Dear Editor:
I am compelled to respond to Jamie Fishers letter from the September 7th issue, in which Mr. Fisher kindly but unsuccessfully attempted to answer some questions I posed in a previous letter about the Columbia Valley Recreational Access Coalition.
Im not sure why Mr. Fisher jumped to the wrong conclusion on this, but he can be assured that I have always both understood and accepted that there are indeed other people with differing views than mine who live here in the valley.
That much is made clear by the ink spilled to lend a public voice to Ms. Willards and Mr. McGraths complaints as well as now Mr. Fishers. Im also confident that I am not alone in my opinions on these matters.
To suggest that someone actually thinks the Coalition is pretending to be an elected group that speaks for all valley residents is confusing. I didnt suggest that in my previous letter, and cant imagine that the actual group members feel that way.
Despite Mr. Fishers detailed description of the Kootenay Snowsports Society as being, A group of individuals who came together to discuss and communicate their views, I still dont have the foggiest notion of who these people are, and what their mission statement might be, or their service to the community.
Of course they should have the right to express their collective opinion, but it would help the group gain some standing with the public if they could be more forthright with who they are and what they stand for.
Open access and transparency is important in public processes, but most groups need to have some in-camera time to sort out issues that are really not helpful to be focused on by media.
These are not elected officials or civil servants for whom the public is paying, so Id argue that the media outlets can wait to get the information to print when and how it is offered by the group.
I think well just have to agree to disagree on the fairness of past reporting. I have read a fair bit of bias to the reporting and the opinion pieces that would make any group think twice before inviting Ms. Verboom to report on their meetings.
And finally, Mr. Fisher cant resist a little spin on the jackass comment from Pat Morrow. While its not exactly clear who is being labelled the donkey here, neither Mr. Morrow nor I could possibly know what thought process is going though someones mind as they rip donuts in the wetlands on a motorized vehicle. But you only have to look at the pictures of these destructive tracks to know that they werent an accident.
Jackass or donkey, its still all about exhibiting bad behaviour. Donkey is as donkey does.
Joe Hildes
Windermere
