Useless Tuesday

The agenda listed twenty-four items. An in-camera meeting was also scheduled with a separate list. I understand Council went into closed session at 11.20 p.m. and dealt with one urgent property item. I wasn't there. I surrendered hope at 10.50 p.m.

The public portion of the meeting was largely without accomplishment.

At yet another invitation from the Mayor, we heard from a regional delegation at the start of the meeting. The presentation with a myriad of questions about a facility twenty miles distant, in the Town of Vaughan ,continued for more than an hour.

We heard from residents who were still concerned after a decision in their favour from the Committee of Adjustment. They worried a development would be permitted without sufficient parking at the corner of Yonge Street which would exacerbate serious problems on their short neck of Tyler Street.

A planning report indicated agreement with the proposal if the Ontario Municipal Board ruled in favour of an appeal by the developer against the Committee of Adjustment's decision.

We heard from an architect arguing in favour of the development. He was then questioned at length by councillors.He indicated the developer wanted to avoid an O.M.B. hearing.

We heard again from residents of Tyler Street who answered more questions . They told us dates for an O.M.B. hearing had been deferred by the applicant several times.

We heard from Planning Director Marco Ramunno who explained legal time for a decision was running out on the application. And we heard from Town Solicitor Chris Cooper.

Eventually, Council understood the Committee of Adjustment decision could only be altered by the Ontario Municipal Board. Since the Committee's decision was based on the town's own zoning requirements , the town has no role to play in an O.M.B. hearing on the matter.

The planning recommendation was not accepted but making a decision on the development application within the legal time limit is still outstanding.

By the time I left, the town's business in large part remained unfinished. The hour of adjournment had been extended from 10.30 until eleven p.m.The extra time was taken up by Councillor MacEachern and the Mayor shredding the Report of the Director of Leisure Services No decision was made there either. The matter was referred to the Chief Administrative Officer to provide a recommendation. Clearly the Mayor and Councillor MacEachern are determined that staff will get the message and make a different recommendation than the one they asked for received and rejected on Tuesday evening.

Apparently another extension of time was voted and at eleven-twenty p.m. council convened in closed session to deal with one item on the closed session list.
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A full complement of department directors were chained to their chairs throughout the tortuous and unproductive meeting. The Director of Corporate Services, Chief Administrative Officer and Town Solicitor likely continued in attendance at the closed session.

The witching hour would be upon them by the time they wound their weary way home.

The list of officials is as follows. Directors of ...Public Works... Leisure Services.... Planning and Chief Building Official.

On the other side of the podium ... committee secretary ... Director of Corporate Services... Chief Administrative Officer... Town Solicitor and Chief Financial Officer.

On Tuesday, Paul Dilman Deputy-Treasurer was present and the new Interim Treasurer.

Man hours are not generally measured in parts. Five hours of professional time multipled by that number of staff represents a substantial uptake of town financial resources.

Even without regard for expense, people who work for the municipality, have homes and families and a right to reasonable expectation of demands made upon their time.

Staff have the right to quit. Yes indeed. A number have. . No doubt others will do so, when opportunity presents itself.

Analysis has shown, it takes a year's salary to compensate for change in a staff position. And how pray, is that conducive to the efficient business management of the Corporation of the Town of Aurora ?