Jumbo needs to be addressed separately

By Nory Esteban
Letter to the Editor
Valley Echo
September 23, 2009

In a recent letter to the editor it was mentioned that Wendy Booth did not represent her constituents because in the last MLA election, residents in Area F voted in favour of the Jumbo Resort.

To assume that the results of a provincial election, which covers many issues and party ideologies, were specific to Jumbo Glacier Resort is a huge misinterpretation.

The Jumbo issue needs to be addressed as a separate issue.

Polls conducted that dealt specifically with the Jumbo Glacier Resort show different results.

A non-binding poll, conducted by Area F in 2007, showed that 80% of respondents were against the Jumbo Resort.

There were 1,085 respondents who participated in this poll, a far greater numbert than those who voted in the provincial election in Area F.

Obviously there was more interest in Jumbo!

A more recent poll conducted by McAllister Opinion Research, an independent Vancouver research firm, in September/October 2008, clearly showed that a large majority of residents in East and West Kootenays, and Columbia-Revelstoke are against the Jumbo Ski Resort.

A developer has recently proposed to build a luxury ski resort community at Jumbo Creek in the Kootenays' Purcell Mountains.

See chart right bottom of this page.

"This poll is statistically valid and represents the greater population," said Angus McAllister of McAllister Opinion Research.

Since this recent poll covers all the areas represented by the RDEK, the directors who voted in favour of the motion to give the decision back to Victoria were not representing their constituents.

Wendy Booth did.

In addition, there is a bigger issue, and it is the matter of local decisions.

It is the mandate of the RDEK to deal with land-use amendments and follow the required processes of local governments.

These processes have been abdicated, with no opportunity for a public hearing. Wendy Booth voted to follow the correct procedure and keep this decision local.

So did six other directors who are ready to accept this responsibility.

Thank you to those who voted in accordance with local government procedures.

Thank you to those who stressed the importance of following democratic due process in rezoning public land and who spoke up in favour of conducting a fair and impartial hearing.

It's a shame that others didn't follow your leadership and sound reasoning.