THE FREE PRESS
OPINION
 Page A8                                                      THURSDAY, JULY 18, 1996                                              PHONE 564-0005
 New pub brews the right recipe
 Admitting she had voted against previous applications for more licenced seats in the downtown core, Councillor Anne Martin was succinct in her comments on a proposed brew pub. She was in favour of transforming the former Dakota’s nightclub into a restaurant and brew pub. “I don’t see this proposal in the same light (as previous ones),” she said.
   And council, except for Councillor Cliff Dezell, supported that argument- agreeing to support the bid for a liquor licence by the Buffalo Brewing Company.
   Local bar owners, who have consistently been refused additional seating (council doesn’t have the power to grant the application but it’s rare for the province to approve a request that the city has rejected), attended the meeting demanding the Buffalo Brewing Company be made to wait its turn. For them, there was no difference between a seat at a cabaret, pub or brew pub. If there was to be more seating, they wanted first crack.
   Council, though, saw the matter differently. Mayor John Backhouse declared “a seat is not a seat is not a seat.” He argued there is a switch in the way in which people drink and thinks the $3 million brew pub can help in the on-going downtown resuscitation attempts. “As the social environment is changing, I see this proposal as having a positive influence.”
   As well, several councillors commented on the fact the brew pub makes up a small part of the entire project, which is designed to appeal to someone other than the hard drinkers.
   Council should be commended for being able to look at the proposal on its own merits and not be drawn into the trap of deciding this application for historical reasons. There are no reasons to turn down this application and, as Councillor Dan Rogers noted, “the quality of proprietorship” suggests the Buffalo Brewing Company will do nothing but make the city proud. This application will create jobs, provide a new and previously unknown dining experience, and, hopefully, be something of a tourist attraction.
   None of the other projects could boast those reasons, that’s why they were turned down.
             THE PRINCE GEORGE
        FREE PRESS
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Council needs beauty sleep
The city of Prince George is, for the most part, an efficiently run city. Through the efforts of city manager George Paul, there is a strong emphasis on quality. Under the leadership of Mayor John Backhouse, council is not nearly as exciting as some of its Cariboo cousins, just doing its job with a minimum of hysterics. Having now praised, it's time to bury the city’s archaic method of conducting public hearings and presentations.
Council, you see, is making an effort to be open and democratic.
But in their haste to be consultative, council is trotting down a long, very boring path - one that is filled with repetition and grandstanding. And it can all be traced back to the fact that council doesn’t enforce a time limit on people speaking to them. The speakers go on and on and on. The Energizer Bunny couldn’t keep up with some of council’s more verbose guests.
   To be fair, though, councillors should be commended for their ability to maintain interest as speakers recite facts already in the public record (and usually contained in the
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                                                                    RUMOUR MILLS
                                                                         Shane Mills
 agenda).
     The argument for allowing speeches is two-fold: give the public a chance to hear the arguments and give the speakers every opportunity to present their case. However, this spirit of generosity can be taken too far. Monday night was a prime example.
                                                                                                                                     For two hours, council listened.
debated and questioned a zoning application - one that everyone knew was going to be turned down. It’s important to note that city staff always, on rezonings and public hearings, provide a verbal background for council. All the applicant needs to do is present case and take questions.
    According to council’s procedure bylaw, delegations get 15 minutes “to make their presentation and shall be restricted to the summarizing of their brief, as included on the agenda.” The bylaw doesn’t specifically refer to public hearings, but the 15 minute rule is a great guide.
    Some might argue this diatribe is based on self-interest - the desire to get out of the meeting faster. But quicker meetings also benefit the councillors. Public meetings start at 7 p.m., with council usually beginning their in-camera deliberations at around 4:30 p.m. It doesn’t matter who you are, after five or six hours of debate a little bit of fatigue sets in.
    One council in B.C. passed a motion that no bylaws could be passed after 11 p.m. (the meetings started at 8 p.m.) It made for more efficient use of time.
    Council needs to know that longer isn’t always better; 15 minutes is more than enough.
    It’s for their own good, really.