Letter to the Editor

The new City of Cranbrook council is off to a sad start when they hold a secret meeting to vote to sell Fire Hall No. 1.

The reason for council to go in camera and hold a private discussion is because they are afraid to have any discussion in public.

Citizens, how did your councillor vote? You can’t find out, as they are all sworn to secrecy. You can’t even find out what the vote was—seven to zero, or with the possibility of a councillor absent and a councillor or two recusing themselves due to potential conflict of interest, the vote could have been two to one.

So much for accountability and transparency. When we don’t know how our elected representatives voted on the issues, on what grounds should we re-elect them? On smiles or handshakes or nods and winks? Councillors, why did you run for office if you didn’t want to discuss and debate the issues in the public forum? Secrecy undermines good governance.

With bigger issues like finding replacements for the city’s sagging public administration, how was it that the heritage Fire Hall—which has sat idly by for many years—suddenly became issue number one for council? An issue so hot the public has to be kept away, lest they get burned up. Who put the heritage Fire Hall on the secret meeting agenda?

Mayor Pratt, the bum advice you have received warrants some house cleaning. A unified town can create economic development, whereas splintered, fractured, self-interest groups cannot. Lead Cranbrook forward. Report out the secret vote, as well as who all recused themselves.

William G. Hills,

Cranbrook

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