View Royal's controversial plan for a new fire hall sparked two councillors to engage in a spirited email debate last weekend.
The councillors were at odds over ads the town is running about an anti-loan pamphlet containing misinformation over the cost to taxpayers of the proposed loan for a new fire hall.
In an email forwarded to media July 7, Coun. Ron Mattson criticized the publication of the ad, which ran in last WednesdayB次元官网网址檚 as well as in todayB次元官网网址檚 Gazette.
Mattson called it B次元官网网址渉ypocriticalB次元官网网址� to run such an ad. In an email, he accused council of choosing the Alternative Approval Process B次元官网网址� which he voted against B次元官网网址� because they believed only a small group of people who opposed to the loan would vote against it in a referendum.
B次元官网网址淏y copy of this note I will be publicly expressing my regret that the town is going to such lengths to push an initiative that so many of our residents are opposed to,B次元官网网址� wrote Mattson, who submitted his own AAP form opposing the loan.
Coun. David Screech responded to Mattson, explaining that it was a staff decision to run the ad and that the ad is appropriate given that, by the groupB次元官网网址檚 own admission, there was misinformation contained in the pamphlet.
B次元官网网址淵ou might want to check out some facts before you fly off the handle,B次元官网网址� Screech wrote. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檒l await your apology.B次元官网网址�
In an interview with the Gazette, Mattson said he would not be responding to Screech. He feels the decision to run that ad is a political decision and should have been officially approved by council.
B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e so desperate to try and defend their indefensible AAP process that theyB次元官网网址檙e trying to use this as justification for why people are submitting forms,B次元官网网址� Mattson said. B次元官网网址淭he people who have done this arenB次元官网网址檛 doing it because they are stupid. TheyB次元官网网址檙e doing it because theyB次元官网网址檙e really upset with the process and they donB次元官网网址檛 want to spend that sort of money on a fire hall that some of them donB次元官网网址檛 believe we need.B次元官网网址�
kwells@goldstreamgazette.com
