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Transparency, accountability should be priorities for new city manager

Welcome to Abbotsford Mr. Murray. Now let us cut to the chase from a brief honeymoon.

Welcome to Abbotsford Mr. Murray. Now let us cut to the chase from a brief honeymoon.

Foremost are you an advocate of the P3 Contract?

You mentioned in your interview the "challenge" of providing enough information to the public, that we should understand why our city makes the decisions they do.

I like that, as it gets right to the crux of the issue we have with our city managers and council, all in the past, I trust.

Vote Yes for Plan A is an example of one way communication which was neither fulsome nor factual. When asked for a business plan for the expensive Sport and Entertainment Centre we were met by a wall of silence, then called naysayers. (The over-running costs and operation of that "White Elephant" ironically have left no doubt in Councillor Smiths' reported remark of "bleeding debt".

When the P3 Water referendum was brought forward we were not given fulsome information from City Planners or Council to justify the need and cost to taxpayers.  The decision, in my opinion a waste of taxpayer's money.

Now we are faced with the "YMCA" with information which defies common sense and in fact is supported by a convolution of severely limited detail of questionable content.

As you have indeed identified the problem of translation, open fulsome communication and transparency. Now may I take the liberty to add "accountability" -- the ball and serve is squarely in your court, Mr Murray.

Good luck.

GD Gray