Editor, The News:
Re: Coun. Bell freezing own expenses (The News, April 4).
I have two adorable cats, Max and Lexi. I love watching them tumble about, fur flying as they have their little cat fights. It’s so cute.
What’s not so cute is reading about the constant cat fights between various women on Maple Ridge council.
I find the statements and behaviour of Couns. Corisa Bell, Judy Dueck and Cheryl Ashlie akin to feral cats screeching at each other in the alley.
Ladies, put away your claws, put on your big girl pants and get to work.
Cut out the hissing, scratching and clawing at each other and do your job, represent and serve the people of Maple Ridge.
You’re not adorable, you’re not cute, you’re embarrassing.
Kim Pechet
Maple Ridge
Be professional
Editor, The News:
Re: Coun. Bell freezing own expenses (The News, April 4).
The immature cat-fight of the experienced councillors Cheryl Ashlie and Judy Dueck towards Corissa Bell is becoming tiresome and a waste of taxpayer dollars.
There is a limit of $5,000 per year in allowable expenses per councillor for each of the three years in a term. These funds are to attend various course and conventions to further their knowledge and become more experienced representatives for the citizens of Maple Ridge.
Ms. Bell has spent $12,847 and has just over $2,000 remaining of the available expense limit.
As long as the money is being properly spent on courses and functions that further one’s experience, I don’t see any problem.
The problem I see is the childish antics of Couns. Ashlie and Dueck. If you’re so experienced in all the aspects of being a councillor and you’re overflowing with knowledge that you want to share with newer council members, perhaps you should do it in a positive civil manner.
Try being professional and performing your duties to the best of your abilities. There is no place on council for your childish little cat fights.
Al Uglanica
Maple Ridge
Damage control
Editor, The News:
Re: Coun. Bell freezing own expenses (The News, April 4).
Here we go again – another politician gets caught using taxpayers funds to attend a personal event, and then goes in to damage control
After it was revealed that Coun. Corisa Bell spent $250 to attend a fundraising event at her daughter’s school, she makes the declaration that she is freezing her use of taxpayers money for the rest of her term.
Thank you, Coun. Bell.
I wonder if she would have frozen her use of taxpayer funds if she did not get caught spending $250 for a personal event.
In addition, it has been reported that Coun. Bell overspent by her personal expense budget in each of her first two years on council.
How does that work?
Coun. Bell was given a budget to manage the taxpayers affairs and she overspent.
I can only assume that she feels the budget does not apply to her.
The sense of entitlement that the councillor has displayed should not be accepted.
We expected more when you were elected.
When does it end, with the recent examples of scandalous spending, it is apparent all levels of government have the same sense of entitlement.
Ron Graham
Maple Ridge