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City of Langford politics


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#21 Spy Black

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Posted 07 April 2021 - 06:13 AM

There always comes a time when a massive influx of "new" residents begins to have an impact on local politics. 
In this case, it would seem that a few unemployed academics are finding a voice by getting a bit of press regarding their belief in that Langford apparently lacks transparency.

 

Here's the thing though ... Stu's not stupid, and has never been "criminally inclined", AND he's surrounded by an entire Council, AND a full compliment of the bureaucrats required to actually make a municipality run.

All to say, Stu's got nothing at all to hide, and despite the rapid influx of "new" residents, he's also very likely (based on the last election) to get re-elected each and every time he chooses to run.

Langford has gone from one extreme to the other in my lifetime as a resident of the region ... from a literal Dogpatch, to a highly developed and ever developing area within 15 minutes of downtown Victoria, and the majority of residents don't seem to mind the change one bit.

 

These UVIC eggheads will very likely rattle a few cages in Langford ... but not every municipality is as stupid as Victoria proper in believing a bunch of left wing, out of work, bookworms are actually capable of running a municipality.

 

Personally, and as a lifetime resident of the region, I hope Langford very publicly (albeit figuratively) runs these boobs out of town.


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#22 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 08 April 2021 - 10:44 AM

Langford lauded for releasing council financial disclosures
Another step taken to improve transparency
 
 
The City of Langford has taken one further step to improve transparency by releasing the financial disclosure documents of council for 2021.
 
The statements of disclosure of council are required under the provincial Financial Disclosure Act and must be filed by elected local government officials by between Jan. 1 and 15 every year.
 
 
"We are pleased that Langford is continuing on its path to improve transparency for the benefit of residents and taxpayers," says Stan Bartlett, past-chair, Grumpy Taxpayer$ of Greater Victoria.
 
"Council and staff do an exceptional job in dealing with and fostering new business," says Bartlett. "So, there's no reason that service mentality can't be carried over to improving transparency for residents."
 
Unfortunately, Langford refused our initial request to provide electronic copies of the public documents or to post the disclosures online like municipalities such as Victoria and Saanich.
 
Instead, after Grumpy Taxpayer$ viewied the documents a further request was made at city hall for paper copies of the documents as required under law, namely Section 95 (3) of the Community Charter which governs municipalities. Paper copies were then provided for the public.
 
The intent of the Financial Disclosure Act is to identify what areas of influence and possible financial benefit an elected official, nominee or designated employee might have by virtue of their office, and to ensure the public has reasonable access to the information.
 
Of note, Langford has recently agreed to move from the current audio recordings of council meetings to a more robust live-streaming format. It has earmarked funds in the 2021 budget.
 
Grumpy Taxpayer$ is urging the municipality take additional measures to further improve transparency aside from posting annual council financial disclosures on its website.
 
The outdated council procedures bylaw - which sets out how council should operate - is detailed in Bylaw No. 819 and not available for public review on the Langford website. The bylaw has not been updated since 2004 and no firm date has been set for any revisions, according to city staff.
 
In our view, policies around council remuneration and expenses should also be posted on the city website for the viewing of the taxpaying public. Saanich, Victoria and the CRD, all exercise full transparency by dedicating a website page to this important information.
 
 
READ MORE:
 
Residents are now raising concerns about rapid development and the future of council, Capital Daily, Apr. 6, 2021. (Editors Note: In fact, Langford has had two mayors).


#23 Mike K.

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Posted 08 April 2021 - 11:15 AM

Shouldn’t the title be changed, from “..has only had one mayor?”

Victoria has had what, four?

Cross
Lowe
Fortin
Helps

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#24 Nparker

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Posted 08 April 2021 - 11:29 AM

....Victoria has had what, four [mayors]?

Cross
Lowe
Fortin
Helps

I wish Victoria had at least one fewer mayor in the past 30 years.



#25 Mike K.

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Posted 08 April 2021 - 11:39 AM

I suspect UVic will launch a study determined to support the theory that four mayors over 30 years is perfect. Two is disastrous.

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#26 rjag

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Posted 13 April 2021 - 08:46 AM

 

  • Jeremy Caradonna – Author of “One Level at a Time: Transitioning to Organic Vegetable Production”.  Professor in the Environmental Studies department at University of Victoria
  • Matt Dell - Master's of Political Science from the University of Victoria with a specialization in BC politics and small-scale agriculture.
  • Maleea Acker - lectures at the University of Victoria in Geography and Canadian Studies, where she is completing a PhD in Geopoetics.  
From the backgrounds of these 3, I think you know how this "podcast" is going to go.  "Term limits for councils", "Garry Oak ecosystem destroyers", "Langford without Stu", etc etc.  They are trying to bring granola to Lanford and are promoting a group that is forming to stop growth.

 

 

Yup, this ad just popped up on my FB page...gotta chuckle at Capital Daily jumping on board. 

 

The thing about Langford that they dont get, is its not Victoria...and its likely the result of Victoria. These folks dont see any problem with whats happening in the core and would like to share that with other communities....

 

One can draw a reasonable conclusion as to the direction of this podcast by considering their other offerings such as interviews with Jeremy Loveday and Corey Burger...

 

Meanwhile Langford is the most successful growing community in the CRD and should be studied and celebrated. Are they doing everything right for everyone? Nope but they are offering something that wokeists hate...


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#27 Mike K.

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Posted 13 April 2021 - 09:40 AM

They also know there will be a political void come 2022, and they want to fill it, or at the very least establish enough grassroots support to fill a seat or two come 2026.

 

Langford is now entering the phase of managing its growth, not merely acquiring growth/expanding. With that come social issues, political issues, infrastructure issues and increasing political pressures as the average residential make-up falls from a purely centrist outlook to one bending slightly towards the political left. The current political make-up of Langford city is very much centrist and pro-business. Their realm is not the realm a good portion of new residents within the municipality.


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#28 Jacques Cadé

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Posted 13 April 2021 - 09:48 AM

They also know there will be a political void come 2022

 

Who's retiring?



#29 Danma

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Posted 13 April 2021 - 10:27 AM

Langford is now entering the phase of managing its growth, not merely acquiring growth/expanding. With that come social issues, political issues, infrastructure issues and increasing political pressures as the average residential make-up falls from a purely centrist outlook to one bending slightly towards the political left. The current political make-up of Langford city is very much centrist and pro-business. Their realm is not the realm a good portion of new residents within the municipality.

Certainly at current rates in ten years from now, I can't see how Langford will have any room left for expansion projects of the current scale. South Skirt/BMP will be completed, as will be McCallum, Westhills, Pacific Hill and the Speedway. I think that's more or less it for remaining room for unfettered expansion within the city limits.

 

Once this happens, I can't see how the current council and the current approach from the City will be tenable, especially when you consider we'll have an additional 5-10k residents which, as you say, may have very different expectations.



#30 Rob Randall

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Posted 13 April 2021 - 11:24 AM

That original stock of Langford SFHs are half a century old or older, developers are looking at them like bare land. Langford has to decide what these neighbourhoods will look like once the houses on them become obsolete.


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#31 AllseeingEye

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Posted 13 April 2021 - 12:45 PM

Gee back in the middle ages when I went to UVic your career options were essentially Law, Teaching/PhysEd, Biologist, Computer geek (pre-Internet I should add, so actually learning and writing code), or Engineer. No Geo-whatsit though. Somehow I don't feel like us university old-timer grads from the 80's missed out on much......


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#32 Danma

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Posted 13 April 2021 - 12:57 PM

Computer geek (pre-Internet I should add, so actually learning and writing code)

 

Whoa, whoa, I know I'm nitpicking, but modern web development is very much writing code! I should know, I've been doing it for 20 years. 

 

Edit: I still don't know what Geopoetics is.


Edited by Danma, 13 April 2021 - 12:59 PM.

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#33 rjag

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Posted 13 April 2021 - 01:40 PM

Gee back in the middle ages when I went to UVic your career options were essentially Law, Teaching/PhysEd, Biologist, Computer geek (pre-Internet I should add, so actually learning and writing code), or Engineer. No Geo-whatsit though. Somehow I don't feel like us university old-timer grads from the 80's missed out on much......

 

I'm sure Geopoetics will be a much sought after requirement when it comes to discussing the creation and vision of a 30 year old municipality and all thats wrong with it!!! :muching_out:


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#34 AllseeingEye

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Posted 13 April 2021 - 02:26 PM

Whoa, whoa, I know I'm nitpicking, but modern web development is very much writing code! I should know, I've been doing it for 20 years. 

 

Edit: I still don't know what Geopoetics is.

 

Oh I know but I was referring to pre-web, pre-fancy flash and java and especially pre-Windows code: t'wern't no such thang as Windows back in 1982. UNIX baby.......(oh and the '286 class of processors....with 16 MB RAM!) :)


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#35 On the Level

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Posted 13 April 2021 - 04:02 PM

Gee back in the middle ages when I went to UVic your career options were essentially Law, Teaching/PhysEd, Biologist, Computer geek (pre-Internet I should add, so actually learning and writing code), or Engineer. No Geo-whatsit though. Somehow I don't feel like us university old-timer grads from the 80's missed out on much......

 

Now you can wrack up student debt through a whole UVIC wing dedicated to social justice taught by your favorite professional protestors.  Don't forget to include Donations and Grants 101 through 404 since there are limited employment opportunities for professional complainers.  


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#36 Nparker

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Posted 13 April 2021 - 04:11 PM

...there are limited employment opportunities for professional complainers.  

Except in the CoV where those skills are apparently in high demand on city council.



#37 Spy Black

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Posted 13 April 2021 - 04:40 PM

Certainly at current rates in ten years from now, I can't see how Langford will have any room left for expansion projects of the current scale. 

I think Langford is just barely getting going in the area that's currently exploding just east of Mt. Wells, and on over towards Latoria.

I may be wrong, but it certainly seems that it's currently the largest general construction area in the entire region ... and they haven't even really got started yet.

 

It's Metchosin that bridges the Langford border to the Sooke border, and I don't expect we'll see anything radical happen in Metchosin ... but driving out Saseenos way on the weekend, there seems to be a substantial amount of new construction ... and certainly the ongoing 85 million dollar upgrade to Highway 14 will invite a lot more development out that way ... all to say that, with the exception of Metchosin, I can see major development in the next two decades that somewhat seamlessly joins Langford up with Saseenos with assorted residential and business developments.



#38 Danma

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Posted 13 April 2021 - 04:46 PM

I think Langford is just barely getting going in the area that's currently exploding just east of Mt. Wells, and on over towards Latoria.

I may be wrong, but it certainly seems that it's currently the largest general construction area in the entire region ... and they haven't even really got started yet.

 

It's Metchosin that bridges the Langford border to the Sooke border, and I don't expect we'll see anything radical happen in Metchosin ... but driving out Saseenos way on the weekend, there seems to be a substantial amount of new construction ... and certainly the ongoing 85 million dollar upgrade to Highway 14 will invite a lot more development out that way ... all to say that, with the exception of Metchosin, I can see major development in the next two decades that somewhat seamlessly joins Langford up with Saseenos with assorted residential and business developments.

 

Yeah, I suppose there's lots of space out that direction still. I'd hate to see too much done in that area but I wouldn't be surprised if it happened. I agree that the new HWY 14 alignment may encourage development out that way.



#39 Danma

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Posted 13 April 2021 - 04:47 PM

Oh I know but I was referring to pre-web, pre-fancy flash and java and especially pre-Windows code: t'wern't no such thang as Windows back in 1982. UNIX baby.......(oh and the '286 class of processors....with 16 MB RAM!) :)

 

Oh yeah, those were the days – the painful days  :banana:



#40 AllseeingEye

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Posted 13 April 2021 - 05:14 PM

I think Langford is just barely getting going in the area that's currently exploding just east of Mt. Wells, and on over towards Latoria.

I may be wrong, but it certainly seems that it's currently the largest general construction area in the entire region ... and they haven't even really got started yet.

 

It's Metchosin that bridges the Langford border to the Sooke border, and I don't expect we'll see anything radical happen in Metchosin ... but driving out Saseenos way on the weekend, there seems to be a substantial amount of new construction ... and certainly the ongoing 85 million dollar upgrade to Highway 14 will invite a lot more development out that way ... all to say that, with the exception of Metchosin, I can see major development in the next two decades that somewhat seamlessly joins Langford up with Saseenos with assorted residential and business developments.

 

I've only driven it once, not long after it opened in fact, but what about the West Shore Parkway? I seem to recall thinking at the time it had opened up a lot of possibilities for development out that way.....



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