Editor:
This letter was sent to Sechelt council.
I would like to express my frustration with the budget planning process. The budget meeting held on March 1 was nowhere to be found on the District of Sechelt home page. One had to dig three or four pages deep to even find mention of it, and then there was no link to the meeting. The YouTube chat is disabled and no link to the meeting provided there either. Somehow a person was expected to find the link in the Calendar section of the website. It should be easier than this.
Reminders and links could have been posted to Facebook, but nothing. Only a post from two days ago with no direct link to the meeting. I am subscribed to your email list, but also nothing.
While the information and links can eventually be found I am disappointed that citizens need to go through a virtual maze and jumble of text to find succinct and relevant information. This is all made worse because you all know many members of this community struggle with access to technology. This cannot simply be blamed on an old website.
I won’t even comment on the dizzying amount of financial spreadsheets and numbers presented in what can only be described as a “firehose of information.” I have my doubts that even members of council actually have a firm grasp on the information presented.
I suggest council and staff take a step back and think about the value of this process to the average person living in Sechelt. Clearly a significant amount of time is being spent on this and it is a shame there has been so little participation.
Jack Bower, Sechelt
