Municipal Politics: Kudos To Council For Nixing Mark Taylor’s Urban Trail

Mark Taylor By Mike Archer. Council’s decision to effectively nix Parks Rec Director Mark Taylor’s plan for an urban trail showed some wisdom we’ve not seen in a while. Using the old John Smith logic by arguing that, unless we spend $2.3 million of Abbotsford taxpayers’ money we won’t qualify for $1 million of BC [...]

Abnor: Hands Out At Executive Committee Meeting This Afternoon

By Abnor. This afternoon is shaping up to be a busy one for Abbotsford councilors as the agenda for the executive committee shows a long lineup of organizations with their hands out. The meeting, which kicks of City Hall at 3:00 pm, begins with a presentation by Global Spectrum of the events at the Abbotsford [...]

Columns: Does Jim Shepard Know Something We Don’t? Is The Tradex Expansion A Done Deal?

By Gerda Peachey. The really worthwhile Pacific Agriculture Show is coming to Tradex next weekend. Some years I take in all three days and plan to attend again this year. I was surprised by the statement of Jim Shepard, the show producer from JGS Events Inc. Shepard is quoted as saying, “It is frustrating at [...]

Columns: ‘Increased’ Sports, Arts, Charity Funding … Who’s Kidding Whom?

By Mike Archer. Christy Clark announced last week that she had “increased” funding to the arts, sports and charitable community organizations in BC. Who’s kidding whom? What Clark announced was nothing more than a sleight of hand providing the same amount of reduced funding to a larger group of potential recipients. Sleight of Hand. Photo [...]

Column: Banman Striking All The Right Chords

UPDATED 16/01/12 – COMMENTS RECEIVED – By Mike Archer. Abbotsford’s new mayor is striking all the right political chords and proving to be far more astute than his predecessor was at using the media to his advantage. Mayor Bruce Banman He seems to have decided to go around and beyond the old method of entrusting [...]

Municipal Politics: City Of Abbotsford Committees And What They Do

By Mike Archer. The charge has been made many times that there is an ‘old boys net work’ that is responsible for most of the decision-making for the City of Abbotsford [Click On Image For Full Story] and that that network operates through the City’s powerful committee system. If your objective is to run a [...]

Municipal Politics: Chong Nixs Any Plan For Abbotsford Regional District – CKNW

Abbotsford Council’s decision to remove the City from the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD) received another blow Wednesday as Community Minister IDA Chong took the option of an Abbotsford Regional District off the table. BC’s Community minister removes one option for Abbotsford as they try and leave the FVRD. Originally Posted On CKNW.com, 1/11/2012 By [...]

Municipal Politics: Lake Tells Banman To Calm Down

Environment Minister Terry Lake is telling Abbotsford Mayor Bruce Banman to calm down after Banman said he was prepared to have a fight with the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) over the GVRD’s request for proposals on its planned garbage incinerator. Banman said Friday he had called all the other mayors in the Fraser Valley [...]

Municipal Politics: Committee Meetings Open To The Public

Anyone thinking of taking up Mayor Banman on his challenge to have more members of the public at large join the City’s powerful committee structure we’ve published a schedule of upcoming committee meetings. For a full committee meeting schedule Click Here. For a downloadable PDF of this week’s meetings Click Here. Article source: http://www.abbotsfordtoday.ca/?p=73127

Columns: Abbotsford Arts Funding – A Matter of Priorities

By Mike Archer. The Abbotsford Arts Council is holding a Rally for the Arts in Abbotsford on January 23 at Matsqui Centenniel Auditorium. They need and deserve our support. [Click On Image For Full Story] They will be asking Abbotsford Council for financial support for the arts community. In a Guest Column earlier this week, [...]