"Why the rush?," Mayor Manjak and supporters

It appears that Cranbrook city council will consider a motion at its Monday September 14 meeting calling for a referendum by the city's voters on a proposal to expand the city's boundaries which if passed would more than double the geographic size of this community in the southeastern interior of British Columbia.

Mayor Scott Manjak and five of his councillors suffered a humiliating defeat when they tried to avoid a referendum by using an Alternative Approval Process this summer when a grassroots group got more than 3000 taxpayers to sign forms rejecting the council's AAP decision. They required 1475 signatures which is 10% of the eligible city voters.

If a motion calling for a referendum is presented and if it is passed by the same members who voted for the AAP process -namely Manjak and Councillors Denise Pallesen, Angus Davis, Liz Schatschneider, Jim Wavrecan and Diana J. Scott, it begs the question, "Why the rush?" Councillor Bob Whetham opposed the motion on the AAP proposal. I use the word ``if`` for a reason. I went to the city of Cranbrook web site looking for the council agenda for its meeting at 4:30 pm Friday. It appears that council posts the agenda with the minutes of the meeting -- after the meeting is held. Therefore, I can not be absolutely sure that the matter is on the agenda. So much for being open and transparent before the fact!!!



During the AAP time period, Manjak issued a glossy brochure delivered in the mail to every household and ran a two page ad in the local paper urging support for the boundary expansion proposal. I have it on good authority that this campaign cost the local taxpayers an estimated $7,000, and I don't know if that includes a letter prepared by the city solicitor defending Manjak's offer to remove any AAP form submitted if people changed their minds.

Despite the mayor`s best efforts, the AAP was quite frankly shot down convincingly. Of course I am not suggesting in the slightest that all those who supported the grassroots group are opposed to boundary expansion. But it is sure a shot across the bow to the council that it may be well advised to move cautiously on this proposal and be sure it is the right move at this time in Cranbrook`s history. It is perhaps time for sober second thoughts.

As I noted previously I am a latecomer to having any interest in the proposal and started writing about it after Manjak made his offer to remove forms submitted in the AAP. Generally speaking I tend to favour boundary expansions and even amalgamation of communities where it made sense. I was a young reporter in Timmins, Ontario, when amalgamation of a number of small municipalities was first being considered and later happened. I was a student at Lakehead University shortly after Fort William and Port Arthur were amalgamated to create Thunder Bay,

But to this point, where the city is proposing to take in two huge parcels of private land for future development that may or may not occur in the future, it bothers me for some reason. So again, I pose the question, `Why the rush?`and I hope each member of council will take the time to clearly articulate reasons for their support or lack thereof for the proposal.