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The need for a Plan B

Ron Paull responds to a Mary Glassford column demanding a rethink on hiring a fundraising consultant

Editor:

Re: Questions remain unanswered, Observer, Jan. 18.

Citizen Mary Glassford’s call for answers to Multi-Centre questions will likely fall on the same deaf ears as in November’s election, when I campaigned for a plan “B”... only to be reminded by Mayor Mary Sjostrom and her friends that a backup plan was simply not on.

As senior governments struggle to fund health care, pensions, education and other basic needs, as our annual allowable timber cut diminishes, as we teeter on the brink of a very possible recession, as the clock ticks ever closer to next year’s referendum expiry date, as our population ages and declines... how can Mayor Mary and friends not have a plan “B”?

Even last week’s tragedy in Burns Lake should be a wakeup call for lost tax-assessment contingency planning.

I was surprised to read in a recent City news release Mayor Mary’s glowing credit to the newly hired Multi Centre fund raising consultant’s fund raising success with the North Cariboo Community Campus.

The real sparkplug was citizen Mary. And not only for phases one and two of the campus (including the live site and kitchen)... but also for her many years of planning and fund raising success extending all the way back to the Arts and Recreation Centre, the second ice surface, Alex Fraser Park, the Correlieu running track and so on.

Ask citizen Mary about her innovative idea for a possible partnership that could bring the Multi Centre so much closer to reality.

Google the recently opened Pat Burns Arena in Stanstead, Quebec and see what $8 million can buy. We don’t need to blow over a hundred grand for a fund raising consultant when all we have to do is simply ask folks like citizen Mary with the experience, connections and influence to make it happen.

We simply need to ask. And what about Mayor Mary and CRD director Ted Armstrong rolling up their sleeves and doing some of the grunt-work instead of hiring a consultant?

And as for this business of no refund of donations if the Multi Centre doesn’t proceed... rest assured the $2,000-plus that I personally pledged for ‘Roos home ice goals will not go to pay a consultant. It will stay in my pocket until I see the Multi Centre coming out of the ground.

And the way I see it, my money’s  safe for a while.

Ron Paull

Quesnel