An interesting element of our modern-day wired world is the ability, at times, to read tomorrow’s news today. There were four media outlets present today at the Vancouver Island Community Forest Action Network (VIC FAN) press conference. Three of them (the Times Colonist, Goldstream Gazette, and inside Langford) have published articles on the press conference, the T-C’s to be published tomorrow, the Gazette’s to be published next Wednesday at the earliest. For those interested in comparing and contrasting the articles, here are the links.

Goldstream Gazette: Activists seek fresh Skirt Mountain public hearing

Inside Langford: City of Langford put on notice about public hearing

Times Colonist: Critics of Langford development assail mayor’s conduct

Zoe Blunt, representing the Vancouver Island Forest Action Network, delivered a letter today to the City of Langford. Upon being told that no members of Langford Council were available to receive the letter, Langford Treasurer Steve Ternent received it on behalf of the City of Langford.

Speaking with reporters afterward, with a pair of City of Langford Bylaw Enforcement officers nearby on bicycles, two local residents, flanked by supporters, shared their experiences at Monday night’s public meeting and their interpretation of provincial regulations that govern the conduct of municipalities,.

Zoe Blunt said she wanted to “let Langford know we’re not going to tolerate Langford not letting people be heard,” and that they are “putting them of notice that we won’t accept this kind of bullying behaviour.” She raised the spectre of a court challenge if the City does not agree to hold the public hearing again. “We’re hoping to get a new public hearing and a better process, one where people weren’t intimidated from speaking.”

When asked by a reporter what might happen if it goes to court, Read the rest of this entry »

A group is calling on the City of Langford to conduct a new public hearing on the South Skirt Mountain development due to apparent abuses of process that local citizens and media have identified, and raised the spectre of court action if their calls go unheeded.

At issue is Monday night’s public hearing on Bylaw 1209, for the proposed South Skirt Mountain development. A public hearing, as its name implies, is where the politicians are to hear the public. However, many argue that did not happen Monday night. A Times Colonist reporter wrote that “Mayor Stu Young berated, bullied and browbeat citizens who raised any objections.” A Goldstream Gazette reporter noted that members of the audience in the public hearing “saw a combative mayor argue with speakers,” and that the mayor, rather than listening to the public, was “occasionally straying into a lecture during the public hearing,” complained that “many of the same people were making the same protests ‘time and time again,’ ” and “implied that some residents were being hypocritical, saying homes around Florence and Langford lakes sit on long-damaged sensitive ecosystems.” Readers leaving comments on Inside Langford echoed these reports, and expressed their concern about the mayor’s behaviour. Comments from readers of the Times Colonist article on the public hearing were unusually one-sided.

In the past, public hearings in other municipalities have been overturned by the courts for something as simple as Read the rest of this entry »

In an article entitled “Langford and bureaucrat part ways” (available in tomorrow’s Times Colonist, or available online now), the T-C is reporting that City of Langford Administrator Rob Buchan have parted ways. No reason was cited for the parting of ways, and the T-C is reporting that Rob Buchan has thus far not responded to requests for comment. He has been employed by the City of Langford for a dozen years, beginning in 1997.

Earlier this week Inside Langford ran a news roundup post that included a Times Colonist article on Monday night’s controversial Council Meeting entitled “Langford mayor tangles with citizens over Skirt Mountain development“. Looking at the T-C’s website tonight, I discovered a nearly identical article entitled “Langford development clears hurdle“. While very similar, this other article uses some stronger language. The most evident difference is that the one version refers to Mayor Young having “berated” members of the public during the public hearing, whereas this other version indicated the Mayor “berated, bullied and browbeat”.

It’s not clear which was the first version and which was the second. Also, I don’t get the physical paper so I’m not sure which one actually ran in print. If an Inside Langford reader can confirm which version ran in Tuesday’s Times Colonist, please let us know in the comments below.

Please note that several Langford-related pieces from yesterday’s Times Colonist were added today to yesterday’s Langford news round-up.

A Channel

- Langford Mouldy House (part 3)

Goldstream Gazette

- South Skirt project gets council nod

- Royal Roads cadets land permanent home

Times Colonist:

- Langford and bureaucrat part ways

- Sunday in Life: Eric Akis’ A to Z column (Smoken Bones Cookshack)

- Also of note is an ad on page B4 of the “Working” section for a City of Langford Administrative Clerk “new fulltime position” at $23.25 to $25.41 per hour plus “excellent benefits package”

A Channel

- A Channel Morning (Feb. 24): Council Meeting clip
- Langford Mouldy House: video report and text report
- No help for Langford homeowners: video report and text report

CHEK News

- CHEK News: Council Meeting clip (Feb. 24)

Goldstream Gazette

- Millions needed for rail trail
- Langford FD hosts casino
- Langford fire gets plugged in
- Frogman cries bull on gov’t theories
- Yellow and red make one fire department
- letter to the editor: All local agriculture land deserves protection (approx. halfway down the page)

Inside Langford

- Langford Public Safety Meeting
- Parks, Recreation, Culture, and Beautification Committee meeting

Times Colonist

- West Shore squabble develops over recreation funding
- letter to the editor: Skirt Mountain proposal a threat
- It’s Stew, not Stu

Wednesday at 5PM is a new committee for 2009 which is an amalgam of the functions previously done by a few committees previously, the Parks, Recreation, Culture, and Beautification Committee. The agenda is available for review as of this writing on the City of Langford website.

They will be discussing 13 capital projects that staff have suggested might be considered for funding in 2009. Items that jumped out at me are:

Read the rest of this entry »

There is a Public Safety Meeting being held jointly by the City of Langford, the West Shore RCMP, Bylaw Enforcement, and Langford Emergency Social Services (ESS). It’s at the Royal Canadian Legion at 761 Station Ave on Feb. 25th from 7 to 8:30PM. The focus is on information to promote a safer community and reduce property crime, with presentations on preventing identity theft, Neighbourhood Watch, Langford Community Safety Officers initiatives, and volunteer programs.

For more information, contact Rick Stiebel at 250-391-3338 or rick.stiebel@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.

Breakin’ Ice on CFUV radio, hosted by Jack Etkin and by Langford resident Richard Habgood, will have both Green Party of BC leader Jane Sterk and local MLA John Horgan on today from 4-5 PM. CFUV can be
listened to at 101.9 FM, or on the web at this link.