to me about me speaking at the council meetings. He stated that I was providing too much commentary with my questions and said I should just ask them for their rational for how they voted on certain topics. He also suggested I write my commentary in Letters to the Editor. I was happy to comply as my campaign manager had already asked me to start writing one a week. He said that they (the council) didn’t want me to use my time at council meetings as a campaign platform. I ran for council in 2011, in the subsequent bi-election and in 2014. At no time did I ever use council meetings as a campaign platform, the same cannot be said for other councillors.

The Mayor said he “didn’t mean to poke the bear”. I informed him that indeed he had. Again he laid blame on the council members and asked me not to shoot the messenger. I told him that I felt that this call was his attempt to gag me at council meetings and that he should be careful what he asks for.

I have been a regular attender at all council meetings, including the 2017 budget process. This I do entirely on my own time. For those of you that watch the council meetings online and stick it out until the public question period, I will continue to ask questions and hold councils’ feet to the fire. My commentary will be found in letters to the editor.

I have also asked the councillors that if they have a problem with what I said or did, I expect them to come to me personally and not send someone else to deliver their message. After speaking with one councillor who was concerned about the message delivered, I can assure all of council that if you want to know what is being said you need to say it yourself. I know I will.

Mayor and council you can consider this “Bear Poked”.

Lynn Kelsey