If you check out the bottom of this page you’ll see what I said in 2014 when I first ran for Council.
My philosophy certainly has not changed and I believe I have proven to be accountable to you in every possible way. Â I have challenged including through this website, the Mayor, Council and staff when I have seen something that didn’t seem right. Â I have been open to every question and concern you have had for me, whether it is on social media, email, phone or in person.
I will continue to advocate for evidence based decision making. Â One thing I have learned over the past term is that we still make many decisions on Council, often involving very large sums of money(*see example below) with what I believe isn’t a lot of information to go on.
This is often excused by saying staff do not have the time to fully investigate something, or we simply think the answer is easy and we approve something that maybe down the road ends up not being the best answer.
The only way to fix this is by giving staff the resources to be able to do full due diligence for council, including planning, consultations, and design work, and the implications for the future. Â This applies to a huge range of issues, but especially infrastructure.
I will continue to be an advocate for that kind of intentional and deliberate planning, and giving staff the resources to be able to do it in a fulsome and timely manner.
Increased Community Engagement, a new Official Community Plan, a new policy around public access to documents of the City. Â These are three ways of getting there that I will continue to work towards in the upcoming term.
* The Most egregious example of last-minute spending was the 2016 decision (I believe it was February) when the Port Alberni Port Authority came to Council quite suddenly, with no background beforehand, and asked for $300,000 in order to match a grant and finish the Tyee Landing. Â This was in the middle of a lengthy and comprehensive budget process where we were having long discussions on items as small as $5000-$10,000. Â A majority of Council approved the request, even though there were no plans or designs, only a request for sewer work for the project. There were no plans on how Tyee landing might interconnect with other parts of the waterfront. Â $300,000 is a very large portion of our infrastructure budget. Â I think this was an example of something the City should have turned down on the simple basis of there not being enough due diligence to justify the huge expenditure.
—— 2014 PLATFORM —-
People want to be able to trust their leaders to do what is right.
It is too easy nowadays to become cynical, throw up our hands and declare we don’t want to hear about it anymore. I have a track record of demanding honest and factual answers from our governments and if elected I would continue that and also hopefully become your source for an honest fact or opinion on how our local government is handling an issue.
You can contact me at any time at: chris_alemany@portalberni.ca
Key Topics:
Community Engagement
Council meetings should be live web streamed and available for later viewing.
Public should be able to ask questions for Council meetings online.
All meetings with councillors participating should be available and prominently displayed on the website so the public knows what their Council are doing.
Access to Information
Public should not have to ask for Information. The goal should be automatic (web) publishing of all City created or received material including all minutes and agenda of all meetings unless confidential under the Municipal Act.
I have asked for information through the Federal Access to Information Act in the past in relation to the Port Authority and Regional District Transportation Committee. That process was a real eye opener and exposed some serious problems in the attitudes of some elements of local leadership towards openness and transparency.
Official Community Plan
Better adherence and reference to the values and goals of the OCP.
OCP review that includes consultation with SD70 around school placement.
Continue the use of the Strategic Plan to direct the actions of Council.
Right on Chris! I like your stand on all of this.
Thanks Susan! But the important question is, did you vote in the “trust” poll!? 😉 (no need to say your answer of course! )
Haha I didn’t. I can’t answer that question so easily. I like Port Alberni but find it a “tough” town. Too much instability for too long. As well, I don’t see a town with a heart. I see a town that too often disregards real problems. I see too much selfishness. Sorry. I know lots of good people that are trying hard to make things better but I can’t ignore those that want nothing more than to maintain themselves, and the status quo.
Haha call me “negative” if you like. I am just tired of people sucking the life out of me in their efforts to get ahead. Leave my tax dollars out of it. I can’t afford to pay for other people’s hobbies and luxuries. I am having too hard of a time trying to keep my head above the water.
Oops! I put this is the wrong area. I thought you were talking about the poll on whether or not we like the town. I couldn’t answer it.
I did answer the one about “trust.” Haha I lack trust. Remember I have seen things from the inside. I know what is said around the boardroom table (not the city’s boardroom table nonetheless one that was surrounded by local decision makers). I know that some elected officials don’t read or pay much attention to information in their meeting packages and make decisions based on their personal agendas. I have seen public money being abused in an effort to “win” — forget about what’s right or wrong. Haha I have no trust whatsoever!
Here is a response I received when I asked for info from city engineer.
Hello Guy
I have been looking for Recent city projects and cannot find links or pages showing any past or current projects the city has presented in the budget
Here is a list of projects
The Waste water treatment facility plan and design
The water treatment plan
Could you send a link or provide the detail of where I can find any past project reports
Thanks
Hi Ramona,
Sorry, no links. Call me……
Guy Cicon, P.Eng,
City Engineer
City of Port Alberni
250 720-2838
That is definitely something I’d like to see improved Romona. As far as I’m concerned any report, consult, or document created by the City that isn’t specifically labelled as confidential (for land, labour or legal issues) should be on the website!
Not much staff to do it all though these days! Good to see Guy encouraged you to call! I’ve always found City staff very helpful and willing to try to help.
I love how you have your values spelled out so clearly like this! Thanks. I was planning to support you because of my awareness of your interpersonal style and your commitment to Port Alberni and the environment, but now I am even happier to support you, as I know how you stand on these other issues.