An Odd Thing

I received a call from Lucy Lopez, Roving Reporter with Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.The phone rang once. I picked it up.

"I'm looking for Evelyn Buck" she called.

"Aye, well you found her" says I.

"Oh" she said, obviously surprised .

She had been told she would not be able to talk to a councillor because they are all part-time. and difficult to reach.

Well, I thought...there's another one for the book.Why would anyone at the town hall convey such a message.

Even more strange; the story Lucy was following was not much of an issue .

An employee at the Leisure Complex had been bitten by a dog. A bylaw is being contemplated to prohibit dogs from town buildings.

A dog-owner finds the idea of a bylaw outrageous.

I thought that's not much of an issue for the CBC .

But it's odd a town employee would tell someone looking for me that I can't be contacted.I gave no such instructions.

Mind you, I'd noticed a drop in phone calls. It never occurred to me , the town hall might be steering people away.

Of course it's true.

Paranoia is rampant.

There is probably only one connection to the Town Hall that isn't currently under the maniacal control of the Mayor; Buck's Blog.

In the first battle for control the Dreaded Duo. MorMac had with our former Chief Administrative Officer was over the Communications division . The annual report was being submitted and the terrible twins had trouble accepting it. Mr. Rogers explained the function of the division is CORPORATE not political.

When a decision has been made by council , it becomes Corporate and therefore under the authority of the administration. Media releases are from the Corporation ...not the Mayor or Council.

Well now that did not sit well. There was hissing , clawing of the air and huffing and puffing.

Ever since, no media release appears without a sentence somewhere, relevant or not, from the Mayor, bearing full name and title. Mr. Rogers is no longer Chief Administrative Officer.

I seldom check releases. But last week Councillor MacEachern's name also appeared. Input is sought by Councillor MacEachern to a town initiative. Residents are invited to send comments to the attention of Councillor MacEachern.

So now we have a councillor as well as the Mayor improperly exploiting an administrative function and instrument for political advantage. No holds are barred

Normal process for dealing with flagrant abuse of municipal resources, would be to bring the matter to the attention of the administration or council. We have seen what happened to one administration. Signs and portents for the second are not positive.

As for council...there isn't one.. it's an amorphous blob .

The Commissioner of Ethics is attending Council on Tuesday. In public.His advice was to meet in private. The presentation is a repeat of the private workshop. It's a duplication of what went before, except the Mayor is in the chair and in control of the discussion with Councillor MacEachern at her elbow lending support , providing direction and running interference no doubt.

One hour is scheduled.

Food is provided.

We'll be eating while we're talking.

I would have thought a person bitten by a dog might have had more immediate recourse than to wait for a town bylaw to be passed.