To the Editor,
Nanaimo city council’s lack of wisdom never fails to amaze me.
It has appointed a couple business people to the Downtown Nanaimo Business Improvement Association board of directors. Business people who could have run for election the right and honorable way, won or lost, but chose to sneak by the electoral process and get knighted a position.
More troubling is that these two spots on the board should have been filled with non-business types. Residents who could have added different insight and wisdom into what needs to be done to revitalize downtown for all.
Half the money which goes to the business group is gathered from homeowners throughout Nanaimo who pay property tax – not just commercial property owners.
Some of the other 90,000 residents in our city should have a say at the board level on how their downtown evolves as it’s all of us who must shop, eat and make downtown thrive or it is doomed.
Council once again failed to see this. It’s a slap in the face. It seems input from everyday residents is not welcome nor wanted.
The only thing that can be said for this travesty of democracy is shame, shame city council. And never, ever let this happen again.
C. L. Cavanagh
Nanaimo