Saturday, April 28, 2007
Both right and wrong.
Those who say that Plan A is decided and we must live with the conswquences areboth right and wrong. Right in that citizens voted in favour of spending $85 million on capital projects. Wrong in that nowhere did the citizens vote and approve $23.6 million, much less $30 or $40 million (since the costs seems to be growing astronomically) in soft costs.
I attended all the public meetings, read all the statements from Abbotsford City Hall and despite Mr Beck’s recent assertions the only figure cited was $85 million. When asked about other costs by those opposing the lack of planning and financial transparency in Plan A they denied any $$$ millions in such costs. It is now clear why Councillors Beck and Smith together with City Manager Guthrie, refused to personally guarantee to cover any costs above the $85 million when called upon to do so.
If Mr Beck’s statement that council had “ …always projected in the round figures $100 million for the projects” then council and senior city staff lied to the citizens of Abbotsford about the costs of Plan A. At $23.6 million and climbing, the size of these lies by omission border on malfeasance. Lies of this magnitude certainly render the results of the referendum on which council and senior staff base the legitimacy of their continuing with Plan A null and void.
If Mr Beck and all others I herein have branded liars at Abbotsford City Hall want an apology, they simply have to show me where in the public record they stated that Plan A would cost $100+ million and that the $100+ million was likely to rise (as it already has by 9%). Show me where it was they did not insist the price was guaranteed to be no more that $85 million.
Otherwise they should resign or face charges of malfeasance.
I attended all the public meetings, read all the statements from Abbotsford City Hall and despite Mr Beck’s recent assertions the only figure cited was $85 million. When asked about other costs by those opposing the lack of planning and financial transparency in Plan A they denied any $$$ millions in such costs. It is now clear why Councillors Beck and Smith together with City Manager Guthrie, refused to personally guarantee to cover any costs above the $85 million when called upon to do so.
If Mr Beck’s statement that council had “ …always projected in the round figures $100 million for the projects” then council and senior city staff lied to the citizens of Abbotsford about the costs of Plan A. At $23.6 million and climbing, the size of these lies by omission border on malfeasance. Lies of this magnitude certainly render the results of the referendum on which council and senior staff base the legitimacy of their continuing with Plan A null and void.
If Mr Beck and all others I herein have branded liars at Abbotsford City Hall want an apology, they simply have to show me where in the public record they stated that Plan A would cost $100+ million and that the $100+ million was likely to rise (as it already has by 9%). Show me where it was they did not insist the price was guaranteed to be no more that $85 million.
Otherwise they should resign or face charges of malfeasance.
# posted by James W Breckenridge : 4:22 PM
