Dear Editor:

Last week’s Remembrance Day ceremonies certainly provided me an opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices that many people made to provide us Canadians with the opportunity to have democratic government.

The opportunities to vote for community leaders and freedom of speech are two of the benefits that we as a society enjoy in Canada and our own community because of those sacrifices.

However, the benefits of freedom of speech don’t provide speakers or writers the privilege of publicly asserting improper activity and impeaching the character of the people who work for this community and operationalize local elections.

Ray Vandenberg’s assertions (letter of Nov. 11) of “the last three municipal elections is democracy at its worst,” results of the fire hall referendum, council election results and the susceptibility to manipulation of automated ballot counting machines by election officials is clearly insinuating that town staff have interfered with the electoral process.

That would be a criminal offence and I can guarantee this community that no such action has occurred and that no town staff person is going to risk criminal charges, hefty legal bills, fines, jail time, public humiliation and career suicide just to ensure that Mr. Vandenberg (or anyone else for that matter) is kept out of municipal office or that a new fire hall is built.

Government employees of all occupations are often easy targets when someone isn’t happy with the decisions of others or see their needs taken as secondary to the overall community good.

In my 35 years of public service, at all levels of government, I have learned that one can’t satisfy all people and I have grown a pretty “thick skin” about these types of comments.

However, Mr. Vandenberg’s comments, in my opinion, cross the line of public expression.

Mr. Vandenberg has every right to go after the electoral counting process in a positive and constructive manner or any other manner he chooses.

However, he has no right and should not be given a public podium to question the integrity of people who are charged with public trust and are just doing their jobs.

Thank you.

Barry Romanko

Chief Administrative Officer

Town of Osoyoos