Matt Todd's Pursuit of Idyll Minds

I am slowly restoring this website after the webserver I had contracted crashed and lost my files. I’ve been able to recover most of it.

Someone told me how to find ghosts of my pages floating around of the Internet. I’ve been copying and pasting them back onto this site. 

Unfortunately, it seems some of the best parts are gone. My notes from brilliant lectures at the 2007 UBCM conference and Bliss Brown workshop could not be found. They were incredibly inspiring and pivotal for me – their presentations changed my opinions on a number of issues. I wanted to share those to show everyone how and why some of my ideas or priorities have changed. 

I believe this website is also an important part of my accountability as an elected representative. Sharing my thoughts and the information I have considered is one way for me to be transparent in my decision-making. It is distressing to me that some of those posts can no longer be accessed, especially since they discuss things that have had a profound impact on my perspectives. 

However, I am doing my best to put everything back as close as possible to the way it was before. The only thing that might not be exactly the same is the time stamp, but I am not editing or omitting any text. I’ll admit, it is tempting to skip or delete some, but I believe it’s important to be open about my growth and the evolution of my opinions.

Dedication to transparency and accountability isn’t something that should be feigned during elections. It should be a perpetual element of public duty. I hope this website demonstrates my commitment to that principle.

I’m hoping to have my website restored soon. It was lost when my host’s server crashed and died last month. 

Some advice to anyone looking for a webhost – do NOT use Webserve Canada. Their (non)response to their own server dying could not have been worse. It took 3 weeks just to get them to tell me what the problem was. After figuring out how to transfer my website address to another host (thanks to some outstanding assistance from Canadian Webhosting), I’m now left having to learn how to restore/rebuild a database.

Not impressed. 

Webserve Canada = possibly the worst customer service I have ever experienced.

I don’t know what’s worse, that White Rock politicians (elected and activists) rely so heavily on fear, blame and guilt to try to control one another, or that White Rock citizens fall for it.

Nothing’s stronger in this community than the pride of the people. Unfortunately over the past few decades, there have been too many ransom notes pinned to that pride.

The result is a massive accumulated debt of public trust. The City’s independence has been used as collateral too many times.

At some point the weight of that debt will overwhelm the value of the City’s pride and independence. Many are saying that has already happened. Read on »

cognitive dissonance
noun Psychology

the state of having inconsistent thoughts, beliefs, or attitudes, esp. as relating to behavioral decisions and attitude change.

I agree with the points made by Mr.Hughes in his letter printed in today’s Peace Arch News.

I also agree that the sidewalk replacement took far longer than it should have. That’s why I kept asking Council to stop insisting on micro-managing then dithering on the town centre streetscape. The torn up street was left incomplete while City Council decided to not decide before finally accepting what had been planned right from the start. The Councillors now complaining that it took too long to finish the sidewalk have absolutely no one to blame but themselves.

Below is Mr. Hughes letter. Read on »

Demanding “better” design results in developers or property owners comparing their proposed project to the worst they could theoretically design.

It would be far more effective to articulate principles, standards and goals expected to be achieved.

How do we help the community become more sophisticated in its approach to development?

When I light my hair on fire, I get burned and it hurts. What is the city going to do about this? It is clearly a safety issue that should be addressed immediately.

parochial
adjective
• having a limited or narrow outlook or scope: this worldview seems incredibly naive and parochial.
• narrow-minded, small-minded, provincial, narrow, small-town, conservative, illiberal, intolerant.

White Rock needs a new City Council. If you have the capacity to think long-term, process new information quickly, and think beyond your own pride, please run in the next election. White Rock needs you.

An update from my “2 down, 5 to go” post last month…

3. The Mayor’s Task Force on Waterfront Parking has completed its mandate. I presented their 17 recommendations in a report to City Council last week. Some simply ask the City to advance commitments already made, others suggest new initiatives or ways to improve existing programs.

The task force reviewed each suggestion it received. They were assessed according to a set of principles adopted at the beginning of the process. The potential impact on the local economy, taxpayers, social health, ecosystem and the White Rock “experience” was considered.

While all 17 recommendations were endorsed by the majority of members, 13 of them achieved consensus. 5 of the 8 members were appointed by the Business Improvement Association. Those representatives were in agreement with all 17 of the recommendations.

Parking has been a favourite topic of complaint for decades. These recommendations are a determined step toward addressing this Achilles heel of the waterfront business district.

4 – 7. I’m hoping the Spirit Square design will be resolved tomorrow, the Housing Diversity Task Force report will be in front of Council in a couple weeks, the cultural strategy and public art policy will likely be deferred until September, and the Spirit of the Sea Festival planning is progressing quickly. However, over 150 volunteers and at least $30,000 is still needed.

Messages coming through loud and clear from residents:

• I want more public input, but I don’t want to attend any meetings and can’t be bothered to fill out forms or watch for notices.

• I want a quiet city but I don’t want to walk.

• I want clean air but I want to drive everywhere I go.

• I want lots of parks and green space, but I want to park in front of my destination.

• I want lower taxes, but the City should solve all my problems for me.

• I think the City has too many bureaucrats so I want them to be accountable by publicly listing every dollar they plan on spending with proof that it will work, then report on every dollar they spent and prove that it was worth it.

• I want to live in a small town but expect all the same services as a big city.

• I want waterfront parks but I don’t want the City to lease BNSF land.

• I agree that public spaces should be accessible but I don’t want White Rock to change.

• I want White Rock to invest in parks where the most people will actually use it, but I think the Spirit Square should be beside the White Rock or on East Beach.

• I bought a house with only one parking space even though I have two cars and it’s all the City’s fault that I don’t have anywhere to park my other car.

• I bought a house in a floodplain but it’s the City’s fault that it floods during storms.

• The City doesn’t listen when I’m complaining about how they never listen to me.