My wife and I are frequent visitors to Sooke and are presently staying with family here for several weeks.
I was delighted to read the Sooke News Mirror’s opinion piece regarding the committee structure being utilized by mayor and council.
It strikes a chord with me because I have travelled extensively throughout the world and I am convinced that the best run towns and cities have finally come to the conclusion that inclusive democracy actually works best.
It is no longer enough to expect that elected council members necessarily have the sufficient expertise to address the huge diversity of issues that come before them. The volume is simply too much to allow the necessary research to take place in every instance, so why wouldn’t council reach out for that expertise and volunteer commitment when it resides right in the community?
Committee structured local governments only work when staff and council are committed to making it work and in the end, it is the elected council members who make the final decisions and take responsibility for them.
Congratulations to Sooke council for their foresight and persistence.
D. Kim Smith
Celista, B.C.