The squawking on the Aurora Citizen Blog was horrendous. Who would have thought a post about a missed council meeting would have created such a ruckus. Two council members were absent by the way.
I re-read my post to see what might have engendered such fury. But nope, I don't get it. I try to learn from younger more modern colleagues. They don't make it easy.
Last term I had the best record of attendance. What can I say ? I like being part of a council. It's what makes Evelyn run. But when the annual attendance record was reported the comment was "It's quality that counts not quantity."
Well, I thought, in modern parlance it must be bad to have a perfect record of attendance. The person with the second worst record was elected Mayor in the current term.
I referred in the same post to an award presentation on the agenda. It was a Regional Award. That mention too was a fault.
Along with seven other councillors and full complement of Department Heads, many hours are spent chained to chairs as a captive audience while awards are presented and pictures shot. As well, multiple delegations appear by invitation of the Mayor to take advantage of T.V.cameras to promote their particular endeavour. Aurora Council Chamber during a Council Meeting is like a Brokerage House for community events.
The devil finds work for idle hands and my mind is no less occupied. As I while away the hours I regularly contemplate a better use for public resources. Particularly when the hour of adjournment arrives and the corporation's business agenda is substantially incomplete.
Award presentations can be made with the same ceremony in the Mayor's office with councillors and photographers invited. It's how things used to be done and having been a part of it, I think it's better.
The presentation becomes an event then and not just an item on the agenda with people being ushered out immediately to get on with the next piece of non-corporate - business Tea and cookies can be served with an opportunity for conversation and the occasion made that much more memorable for those being honoured.
Thanks Evelyn. As usual, your comments are logical and common sense!
ReplyDeleteI agree. The people receiving awards deserve more time to enjoy them. I believe a separate night to honour them properly is the way to go. Let Council get on with the Towns Business in the LEGAL time allowed and give the Award Receivers a Special night of their own. This way our Councillors can give the time necessary to the Towns Business. Meetings will end a reasonable hour, people can remain in the audience knowing that their time will come before 10:30 and they will all get home a reasonable hour. A councillor after all does hold this position in a part-time manner.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I would attend more council meetings if I knew when the meeting actually started.
ReplyDeleteI'm all in favour of recognizing the contributions of residents - it all adds to the community. I
just don't think this is the forum for it.
Mayor Morris' photo-op obsession will only kick into a higher gear with the next election a year and a 1/2 away.
Expect longer council meetings, and more parading of community awards.