Dear Editor:
As a city of Burnaby resident who feels we all have a role to play in making our city the best it can be, I and many other residents and businesses in our neighbourhood have been involved in significant volunteer efforts to do our part.
As our municipal election approaches, I have attended each all-candidates meeting that has been held in an effort to learn as much as possible about those running for city of Burnaby mayor, council and School District No. 41 board of education.
Other than two former members of council, Lee Rankin being one, yet not attending any of the all candidates meetings, and one other council candi-date, I have not previously known of the others or known of them being involved in efforts to make our city the best it can be. Despite the number of city council and city committee meetings which provide concerned Burnaby citizens with opportunities to express concerns, make suggestions or ask questions of our mayor, council and committees, I also do not recall any of them doing so.
I am very concerned that Green candidate Adrianne Merlo considers the $30,000 spent on a volunteer appreciation dinner to be surplus. As one of the volunteers who attended that appreciation event, I appreciate that our city acknowledged the many thousands of volunteer hours many, many hard working volunteers freely give.
For some these volunteer hours are in addition to job and family responsibilities. I understand the salaries and increases given to city staff and our elected officials based on the work they do and the hours they spend doing that work.
I have received emails, some in response to questions and opposition I have raised, at times that are long after or before their "work day." I also know their work days, spent working on our behalf, include meetings and events outside and in excess of what some view as "normal" working hours. The City of Burnaby is governed by a mayor and council and a board of education whom I have asked questions of over the years and have received answers that have made good sense for our city.
The City of Burnaby was designated the "Best Run City in Canada" by Maclean's magazine, not our mayor and council who I believe have done a good job of running our city. I have taken information forward and know it has been heard as evidenced by the positive changes in our residential, business and school neighbourhood.
These changes have been the result of the collaborative efforts of our current mayor, council, board of education, city and school district staff and community members in our neighbourhood. I encourage all Burnaby residents to make every effort to know who is running and also to know the level of knowledge and actual experience they have.
Diane Gillis, Burnaby
