Editor:
Re: “SCRD chops, changes advisory committees,” Feb. 5, and “Reconsider plan to scrap committees” by Donna Shugar, Letters, Feb. 12.
Huge kudos to CAO Janette Loveys and the SCRD board members who agree with this decision. Roberts Creek director Mark Lebbell and former director Donna Shugar both state they are concerned over the loss of knowledge and expertise these committee members have and contribute to the subjects at hand.
My neighbourhood and I have had the firsthand experience of what it is like to be on the wrong side of these committees.
For nearly two years we have been going through the Goldmoss Gallery rezoning application and have had to deal with these committees. Committee members actually admitted to being friends of the applicants while others admitted to having their own artwork in the applicants’ gallery. Others did not even fully understand the bylaw being spoken about.
Both the Roberts Creek OCP committee and Roberts Creek APC treated us like children in a classroom. Speak only when spoken to. We were not allowed to get vocal or emotional when a complete disregard for our opinions on our homes was being ignored.
So please tell me where this is not biased and a conflict of interest. Yet these two committees’ opinions formed part of the approval process in the rezoning.
These kinds of committees do not encourage open and transparent discussions with the general public – in fact, most of the public will just walk away from a circus, as we witnessed at a Roberts Creek OCP meeting in March 2015.
Committee groups are wonderful if you are on the right side. It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.
Kudos again to all at the SCRD who are in favour of dissolving the groups and supporting more public involvement.
Monica Petreny, Roberts Creek
