I went to the City of Penticton website (Tuesday) to get some information on the Skaha Bluffs area annexation into city limits.
I clicked on the section titled engagement and find it to be excellent, basically a great start to receiving input from the public.
Basically what we have seen to-date is the first phase of the engagement process, the consultation phase. The next phase will be where city staff considers all the input and makes a recommendation to council. The moment of truth will be when the final decisions are made. This will confirm whether the resident’s input has been properly assessed and given due consideration or not.
All is not lost, as it is a good start for the next group to be elected in one year’s time. A job well done by our engagement consultant, Ms. Kleb, whom I find to be competent, personable, and who has both integrity and credibility. I trust that her employment contract will be extended until some of these projects have completed the process and the results evaluated.
Better decisions and a more harmonious relationship between the taxpayer and city hall are the ultimate objective. We have a new CAO, Mr. Weeber, who appears to be more “on the ground” and seems receptive to input from the residents. Whether he can align the objectives of city staff with that of the majority of the residents has yet to be seen.
The proof is in the results. In other words, the projects pursued and the decisions made.
Claude Bergman
Penticton