Sorry About That...I Made a Mistake.

In the response to Nigel Kean's letter to The Auroran editor, I cited his surname three times. Once without an e at the end. Twice with. I've done it before. I usually take a scolding.

When it happens,I can do two things. I can post the scold and correct the error. I did both. Deciding between the two was too much effort at five-thirty a.m.

In the second post about "manipulator scorned" I referred to former Councillor MacEachern having fired up the missile launch and lobbed a few already. I gave no particulars.My readers are fastidious. They like to make sense of my stories.

In and out of office,Mac earned notoriety for vituperative e-mails to chosen recipients,usually during the witching hours.

Since the election, all has apparently been quiet on that front.Those in the know know, recognize the evil genius behind Councillor Gaertner's obvious discontent.

Some disagree but I believe Councillor Gaertner would not have chosen that path for herself. I continue to hope she will begin to enjoy being a Councillor again. I shouldn't speak for colleagues but I'm pretty sure most would endorse that concern for her well-being.

Anyway,on Monday morning the rocket pad was apparently uncovered and made ready for use. Mac the Knife is firing them off, right left and centre.

If it means Councillor Gaertner is allowed to accept her role in the town's business while Mormac does their worst, things might get better all around.

Sticks and Stones and all that

Now for the previous missing details. Councillors have been offered Blackberries. Some had their own. I accepted one. I've had it two weeks.Not yet proficient. My regular assistants have been in Florida.

Apparently the do-hickeys were obtained for next to nothing as part of a package of large and small. Councillors use means records can be maintained of e-mail communications.Do not ask me why that matters. I do not know. My Council e-mails still come to my computer but they are routed through the town system.

I think it also means if it's turned on,I can be reached wherever I am. I have no idea what might occur at the town hall to require my immediate attention. No doubt all will become clear in the fullness of time.

In the meantime, the only thing I notice is added weight in my purse.I empty my purse of change to keep weight down.In all the years of carrying a purse, I have continued to feel burdened.

Anyway, the reason for that long harangue is that Mac has fired off e-mails
to discover who decided Councillors should have blackberries? When were they approved? What budget line item did they come from? What are Councillors' numbers?

Obviously,Councillors can expect to hear wherever and whenever the fancy strikes.

Monday was an interesting day. After refusing to withdraw a false accusation and being advised staff would not be directed to respond to questions, Councillor Gaertner did not participate in the discussion.

I am told Ms. Morris tapped furiously on the keypad before her. Councillor Ballard tweeted out a Hot Off the Table headline to his Twitter about Dawe muzzling Gaertner. Mac the Knife was probably promptly apprised and after lunch and a conference, Councillor Ballard sought , without success. to challenge the presiding member's decision.

Neither Councillor Gaertner or Ms Morris returned to the chamber after lunch.

Also...after years of freezing our buns off in the Council Chamber, with the great doors wide open, we are finally closing them to keep the heat in and the cold out. People attending meetings have to open the door and close it behind them.What a novel notion.

Accusations are now flying,of a lack of openness and transparency. That reminds me to ask for a check on energy use. Imagine how furiously furnaces burned to keep that frozen chamber warm...and didn't.

For seven years we talked about conservation and carbon footprints while we passed on the opportunity to use geo-thermmal in the Church Street school and burned thousands of thermal units of natural gas with accompanying exhaust while keeping the Chamber wide open to the winter chill.

We printed and distributed thousands of leaflets to encourage people not to litter
while cutting down the trees which absorb pollution and contributed to the supply of litter.

We paid and continue to pay, huge subsidies to trundle empty buses to and from the station,in rush hours, to encourage people to use transit, while spending in excess of $75 million dollars for a constantly lit building, to store cars for twelve hours a day in our precious downtown core space.