– RJ Senko is a Vice-President at the Esquimalt Chamber and President of RJStrategies. He can be reached at 250.888.3534.
ESQUIMALT – It’s the Christmas season so I’d like to begin by wishing everyone a happy holiday…I’d like to begin that way but our latest interaction with Esquimalt Council has left me feeling a bit “Bah Humbug”.
At the risk of falling into the same sewage quagmire as the CRD and Esquimalt Council, I feel compelled to begin this column with an update. Just after I penned November’s column, we did receive a response to our letter. You may recall our letter to Mayor and Council contained detailed questions on the sewage treatment plant, including the advice provided to Council that resulted in such a complete lack of action.
As disappointing as it was to wait more than a month for a reply, it was even more disappointing to read the response. In summary, the letter from staff did not answer a single question. So, it appears if taxpayers want to know why Council folded like a cheap suit on the placement of the sewage plant, a Freedom of Information request looks like the only option.
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Last month’s column also foreshadowed an outcome on our integration proposal with the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce. I’m proud to say that through an email and phone campaign your Board made a concerted effort to contact all of our members and invite them to cast a ballot on the proposal. In the end members decided to maintain the Esquimalt Chamber in its current form. Your Board thanks you for your vote of confidence and for taking the time to engage in the decision-making process.
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At the same time, we don’t believe the status quo is good enough so we will continue to look for ways to improve efficiencies and to expand networking opportunities and other services to our members.
In that regard, members are reminded to RSVP for our Christmas Mixer. Details can be found on the Chamber website at www.esquimaltchamber.ca.
We look forward to seeing you at this event to share some stories and good cheer. I feel confident that by then I will have exercised the spirit of Scrooge and will be ready to wish one and all a very Merry Christmas.
