Former Councillor MacEachern has fired up the missile launch and lobbed a few already.
Councillor Gaertner did not attend last night's Committee Meeting.
The Procedure Bylaw provides the presiding member with tools. When a Councillor breaches the rules,the chair has discretion.
Councillor Gaertner made an unsubstantiated allegation in a public meeting. Her evidence was refuted. The chair requested the allegation be withdrawn. The Councillor refused. Subsequently, at the following meeting of Council,at the start of business, the chair exercised the discretion of the chair.
A second opportunity to withdraw the unsubstantiated accusation was provided and again refused. The chair informed the Councillor no further questions from herself would be directed to any member of staff for a response.
Adopting rules of order without means of enforcement is perfectly pointless.
In a Parliament, if a member offends,officers of the house are on hand to escort said member from the house, by order of the chair.
In a political party, the leader may expel a member who has brought disrepute on the party or refuses to abide by caucus discipline.
A member expelled may no longer sit with the party. He has no role . He is unlikely to win a future nomination . His career is ignominiously shredded.
Unless of course he fell upon his sword for the noblest of reasons.
Few politicians willingly commit hari-kari
Councillor Gaertner accused the clerk of deliberately falsifying the record by recording herself as mover of a motion, when in fact, she called for the vote to be recorded at the precise moment a motion was anticipated. The Councillor's precipitate action brought forward a seconder to the motion. Moi.
Councillor Gaertner frequently declares herself to be confused. Things can get confusing at times. Anybody can make a mistake.
In this instance,it was the Councillor.
Accusing staff of deliberately falsifying the record cannot be allowed to stand.
Councillor Gaertner was not expelled from the Council Chamber. She was not ordered to vacate the seat she rightfully holds. The opportunity to fulfill her elected authority was not withdrawn.
The remedy is in the Councillor's hands. Acknowledge the mistake. Withdraw the accusation. Apologize for harm done. And move on for Goodness Sake.
Wednesday 16 February 2011
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3 comments:
I believe the Councilor has a large opportunity here.
Many times, we humans make mistakes.Ones that can be quite large,and offensive to others.
Everybody....yes everybody, in their life make mistakes.
It is however how we turn the tables, for ourselves and everyone.
It is only a couple of months into the term.
I wish to direct this to Wendy(If I may respectfully call her that).
Whatever it is,please let it go.I do not believe this is you.
Where is the person right now that championed for our youth.
You made "Hot Spot" their home away from home.
You probably gave troubled youth a memory, or two,that helped them in a challenging time.
Where is that Wendy now?
Find her ....and let go.
The positive ripple you will cause ....my goodness....you have no idea.
We need you for the next four years.
We need positive energy because our town,like many others has challenges.
Our youth need you again Wendy.
They need you to be an example of change.
Positive change.
Please for yourself ....whatever it is ....please let it go.
Evelyn, I don't understand the reference to former Councillor MacEachren at the beginning of this post. You either forgot to tie it together explicitly with Cllr Gaertner's absence last night, or else there is something obvious that I am not getting. Can you explain?
You said... "Former Councillor MacEachern has fired up the missile launch and lobbed a few already."
What exactly has she done? I don't see any reference in the rest of your post.
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