To some local town councils and the residents of Warfield:
What I am looking for in village governance is the right to pursue what I consider life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
What I am NOT looking for are rough roads and deteriorating infrastructure.
So it puzzles me greatly why the village council feels it has the time, the duty and especially the taxpayer money to tell me what vehicle I should be driving, what heating fuel I should be using and how to grow my own food supply.
Why council feels it must be involved in the “West Kootenay 100% Renewable Energy Plan” along with “The Village of Warfield Food Charter” is totally beyond me.
To those in the village who might not be aware, the “Plan” is the path laid out for how the Village of Warfield will reach net zero CO2 emissions by 2050.
The Charter is, and I quote, “The Village of Warfield will be food secure by 2050. ALL members of our community will have access to enough nutritious, affordable, safe, ecologically sustainable and culturally appropriate food at all times.”
I hope that council has much better things to do than focus on these issues.
Regarding the Food Charter, I have to point out to council that I have no interest in farming in my backyard nor in any “public” spaces.
And to emphasize the point, I don’t care what “culturally appropriate food” is let alone wanting to grow it.
Are Ferraros, Safeway and Walmart (the primary local food suppliers) not to be relied upon as sources of a nutritious, affordable and safe food supply?
My main problem though is with the Renewable Energy Plan (costs and benefits conveniently undefined but guessable).
I can see absolutely no value in council wanting to be involved in reducing CO2 emissions other than being conveniently diverted from the difficult “real” business of running the village, I can understand council being concerned about “the health, economic well-being, and safety of community members” (quote from the Plan) but I see no way in which getting involved with renewables in order to reduce CO2 emissions addresses these concerns.
My health would be much better addressed by a good water supply and a functioning sewer system.
My safety would be much better addressed by adequate roads, crosswalks and traffic control.
And my economic well-being would be much better addressed by letting more appropriate authorities worry about emissions.
Council was elected to focus on village issues but emissions and food supply are not village issues.
If council and staff, whom I thought were tasked with “running the village”, can find the time, and taxpayer dollars, to focus on emissions and food supply then I would suggest that this administration is overstaffed.
In the next election, I plan to be voting for folks who do understand the priorities of our small community.
But for those village residents who don’t mind facing the additional costs of replacing your vehicles and your natural gas heating with “all electric” and of purchasing farm implements for your backyard, then perhaps you are okay with this council.
Robin Siddall
Warfield