Editor,

Despite three prior statements saying those attending the marina transport meeting would be able to vote on their preferred option, the Langley Planning Advisory Board has decided against allowing a vote. The reasons were:

Attendees would expect the board and the city to follow the vote. Since the city will not be bound by the vote, allowing a vote just sets residents up for disappointment. Better not to let them vote at all.

Why ask for a vote that is known in advance to be meaningless? The number of people attending will be only a fraction of the population of Langley. Therefore, it doesn’t really matter what those at the meeting think, because they don’t represent all the residents of Langley.

A vote just polarizes people and fosters an unpleasant contentious atmosphere that exerts a negative effect the community. Avoiding a vote will foster calm and unity.

People mainly just need to feel heard. They don’t have any need to actually influence the path the city chooses to take; people will be content with just learning about the choices and expressing their opinions in small groups at round tables.

Some city officials may also be worried that the outcome of the vote would be a rejection of the funicular/elevator options. They know that even if decision makers aren’t technically bound by the result, it would look very bad to choose an option only a small portion of residents at the meeting favored. They may prefer to avoid that by not having a vote.

For the information of those of us who actually want to influence what the city decides, how does the city suggest we go about it? If it isn’t by going to a public meeting, expressing our opinion, and being counted, then what is it? Or are you saying we are powerless, don’t bother?

SHARON EMERSON

Langley