St. Albert residents are being divided. Herein lies the real problem. We have a very divided city council. One side is trying to make sure that residents and taxpayers are being dealt with honestly. The other side uses diversion tactics to demean those who call for honesty by questioning their character and putting forward their own narrative. Controversies during this term include the hiring of a city councillor for a senior city hall job. Another controversy came up when a member of council was questioned about expense claims. Rather than admit there was a problem, the individual and followers call out the person making the report and says he has defamed the council member. That council member goes as far as to say that city staff need to look into the expenses, further throwing blame to others. This is just an example of how some city officials treat residents. One blow to the residents of St. Albert was the library petition that got 6,700 signatures, and I count a signature as a vote. Council passes a motion to have the plebiscite issue on the election ballot. Then city employees say the petition is not valid. Hence they are saying to the residents that we don’t respect your votes and your opinion doesn’t matter. Who is causing the problems in St. Albert? It is not you or I, it is the governing body and city administration who are doing so. And to top things off, as soon as the vote is turned into merely an opinion gathering by council and administration, council members move ahead before the plebiscite to put the money in place to fund a library. I am fed up with being blamed for causing discord in this community. It seems that if certain people don’t get their way, they start calling others names. Our votes do not matter and there will be a lot of money spent by the candidates who favour their own opinions to carry on the present direction that many residents don’t agree with. Let me make this very clear Councillors Cathy Heron and Wes Brodhead, you favour and want to move forward with the library and you voted to put funding in place before the election. But herein lies your problem, you are now 6,700 votes down starting the election, because do you believe that the people who signed the petition are going to vote for someone who disregards their democratic right to vote and have a say in their community? Ted Durham, St. Albert
