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ny: Re: 'Councillors volley Folly name at OMB,' News, Oct. 10

In reply to those who think the name OMB Folly is a childish prank by councillors, I would like to provide an explanation of how this moniker resulted.

When some residents in the Churchill-Basswood area refused to sell to the developer of this townhouse complex, they were warned that the OMB would grant approval even if the area was protected by the North York zoning plan. And true to form the OMB sided with the developer in what John Filion refers to as the most ludicrous of bad OMB decisions.

It is most important for Ontario citizens to realize that the OMB is a quasi-judicial board made up of patronage-appointed members. Their unaccountable decisions have more often supported developers, causing havoc with municipal zoning plans. The City, ratepayer groups and citizens, lacking the deep pockets of the developers, cannot compete on the same level at the OMB hearings and ultimately lose their valid case. Our taxes are funding this undemocratic process. No other province or state has such a board.

Bravo to Filion and the other six North York councillors who used one of their arsenals of responsibilities in innovative retaliation. Hopefully, this descriptive appellation will pass at city council to document the OMB Folly that took place here and hopefully councillors will continue to highlight injustices of this unelected board until the province takes action to reform the OMB as they had proposed two years ago.

Kathy Okawara