Many thanks to the Times Colonist for publishing my short letter to the editor about the (many!) opinions we on Council receive. Please click the link to see the letter. If the link gets broken, here’s a copy:
Council members listen to all opinions.
Every day, city council members receive numerous requests for upcoming decisions to go one direction or another. There are multiple perspectives on every decision council faces. There is no single, sole perspective; no individual speaks for “the people” or “the community.”
We occasionally hear from someone who concludes that their view was ignored because a decision didn’t go their preferred way.
In the end, council members have to make a decision, and obviously no option can please everyone. This doesn’t mean that someone who argued for a different decision was ignored. It just means that their view did not overwhelm the other views.
It can feel frustrating when a decision doesn’t go your way. But take solace that we are listening to your perspective. We just have to listen to the other perspectives too.
Dave Thompson
City councillor
Victoria