Dear Editor –

During my last year in council, I attempted to show the chambers at an open meeting a series of photos of the downtown. These depicted a number of embarassments on our main streets. On a point of order, my attempt failed. Councillors did not wish to embarrass the owners, was the stated reason.

Bylaw enforcement lies with the same office as is in charge of our clerical functions as a city. These are different skill sets. We need to look for best practices around the province, for those places who manage an aggressive, proactive approach to fixing eyesores and charging the shop owner for the effort.

Why should the aesthetics of our city be reliant on complaints from brave citizens? Why should our beauty not flow from a zero tolerance policy for any person who would leave our city's buildings in the state to which Legates has been allowed to be degraded?

I congratulate city council on much of what it has done this first half of its term but this issue, sadly, has been allowed to lag.

Cordially,

John A. Tamming