Just Answer the Questions

Last week, I shared information about the town's windrow clearing service for seniors and the disabled. Council gave direction to staff prior to Christmas to start the service. The level of interest was unknown at the time. The decision called for full cost recovery. Fees quoted by a contractor were adopted in the resolution. No updates have been provided to council since. I learned the service was not being provided by outside contract. Public Works were undertaking the task.At the first meeting of the year, I asked for an update.

Though not chairing the meeting, Mayor Morris stated since the item was not on the agenda, it could not be discussed. Nor could it be raised in the new business section of the agenda. A notice of motion was necessary, she said and a resolution approved for staff to provide the information.

I posted a Blog about the issue (copied as letter to the editor). Days later, I received an e-mail copy of Council's resolution from Councillor MacEachern. She had presented the relevant motion verbally following considerable debate, when it seemed a consensus of council had been reached. It was seconded by Councillor McRoberts, put to a vote by Mayor Morris and approved by council sight unseen.

Councillor MacEachern regularly presents multi-faceted resolutions without notice, not featured on the agenda and not circulated to council. At the start of this term, I noted the practice was out of order and without merit. It was inappropriate for council to vote on resolutions they had not had a chance to read. My concern was not shared by staff or colleagues. I continue to regard the practice as disorderly and fraught with potential difficulties. But without support from staff or council, there is little point in continuing to make the point.

On Tuesday, at council, during the new business section of the agenda, Councillor MacEachern produced the resolution. She referred to my letter to the editor and directed the resolution be placed on the overhead slide projector. The issue was not on the agenda. No motion was made to permit its introduction. Yet in contrast to her previous position, Mayor Morris moved the matter along.

The Mayor read the resolution. It was implied staff had simply followed council's direction

Why then, when I raised the question, did Councillor MacEachern not refer to the resolution? Why was the Mayor determined no explanation would be provided?

The first clause of the resolution states;

'That the Town of Aurora provide the snow windrow clearing program at full cost recovery for $70 per household.”

One figure was given for full cost recovery; the contractors' quote. No figures were provided for the town's work force to perform the service.

Therefore, to fully recover costs as specified in th resolution ,the work had to be done by outside contract. That was council's intent.

That's not what happened.

Initially five people registered for the program. The contractor was adamant. He would not fire up his equipment for those numbers. The job was not financially viable. According to the Works Director, that was when and the reason why the decision was made to do it with town manpower. Not because of council's direction.

Registration did not close. The numbers have since risen to thirty-eight. The Town continues to provide the service. Once started, it's hard to see how it can be stopped. On one day, the run took from 4.30 am until 4pm. Overtime hours are involved. Some figures are available.

Our outside workers are unionized. Figures are as follows:

Operator plus 1 ton truck & plow-$58.24

Overtime rate- operator plus 1 ton truck and plow $72.29

It takes little effiort to calculate the service is not being provided “at full cost recovery” as specified in Councillor MacEachern's resolution and council's authorisation.

My questions still stand:

Who made the decision? Was the management team involved? Was additional manpower hired to provide the new service? Has Administration Procedure No. 50 governing procurement policies, so much in the news lately,been followed? What is the cost of the service? No budget was provided in 2008 for the program? Who authorized the extra expenditure? By what authority? Will we be retaining a lawyer to “investigate “ how it happened?

Answers to questions asked by an elected representative are no more and no less than the community is entitled to expect. Waiting until spring is not an option. We understand the snow removal budget for 2008 is in deficit. We hear talk of the need for restraint. What other decisions have been made behind the scenes by persons unknown to contribute to the financial disconnect?

When answers to valid questions are not provided through the normal process, extraordinary methods must be employed to draw the public's attention to the fact. It is their business we are about. Not some private fiefdom of whatever person happens to occupy the Mayor's chair.