Dear Editor:
The next municipal election is only a few months away and candidates and voters are beginning the process of sorting out whether or not to run, and who to vote for.
Reflecting on the performance of the local incumbents is disturbing to say the least, and the main reason for the uproar over the proposed Agricultural Land Reserve land swap in Summerland is very simple. The people do not trust Summerland city council to do the right thing.
An Official Community Plan is no longer an OCP, and designer surveys have become a tool for politicians to pursue their personal and political agenda.
The democratic process has been displaced by arrogance.
Accountability and transparency have become political slurs, a disturbing trend we see at all levels of government.
At the recent meeting held to explore the reasons for wanting to swap some ALR properties and to answer some questions, Summerland Mayor Janice Perrino displayed an incredible attitude of intransigence, refusing to consider the feedback and advice from specialists, the Advisory Planning Committee, experienced city staff and about 11,000 citizens of Summerland.
Perrino insisted we do not build on hillsides, that we must use the flat lands for development, while people around the world build on hillsides to be able to grow crops on level soil.
Perrino’s ambition to bring the people to fill the stores also runs contrary to common sense.
The reason the stores are empty is because the people go elsewhere to shop, and newcomers will do the same.
Electronic billboards will not change that.
If you want people to shop local, all you have to do is give them a reason.
Perrino has become an incredible liability to the orderly development and growth of our city.
She should feel obliged to resign now, to allow mayoralty candidates some time to decide and to assemble and organize their campaign teams.
Andy Thomsen
Summerland