One of the purposes of this space, is to allow the editor to postulate subjectively on issues of the day, and to call out those in power for shortcomings and presumed dereliction of duty.
The flip side of this, of course, is the space should equally be used to recognize when good is done in the community, or there is an intention to do good by Squamish residents.
This week's notebook gets to talk about the latter.
Originally, the subject of this week's column was intended to discuss yet again the issue of bear proofing local garbage. However, instead of chastising or defending Carney's new totes, the intention was to call attention to the fact that none of the District's own public garbage bins in and around town are bear proof either. In essence, the DOS is contravening its own bear attractant bylaw. With all the recent back and forth concerning Carney's new garbage totes, calling out the DOS for not adhering to its own bylaw seemed a natural fit for this space.
Apparently Coun. Patricia Heintzman can read minds.
On the same day I was contemplating the issue and how to approach it in this column, Heintzman brought the subject up during a Committee of the Whole meeting.
During a discussion on items to include in the District's budget, Heintzman told fellow council members and Mayor Ian Sutherland that the DOS needed to put policies and monies in place to get municipal public garbage bins bear-proofed and in line with the attractant bylaw.
Mayor Sutherland didn't miss a beat and suggested they add a $10,000 item to the proposed budget for just such an initiative.That doesn't mean it is a done deal - far from it. It just means that on April 11 when Mayor and council get together to discuss, argue and eventually hammer out a final budget, one of the items they will discuss is whether or not to cough up $10,000 for bear-proof bins.
But the intention is there, and that's what counts right now - the hope that something will get done. Personally, I think the DOS should go even further and fund the bear-proofing of everyone's new Carney tote.
However, Heintzman's suggestion indicates the council isn't just being reactive to situations or complaints, but actually thinking ahead and considering its own actions in respect to the community, as well. It's pretty logical to want to ensure you aren't handing out fines to people for something the DOS is also doing (or not doing) themselves. It is the responsible thing to do.That kind of responsible action is something everyone in the community can appreciate, and it turns finger-waggling editorials into articles with big thumbs up.
