First, let me say this: obviously, TSS is space restricted, and a full airing of the nonsensical issues is just not possible, nor the non-news issues. You can consult the next issue of The Valley Voice for Jan's take on the agenda.
But better yet, I am about to start begging subscribers to the Kaslo cable television system to watch the performance starting at 4pm on Fridays, the same week as the Tuesday council meetings. The video tape reruns regularly for at least two airings, and you can witness the whole thing and draw your own conclusions. However, here is a
small sample of some of it.
Cr. Donna Cormie, the village rep of note
in connection with the much touted Front Street revitalization, showed remarkable, actually astounding lack of knowledge on what was put to
me as one of her pet projects. The mayor noted $40,000.00 in funding is forthcoming, and further, the Kaslo Trail Blazers are now involved in a big way, in at least a portion of the project. “I have no knowledge of where it's going”, she told fellow council members, so “maybe just drop my name off it because I don't know what's going on”. Lay did just that, and replaced Cormie with Cr. Tony Frary, who volunteered to take it on and “share the glory” in whatever, whenever, is ultimately decided.
To the surprise of no one, the Kaslo Wildfire Interface project made its way onto the agenda again, with ten written letters of opposition to the second phase of the project. The concerns of those residents were eventually referred to what is to be known as the Wildfire Interface Focus Group, with a letter (email, as suggested by His Worship the Mayor, as opposed to a written letter – are we all online?), to “alleviate their concerns”, quoting the Mayor. Now then, the Wildfire Interface Focus Group has been agreed to by Kaslo Council, and Reg. Prof. Forester John Cathro has been retained to write the terms of reference for said group. Strangely though, the motion to engage Cathro to write those terms, came after village councilors agreed to refer the concerns of all those in opposition at the most recent meeting, to “alleviate their concerns”. The mayor appointed Cr's. Molly Leathwood and Susan Hewatt to the focus group. That prompted some brief sparks between the mayor and Cr. Frary, who said he “would have appreciated being considered” for an appointment to the (committee). Then a councilor asked “we are moving forward on this, are we not?” Here are yet other pearls from the meeting:
Citizen and former council candidate Jill Braley raised the auditing of village finances some time ago. Responses came back from the Villages of Nakusp and New Denver, the context of which was the timely reporting of the financial pictures of those two locales, by whom, and the cost. A councilor remarked, “I didn't realize Nakusp and New Denver had responded to Braley”. Do your homework and read your paper work.
The mayor once again excused himself with a 'pecuniary conflict of interest', when a letter from citizen Anne Malik, Cr. Cormie, and Mayor Lay himself, were agenda items. All concerned a perceived conflict of interest (Lay's) in the first phase of the interface project. It is complicated, but council voted to take no further action, since Lay has now resigned from involvement with the principal firms tied to the interface thing. Instead, councilors are agreed Lay has no conflict of interest with anything touching phase two of the project (if indeed it ever gets going) but will not participate in any discussions surrounding phase one...which of course, is a done deal. Indeed, these are interesting times at village hall, not to mention baffling.
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