My compliments to Mayor Ruttan, Diane Brennan, Dianna Johnstone, Bill McKay and George Andersen for voting in a new Communication Manager position.
George's comments below (copied with permission from his Facebook page) are well reasoned and positive. The attitude, as much as the logic, expressed by George below is what I find exciting. This is really what will lead Nanaimo to its potential as an attractive, efficient and balanced community.
George Anderson
, the reason I voted for a communications manager is because there is a lack of communication between the city and residents of Nanaimo that is one of the things I campaigned on. There are many examples of the poor communication on behalf of the city, such as the low barrier housing on uplands. In this example the city did not explain or give information to the public, and weeks later there were large ads in the paper with a family walking down a road and on the side a white picket fence with a woman injecting herself with a needle, that said "what’s wrong with this picture?"I think it very important that the city position on any project is clear and information is distributed in a fashion for everyone to understand. Instead the city allows for individuals in the community who do not know how things come about, nor do they understand the rational go ahead and define things that happen when they are not true.
I am assuming that you read that the communications manager was hired in the Daily News. The question I would like to ask you is how many reporters do you think were in the room at the time the communications manager was voted upon? The answer is zero. I think it is shocking that a reporter can write a story on something and say there was almost no discussion on the topic when they were not even present at the time. We voted on this on Monday, and yet it did not come into the paper until Friday.
Over the next three years the city will be moving forward with things such as the possible acquisition on Harmacs water system, or building a dam, or the dispute between the Snuneymuxw, that the citizens of Nanaimo have accurate information. Before being elected I had a belief that the government tells us the truth and I still believe that. My opinion on this is that the communications manager will facilitate ways to bring information to the community in new innovative ways so the public who elects mayor & council will know the rationale behind doing things. If I bring it back to the water issue, would you continue to live in Nanaimo if there was no water? I don’t think many people would and it is of the utmost importance that people have the information. Also you mentioned that this will be a "spin doctor" this job will not supplement mayor and council, its direction is to supply information to the community not to help mayor and council with the commentary or decisions council makes. If we were hiring a spokes person I would have voted against that as that is why we have the Mayor who speaks on behalf of the city, but also most people do not believe what politicians are saying which is why I think it is important we create this position.
You say you had hoped for better when you voted for me. I would hope that you will understand my rationale on this issue. I take my job and the opportunity the people of Nanaimo gave me very seriously. I don’t think the electorate voted for me in the numbers they did because they thought I wouldn’t work hard. I spend numerous amounts of hours reading or agendas, briefings, researching issues, communicating with the constituents to make sure that I am making the right decision at the end of the day. I would say that people voted for me because they saw that we had commonalities. The way I see it is that we will not see eye to eye on each issue, but that on most issues over my term we will agree. I have tried to be as open and transparent as I can and I think I have accomplished it in that you are able to have this conversation with me right now through social media which you would not be able to with other elected officials. If you still have concerns please send me and email and we can discuss this further (george.anderson@nanaimo.ca)
4The source of this quote can be found 19 comments down under the post below:
http://www.facebook.com/1GeorgeAnderson/posts/335096526532213?comment_id=4211550
