I continue to have discussions about a ward system for city council or finding a way to make city council more responsible to the voters.
I have contacted City Hall twice on this issue and out of eight councilors and the mayor, I only received responses from Chris Stephan and Dianne Wyntjes.
The following is my recap that I sent to the city:
Imagine you fall ill and need medical attention and you need to start contacting doctors and hope one will respond. That is City Hall. Bike lanes, snow clearing, monster houses, low water pressure, cameras, electronic voting and the list goes on but the thing they are most likely to have in common is the lack of a response.
Our representatives just need to look at how many calls they never returned, emails and letters not answered to know the reason behind the discontent.
Councillors have full-time jobs but why did they undertake the position and why are they getting paid? Perhaps if they were given a ward or a collection of neighbourhoods, their enquiries would decrease? Who decides which enquiry should be answered?
I have lived here for three decades, I have volunteered at City Hall for 12 years, I have contacted city representatives probably less than five times in 30 years and yet I seldom got a response and I do not think I am a nuisance.
A petition, I am told, would require 10,000 signatures (more than most councillors received in the last election) in 60 days so that is not going to happen, but I think that you know there is a problem.
Garfield Marks
Red Deer