A cabal council?

Having attended the all-candidates forum on Oct. 3, I am convinced there appears to be a bit of a cabal becoming evident in West Kelowna. There are rumours of such a group, and some are calling it the “New Old Boys Club.”

This caused me to check the nomination papers of each candidate. I noticed many candidates nominating each other. I then checked each of the available candidate websites and noticed similar wording and platforms. I even saw that Stephen Johnston was pictured working as a volunteer on the elect Gord Milsom campaign. Johnston ran for Mayor in 2014.

Please look at each candidate before you vote, before it’s is too late. There are several who have suggested taking us into larger debt.  

Milsom actually approached the current council after the twice refused City Hall AAP and referendum, suggesting council hold a third referendum. Do we want him spending our money?

All of the current council, except Rosalind Neis, voted in favour of a developer-built new City Hall in the Westbank Centre. As it turns out, so did many of the new candidates for office – Milsom, Johnston, Wiebe, and others who showed support for the prject when there was a less expensive way to go. Do we want them spending our money?

Then there is Wiebe and his new Soccer Dome. He said it would cost $1.5 million and here we are at close to $4 million, and we are expected to give him our vote?

How about the candidates who want a new downtown in Westbank even at the cost of borrowing to develop a new City Hall in that location? Is that the most important issue or are roads, street lights, sidewalks, and water?

How about the candidates who want to encourage development at all costs (which is most of them) even at the expense of reducing developer cost charges? 

Some at the forum tried to besmirch Coun. Neis because of poor attendance at council meetings. Did they tell you why she missed some of those meetings? No? She missed meetings because when the International Red Cross called upon her, a surgical nurse, to go to Nepal to assist with their MASH units after a major earthquake, she delivered. Then the Red Cross called on her again to Bangladesh. She is a humanitarian who helps all individuals. She was the only councillor out of seven to stand up and say “what is with all the telephone poles in the sidewalk?” and challenged the process. 

Do we really want a New Old Boys Club for the next four years? 

Donn Frederick, West Kelowna