Friday, December 7, 2012

Comment from Brian Steven

I do not normally write on blogs. I believe in open communication with all levels of government. I am not a bully and I despise bullying. I am not posting anonymously.

I am frustrated by Council's recent actions and lack of communication / consultation with the community. I have to speak out on this issue. I respect everyone who runs for municipal office, whether they are successfully elected or not. I respect those who get elected and serve their community, whether I voted for them or not. Theirs' is a challenging and time consuming job. The right decisions are not always made. Admitting your mistake and reversing decisions is sometimes just the right thing to do.

I am struggling to understand the recent decision to downgrade Parks and Recreation and fire the Director. Parks and Recreation is the one program within our village that is truly for the citizens of Tofino, helping to make the community a healthy and enjoyable place to live at a time when everything seems to be directed exclusively at tourism. I recall only one member of Council speaking of downgrading or getting rid of Parks and Recreation during the election campaign, with most Councillors and the Mayor speaking of support for Parks and Recreation during the all-candidates meeting. Some of this discussion centered on attracting and maintaining young families in the community.

Now, less than a year into their term, with both the Mayor and the CAO leaving, Council has made this decision (without community input or consultation) that will impact our Parks and Recreation program and every person who lives in this community. You can describe it anyway that you like, but firing Sally Mole after 20 years of service (losing that local knowledge and experience) and moving the program into another department is a degradation of the Parks and Recreation service that will impact the people of Tofino over the coming years long after this Council is gone.

I have read the only item of communication from Council on this issue in the past week, a wordsmithed bureaucratic propaganda "press release". The release only raises more questions. It attempts to portray the changes as merely an organizational change, rather than the service impacts. Buried in here is combining Parks and Recreation with "Resort Services" (which I can only guess is more tourist services). I note that Parks and Recreation is not even mentioned in their "strategic objectives". I have sent an e-mail of my concerns to each member of Council, but so far, have not received even one acknowledgement. "Open and transparent communication with the citizens of Tofino" is included within the strategic objectives, but it is not clear to me when this strategic objective will be put into practice.

This is a fundamental change in the way Tofino will do business and in the services that will be provided under the umbrella of the Parks and Recreation program. Council may think that they have a mandate to downgrade Parks and Recreation, but they do not have a ethical mandate without first going to the citizens of Tofino.

38 comments:

Anonymous said...

good comment

Anonymous said...

Very well spoken and this is exactly how I feel too.

Where was the public consultation?

Anonymous said...

anyone know how josie feels about this debacle?

Should we be afraid or very afraid?

Anonymous said...

If any of these councillors run again and state the words public consultation or transparency, I will laugh. To completely re-organize and demote Parks and Rec without any consultation is clearly a huge blunder.

Anonymous said...

It's my impression that she's a bit mum on the subject. I'm not sure that someone who wants to be the future mayor should not have an opinion on this. Not knowing where she stands on issues doesn't make it easy to vote.

Anonymous said...

5:20, Huge blunder? MEGA BLUNDER!!!

Anonymous said...

The poll at the top of the page pretty much shows how Tofino feels about sally and her dept. 51 to 21 in her favour. Not surprising. Excellent comments Brian!

Anonymous said...

Admit your mistake and give Sally her job back! Great comments!

Anonymous said...

I have never worked somewhere that there was "public consultation" regarding letting an employee go. While I am sure that Sally is a lovely person and is obviously well liked by the community; we as voters chose this council to represent us. They would not likely make such a drastic change if there wasn't cause for dismissal. I would like to assume that council has information that we as the public are not privy to for various reasons. That info likely helped them come to the decision they made to eliminate Sally's position You don't let someone go without cause as there would be legal ramifications to consider. There was a re-organization of the district. If Sally was dismissed without cause then she should be able to sue the district. Has anyone noticed that Sally herself has not been heard from in this matter? She would have been told why she was being let go.......ask her why she was let go. Maybe she got a severance package?As for Sally running for mayor comments, she lives in Ucluelet so that is not an option besides there are a couple decent candidates already.

Anonymous said...

we chose this council to represent us.they are not.they got their "information" from the cao.consider the source.

Anonymous said...

If you people would show up at Council meetings you might know something.All you do is complain.

Anonymous said...

Sally could actualy run for mayor even though she lives in ukee. Remember the day when Dan Haley was on council. He lived in Courteney or Comox. Even if she couldn't she could be CAO.

Anonymous said...

I don't want to but have to agree with 6:05s' comments. There is so much complexity to such a situation. There is so much that we do not know. Whether the new department will put parcs and rec on the back burner or whether it is a department that will be able to attract more funds to be used on similar programs? I still do not understand why a different position could not have been created for Sally under the unbrella of the new department? There is obviously a lot we do not know.

I would also like to say that absolutely all the councillors elected were status quo candidates. There should be no surprise that municipal governance does not seem to have changed. All the members were above the age of 40. Which is not necessarily a bad thing. However, there did not seem to be a single progressive bone in any of them. Either these people were retired or long-term business owners. This is a representation of tofino from the past. Of course there are some exceptions. However nobody comes of as a visionary. This was a conservative slate, with conservative policies.

Anonymous said...

Dear 6:21 I'm quite sure us people will show up at the next council meeting! Us people are very angry! Us people won't stand for this crap any longer! Us people look after those that look after us people! If those people (council) actualy knew something about what us people like and want this never would have happened!!

Brian Steven said...

Anonymous 605
I do not debate issues with Anonymous posters. However, I have not heard of anyone saying there should be consultation regarding letting anyone go. There should be consultation on the fundamental changes to the Parks and Recreation Program.

Anonymous said...

6:29 There's nothing complex about it.Tofino is still a small town with a handful of employees.Some half-wits would have you believe it needs to be managed like New York City.All the town needs is some common sense and a council that stays in touch with there neighbors.

Anonymous said...

Ucluelet isn't cutting their recreation department but they don't hire as many consultants.

Anonymous said...

There is speculation that the DOT is going to cut the parks and rec program down to 6 months a year. Families live in Tofino 12 months a year. You do the math.

Zoë said...

Excellent letter and commentary Brian. I agree completely with everything you said. Thank you for writing it.
Regards, Zoë.

Anonymous said...

In response to 6:05, you see! that is just the problem...without transparency, we are left to 'assume' there is something Sally has done to deserve to be fired because, as you say, "They would not likely make such a drastic change if there was not cause for dismissal". Well, challenge this assumption immediately because it is a false one. And yes, "We as voters chose this council to represent us", so let's review each and every councillor's promises during their campaign... did anyone stand on a platform of eliminating Parks 'n Rec? Not in my memory.

Anonymous said...

Great letter!

Anonymous said...

What transparency? This whole fiasco was thought up and executed behind closed doors in camera. The definition of transparency is operating in such a way that it is easy for others to see what actions are performed. I understand that employee issues are dealt with in camera but not this type of organizational change. Why was the public not consulted? Why was this information not at the OCP/Parks and Rec Master Plan community input? Why did they write a barren press release with no information about what this change will mean to the community? And why did they leave Sally until page two and give her two sentences after 20 years of amazing service? And how did being transparent become an objective in a strategic plan? At the all candidates meeting all these people all stood up in front of the town and said they were committed to transparency and open communication. When we will start to get this promise? I am tired of District of Tofino leadership always keeping the residents in the dark. Yes we voted for you to carry out policy and direction but you need to consult with the tax payers before you cut up the parks and rec program.
Please re-visit this issue and realize that you have made a huge mistake.

Ralph Tieleman said...

If Harper and Mackay can reconsider the F35 deal surely Tofino council can take a second look at this decision.

Anonymous said...

Even Egyptian President Morsi has offered concessions.

Anonymous said...

Why did Councillor McMaster claim 6 full days of pay for UBCM when the convention is only 4 days and the dates he wrote down are September 23 to 28, or 5 days.

https://tofino.civicweb.net/Documents/DocumentDisplay.aspx?Id=13375

Duncan McMaster said...

Re:7:46PM

UBCM = 4
Workshop = 1
Travel to/from (tofino-victoria)=I
TOTAL = 6 days
September 23,24,25, 26,27,28 = 6 days

Hope that is simple enough arithmetic for you!

Duncan McMaster

Ralph Tieleman said...

Thank you for your comment

Brian Steven said...

December 08-4:51pm

Exactly. Good comments.

Anonymous said...

On the DOT website under "How to Participate" there are a few options. Among them is the option to submit a petition. How about a FORMAL PETITION to Council with as many signatures as we can get to let council know officially that we are opposed to the changes to Parks and Recreation. Could that make a difference or am I being naive?

Anonymous said...

I think anything makes a difference! Lets start a petition and make sure we all attend the council meeting on Tuesday at 5:30 pm to address our concerns. Bring kids!

Anonymous said...

Yes, let's bring our kids! Sally was always there for the kids! And loved by our kids. Kids and families in our town are most affected by this decision by council. Kids in this town were always her focus.

george s said...

I work till 6, but I will be there right after I get off work.

Anonymous said...

Hey didn't Sally have good long standing personal relationships with a few of the councillors? What changed that?

Toby said...

Thank you for your letter Brian ..clearly many of us applaud your thoughts.
I too wonder why the "parks & rec. dept. reorganization" was not a focal point of the OCP/Parks and Rec. master plan?? the presentation was "all about consultation".
Personally I am embarrassed by our elected representatives...the timing and execution did not exemplify the compassion that I hoped our town would demonstrate.
Toby

Anonymous said...

Petition for Sally! I'll sign..

Anonymous said...

Will Council "listen to the people" like they all said they would at the all candidates meeting. Anyone want to bring along one of their brochures that said "I want to work for you" Bring Sally Back !

Anonymous said...

Could we please start a petition to reinstate Sally that we all can sign on line?

Anonymous said...

Only in Tofino you say!!!