Last week Becky wrote an editorial talking about how the lack of public feedback at the budget meeting was disappointing and meant you could not complain.
Well the same cannot be said about the public hearing for the new waste collection program.
I had the pleasure of going to the April 24 council meeting where the public hearing was held and it was great to see approximately 20 members of the community in attendance.
Members were given the opportunity to ask questions of the councillors and were also allowed to air their concerns with the new program.
Taking the opportunity to take part in the public hearing is an important part of council.
Some of the questions asked had simple explanations but going to the meeting and asking those questions gave residents a little piece of mind knowing they had cleared up some of their concerns.
It also was very important to air concerns as it gave council some things to chew on.
While it may not have had a direct impact on the bylaw that was passed later in the council meeting, those concerns were brought up during that discussion and council agreed that those are things they need to visit in the future.
I attend approximately one council meeting a month and most nights I am one of only three people sitting in the audience, with the other two being fellow members of the media.
It is always disappointing to me that more members of the community do not take an interest in council and more specifically in some of the public hearings that council holds.
Sure it makes for shorter council meetings, but it is an important voice in the community that is missing.
A lot of time the city may hear from people through correspondence, which is great but council holds the public hearing for a reason.
So for those who attended the public hearing on April 24 kudos to you.
You have earned the right to make some noise.
But please, do not stop there.
In the future when there are other public hearings, make your voices heard then too.
Council needs to hear the feedback and the community needs a voice.
