Have you hugged a city council member??

[Waterbuffalo]

Ok, boys and girls.. Its that time of year for new years resolutions...

And one of mine is to personally keep in contact one or two city council members that Chief isn't moonshined over.. <Just kidding...>

So now is the difficult decision time, who should I choose?

If you were selecting a City of Vancouver council member to keep in contact with, chat with on city matters and what mattered most to you, who would you pick?

[Chief]

That's an excellent resolution WB!

Try talking to all of them and see who you can strike up a good conversation with. I have 2-3 that I stay in contact with on a fairly regular basis, and as a result, I think my interests here in town are very well represented. I don't expect anyone to agree with me all of the time, but I appreciate being listened to on occasion. They also know that I am paying attention to what is going on, and they appreciate feedback as well.

Can't say that I'd hug any of them, but I sure would shake their hand...

;D

[Waterbuffalo]

Don't think I'll agree with them 50 percent of the time but I can tell you that I think they would value a little bit of insight on many different levels about various subjects.

I'd love to hear from others who also might be city of Vancouver residents what they think?

[IgnoranceIsBliss]

What illegal product is Hovde smoking, snorting or straight injecting into her veins? Or is it that she has a crush on Dan? Her piece yesterday sure makes it seem so.

A slap in the face of voters to suggest that Campbell's win is a result of the Port revolt. An effective representative of SIXTEEN years should have easily been re-elected. The last time an incumbent in Vancouver lost apparently dates back to the 1960s. Fact is, our community is tired of the old guard -- having become stubborn, inretractable and oftentimes dictatorial.

Tonkovich -- Out. Arch Miller -- Out. Betty Sue Morris (by her own decision) -- Leaving. For the remaining old timers, handwriting is on the wall...or the voters will insure it happens.

Dan as Mayor is inviting the same old business. Hovde obviously hasn't been paying much more attention to council business than some episodes on CVTV.
If you don't believe in the awareness of the voters, I would othewise invite Hovde to get to know some of the 'insiders' for the real scoop on council politics.

[Chief]

I would point out that Pat Campbell is less than three hundred votes more popular than Dan Tonkovich was. I respect his 16 years, but weep no tears at Tonk's departure. At the same time, Campbell was far from having a mandate. As a candidate he was marginally more effective against Tonks than he was against Jim Dunn.

I think Larry Smith and Tim Leavitt's reelection speaks much louder than Campbell's "victory", and those are the two I am looking to for leadership over the next few years.

Thanks for stopping by IBB...

[Waterbuffalo]

If you look at what happened last Monday night at the consent agenda, Pat will be outvoted every single time he comes up with an issue OR tries to register his disagreement with what is going on.

Unless there is a major push for change in the next election cycle, Pat will be a lame duck councilman.

Same thing will happen with Jerry Oliver. Watch the last Port of Vancouver television meeting and see the same thing happening.. Jerry will be locked out until he shows good reasons or one of the other two commissioners are voted out.

[karma]

If you didn't see this one coming then you don't know much about the City of Couv and the good olde boys??

[Waterbuffalo]

Karma, I was saying this same basic thing before Pat huffed out of here about several months ago when I foretold this same basic scenerio...

Unless some thing changes, he and Jeanne Stewart are going to be outmoded and voted on every single thing that comes up.

[Chief]

Jeanne Stewart is very good at voting "No" on things, but I don't see her proposing anything of her own. It's one thing to oppose everthing in sight, and quite another to come up with an agenda of your own that will effectively address the issue at hand.

I don't see Pat Campbell coming to the table with any new ideas either. Only time will prove me right or wrong on that, but if I expect nothing more out of Pat than I did out of Tonks, I know I won't be disappointed in the long run.

:rolleyes:

[Waterbuffalo]

Well now Dan has time to be with his family and do other vital important vital work during this grace period between now and if he chooses to run for political, office again.

As for Jeannie Stewart, Chief have to disagree with you on that one. From me watching her at C-tran board meeting a week ago and at the council meeting, she's thoughtful and concerned about her community. But she's abrasive at any mention of Royce's political panderings to Portland on Light Rail and she is asking the very SAME or similar questions about costs, effectiveness and desires of bringing Mass transit over CRCP.

To the point, that our mayor has said publicly that he will pull her off the c-tran board if he feels she can't represent the community in that regard.

As to Pat, I am going to let him pull his own rope and see how he goes. Being the newest member of the city council, I believe in giving him some leeway. With 5 of the 7 voting in one direction or usual unison votes, this will give him time to learn the system and learn how to effectively get what he thinks this community deserves.

He had an interesting idea during the discussion on last weeks Central Park Plan update about adding some water features to the area that might attract people into these parklands that are basically sitting and barely being used except in a few rare yearly displays..

[Chief]

All I am saying WB, is name me the last major piece of legislation that Jeanne Stewart proposed to Council, that passed.

[Waterbuffalo]

"Jeanne Stewart is very good at voting "No" on things, but I don't see her proposing anything of her own. It's one thing to oppose everything in sight, and quite another to come up with an agenda of your own that will effectively address the issue at hand."

Chief, I think we both have it right in a sense. She has been voting no because her concerns over cost, space and what is the benefit to our community are different than what other city councilors have said or come up with.

But I can agree with you that I haven't since I start watch the City Council over a year ago plus, heard her come up with any concrete proposals for any thing that has come before it.

May she has a different vision for what Vancouver can be than what the others have stated in the past.

But then again, I don't always agree with you on your comments of how things should be and hers as well. But I do give her some credence for at least stepping up and telling Royce what she thinks and not being a "YES" woman to everything that comes in front of the council.

I would honestly love to hear her comment on a new proposal or making a proposition to a problem that faces this city instead of sitting back, taking notes. asking a lot of question.

You might say Chief, I think it would be a nice and high time to call her out as much as we pick and call out Jerry and Pat on things. Heck, we've gone after Dan and Royce pretty good. How about start talking to the rest of the Council and the BoCC?

If you look at my original thread of "Hugging a City Councilor," its just as it says. Getting out, calling out each and every leader of our community and getting a sense of where they stand.

And to be fair to them, give them what we think should be honest and thoughtful comments about what is going on, instead of sitting behind a computer screen or mailing list and not stepping into a meeting, writing a simple letter or thought on the subject.

And to add to this comment, nothing is worse to ANY elected official is to print off some stupid form or chain letter, adding your small comments, signing it and sending it off in mail or e-mail. More and more elected officials or their staffs are ignoring this stuff that is delivered in this form.

[IgnoranceIsBliss]

Agreed....
It's easy to cast a vote...either yes or no...without providing any insight (i.e., didn't do any homework).
If voting no, better have an alternative that is reasonable. By the time the Council takes a vote, the issue has typically been discussed previously in council workshops, or at the parks/planning or other commissions. Unfortunately, those earlier discussions don't get much 'press'.
If the public was really holding our elected officials feet to the fire, they would demand that with each vote there is a clarification of why...then we would know who is reasonable and who isn't...

[Chief]

Agreed....
It's easy to cast a vote...either yes or no...without providing any insight (i.e., didn't do any homework).
If voting no, better have an alternative that is reasonable. By the time the Council takes a vote, the issue has typically been discussed previously in council workshops, or at the parks/planning or other commissions. Unfortunately, those earlier discussions don't get much 'press'.
If the public was really holding our elected officials feet to the fire, they would demand that with each vote there is a clarification of why...then we would know who is reasonable and who isn't...

My friend, you just summed up what this website is all about. Well done!

:D

[Waterbuffalo]

Boy did my comments set things into a round and round movement.

IgnoranceisBliss: nice comments, I'll agree with the sentiments.