Concerns @ Delta council and their staff regarding comments?

(My comments are in brackets, .{not the Delta Optimist either}


(Apparently) {Delta council members and Corporation of Delta staff had concerns over a Community Comment column published in the June 9 edition of the Optimist (and written by Debbie McBride, I think the article held lot of truth).


{Specifically, they took objection to the contention the municipality is standing in the way of a Ramsar designation application for Burns Bog. Municipal officials say they are committed to ensuring the bog obtains the highest possible protective designation} (that is why they took out some land parcels out because it was disected out of the area by the Gateway Project).


the rest of this middle section is Delta Optimist below: My comments are in ()


(As you may know) Metro Vancouver (chair Mayor Jackson) recently granted a request by Delta (Mayor Jackson)to hold off on the Ramsar application as the municipality is attempting to add 435 hectares/1,074 acres to the more than 2,000 hectares/5,000 acres of Burns Bog that are already part of the conservation covenant. Civic officials recently met with federal counterparts in Ottawa to discuss the inclusion of the additional acreage.


Delta supports submitting a Ramsar application after the additional properties have been included in the covenant (wouldn't sooner be better? Enough talk already).


The Optimist apologizes to Delta council members and Corporation of Delta staff and is dedicated to setting the record straight (could it be they were afraid of losing advertising revenue?).


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Talk about spin doctors! Delta has some of the best.


Corporaton of Delta put a one page ad in June 20th edition of The Delta Leader (second page) Obviously they want all the glory, they don't mention Metro Vancouver Park staff going after Ramsar status and told to hold. Mayor Jackson was quoted on this? (By Sandor Gyarmati, The Delta Optimist June 2, 2010. Now they say it was their own Chief Administrative Officer that requested for Ramsar status back in March, but only after the addition of more Delta properties to the Conservation Covenant.


Also, they forget to mention the wonderful people who fought to save Burns Bog from Development (again, even after I had sent Mayor Jackson an open letter regarding no credit to countless number of people including Eliza Olson?) No mention of Burns Bog Conservation Society. Talk about patting your back for work and effort of others!!!!


Below is my comments that the Delta Optimist never put in to my response to Sandor Gyarmati article in the June 2 Delta Optimist edition:


http://www.delta-optimist.com/travel/Burns+proposal+hold+Metro+board/3102113/story.html




Thursday, June 3, 2010
What are the real reasons behind the hold by Metro Vancvouver for Ramsar status


This week Sandor Gyarmati wrote an article in the Delta Optimist. The headline read "Burns Bog proposal put on hold by Metro board".


As I am getting to know more about the history of Burns Bog, and have been an attendee to some events and dialogue with the Corporation of Delta and Metro Vancouver, I would like to know the real reasons behind Mayor Jackson’s decision regarding Ramsar Wetland of International Significance status.


Could it be that she does not want international attention brought to her regarding the poor management by both Corporation of Delta and Metro Vancouver of Burns Bog (or all four levels of government for that matter)? Why has the conservation covenant not been used to stop the South Fraser Perimeter Road from winding its way along the lagg of the bog?


Mayor Lois Jackson, who chairs the board, says that Metro Vancouver's park people are not following the conservation covenant and seems to do what they want without concurring with all parties. Is she not talking about herself? I have a hard time not assuming that if she sits on Metro Vancouver's board as chair and is mayor of Delta, would she not be concurring?


I guess I just have to sit back over a glass of Arrogant Frog wine, help fund Burns Bog Conservation Society as I sip (proceeds of Arrogant Frog sales in June go to the society's education programs) and contemplate what Mayor Jackson wants. If it is a legacy Mayor Jackson would like to leave, she is not going to accomplish it this way.
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So you can see Debbie McBride, you are not alone. I am sure there are others out there too, that feel the same way about Corporation of Delta's council and staff. We have the courage to write it, and speak it, because we believe in the freedom of speech (and opinion).