"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Friday 17 December 2010

Excuse Me

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Furthermore":

Where does someone go when they do not get a satisfactory response from someone? They go to that person's boss. No satisfaction there, they go higher. It's called "fighting city hall". You may not like it but that is how we have structured all sorts of things - especially with public services.

For example, we have bylaw enforcement which has been explained to me on many occasions as "enforcement through complaints". The person wanting a certain thing is obligated to complain to someone or go over the head of someone in order to get satisfaction.

This should not surprise you at all. The person in charge of the pools was not treated unfairly. There is an attempt to overrule his authroity because we allow it. He needs a thick skin. This is not the forst and will not be the last time this happens

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We have not structured anything that allows a town employee to be slagged in a public meeting without even the opportunity to offer his account of the facts.

Publishing unfounded and unproven allegations and accusations of wrong-doing against any ctizen come perilously close to defamation of character.

Is it your position the town be liable for such irresponsible behavior?
It certainly is not mine.

There is a process for a citizen to register a complaint against a municipal employee to his immediate supervisor.

If no satisfaction is obtained at that level, the elected body is the final resort.

No such complaint can be dealt with in a public forum. Nor should it be received that way.

I am not aware of any complaint submitted in the matter of unfair and unequal treatment of the Selkies Club by a particular member of town staff to his immediate superior,the Chief Administrative Officer.

It was by dodging rules of procedure,access was provided to the delegate. The privilege was abused but not without an attempt on my part to block the strategy.

Next time, hopefully, there will be a better understanding of the game being played.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Thats right Evelyn set these green horns straight who think staff need thicker skins, As if they dont take enough abuse already, That last tribe set the new standard for abusing "some" staff at every opportunity so it stands to reason people think that this is the norm,