Public invited to TransLink board meeting for first time
Posted September 24, 2015 10:33 pm.
Last Updated September 25, 2015 6:39 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
NEW WESTMINSTER (NEWS 1130) – For the very first time, TransLink will be opening up its board of directors meetings to the public, starting on Friday.
The move is in response to criticism levelled at the transit authority during the failed funding plebiscite earlier this year.
For Jordan Bateman, it’s a way to see the inner workings of the board, and in his words, to see how much of a ‘problem’ it is.
Bateman, who is with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, led the campaign against TransLink during the plebiscite.
He says it’s important to see how the board members debate the issues.
“They are the ones who determine the budget. They set priorities. They hold the chief executive to account. It’s really up to them how to run the corporation.”
He says making meetings public is an important step in transforming TransLink into an open and transparent body.
“We will learn about what kinds of debates happen at the table. Are they having robust debates about the issues in the region? We will also learn about how deferential they are to the chief executive – how much sway do board members have?”
Eleven directors sit on the board. They include two mayors and two provincial appointees. The most notable recent appointment was Jim Chu, Vancouver’s former police chief.
The board meeting takes place Friday, 9:00 a.m. to noon at TransLink’s head office at 287 Nelson’s Court, New Westminster.
