Time to show who is running city hall

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Richmond Review

• City hall deserves a break
• Much for city hall to act on

Editor:

Who’s running city hall?  Mayor and council? Or is it staff? Richmond’s child poverty rate is too high and the Richmond Potters Club is in dire straits.

Our mayor and some of our councillors have called former mayor Greg Halsey-Brandt’s statement that city hall is being run by senior staff and not by mayor and council misplaced. Mayor Brodie pronounced that his office and his council make all the decisions, never staff.

Well, I hope there is no disagreement that the B.C. child poverty rate at 16.4 per cent (2009) comparing to our national rate at 12 per cent is a legitimate citizens’ concern. And that when Richmond’s child poverty rate ranks amongst the highest in B.C., it should be a concern for our mayor and council.  If this mayor and council is calling the shots at city hall, let’s see this mayor and council take action to address this concern.

Again, the Richmond Potters Club has made a case for citizens to be concerned about, when our city raised their rent by 300 per cent in 2010, then raised it by another 15 per cent in 2011 (with roll back of contract concessions on top). These actions have put the club in a grave financial position, and demise of the club is imminent.  Meetings with city staff have brought no solutions in sight.

Well, if this mayor and council is running things at city hall, and not staff, let them take action to address this. I hope, better yet, I trust, our mayor the magnanimous winner of the recent mayoral race (it was hardly a race really) will not harbour any ill feelings against our potters club for endorsing this mayor’s opponent during the election, that this mayor will take charge of things at city hall and save the day for our potters club.

Richard Lee

Richmond