A Reader Commented

"It was too bad you didn't realise it right back at the beginning"

I thought that too . I've been trying to take myself back to the situation to understand my reactions at the time.

First, Morris had complete control of Council. Five members were without experience and naturally taking direction from "the leader" Councillors MacEachern and Gaertner were firmly ensconced.

I had already been marginalized during the election. There were many small indicators. Election night and the vote revealed the extent of the effort to ensure my defeat.

No time was wasted. At the first meeting, on being recognized by the chair, I started to speak. Six words in, Councillor MacEachern raised a point of order. I expressed regrets and proceeded . A few more words and Councillor Wilson raised a point of order. A tad slower, I again showed suitable humility.

I kept up the meek and mild, more or less, for several months.There were only a couple of episodes of spontaneous eruption when staff were being harassed.

The communications manager presenting an annual report was an instance.

Exception was taken by the Terrible Twins to reference to the term "corporate communications" They took turns jabbing and demanding an explanation.

However often and civil the response , their tone became meaner and more spiteful.

Until I exploded and shouted "Stop it"

There had been no intervention from senior staff.

From then, no media release appeared on the web site without comment from Mayor Phyllis Morris, however inappropriate and out of context.

The fight was over.

It may have been the moment, I realized the administration was without fortitude.

About the same time it became evident, I would not be permitted to contribute.

I stopped playing nice and started the blog. If I could not contribute normally , I would contribute differently.

Then it was town's solicitor's turn to be required to bring me to heel.

It took a couple of written opinions stating Councillor Buck has every right to express her views before that option was surrendered.

The north-east "traffic calming" issue and approval of the quarter of a million dollar boondoggle came and went, with the Mayor declaring once more with feeling, how the neighbourhood was special and my vociferous but orderly opposition to the concept.

Then came Knowles Crescent. Councillor MacEachern moved quickly to solve "the problem" The solution was to unceremoniously shove the acting - works- director out of the way, retain a consultant at a cost of $20Ks to do the director's job and distribute $60ks in cheques to a handful of people, one for $10Ks.

It may have been then I said; "Had I voted for that, I would consider myself to be in betrayal of my Oath of Office"

The statement reflected the strength of my conviction.

About the same time, The Auroran broke the news in November, Council had refused to sell land we had for sale to the Region for planned new police headquarters in September.

The story was factual. It appeared three months after the decision was made. It had not been reported out by Council, as it should have been.When it appeared in the newspaper, the Mayor declared. there had been "a leak from an in-camera meeting" and legal Counsel had been retained to "investigate"

In the middle of a Council meeting, she declared EMERGENCY...EMERGENCY and called an in- camera meeting. Mr. George Rust D'Eye had ALREADY been briefed . He was in the Council Chamber,she said.

I respectfully queried the purpose of the in-camera meeting.

"Ah no, Councillor Buck" the Mayor responded. " You will not drag me into that trap"

Notwithstanding that rules require the purpose of an in-camera meeting be public beforehand, Councillors dutifully left their seats and trooped into a back room. Five Councillors were new to the job. The others were Morris, MacEachern, Gaertner and myself.

The Mayor brought Mr. Rust D'Eye around the council table because " He would like to have a few words with you, Councillor Buck"

Their body language suggested I leave my seat and the Chamber. Gut instinct persuaded me not to oblige.

I cordially urged Mr. Rust D'Eye to grab a chair and make himself comfortable.

The solicitor inquired had I retained legal counsel.

That was a surprise, "What reason would I have for that, Mr. Rust D'Eye " I asked.

"Oh, I'm not suggesting it, Councillor" he answered.

He went on to explain the Conflict of Interest Act. Stressed how much more serious it was to be found in a Conflict of Interest than it used to be. Penalties are very severe, he said.

It occurred to me to wonder why he thought he had a right to speak to me in these terms.

But the conversation continued until it became obvious the object was to persuade me not to attend the in-camera meeting of council.

I had not been quick to leave my chair when the Mayor declared the meeting within the meeting, behind closed doors.

I was taking a minute to think before deciding whether or not to attend .

The Mayor and Mr. Rust D'Eye intervened .

When the intent was to stop me from attending became obvious, that 's when I decided I would.

I informed Mr. Rust D'Eye. "It is a meeting of Council. I am a member of Council. I have a right to attend any meeting of Council. And that's what I intend to do right now"

I left him to follow my lead into the back room.

The entire Council was in place. Briefed beforehand no doubt.

The Clerk of the Municipality was there. The solicitor retained and briefed by the Mayor as noted, followed me in.

It was unknown territory. Nothing in my experience prepared me.

I was clearly the target.

I listened.

The solicitor's instructions were to carry out an investigation to determine the source of "the leak"

It was awkward for them but entertaining for me to listen to the talk without a name being mentioned.Obviously, they could not accuse me without evidence of a crime.

That Council refused to sell land the town had for sale to the region to build York Regional Police Headquarters with 700 well paying jobs to contribute to the local economy, appeared not to be relevant.

That the story was well known months in advance in police circles was also disregarded .

That the entire regional council must have been in on the deal was also not referenced.

A new political instrument of retaining legal counsel, had been created at the beginning of the term in the still on-going effort to find a former political adversary guilty of imagined wrong-doing

A second hunt was on and once again, the cloak of solicitor/client privilege was evoked to permit it to happen out of the public eye.

And again the taxpayers were picking up the tab.