Portrait Of An Urban Organiser

Legendary organizing skills of Ms. Walmer may be wearing thin. Only five e-mails were received since Tuesday. Opposition is to a development proposal on Yonge Street frontage east of the Elderberry Hills subdivision.

Two e-mails had lists. Examination revealed names repeated. More than one residing at the same address,. Two names on the list had forwarded their own e-mails.

The same segments of planning documents said to be contravened by the application. Both were the Walmer interpretation.

It's a familiar strategy; a deluge of e-mails, tried and true methods to inflate numbers and pressure on the most vulnerable Councillors.

It worked well for the traffic calming plan in the north-east quadrant early in the last term. Forecast estimate for the project was $80K. The bid came in at $211K. Council duly horrified by the price, gave clear indication at the GC meeting,the project would not be supported.It represented 1% in the tax rate. The amount was not included in the budget.

Staff were directed to hand-deliver letters to listed residents.Predictably,they filled the council chamber en masse the following Tuesday. One after the other,they took the podium and poured their vehemence on the heads of the new council.

A resident put a photograph of his beautiful dark curly-haired infant son on the overhead and said simply;

"He is my reason why the project should be approved" He received vigorous applause.


The Mayor's eyes filmed over with emotion as she declared when people come to her for help that's exactly what she intended to give them.

The pressure of phone calls and e-mails over the previous week-end had been horrendous.

Former Councillor Bob McRoberts took considerable abuse. He lived in the neighbourhood,declared a pecuniary interest and had not participated in the debate.

"What use are you, if you won't support us?" they demanded .

The purpose of an election is  nine among us are chosen as representatives to make decisions. Based on professional staff advice, listening to the community and exercising judgment gained from life's experience,  decisions are, or should be ours to make and account for.

At the Council meeting where delegate after delegate took the podium to demand the project  be supported, Councillors were outnumbered two to one. They all had pecuniary interest.They were prejudiced in their own favour. They had no authority or accountability for the decision to be made.

Council, fresh and new, eager to be the best they could be, aware and intimidated by the game being played, caved and approved an insane, extravagant plan that is still the bane of the neighbourhood's existence and made the town the laughing stock of the Region. Many residents are awaiting the pesky nuisance that prevents them from reaching their own homes, to be undone.

Stuff like that happens in politics in the normal course of events.

In the Mormac regime it was encouraged and nurtured.There were no scruples. No conscience. The former Mayor held it up as an example of righteousness and a gold standard of democracy.

Susan Walmer was always in the forefront. Others in the ranks were ever ready to lend assistance and write a letter to the editor or appear at the podium when requested.

The Dreadful Duo no longer have control. They have not yet acknowledged defeat. Their army still stands at the gates.They have spies within.