Before being elected under the Community Charter, mayor and council promised to represent the public with no mention of restrictions or secrets and by withholding information from the public break faith with the public and the Charter.
Individuals who want privacy should not seek to be elected representatives or employees of a public entity.
Elected members of the general public must be free to represent us with no secrecy. People dealing with land and the City of Prince George should not expect to have information withheld from the public.
Secrecy is bad as it leads to too quick judgments and false answers and convictions.
The actions of council do not recognize that the exceptions named in the Community Charter for nondisclosure are to be used "only where there is no alternative and not as permission to hold a closed meeting": Ministry of Municipal Affairs August 5, 2011.
The charter does not allow random use of closed or secret work by the council at the council's whim. "Public knowledge leads to fairness and justice," as Socrates and associates said some time ago.
Examples must include the council information that the "heat plant will lead to a profit in 20 years." Will it?
At 5.5 per cent (CMHC) on the $4,100,000 investment, uncollected taxes on the land used and simple administrative costs a loss is incurred.
The participation in the project leaves the public accepting a loss as well as incurring contingent liabilities of far more than out investment.
Is there a loss figure for the first 19 years? If so, is it part of the investment? Who else would wait 20 years for a profit? Will interest rates rise? Is depreciation included in the profit calculations? What is the cost of insurance? Are insurance and depreciation part of the profit calculations? Thanks Brian.
David Pearson
Prince George
