The Editor,
Re. “PoMo may pay $45k so councillors not at meetings can participate” (The Tri-City News, April 15).
I was outraged to learn of Port Moody council’s experiment with councillors “attending” council meetings by Skype. Why?
First, our city councillors are paid well to participate in their civic duties and responsibilities. I think attendance at city council meetings is their top priority where citizens with issues may “see the whites of their eyes.” Face-to-face interaction is crucial.
Will Coun. Rob Vagramov be quaffing a beer in his living room while he is “attending” an e-council meeting over Skype?
Residents with disabilities are expected to drag themselves to council meetings to speak to issues. I would be more sympathetic if the remote conferencing was being provided for our disabled and shut-in residents to participate in council meetings.
Second, the concept of a quorum for a council meeting would cease to have practical meaning. How many of our six councillors and mayor can be physically absent but e-present for a meeting to still have a quorum?
The article also mentioned “the need to have a senior staff member sitting in the councillor’s seat to assist in the speaking and voting process.” It reminds me of a late scene in The Wizard of Oz where a terrified Dorothy is assailed by the disembodied voice of the wizard.
Finally, switching from Skype to “a professional-grade conferencing system would cost close to $45,000.” Why should the property tax and business licence payers of Port Moody pay higher rates for the convenience of our well-paid councillors?
Coun. Meghan Lahti remarked: “I’d like to look… at where we can find the budget for something like this [‘Cadillac’ conference system].”
For more than a decade, my neighbourhood has been lobbying without success for pedestrian-activated flashing lights at a crosswalk that serves our elementary school. Council appears to be favouring its convenience over the lives of residents. I guess that is what Coun. Vagramov was referring to as “the bleeding edge.”
One more thing: Last Thursday afternoon, I attended the Seniors Focus Committee meeting for April. Coun. Lahti, an ex-officio member, was absent. Coun. Zoe Royer joined the meeting 45 minutes late. Perhaps the real problem is that the city has too many committees and meetings for council to manage. The solution is fewer meetings with full face-to-face contact and e-access for residents who need it.
D.B. Wilson, Port Moody
