Listen: to give attention with the ear; attend closely for the purpose of hearing;

Mayor Peary’s recent comments on the budget have once again demonstrated city hall’s need for a dictionary. As the above definition makes clear, listening involves paying close attention in order to hear what was actually being said.

My fellow citizens of Abbotsford need to look around their homes for any dictionary or dictionaries they can spare and deliver the dictionary (ies) to Mayor Peary at city hall. Thereby delivering the message that city hall needs to listen to citizens.

Considering that a local paper also reported that the Ratepayers Association suggested scrapping the parks, recreation and culture department it appears that listening problems are contagious for anyone spending to much time at city hall.

Those present at the Ratepayers Association’s presentation having active listening skills were no doubt as astonished as me to hear claims that the Ratepayers had suggested abolishing parks, recreation and culture.

The failure to listen to or to consider ideas and suggestions they do not want to hear obviously remains a problem at city hall.

As to the departments that the Ratepayers did suggest cutting, social planning and economic development, and the mayor’s statement “These fellas have never been in to see what goes on in these departments.” This statement is true of almost every citizen of Abbotsford. Rather than a dismissive ‘I know best’ statement the mayor should have provided evidence of the accomplishments of these departments that demonstrate their value and effectiveness to the citizens of Abbotsford.

I know the personnel in the social planning department, considering them highly competent and professional. Unfortunately they face the barrier presented by city council and its lack of listening skills.

Mayor Peary’s dismissive entertainment and sports centre comment: “You don’t build a $65 million project and then mothball it” underscores that an important component of listening is to actually think about what has been said.

Responsible government will ‘build a $65 million project and then mothball it’ if that is the responsible action to take. Indeed other jurisdictions have built expensive facilities and mothballed them until they had the funds to open and operate them.

What the ratepayers called upon city council to do, and I have previously called upon city council to do, is to not open the entertainment and sports centre at this time of economic recession when the city cannot afford to squander the funds needed to cover the negative cash flow that will result from opening the centre.

To quote the ratepayers “These losses have been illustrated on multiple occasions at other facilities of the same size. We would be happy to provide City staff and Council with our research in this area.

So, until a business plan showing verifiable revenue projections and operational costs can be produced… we suggest that the new Entertainment complex remain dark.”

Which would seem to this taxpayer to be advice to be listened to and considered, not dismissively pooh-poohed?