Now We See It

With the decision to create a Manager of Communication Services, the Chief Administrative Officer gave a statement to the Aurora Banner.

The new Manager would write speeches for the Mayor and correct misinformation that might be abroad, he said. The position called for a Master's Degree in Communications.

Hmmm........I thought....... So..... a person on the payroll assigned the task of reading blogs, letters to the editor and writing letters to the editor, refuting positions taken and opinions expressed and news reports that may reflect negatively on Mormac and Pals.

Hmmm..........I thought some more .........Sounds like what happens at Council meetings. Councillor takes a position, staff person is assigned by presiding member to refute Councillor's position. Does so obligingly and on cue.

I have to tell you, it resembles not any political debate I have ever experienced.

More like one of those dolly-molly shot games at a fair ground.

It's interesting to watch though. Every new day is a challenge.

The Communications Manager attends Council meetings. At the end , he descends from his eyrie at the press table behind my chair and confers with colleagues, backs turned to council(me)

Quite extraordinary.

Pretty clever actually to have a staff position created at taxpayers expense to promote an incumbent agenda, six months before an election.

That's a cash advantage that won't appear in any statement of election expenses.

Far better than having your name on Town Hall stationery .

A lengthy epistle went from the Mayor's office yesterday to every school principal in town advising them to warn children about danger from dogs. Probably written by the Communications Manager.

It should make a good impression in the school sector.

We will probably be seeing more of stuff like that.

The Communications Manager was a reporter with the Alliston Herald for a number of years. It's owned by the Metroland Group. As is the Aurora Banner.

I understand Mr.Ken Whitehurst, the Mayors' friend and campaign supporter was managing editor and/or editor-in-chief of the Metroland North group for a while at the same time.

That would give the town's communications manager valuable connections with the media in the GTA. It has to be a plus in any re- election campaign.

If a candidate had to hire a person with all those pluses, by golly, that would cost a pretty penny.

I wonder if Professor McDiarmid of York University is still paying attention to how candidates in Aurora pay for re-election.

Is the august academic still worried about how much money developers and unions contribute to incumbent municipal campaigns?