Editor, The News:
Re: ‘Pitt councillors were just grandstanding’ (Letters, July 6).
Political grandstanding does exist in Pitt Meadows, and the recent champions of the cause for truth and honesty at Pitt Meadows city Hall, namely Couns. Deb Walters and Tracy Miyashita, have their own agenda for bringing Mayor Don MacLean’s shortcomings to the media.
The fact of the matter is that Couns. Walters and Miyashita had been provided with a report that showed Mayor MacLean’s insurance agency was the successful bidder for the city’s insurance contract four days before attending a committee meeting that was open to the public, and where they questioned Dean Rear, director of finance, about the awarding of this contract, as if the committee meeting was the very first time they had heard about it.
Couns. Walters and Miyashita took turns asking leading questions to Mr. Rear while a local newspaper reporter sat in the corner.
I would hope that all the councillors would prepare themselves and read reports provided to them with ample time before attending a committee meeting.
If they had read the report ahead of time, they should have done the right thing and called a face-to-face meeting with Mayor MacLean and asked pointed questions of him rather than seize the opportunity for political gain while hiding behind a shroud of ignorance in a public forum.
Needless to say, it was well orchestrated and showed a complete lack of respect.
Coun. Walters is running for mayor in the fall election and, so the timing of this theatrical nonsense is curious to say the least.
There are many citizens in Pitt Meadows who are taking parting shots at the mayor in his final few months in office because of their own personal battles with city hall that have nothing to do with awarding an insurance contract.
Mayor MacLean has accepted responsibility, so bury the hatchet and move on.
Brad Hayward
Pitt Meadows