Dear Editor
I am writing to clarify comments made at the BI council meeting of March 24 and recorded in March 28 Undercurrent regarding the Economic Development Committee (EDC). The article implied that the discussions regarding OCP amendment recommendations made by EDC were carried out in closed session.
I would like to set the record straight. The Economic Development Committee has NEVER met in closed session or behind closed doors to discuss the OCP recommendations. Just the opposite. It has been open and transparent. It has published its agenda in advance and whenever OCP was discussed, it was an agenda item in open public meeting. Minutes were taken and published in the following agenda and approved at that meeting. Those minutes, with attachments, were signed by myself and submitted to council for their information and included in the respective council agendas. All in the public eye and open for all to read and observe. In addition, many of EDC’s meetings have been videoed for public viewing.
EDC has held a number of meetings specifically for public input and communicated by advertising in the Undercurrent and in notices on the municipality’s website and on the forum. The committee has worked hard to be open and to receive public input. As recently as March 11, EDC solicited the public to attend a special session where it presented its 2013 annual report and plans for 2014. This session also was videoed. During this session as with all our special sessions, there was open and two-way exchange with the committee and those in attendance.
Rest assured, the Economic Development Committee has and will continue to be open and transparent in its deliberations.
Sincerely
Gordon Ganong, Chair
BI Economic Development Committee
