Let's face it folks, for the average Squamish resident cobbling together the muni budget is about as exciting as judging a toenail growing contest. That elemental fact is reflected in the sparse turnout at the most recent town hall engagement, put on by the mayor and council.
Into its second round, this gig is already having difficulties putting bums in the seats. Upwards of two-thirds of the Eagle Eye Theatre was empty and at least a quarter of attendees were affiliated with the media or Muni Hall.
Council had the best intentions, and the Second Avenue Seven were poised for action, but given the limited audience, they were underutilized. Even Terrill Patterson, our resident salvaging expert and write-in mayoral candidate, who was 336 votes shy of the big chair a few elections back, arrived late dressed in his self-styled Squamish cycling regalia.
He promptly remarked that the crowd was thin and, in his classic zinger style, asked: "What happened?" The maestro of political punditry was not his usual rhetorical self, offering only a couple of mutterings and fulminations as the evening progressed.
After a screening of the official Oceanfront Development film, our newly minted CAO, Kevin Ramsay, kicked off the program by informing the audience that he didn't need a mic because he "used to sing opera."
He then promptly proceeded to commit a brazen PowerPoint faux pas by reciting reams of data that the audience could clearly read from the screen without an intermediary.
Somewhere in this numerical barrage, we were informed it was important to understand that sanitary, sewer and water are separate budget items. Who knew?
To compound the problem, early into his presentation he fumbled with the numbers and asked for clarification from an aide-de-camp.
That left some members of the audience wondering if our operatically inclined chief administrator required the support of a good set of prescription lenses.
Given this community's lack of familiarity with the man and his message, it would have been prudent to turn off the projector and offer a more personal take on our annual fiscal woes and how they might be resolved.
The muni website tells us that Mr. Ramsay is "a dynamic, passionate and progressive leader" and "a strategic thinker, with the ability to inspire others to achieve a collective vision."
That may be true, but this presentation lacked zip and was definitely in need of a Red Bull boost.
All was certainly not lost. At the end of the evening, town hall participants took part in a hands-on budget simulation involving the allocation of recently printed bundles of funny money.
And attendees were given the opportunity to air an eclectic collection of concerns including trails, cycling paths, potholes on Loggers Lane, and wood debris impeding the annual polar bear swim.
Regrettably, it appears Sam the Axe Man has fallen from public favour. According to one speaker, this retro logging display has become an outdated branding effort. The big guy gracing the grounds of the Adventure Center is even being accused of becoming a shill for Olympic mitts and toques.
Is nothing sacred in this vale of tears?
