Filled with reading . My own stuff. I mostly hate that.
By the time I finish with a post, it' has usually been edited.edited,and edited some more. It seldom takes less than three hours. When I finally decide that' s it; it goes like that or it doesn't go at all. My mind concludes, no more reading.no more changes. It's only a blog. I'm just chatting with some of my neighbours. I'm not competing for the Gifford or the Nobel Peace Prize..
I threw that last one in to infuriate Evalina. I know she hates it when I display any sense of myself. She has to come up with the optimum deadly squelch which usually arrives seconds after I click on "Publish"
Adding tedium to the reading is trying to discern how words, published for anyone to read,frank and free without fear or favour, could be legally scrutinised and interpreted to mean evil intent beyond political ethics and morality.
I found something of current interest. The comments sent to the Aurora Citizen Blog by the town's Chief Administrative Officer in June 2010 in response to a critical comment which contained the word criminal.
The CAO demanded the comment be taken down, the identity of the pseudonym "New Man In Town" be revealed and by a deadline of 5.30 pm.
The deadline was a dead give away, The dictation was clearly by Phyllis. She was in the habit of issuing threats and deadlines in what she imagined was true style of a Monarch surrounded by loyal courtiers and servants.
At the time of that particular contretemps, she informed council "staff". meaning CAO and Solicitor,had not been able to do any of their own work for over a week while dealing with the Citizen Blog,Google and the anonymous author.
High-priced staff man hours used to fight political battles, no doubt cost many thousands of tax dollars in addition to legal fees paid to itinerant lawyers for the same purpose.
I swear, I have never seen politics done like that.
I sent a comment to the Citizen that the CAO was not directed by Council to engage in dialogue with a Blog about an anonymous comment. His statement therefore had no official status.I made a private reference to the CAO himself about it. Which, as far as I could determine, was water off a duck's back.
So here we are, in July 2011, after hundreds of thousands of dollars,public and private, spent on legal fees and court time.
A learned judge has ruled. People have a right to freedom of expression. They have a right to anonymity, if they so choose. Particularly, in the area of politics.
Was I right then? Or was I wrong?
Did we live through a twilight zone in Aurora for four years?
By the time it ends, what will the total tally be to fight, in the year 2011, for rights enjoyed by free societies everywhere and guaranteed in only one. By a Charter passed in 1982 and implemented in 1985.
Was there ever any doubt in anyone's mind,. except Phyllis, her loyal band , some town staff and the lawyers she found to do her bidding, at a price.
Criticism is an essential feature of a free society.
Even before there was a Charter, there was an old political maxim;
"If you can't stand the heat, stay the hell out of the kitchen"
Sunday, 31 July 2011
Friday, 29 July 2011
Google Glory and Shakespeare before that.
Julius Ceasar by William Shakespeare
Well, honour is the subject of my story.
I cannot tell what you and other men
Think of this life: but, for my single self,
I had as lief not be as live to be
In awe of such a thing as I myself. (1.2.92)
Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world
Like a Colossus; and we petty men
Walk under his huge legs, and peep about
To find ourselves dishonourable graves.
Men at some time are masters of their fates:
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings. (1.2.135)
Well, honour is the subject of my story.
I cannot tell what you and other men
Think of this life: but, for my single self,
I had as lief not be as live to be
In awe of such a thing as I myself. (1.2.92)
Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world
Like a Colossus; and we petty men
Walk under his huge legs, and peep about
To find ourselves dishonourable graves.
Men at some time are masters of their fates:
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings. (1.2.135)
No Inconsistency Here
Singing a New Tune has left a new comment on your post "The Story Continues.":
You're now waxing lyrical about the Petch House and its pioneer inhabitants, Cllr Buck. What happened to the "mouldering" shack littered with animal carcasses and faeces that you vociferously - and continuously - opposed preserving?
It's all rather confusing... and inconsistent
********************
Great-grand-daughter Cheyenne will have her ninth birthday party in my backyard with the pool tomorrow. They were here a couple of week-ends ago. The pace she went from wearing a life-jacket, sticking to the shallow end,to swimming in the deep end to jumping off the diving board, then trying to master a dive, to doing hand stands in the shallow end. was positively breath-taking.
I had to put new steps in last year. I couldn't manage the ladder any more. The first rung was too high off the floor. Abigail, Cheyenne's five year old sister, spent her time on the steps; stretching her legs out to pretend swim while staying safe. Every now and again, when she thought no-one was looking she put one foot down to see if she could risk letting the step handles go. The principle of floating in a life jacket was obviously not clear to her.
I believe these two will remember if not me, certainly the pool in my backyard. My childhood memories stretch at least six years further back than that
The Petch House was built in 1844. That was my great grandfather's generation. James MacCafferty. left Ireland as a young man and came to Scotland. He later married my great grandmother, Jane Fox, had also come from Ireland as a young woman. She was twenty four; already had a son and lost a husband. He was a coal miner. It's not known if he died from illness or accident. Both were equally likely. Tubercolosis was rampant.
James and Jane had ten children to-gether. My grandmother, Annie, was the youngest.
The interest I have in the Petch House is not about the house. It's not about the family. It's about all the people of that and later generations who faced unknown hardships when they came to Canada. After they survived the journey.
Black Creek and Upper Canada Village present an excellent picture of the lives of early settlers. The shoemaker's shop has a collection of lasts. The largest of them would not fit the foot of a modern ten year old.
In 1967, the Royal Ontario Museum displayed a collection of clothing and fashion from the previous hundred years. 1867 adult garments would barely fit to-day's pre-teen.
When they arrived, settlers received a package of tools with a parcel of land They were not necessarily the strong and robust figures we might imagine. From the U.K.they were often refugees from industrial slums and coal-mining villages. Many were from the Highland Clearances in Scotland.
.No doubt similar atrocities committed by man against man brought others from similar places in Europe. Ireland's history is no exception.
An immigrant myself,I came with a husband and two small sons with no idea of what life in Canada might have in store. In Aurora, I received an opportunity I could never in my lifetime have envisaged in the place I left.
Do I respect the people who came here to a wilderness in 1844. I most certainly do.
Pioneer graveyards in York County give an insight to life in early times. The graves of women,lost in childbirth with the infant following days later.It was not uncommon for a man to have more than one wife in his lifetime and not through infidelity. Graves of children, dying within days of each other,signify an epidemic of a disease that's no longer known to us.
In Kettleby, the grave of a young Irishman notes he was killed in Farmer so-and-so's thresher. A handsome stone marker notes his resting place.As a farm labourer. he would not have had the resources to pay for it. Someone considered his life to have been of value.
I am full of respect for the courage and endurance of the people who came before us. They created the foundations for the society we enjoy.They brought values from their past lives and left behind others not conducive to a Just Society and they fought here for the new principles to prevail. Right here in York County.
The Petch House sat on cinder block supports. at the side of the road, lost and forlorn for more than eight years. With no sign of interest or practical purpose. I did what I could to provoke a reaction.
No Friends of The Petch House emerged .
The idea for a use and a location came from town staff prompted by the availability of resources which would be forfeited if not used.and an artisan with proven skills, who could be depended upon to do the job and do it well, within a tight budget.
Five hundred additional square feet of space,will be in a place where a variety of uses can be made by people of all ages, at a fraction of the cost of modern space and honour local heritage at the same time.
Had we requested staff to put forward a use and a location eight years ago. the building would not have mouldered all that time. It would not be in an advanced state of decay. It would have cost less to re-locate in one piece than it does to take apart and repair and re-build.
It will be an example of skill and ingenuity.
I want to express my appreciation for David Heard's generous offer of the Petch Family Bible. Whether the building and its use will lend itself to the display of artifacts is yet to be seen.
There's a slighting comment about the book. It's an ungenerous spirit that finds fault with a generous offer.
I also wish to express appreciation for the anonymous donor of $8,000 to save the Petch House. In good part, it helped to persuade.
The Whitwell Developments commitment, maintained for eight years and their contribution of $50,000 to use however we choose,needs to be recognised and hopefully will be prominently noted elsewhere, when the time comes.
When the various layers of shingles came off the roof yesterday, the sheathing boards were two feet wide pine boards. Many were damaged by years of exposure.
But think of that. The trees were two feet wide and more. They were felled with an axe and block and tackle. By a man and his Mrs. who may or may not have had the slightest experience in doing so.
Do I enjoy telling a story worth telling?
Yes I do.
I am not in the least bit inconsistent.Or apologetic either.
You're now waxing lyrical about the Petch House and its pioneer inhabitants, Cllr Buck. What happened to the "mouldering" shack littered with animal carcasses and faeces that you vociferously - and continuously - opposed preserving?
It's all rather confusing... and inconsistent
********************
Great-grand-daughter Cheyenne will have her ninth birthday party in my backyard with the pool tomorrow. They were here a couple of week-ends ago. The pace she went from wearing a life-jacket, sticking to the shallow end,to swimming in the deep end to jumping off the diving board, then trying to master a dive, to doing hand stands in the shallow end. was positively breath-taking.
I had to put new steps in last year. I couldn't manage the ladder any more. The first rung was too high off the floor. Abigail, Cheyenne's five year old sister, spent her time on the steps; stretching her legs out to pretend swim while staying safe. Every now and again, when she thought no-one was looking she put one foot down to see if she could risk letting the step handles go. The principle of floating in a life jacket was obviously not clear to her.
I believe these two will remember if not me, certainly the pool in my backyard. My childhood memories stretch at least six years further back than that
The Petch House was built in 1844. That was my great grandfather's generation. James MacCafferty. left Ireland as a young man and came to Scotland. He later married my great grandmother, Jane Fox, had also come from Ireland as a young woman. She was twenty four; already had a son and lost a husband. He was a coal miner. It's not known if he died from illness or accident. Both were equally likely. Tubercolosis was rampant.
James and Jane had ten children to-gether. My grandmother, Annie, was the youngest.
The interest I have in the Petch House is not about the house. It's not about the family. It's about all the people of that and later generations who faced unknown hardships when they came to Canada. After they survived the journey.
Black Creek and Upper Canada Village present an excellent picture of the lives of early settlers. The shoemaker's shop has a collection of lasts. The largest of them would not fit the foot of a modern ten year old.
In 1967, the Royal Ontario Museum displayed a collection of clothing and fashion from the previous hundred years. 1867 adult garments would barely fit to-day's pre-teen.
When they arrived, settlers received a package of tools with a parcel of land They were not necessarily the strong and robust figures we might imagine. From the U.K.they were often refugees from industrial slums and coal-mining villages. Many were from the Highland Clearances in Scotland.
.No doubt similar atrocities committed by man against man brought others from similar places in Europe. Ireland's history is no exception.
An immigrant myself,I came with a husband and two small sons with no idea of what life in Canada might have in store. In Aurora, I received an opportunity I could never in my lifetime have envisaged in the place I left.
Do I respect the people who came here to a wilderness in 1844. I most certainly do.
Pioneer graveyards in York County give an insight to life in early times. The graves of women,lost in childbirth with the infant following days later.It was not uncommon for a man to have more than one wife in his lifetime and not through infidelity. Graves of children, dying within days of each other,signify an epidemic of a disease that's no longer known to us.
In Kettleby, the grave of a young Irishman notes he was killed in Farmer so-and-so's thresher. A handsome stone marker notes his resting place.As a farm labourer. he would not have had the resources to pay for it. Someone considered his life to have been of value.
I am full of respect for the courage and endurance of the people who came before us. They created the foundations for the society we enjoy.They brought values from their past lives and left behind others not conducive to a Just Society and they fought here for the new principles to prevail. Right here in York County.
The Petch House sat on cinder block supports. at the side of the road, lost and forlorn for more than eight years. With no sign of interest or practical purpose. I did what I could to provoke a reaction.
No Friends of The Petch House emerged .
The idea for a use and a location came from town staff prompted by the availability of resources which would be forfeited if not used.and an artisan with proven skills, who could be depended upon to do the job and do it well, within a tight budget.
Five hundred additional square feet of space,will be in a place where a variety of uses can be made by people of all ages, at a fraction of the cost of modern space and honour local heritage at the same time.
Had we requested staff to put forward a use and a location eight years ago. the building would not have mouldered all that time. It would not be in an advanced state of decay. It would have cost less to re-locate in one piece than it does to take apart and repair and re-build.
It will be an example of skill and ingenuity.
I want to express my appreciation for David Heard's generous offer of the Petch Family Bible. Whether the building and its use will lend itself to the display of artifacts is yet to be seen.
There's a slighting comment about the book. It's an ungenerous spirit that finds fault with a generous offer.
I also wish to express appreciation for the anonymous donor of $8,000 to save the Petch House. In good part, it helped to persuade.
The Whitwell Developments commitment, maintained for eight years and their contribution of $50,000 to use however we choose,needs to be recognised and hopefully will be prominently noted elsewhere, when the time comes.
When the various layers of shingles came off the roof yesterday, the sheathing boards were two feet wide pine boards. Many were damaged by years of exposure.
But think of that. The trees were two feet wide and more. They were felled with an axe and block and tackle. By a man and his Mrs. who may or may not have had the slightest experience in doing so.
Do I enjoy telling a story worth telling?
Yes I do.
I am not in the least bit inconsistent.Or apologetic either.
Thursday, 28 July 2011
The Story Continues.
I was just editing the last post when the phone rang. The permit was in hand. I clicked on publish and hied out to the site.
Peter was already on the roof with another Peter. His parents opened the first restaurant in the Aurora Shopping Centre fifty years ago. They knew me when I was Mayor. I was pleased to meet their son , a big burly man , on the roof of the Petch House at the side of Leslie Street, which wasn't even a part of Aurora when he was a boy.
So I stayed for a while and watched. I hadn't had breakfast. The sun came out and it was getting hot.
The part I really wanted to be there for would not be reached for a couple of hours.
The post was not fully edited. The permit was in hand.
I came home, picking up a Tim Horton breakfast sandwich on the way, to finish the last post and provide an update.
I want to be there ,when they uncover the roof boards. They haven't been exposed since the day they were nailed in place. The day, the farmer's family knew they would no longer be exposed to the elements of rough living because the cabin was almost finished.The roof was going on.
It must have been a great day.
I wanted to pay my respects to the people who made this place what it has been for the rest of us to enjoy.
There were no councils ,no bureaucracies, no government to speak of.
They built it all from scratch with nothing but hope , courage, goodwill of neighbours, the sweat of their brow, common sense and integrity.
Just like they built the rough-hewn cabin that still stands, with no help from the Chief Building Official of the Town of Aurora.
Peter was already on the roof with another Peter. His parents opened the first restaurant in the Aurora Shopping Centre fifty years ago. They knew me when I was Mayor. I was pleased to meet their son , a big burly man , on the roof of the Petch House at the side of Leslie Street, which wasn't even a part of Aurora when he was a boy.
So I stayed for a while and watched. I hadn't had breakfast. The sun came out and it was getting hot.
The part I really wanted to be there for would not be reached for a couple of hours.
The post was not fully edited. The permit was in hand.
I came home, picking up a Tim Horton breakfast sandwich on the way, to finish the last post and provide an update.
I want to be there ,when they uncover the roof boards. They haven't been exposed since the day they were nailed in place. The day, the farmer's family knew they would no longer be exposed to the elements of rough living because the cabin was almost finished.The roof was going on.
It must have been a great day.
I wanted to pay my respects to the people who made this place what it has been for the rest of us to enjoy.
There were no councils ,no bureaucracies, no government to speak of.
They built it all from scratch with nothing but hope , courage, goodwill of neighbours, the sweat of their brow, common sense and integrity.
Just like they built the rough-hewn cabin that still stands, with no help from the Chief Building Official of the Town of Aurora.
No Post Yesterday
I had another plan.
I've been keeping tabs on the Petch House project. I wanted to be there when the roof came off.
It was expected yesterday morning around ten. I didn't get the call to say it was a-go.
At twelve I went to see what was up...or down.The roof was still on.
Puffs of dust and ribbons of rubbish sporadically came out the door.
The site is tightly surrounded by a wire fence. Walls are strapped together to keep them from falling apart. The floor of the attic had already been removed.Work has proceeded without obstacle since it started.
I planned to park the car where it would not be in the way and simply watch.
Peter Van Nostrand of Vandorf saw me and came to introduce himself.I know Peter's family. His Uncle David was a good friend of my son Frank in high school. His Aunt Betty was a Councillor in the Township of Whitchurch when Stew Burnett was Reeve.
Because we shared a high school many Vandorf families were in friendly contact withAurorans
When I could afford a fresh turkey, it came from Van Nostrand's farm.
Peter is the skilled artisan dismantling the Petch House. He has already taken apart it's twin and rebuilt it in Collingwood with pride of place on private property.
We chatted and I learned something about him ,while we waited for the permit to arrive.
Two artifacts were found when the attic floor was removed. A bottle of whiskey, circa 1950,with a couple of inches left, was stashed in the rafters. An English butter knife had slid down between the floor and the wall.
The roof has several layers to be removed. First the plastic sheets,then a layer of ashpalt shingles fastened to plywood sheathing, then cedar shingles and sheathing , then original roofing boards fastened to the beams below.
Peter, of my older grandson's generation, and I talked about how farmers had to be masters of a dozen trades, They felled the lumber,dressed it with axes and built their homes, barns and drive sheds. They came together to help each other with the tricky bits. Like raising a barn.
They fashioned their own equipment, dug wells, sometimes built a little house of worship and created burial grounds on their own farms . Because there wasn't anyone else to do it.
The Van Nostrands were United Empire Loyalists. They first farmed in York Mills before moving
further north to Vandorf. They have a proud heritage. Now Peter is makes a living in a labour of love., salvaging and restoring structures built by his great- great- grandfather's generation.
We chatted for three hours while waiting for the permit.It was the first stoppage since the work began.
It seems the Chief Building Official has an option of requiring a permit or not. She did not chose the option of not.
An engineer experienced in the work, has already attended the site. Examined the building, it's material condition and plans for the dismantlement and restoration. It has already been made more secure than it was during the years pf rotting by the roadside. He has given the work his stamp of approval.
There's a consideration of regular engineer visits and inspections. The need is not obvious. . The cost will undermine the budget.The engineer sees no purpose.
There's concern about damage to the road in transportation of the building. The building is not being transported. A less than average load of lumber will be moved on a tractor trailer and carried one mile down the road to Peter's yard by the Vandorf Bridge, where restoration will be carried out.
Yesterday one town employee spent time,measured in hours, with another employee, transferring $250. from the parks department budget to the building department's budget, the piddling amount charged to pay for the licence. The transfer could possibly have cost more.
The town's web site apparently cites $100. for a demolition permit.
Yesterday a building inspector visited the site for an inspection.
Can't for the life of me see what he inspected. There are four walls ,with a floor at the base a roof at the top. He didn't know the difference between barn board and axe-hewn logs.
He asked if the barn board cladding was being removed and if the building was being moved in one piece. I mean no disrespect. No modern building inspector should be expected to be familiar with a structure of that age.
No plumbing needs to be disengaged, no electricity, no telephone wires. no television antennae. none of the appendages of a modern facility.
There would be a chimney.
This primitive structure of walls, floor and roof ,without frills or fancies, was put together by a farmer, to shelter his family from the heat,the cold,the wind and the rain and maybe wolves and bears , a hundred and a half years ago
Before there was a National , Provincial , or Municipal Building Code
Before building inspectors, chief building officials, engineers were with the army opening roads. No town staff to spend time at substantial expense to transfer a piddling sum to pay for a demolition permit before work can proceed.
It's two months since council authorised the project ..I proposed it. I have a personal interest in its progress..
Since then, various obstacles and obstructions have been trotted out to inhibit the process. Until yesterday, without success.
I went there at mid-day for the seminal event of roof removal.
By 3 p.m.it hadn't happened.
The permit had not been issued .
I've been keeping tabs on the Petch House project. I wanted to be there when the roof came off.
It was expected yesterday morning around ten. I didn't get the call to say it was a-go.
At twelve I went to see what was up...or down.The roof was still on.
Puffs of dust and ribbons of rubbish sporadically came out the door.
The site is tightly surrounded by a wire fence. Walls are strapped together to keep them from falling apart. The floor of the attic had already been removed.Work has proceeded without obstacle since it started.
I planned to park the car where it would not be in the way and simply watch.
Peter Van Nostrand of Vandorf saw me and came to introduce himself.I know Peter's family. His Uncle David was a good friend of my son Frank in high school. His Aunt Betty was a Councillor in the Township of Whitchurch when Stew Burnett was Reeve.
Because we shared a high school many Vandorf families were in friendly contact withAurorans
When I could afford a fresh turkey, it came from Van Nostrand's farm.
Peter is the skilled artisan dismantling the Petch House. He has already taken apart it's twin and rebuilt it in Collingwood with pride of place on private property.
We chatted and I learned something about him ,while we waited for the permit to arrive.
Two artifacts were found when the attic floor was removed. A bottle of whiskey, circa 1950,with a couple of inches left, was stashed in the rafters. An English butter knife had slid down between the floor and the wall.
The roof has several layers to be removed. First the plastic sheets,then a layer of ashpalt shingles fastened to plywood sheathing, then cedar shingles and sheathing , then original roofing boards fastened to the beams below.
Peter, of my older grandson's generation, and I talked about how farmers had to be masters of a dozen trades, They felled the lumber,dressed it with axes and built their homes, barns and drive sheds. They came together to help each other with the tricky bits. Like raising a barn.
They fashioned their own equipment, dug wells, sometimes built a little house of worship and created burial grounds on their own farms . Because there wasn't anyone else to do it.
The Van Nostrands were United Empire Loyalists. They first farmed in York Mills before moving
further north to Vandorf. They have a proud heritage. Now Peter is makes a living in a labour of love., salvaging and restoring structures built by his great- great- grandfather's generation.
We chatted for three hours while waiting for the permit.It was the first stoppage since the work began.
It seems the Chief Building Official has an option of requiring a permit or not. She did not chose the option of not.
An engineer experienced in the work, has already attended the site. Examined the building, it's material condition and plans for the dismantlement and restoration. It has already been made more secure than it was during the years pf rotting by the roadside. He has given the work his stamp of approval.
There's a consideration of regular engineer visits and inspections. The need is not obvious. . The cost will undermine the budget.The engineer sees no purpose.
There's concern about damage to the road in transportation of the building. The building is not being transported. A less than average load of lumber will be moved on a tractor trailer and carried one mile down the road to Peter's yard by the Vandorf Bridge, where restoration will be carried out.
Yesterday one town employee spent time,measured in hours, with another employee, transferring $250. from the parks department budget to the building department's budget, the piddling amount charged to pay for the licence. The transfer could possibly have cost more.
The town's web site apparently cites $100. for a demolition permit.
Yesterday a building inspector visited the site for an inspection.
Can't for the life of me see what he inspected. There are four walls ,with a floor at the base a roof at the top. He didn't know the difference between barn board and axe-hewn logs.
He asked if the barn board cladding was being removed and if the building was being moved in one piece. I mean no disrespect. No modern building inspector should be expected to be familiar with a structure of that age.
No plumbing needs to be disengaged, no electricity, no telephone wires. no television antennae. none of the appendages of a modern facility.
There would be a chimney.
This primitive structure of walls, floor and roof ,without frills or fancies, was put together by a farmer, to shelter his family from the heat,the cold,the wind and the rain and maybe wolves and bears , a hundred and a half years ago
Before there was a National , Provincial , or Municipal Building Code
Before building inspectors, chief building officials, engineers were with the army opening roads. No town staff to spend time at substantial expense to transfer a piddling sum to pay for a demolition permit before work can proceed.
It's two months since council authorised the project ..I proposed it. I have a personal interest in its progress..
Since then, various obstacles and obstructions have been trotted out to inhibit the process. Until yesterday, without success.
I went there at mid-day for the seminal event of roof removal.
By 3 p.m.it hadn't happened.
The permit had not been issued .
Tuesday, 26 July 2011
Council Certainly Does Have The Authority
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "My Contract Manager On Vacation":
I don't know all those convoluted rules so please
excuse me if this is a dumb question. Can the
Council simply tell this fellow that they have heard
enough from him, and move on to reject the
idea of replacing the equipment ? Seems it would
save a great deal of unnecessary verbiage
******************
Yes indeed. But I am not sure they will.
There's nothing convoluted about the rules. The only people with authority to participate formally in the decision-making process are those elected to do so.
Appearing as a delegation is a privilege not a right. Most Council's extend the privilege. I'm not sure how many actively encourage its abuse.
Citizens have a right of access as often as they like to every council member and the Mayor to convey their concerns on any matter.
They have a right to take a soap box to the town park, stand on it and shout to inform anyone who cares to listen to their concerns.
They have a right to stand at the intersection of Wellington and Yonge carrying billboards informing the carriage trade about their particular beef.
They have a right to write letters to the editor. Send comments to blogs . Pay to advertise their discontent.
They have a right to speak frankly and freely without fear or favour.
They do not have the right to take up the time of Council during a business meeting ,time and time again to keep re-hashing the same issue over and over. Nor do they have the right to demand to be provided with documentation of this that or the other
How much of that do we provide before we require yet another municipal department added to the administration? And another half million dollars on the payroll.
Who should say "Enough already"?
I received a comment last week suggesting parks department staff could not be trusted because they are pressured by salesman flogging playground equipment.
Councillors cannot be trusted with the decision because what do they know about playground equipment?
But a person who speaks for no-one but himself can be deemed the one to be trusted. Because he cares.
Shades of the recent past...when volunteers were elevated above the status of the elected,by the elected themselves, the people trusted by the voters with solemn responsibility for minding the store and making decisions who cheerfully and righteously forfeit the authority and spending acountability to volunteer organisations, who answer to no-one but themselves and certainly do not show any respect in return to the elected authority.
I don't know all those convoluted rules so please
excuse me if this is a dumb question. Can the
Council simply tell this fellow that they have heard
enough from him, and move on to reject the
idea of replacing the equipment ? Seems it would
save a great deal of unnecessary verbiage
******************
Yes indeed. But I am not sure they will.
There's nothing convoluted about the rules. The only people with authority to participate formally in the decision-making process are those elected to do so.
Appearing as a delegation is a privilege not a right. Most Council's extend the privilege. I'm not sure how many actively encourage its abuse.
Citizens have a right of access as often as they like to every council member and the Mayor to convey their concerns on any matter.
They have a right to take a soap box to the town park, stand on it and shout to inform anyone who cares to listen to their concerns.
They have a right to stand at the intersection of Wellington and Yonge carrying billboards informing the carriage trade about their particular beef.
They have a right to write letters to the editor. Send comments to blogs . Pay to advertise their discontent.
They have a right to speak frankly and freely without fear or favour.
They do not have the right to take up the time of Council during a business meeting ,time and time again to keep re-hashing the same issue over and over. Nor do they have the right to demand to be provided with documentation of this that or the other
How much of that do we provide before we require yet another municipal department added to the administration? And another half million dollars on the payroll.
Who should say "Enough already"?
I received a comment last week suggesting parks department staff could not be trusted because they are pressured by salesman flogging playground equipment.
Councillors cannot be trusted with the decision because what do they know about playground equipment?
But a person who speaks for no-one but himself can be deemed the one to be trusted. Because he cares.
Shades of the recent past...when volunteers were elevated above the status of the elected,by the elected themselves, the people trusted by the voters with solemn responsibility for minding the store and making decisions who cheerfully and righteously forfeit the authority and spending acountability to volunteer organisations, who answer to no-one but themselves and certainly do not show any respect in return to the elected authority.
My Contract Manager On Vacation
They are off on their annual trek to Sandbanks Provincial Park. We discovered it when she was fourteen . They have camped there every summer since Adam was weeks old.
Heather is my contract manager, my campaign manager, my campaign organisation and my right hand man, so-to-speak.
She called me last night with information. Along the way to camp, they had taken note of various municipal playgrounds. In Consecon she found climbing equipment the same as when she played in Confederation Park as a child in the seventies.
In a lakefront playground in Belleville, she found the same vintage equipment as when her children played in Confederation Park in the nineties Nowhere did she find modern up-to-date equipment such as we have in Aurora parks.
"I think those complaining are just a thoroughly ungrateful bunch " she said.
I had to disagree. They are not a bunch. They are two.
The overwhelming number of comments I have received are in favour of providing children with stimulating play environment. No topic has aroused so much discussion on the blog. Every day I receive information of another article citing experts in the field.
They simply affirm what Leisure Services Director, Al Downey, verbally reported to Council at the July Council meeting.
I am hoping the Mayor and other Councillors are receiving the same input from the community I am.
Children need opportunities to strive.Parents need to take responsibility for their children.
Removing a piece of equipment at a cost of thousands to suit one parent and replacing it with another piece at a cost of more thousands which may not suit another parent, makes no sense at all.
When a citizen chooses to take the microphone to lodge a complaint, he launches a public debate.
He surrenders privacy. He takes up the cudgels. He should be ready for what comes.
What rule book states a politician must be wishy-washy or peely-wally or obsequious in defending a principle when the principle is attacked..
I know of none.
Except of course the Morris- McEachern- Gaertner Concept;ACOCOSA the Aurora Code of Conduct of Selective Application. Fortified by ICSCFASP; Integrity Commissioner Selectively Chosen For A Specific Purpose, And if that strategy fails go for a Harrassment Complaint under the Work Place Safety Act.
And devil take the hindmost
Heather is my contract manager, my campaign manager, my campaign organisation and my right hand man, so-to-speak.
She called me last night with information. Along the way to camp, they had taken note of various municipal playgrounds. In Consecon she found climbing equipment the same as when she played in Confederation Park as a child in the seventies.
In a lakefront playground in Belleville, she found the same vintage equipment as when her children played in Confederation Park in the nineties Nowhere did she find modern up-to-date equipment such as we have in Aurora parks.
"I think those complaining are just a thoroughly ungrateful bunch " she said.
I had to disagree. They are not a bunch. They are two.
The overwhelming number of comments I have received are in favour of providing children with stimulating play environment. No topic has aroused so much discussion on the blog. Every day I receive information of another article citing experts in the field.
They simply affirm what Leisure Services Director, Al Downey, verbally reported to Council at the July Council meeting.
I am hoping the Mayor and other Councillors are receiving the same input from the community I am.
Children need opportunities to strive.Parents need to take responsibility for their children.
Removing a piece of equipment at a cost of thousands to suit one parent and replacing it with another piece at a cost of more thousands which may not suit another parent, makes no sense at all.
When a citizen chooses to take the microphone to lodge a complaint, he launches a public debate.
He surrenders privacy. He takes up the cudgels. He should be ready for what comes.
What rule book states a politician must be wishy-washy or peely-wally or obsequious in defending a principle when the principle is attacked..
I know of none.
Except of course the Morris- McEachern- Gaertner Concept;ACOCOSA the Aurora Code of Conduct of Selective Application. Fortified by ICSCFASP; Integrity Commissioner Selectively Chosen For A Specific Purpose, And if that strategy fails go for a Harrassment Complaint under the Work Place Safety Act.
And devil take the hindmost
Thought For The Day
I received the following in an e-mail. I could not re-produce the picture. I will take classes at the senior's centre next fall.I promise.
************************************
Let’s not kid ourselves; this is not just an explanation of Ontario ’s crisis. It probably applies equally to just about anywhere in the world that is facing financial difficulties.
The picture shows a large excavation with one man working with a shovel.Ontario’s Financial Crisis Explained In A Single Picture_________________________________
Standing around the perimeter in various poses,hands on hips,
arms folded ,two sitting on upturned bins are nine others; all
managers of IT, Communications,Human Resources,Logistics,
Marketing, Project.Internet Supervisor, P.R. and Product Development
Manager
__________________________________________________________
This financial crisis is forcing the Province of Ontario and local agencies to make some tough decisions will have to be made.
If things continue for much longer, there's a real risk that we may have to lay off Jose.
****************
Jose of course, is the man with the shovel. .
The Province keeps handing out dictum that municipal services must pay for themselves by charging fees. Like water rates. It's a government version of privatising.
Only what private enterprise could stay in business carrying the load of a municipal administration?
How real are fees for service when that load is factored in?
At the last meeting of the last council, staff recommended authority for implementing dozens of unnamed policies be transferred from council to staff . And so it was done.
I don't believe it even merited a news story.
Of course, at the time it was done,it was fully anticipated Phyllis Morris would be returned as Mayor.
There was little doubt in my mind who would be exercising the authority behind the scenes with a select number of councillors in on the picture.
Not only has Council lost authority...This Council isn't even aware of what was lost or half of what is transpiring behind the scenes now.
All quite proper according to one of the last votes cast by the last Council.
Monday, 25 July 2011
New Latest
I received an early call this morning. A radio news bulletin between six and seven a.m. reported Morris' unsuccessful court action
.
We have concluded the reference was to the court decision already reported locally.
Not the request for leave to appeal.
Sorry about that.
The beat goes on.
.
We have concluded the reference was to the court decision already reported locally.
Not the request for leave to appeal.
Sorry about that.
The beat goes on.
Legal Versus Illegal
The Town's Official Plan is a legal document. An Official Plan is required by Provincial law.
Every property within the municipality has a designation within the Official Plan.
The plan is prepared with public input.Every step of the way the general public are invited to have input
Property owners have a right to appeal the Official Plan,if they do not agree with the designation placed on their property.
The Official Plan is approved by the Region and must conform with the Region's Official Plan.
The purpose of the Official Plan is to control growth and ensure development takes place in an orderly manner. It ensures no growth unless hard services are available.
A legal designation for development cannot be removed.
The value of land with a designation is many times the value of land without. Cost of process is reflected in value. It takes years . Removing a designation , legally obtained. would be like stealing money. It's not allowed.
When the Province took land in Richmond Hill Oak Ridges Moraine out of development, they had to purchase the lands, pay its full value and provide alternate lands in Pickering for development
The Province could not remove the designation.
Governments can't pass laws and then refuse to abide by the law they passed. That's illegal.
Aurora did that with the Westhill Development Application. We refused to process the site plan application in March 2008.
Even at the time , the town's failure to process the application within the time provided by law had been appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board.A pre-hearing date had been set.
We spent $650,000 taxpayer's money, in legal fees, three years and untold hours of professional staff time and witness fees, in various O.M.B. and court proceedings and a final O.M.B. Hearing lasting six weeks, before the decision was made. The town lost on all counts.
Neighbouring home-owners spent money on legal fees to oppose the development. Westhill must have spent at least as much as the municipality and the opposing homeowners combined
.
All that money and at the end nothing . Not a stick upon as stick nor a stone upon a stone. Not a dollar flowing into our economy for jobs or product manufacture.
At a time when thousands lost their jobs, homes and hope ,not a bricklayer,carpenter,electrician or plumber saw an hour of employment from this project. No furniture or appliances were purchased for the 75 town homes to be built.
Not a penny of the potential $75 million of property tax assessment collected by the municipality.
In July, despite the O.M.B. decision, at eleven-ten p.m. during a second extension of the hour of adjournment, a motion moved and seconded by Councillors Ballard and Gaertner and voted in favour by Councillor Gallo and Humphryes, Council directed Mayor Dawe to write a letter to the Minister of the Environment urging he deny a water taking permit to Westhill.
The Mayor did as directed. The understanding is, if the permit is denied, the development cannot proceed.
The same evening, we received a financial update from the treasurer. Tax revenues are less than due because of the economic downturn. People without jobs are unable to pay taxes.
Yesterday, in all the flurry back and forth . I was challenged on my statement the last council acted illegally.
The last council disregarded the Official Plan and staff recommendation, when they refused to process the Westhill site plan development application.
The Official Plan is a legal document. Westhill's land designation was legal.
When the town refused to process the site plan. council acted illegally.Our decision was over-ruled.
Other than the ballot box , there is no punishment for such willful abysmal ignorance and unbelievable
stupidity.
Fortunately there is a ballot box . Unfortunately.... only once every four years..
Every property within the municipality has a designation within the Official Plan.
The plan is prepared with public input.Every step of the way the general public are invited to have input
Property owners have a right to appeal the Official Plan,if they do not agree with the designation placed on their property.
The Official Plan is approved by the Region and must conform with the Region's Official Plan.
The purpose of the Official Plan is to control growth and ensure development takes place in an orderly manner. It ensures no growth unless hard services are available.
A legal designation for development cannot be removed.
The value of land with a designation is many times the value of land without. Cost of process is reflected in value. It takes years . Removing a designation , legally obtained. would be like stealing money. It's not allowed.
When the Province took land in Richmond Hill Oak Ridges Moraine out of development, they had to purchase the lands, pay its full value and provide alternate lands in Pickering for development
The Province could not remove the designation.
Governments can't pass laws and then refuse to abide by the law they passed. That's illegal.
Aurora did that with the Westhill Development Application. We refused to process the site plan application in March 2008.
Even at the time , the town's failure to process the application within the time provided by law had been appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board.A pre-hearing date had been set.
We spent $650,000 taxpayer's money, in legal fees, three years and untold hours of professional staff time and witness fees, in various O.M.B. and court proceedings and a final O.M.B. Hearing lasting six weeks, before the decision was made. The town lost on all counts.
Neighbouring home-owners spent money on legal fees to oppose the development. Westhill must have spent at least as much as the municipality and the opposing homeowners combined
.
All that money and at the end nothing . Not a stick upon as stick nor a stone upon a stone. Not a dollar flowing into our economy for jobs or product manufacture.
At a time when thousands lost their jobs, homes and hope ,not a bricklayer,carpenter,electrician or plumber saw an hour of employment from this project. No furniture or appliances were purchased for the 75 town homes to be built.
Not a penny of the potential $75 million of property tax assessment collected by the municipality.
In July, despite the O.M.B. decision, at eleven-ten p.m. during a second extension of the hour of adjournment, a motion moved and seconded by Councillors Ballard and Gaertner and voted in favour by Councillor Gallo and Humphryes, Council directed Mayor Dawe to write a letter to the Minister of the Environment urging he deny a water taking permit to Westhill.
The Mayor did as directed. The understanding is, if the permit is denied, the development cannot proceed.
The same evening, we received a financial update from the treasurer. Tax revenues are less than due because of the economic downturn. People without jobs are unable to pay taxes.
Yesterday, in all the flurry back and forth . I was challenged on my statement the last council acted illegally.
The last council disregarded the Official Plan and staff recommendation, when they refused to process the Westhill site plan development application.
The Official Plan is a legal document. Westhill's land designation was legal.
When the town refused to process the site plan. council acted illegally.Our decision was over-ruled.
Other than the ballot box , there is no punishment for such willful abysmal ignorance and unbelievable
stupidity.
Fortunately there is a ballot box . Unfortunately.... only once every four years..
Sunday, 24 July 2011
No Such Thing
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The Dog Days Of Summer":
I find it amusing that you fashion yourself as a politician and extol the traditions of politics but then have disdane for other politicians that use political tactics that are just as tradtional, valid and legal as yours.
While I do not agree with their battle, you have to admire both their and even Mormac's methods to use the rules available to them to accomplish their goals.
*******************
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The Dog Days Of Summer":
Hey, Evelyn, remember when you and yours strategized to bring down the mayor.
Seems the plot is the same... and seemingly characters interchangeable.
I love the whole conspiracy story line.
Little town keeps trying to play silly games over and over.
Look around. Serious issues abound.
But nothing beats the unique smell of Aurora cupcakes... melting in the sun.
***********************
I'm glad my first commenter is amused. She/he certainly is not informed.
There is nothing traditional valid or legal about spending hundreds of thousands of hard-earned tax dollars on lawyers to fight battles against our own official plan and government regulations and to bring down real or imagined enemies.
Nothing valid or traditional, to hire no less that two lawyers to destroy her predecessor's reputation.
And yet another lawyer to come up with the strategy of a code of conduct to silence opposition to their goals to destroy the reputations, lives and careers of anyone who might stand in their way.
It was an on-going parade of lawyers.
Politics is an intellectual exercise. It is the art of the possible. The objective is to influence the decisions made in the best interest of the community.You learn that by hearing what people have to tell you.
I like and respect politicians. I find them everywhere. I have probably known and worked with hundreds at the municipal level. Everything I learned, I learned from those with more experience than myself who generously chose to share.
There are no books, no university courses on how to be a useful and effective politician.
I probably learned most from Reeves and Deputy-Reeves of the rural townships of the last York County Council.
It was Stewart Burnett who told me ;"Evelyn, in politics no matter how we do,we are criticised.We don't do it to each other "
The first Regional solicitor, Ted Oakes, never ran out of time to fill in on the history and purpose of Metro and York County as it was before Metro was created.He was as good as a tutor.He was not the only one I had the good fortune to meet along the way.
I tried for eight months to work with Mormac's gang. I never disrespected the Office of Mayor or Councillors. When it became clear, they were determined I would not be allowed to participate, I found another way to make a contribution.
Once the decision was made to write the blog, there was no turning back. My instinct served me well.
Power is in the written word. Since I was a child, words have been my strength Because I was a child, I learned the hard way how not to use them.
No politician in their right mind makes gratuitous enemies along the way. There are no shrinking violets.One learns to be self-sufficient or else. More importantly, one learns to defend oneself.
There was nothing traditional, valid or legal about the Mormac gang.. They were a total aberration in politics. I have never known a group possessed of such meanness. So determinedly without conscience.
Morris and MacEachern were brought down by nothing but their own arrogance and ignorance.I have never known such cold-blooded cruelty.
What was given was taken.
I find it amusing that you fashion yourself as a politician and extol the traditions of politics but then have disdane for other politicians that use political tactics that are just as tradtional, valid and legal as yours.
While I do not agree with their battle, you have to admire both their and even Mormac's methods to use the rules available to them to accomplish their goals.
*******************
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The Dog Days Of Summer":
Hey, Evelyn, remember when you and yours strategized to bring down the mayor.
Seems the plot is the same... and seemingly characters interchangeable.
I love the whole conspiracy story line.
Little town keeps trying to play silly games over and over.
Look around. Serious issues abound.
But nothing beats the unique smell of Aurora cupcakes... melting in the sun.
***********************
I'm glad my first commenter is amused. She/he certainly is not informed.
There is nothing traditional valid or legal about spending hundreds of thousands of hard-earned tax dollars on lawyers to fight battles against our own official plan and government regulations and to bring down real or imagined enemies.
Nothing valid or traditional, to hire no less that two lawyers to destroy her predecessor's reputation.
And yet another lawyer to come up with the strategy of a code of conduct to silence opposition to their goals to destroy the reputations, lives and careers of anyone who might stand in their way.
It was an on-going parade of lawyers.
Politics is an intellectual exercise. It is the art of the possible. The objective is to influence the decisions made in the best interest of the community.You learn that by hearing what people have to tell you.
I like and respect politicians. I find them everywhere. I have probably known and worked with hundreds at the municipal level. Everything I learned, I learned from those with more experience than myself who generously chose to share.
There are no books, no university courses on how to be a useful and effective politician.
I probably learned most from Reeves and Deputy-Reeves of the rural townships of the last York County Council.
It was Stewart Burnett who told me ;"Evelyn, in politics no matter how we do,we are criticised.We don't do it to each other "
The first Regional solicitor, Ted Oakes, never ran out of time to fill in on the history and purpose of Metro and York County as it was before Metro was created.He was as good as a tutor.He was not the only one I had the good fortune to meet along the way.
I tried for eight months to work with Mormac's gang. I never disrespected the Office of Mayor or Councillors. When it became clear, they were determined I would not be allowed to participate, I found another way to make a contribution.
Once the decision was made to write the blog, there was no turning back. My instinct served me well.
Power is in the written word. Since I was a child, words have been my strength Because I was a child, I learned the hard way how not to use them.
No politician in their right mind makes gratuitous enemies along the way. There are no shrinking violets.One learns to be self-sufficient or else. More importantly, one learns to defend oneself.
There was nothing traditional, valid or legal about the Mormac gang.. They were a total aberration in politics. I have never known a group possessed of such meanness. So determinedly without conscience.
Morris and MacEachern were brought down by nothing but their own arrogance and ignorance.I have never known such cold-blooded cruelty.
What was given was taken.
The Dog Days Of Summer
Gives us time to talk about a couple of things. Loss of respect for the authority of Council concerns me. Even sitting members are not aware of their own authority. Before the last term, respect was at a low ebb, public and political . It needed to improve.
The e-mail from the resident below is a perfect illustration.
He openes with"Dear Mr. Downey and Mr. Dawe"
Downey is the Town's Leisure Services Director . Dawe is the Town's Mayor.
The purpose of the missile is to requisition certain documentation to prepare himself to participate on a "level playing field" in the upcoming Council debate about whether or not the playground equipment that offends him will be removed.
He notifies of his "plans"to attend and there will be three delegates; himself.his wife and his four year old son. Allocated time would be fifteen instead of five minutes.
The last is an indicator of mentoring. It seems the full force of Mormac has rallied .
A person unaware of rank and address to the Mayor, what documentation may or may not exist,and that an application means permission , would obviously not be aware of the stunt to extend a delegate's time by three. That's a relic of Morris strategy.
Morris had no concept of Canadian politics Others had to be coerced to attend Council and say what she wanted to be said.That's where the lawyers came in.
It amazed me how she found people so willing to be used.
The Director of Leisure Services is the only surviving long-serving director of the regime. Since the fury of defeat has obviously not yet subsided, he is still a target.
The resident with the complaint about the jungle gym must have appeared like a gift.
The resident has already appeared twice before Council with the crying diva and a four year old prompted by her mother.
The second time he made the outrageous statement the town is putting the lives of children at risk
Now here he is. confident he can appear a third time with full rights to participate in the debate. He has a strategy for more time to speak than an elected councillor.
When the delegate previously stated children's lives were at risk, the C.A.O. did not express his deep disappointment that such a serious charge would be made against the town in the town's own Council meeting
It was made . It was allowed to stand uncorrected. When I referred to it as a wild and outrageous statement at the next meeting, Councillor Gaertner called a point of order.
"The resident has come forward in good faith" she said " A councillor is not allowed to say such things."
The point was not allowed. But Councillor Gaertner will repeat. It's a habit from the past.
A Councillor, recognised by the chair, has a right to speak without interruption , so long as he/she speaks to the question and does not repeat themselves.Gaertner either does not understand or accept that.
If a comment doesn't sit well. she never hesitates to interrupt.
It was a joint strategy in the last term along with Rules on the run.... all with the same focus.
The buzz word at The Market on Saturday is Gaertner's vow to bring this Mayor down.
However much damage is done to Council, individuals, or the town in the process, never has been much of a concern has it?
The e-mail from the resident below is a perfect illustration.
He openes with"Dear Mr. Downey and Mr. Dawe"
Downey is the Town's Leisure Services Director . Dawe is the Town's Mayor.
The purpose of the missile is to requisition certain documentation to prepare himself to participate on a "level playing field" in the upcoming Council debate about whether or not the playground equipment that offends him will be removed.
He notifies of his "plans"to attend and there will be three delegates; himself.his wife and his four year old son. Allocated time would be fifteen instead of five minutes.
The last is an indicator of mentoring. It seems the full force of Mormac has rallied .
A person unaware of rank and address to the Mayor, what documentation may or may not exist,and that an application means permission , would obviously not be aware of the stunt to extend a delegate's time by three. That's a relic of Morris strategy.
Morris had no concept of Canadian politics Others had to be coerced to attend Council and say what she wanted to be said.That's where the lawyers came in.
It amazed me how she found people so willing to be used.
The Director of Leisure Services is the only surviving long-serving director of the regime. Since the fury of defeat has obviously not yet subsided, he is still a target.
The resident with the complaint about the jungle gym must have appeared like a gift.
The resident has already appeared twice before Council with the crying diva and a four year old prompted by her mother.
The second time he made the outrageous statement the town is putting the lives of children at risk
Now here he is. confident he can appear a third time with full rights to participate in the debate. He has a strategy for more time to speak than an elected councillor.
When the delegate previously stated children's lives were at risk, the C.A.O. did not express his deep disappointment that such a serious charge would be made against the town in the town's own Council meeting
It was made . It was allowed to stand uncorrected. When I referred to it as a wild and outrageous statement at the next meeting, Councillor Gaertner called a point of order.
"The resident has come forward in good faith" she said " A councillor is not allowed to say such things."
The point was not allowed. But Councillor Gaertner will repeat. It's a habit from the past.
A Councillor, recognised by the chair, has a right to speak without interruption , so long as he/she speaks to the question and does not repeat themselves.Gaertner either does not understand or accept that.
If a comment doesn't sit well. she never hesitates to interrupt.
It was a joint strategy in the last term along with Rules on the run.... all with the same focus.
The buzz word at The Market on Saturday is Gaertner's vow to bring this Mayor down.
However much damage is done to Council, individuals, or the town in the process, never has been much of a concern has it?
Saturday, 23 July 2011
Snarky And Nasty
This morning a snarky comment came through about how "fortunate" Council is to have me as their
leader.
Others don't think I have any right to comment. The resident with the beef about the monkey bars thinks I should step down from Council because I don't support his theories.
Fat chance, buddy
The Globe and Mail had an article recently on the need for challenge in adventure playgrounds.
Gordon Barnes sent me a link to an article in the New York Post with a lengthy article saying pretty much what most people have commented; children need challenge ;parents need to take responsibility for their own.
Just now a reader was listening to a program on the CBC about our over-protective society.
Chris Watts forwarded a link to an excellent speech on Utube by John Cleese relating to stupidity and creativity.
Another resident with experience in workplace safety sent Council a lengthy e-mail with a complete opposite perspective the father of one who insists the town must remove the monkey bars from Confederation park playground or risk a coroner's inquest.
There's certainly no shortage of information at any given time. It remains to be seen if there is enough collective experience on Council to do the right thing and just say "NO"
I was recently asked if I placed myself on a pedestal. I said "No. I place the Office of Councillor on a pedestal"
The lamentable lack of understanding among the moderns of the significance of the rights and freedoms we enjoy in this beautiful land is remarkable.
Being elected has never meant that I surrender my right to speak frankly and freely without fear or favour. It added responsibility and obligation to the rights we all enjoy.
Holding elected office is a public service. It is not subservient to the public, the administration or any other group one might care to mention.
Being elected gives me the authority to do what I do best, enjoy most and do it for others besides myself. It's a heady experience.
I make no apology for that.
And May the Devil take the fool who thinks I should
leader.
Others don't think I have any right to comment. The resident with the beef about the monkey bars thinks I should step down from Council because I don't support his theories.
Fat chance, buddy
The Globe and Mail had an article recently on the need for challenge in adventure playgrounds.
Gordon Barnes sent me a link to an article in the New York Post with a lengthy article saying pretty much what most people have commented; children need challenge ;parents need to take responsibility for their own.
Just now a reader was listening to a program on the CBC about our over-protective society.
Chris Watts forwarded a link to an excellent speech on Utube by John Cleese relating to stupidity and creativity.
Another resident with experience in workplace safety sent Council a lengthy e-mail with a complete opposite perspective the father of one who insists the town must remove the monkey bars from Confederation park playground or risk a coroner's inquest.
There's certainly no shortage of information at any given time. It remains to be seen if there is enough collective experience on Council to do the right thing and just say "NO"
I was recently asked if I placed myself on a pedestal. I said "No. I place the Office of Councillor on a pedestal"
The lamentable lack of understanding among the moderns of the significance of the rights and freedoms we enjoy in this beautiful land is remarkable.
Being elected has never meant that I surrender my right to speak frankly and freely without fear or favour. It added responsibility and obligation to the rights we all enjoy.
Holding elected office is a public service. It is not subservient to the public, the administration or any other group one might care to mention.
Being elected gives me the authority to do what I do best, enjoy most and do it for others besides myself. It's a heady experience.
I make no apology for that.
And May the Devil take the fool who thinks I should
The Resident's Quest
The resident has addressed Council twice already with his concerns about the hazards of monkey bars in his neighbourhood park.
He sent a previous e-mail to the Mayor and all Councillors.
He took me to task for not speaking when he thought I should and speaking when he thought I shouldn't.
Just when he appeared to have convinced the entire Council of the seriousness of the problem, I had the audacity to suggest staff should provide a written response to the serious charge that Aurora places the lives of children at risk with hazardous playground equipment..
The resident requests " Mr. Dawe" to inform whoever needs to be informed of his intention to attend the next Council meeting and specific documentation he requires to refute the report requested by Council from the Director of Leisure Services.
The resident is completely confident in his own expertise. He works as a construction safety inspector.
He is equally confident of his right to appear for a third time at Council with the same concern and to fully participate in the debate on whether or not the equipment should be removed.
Council had one meeting to deal with the town's business in July. The agenda was extensive.
In August, the same situation prevails; one meeting..lengthy agenda.
It remains to be seen if the resident's demands will be acquiesced.
What will it tell us about Council's respect for its own function?
He sent a previous e-mail to the Mayor and all Councillors.
He took me to task for not speaking when he thought I should and speaking when he thought I shouldn't.
Just when he appeared to have convinced the entire Council of the seriousness of the problem, I had the audacity to suggest staff should provide a written response to the serious charge that Aurora places the lives of children at risk with hazardous playground equipment..
The resident requests " Mr. Dawe" to inform whoever needs to be informed of his intention to attend the next Council meeting and specific documentation he requires to refute the report requested by Council from the Director of Leisure Services.
The resident is completely confident in his own expertise. He works as a construction safety inspector.
He is equally confident of his right to appear for a third time at Council with the same concern and to fully participate in the debate on whether or not the equipment should be removed.
Council had one meeting to deal with the town's business in July. The agenda was extensive.
In August, the same situation prevails; one meeting..lengthy agenda.
It remains to be seen if the resident's demands will be acquiesced.
What will it tell us about Council's respect for its own function?
Friday, 22 July 2011
An E-mail From A Resident
The following e-mail was circulated to all members of council.The information contained makes it clear the writer intends to be a full participant in the council debate which may or may not follow receipt of the report requested by council from Leisure Services Director Al Downey . The writer requires other documentation as well to prepare himself to be on a level playing field.
Dear Mr. Downey and Mr. Dawe
I am writing with a request for disclosure of copies of the inspection records, maintenance records and installation procedures for the two hump camel climber, at confederation park
I am also requesting a copy of the ” report” that Ms. Buck requested from the parks Department at the July 12th 2011 meeting, so I can review it as well, I would like to have these records and report as soon as possible so I may review them prior to the August 16 2011 meeting in which I plan to attend.
I am putting in a delegation request for three and we would like to be prepared for that meeting with these documents.
If this should be a problem, please let me know as soon as possible, so that I may have enough time to put in a freedom of information request (FOI) for these documents prior to the meeting, which will allow me enough time to receive them and review them.
I believe that, as I originally put in the request to have the camel climber removed back in early April, I believe I should have all the information that the town has on this apparatus so we are all on a level playing field with all the information available.
Ps: I have tried several times to put in a request for delegation status for Aug 16 2011 by email at the address on the towns website to thecouncilsecretariatstaff@aurora.ca and the email keeps on coming back as undeliverable, is it possible Mr. Dawe for you to forward my delegation request to the appropriate person ? Thanks
If this is not possible please let me know in advance, so I may ensure I am on the list of delegates, by other means.
I Martin McIntaggart would like to speak as well as Nancy Meredith, and Austin McIntaggart totaling 3 persons and all discussing the camel climber
The Norwich Motion
The post I wrote yesterday was from the on-line story in The Auroran. I read the comments from the Judge's decision in the story. Reference to our right to freedom of expression, to be anonymous , to use a pseudonym, particularly relating to politics, indicates Morris' defamation suit has no legs.
It's going nowhere. It's done like dinner.
So far as I'm concerned, it never did have a snowball's chance in hell of succeeding. It did however do enormous damage to three families in the community who did nothing more than exercise their democratic freedom.
It was but another classic Morris example of creating the big splash in a desperate attempt to turn the tide of the election. Better than anyone, she had to know what was coming down the pipe.
Morris was always a stranger to rational thought and she has still not dealt with the reality of being ignominiously defeated. The situation is made even more surreal by the cling-alongs who continue to hang
Politics is not for the squeamish at the best of times and we have known the worst in the past four years.
What went on behind the scenes caused collateral damage which may never be fully revealed or reversed.
We have another almost entirely new council with no knowledge of how things should be, therefore do not recognise how they are, making charting a new course a bit like turning back the tide.
They mean well. That's not the problem. And I am persistent. But collectively, with the certain exception of three members, as a council,we really need to develop an assertive backbone.
It's not happening soon enough.There is resistence.
Some things will take care of themselves eventually. I've heard the St.Kitts woman is telling people after this year's jazz festival. she is "done with Aurora".That's good news.
But another out-of- towner , Katherine Belrose, "Friend of the Petch House", was at the Heritage Advisory Committee meeting, after Council made a decision, to sneak in through the back
door in an effort to gain control..
Eight years of the pesky building , crumbling at the side of Leslie Street, with not a smidgeon of interest, now there's a competition with the elected body to spend the public's money
The "Friends" were at the Farmer's Market, that hotbed of plots and fantasy, for three months soliciting funds and raising interest in the Petch House. They asked Council for time to raise funds and an organisation to save the town's heritage. It's the operating buzz word in town these days.
They returned to council claimng to have a plan but without reference to funds.
But the town had a plan . We went with the sure thing.
Still the cauldron seethed and simmered. Mormac Cult members at the council table left their seats to consult with ."the friends" in the public benches about next best steps. They turned out to be
solicitation for support to an advisory committee.
Now just think about that:
The elected body made a decision on an item pending for eight years.
An out-of-town group with no profile but self-claimed status, doesn't like the town's decision because it leaves them out of the game.
So they go to a town advisory committee , perhaps by invitation perhaps not, and solicit their support to get themselves into the game.
Seems they got from the advisory committee what they went to get.
How disrespectful of your Council is that? By several parties.
Totally, completely and shamefully abysmal.
Not a good start to 2011 advisory committee participation in the process.
It's going nowhere. It's done like dinner.
So far as I'm concerned, it never did have a snowball's chance in hell of succeeding. It did however do enormous damage to three families in the community who did nothing more than exercise their democratic freedom.
It was but another classic Morris example of creating the big splash in a desperate attempt to turn the tide of the election. Better than anyone, she had to know what was coming down the pipe.
Morris was always a stranger to rational thought and she has still not dealt with the reality of being ignominiously defeated. The situation is made even more surreal by the cling-alongs who continue to hang
Politics is not for the squeamish at the best of times and we have known the worst in the past four years.
What went on behind the scenes caused collateral damage which may never be fully revealed or reversed.
We have another almost entirely new council with no knowledge of how things should be, therefore do not recognise how they are, making charting a new course a bit like turning back the tide.
They mean well. That's not the problem. And I am persistent. But collectively, with the certain exception of three members, as a council,we really need to develop an assertive backbone.
It's not happening soon enough.There is resistence.
Some things will take care of themselves eventually. I've heard the St.Kitts woman is telling people after this year's jazz festival. she is "done with Aurora".That's good news.
But another out-of- towner , Katherine Belrose, "Friend of the Petch House", was at the Heritage Advisory Committee meeting, after Council made a decision, to sneak in through the back
door in an effort to gain control..
Eight years of the pesky building , crumbling at the side of Leslie Street, with not a smidgeon of interest, now there's a competition with the elected body to spend the public's money
The "Friends" were at the Farmer's Market, that hotbed of plots and fantasy, for three months soliciting funds and raising interest in the Petch House. They asked Council for time to raise funds and an organisation to save the town's heritage. It's the operating buzz word in town these days.
They returned to council claimng to have a plan but without reference to funds.
But the town had a plan . We went with the sure thing.
Still the cauldron seethed and simmered. Mormac Cult members at the council table left their seats to consult with ."the friends" in the public benches about next best steps. They turned out to be
solicitation for support to an advisory committee.
Now just think about that:
The elected body made a decision on an item pending for eight years.
An out-of-town group with no profile but self-claimed status, doesn't like the town's decision because it leaves them out of the game.
So they go to a town advisory committee , perhaps by invitation perhaps not, and solicit their support to get themselves into the game.
Seems they got from the advisory committee what they went to get.
How disrespectful of your Council is that? By several parties.
Totally, completely and shamefully abysmal.
Not a good start to 2011 advisory committee participation in the process.
Thursday, 21 July 2011
Morris Defamation Suit Thrown Out
So now everyone can relax.
Well no...we can now turn our thoughts to how this outrageous and severely punitive event came to be. The Morris Defamation Suit was initiated by the Town of Aurora and paid for with town funds.
A decision was made by six individuals, to spend public resources, to take three residents of Aurora to court because one of their number was being criticised by an unknown party .
A solicitor on the town's payroll advised the action was merited.
On no count was that action found by the court to be merited. Quite the opposite.
Two Councillors refused to attend the meeting at which the decision was made because the matter was not the business of council. A third repudiated the decision before it was ratified in Council.
Yet, $65,000. of public resources flowed unchecked out of the public treasury. to pay for it.
No policy was cited. No approval sought for court action to proceed.
No estimate or limit approved to pay for the action
Yet money was spent.
The tap was turned on and not turned off until the new council got into the routine of regular meetings, months after the blighters were defeated in the election.
We are now assured of a policy that never allows such a thing to happen again.
Sorry my friends. Why would you believe that?
In this day and age, why would you accept, there was no purchasing policy in place that should have prevented this from happening?
With an administration that willingly allowed itself to be steered to refuse to release to the public the total funds spent on legal fees over a specific period of time, why would you believe the taxpayers
of the town did not need to be protected from such abuse by political chicanery????
Three citizens of the town have had to incur thousands of dollars to defend themselves against legal action funded by the town.
Another citizen is in the process of using personal resources to bring the matter of Conflict of Interest by the former Mayor before a court for a judgment.
Is this not a scandal of gargantuan proportions for a small Ontario town of fifty thousand people?
Does this not warrant a demand for answers ?
Instead of a meek and mild warranty, it will never happen again?
It never happened before.Why did it happen during that term of office?
Hundreds of thousands of dollars of cheques have been written on the town's treasury, to make villains out of honest law-abiding citizens who did nothing more than insist on exercising their right to freedom of expression and run afoul of six individuals who had no concept of limits to their power, no administration left to remind them. and a treasury that spilled money out on demand.
The town engaged in litigation against three of its citizens .
How many were involved in facilitating the action?
Now that the Judge has handed down a decision , is now the time to require answers as to how, with all the checks and balances in place to protect the public interest , was this appalling debacle allowed to
take place ?
Why should anyone believe money taken from them in taxes, on the understanding it is to pay for public services, is now being properly expended for that purpose?
Where does the public take confidence that all is well in light of these circumstances ?
Well no...we can now turn our thoughts to how this outrageous and severely punitive event came to be. The Morris Defamation Suit was initiated by the Town of Aurora and paid for with town funds.
A decision was made by six individuals, to spend public resources, to take three residents of Aurora to court because one of their number was being criticised by an unknown party .
A solicitor on the town's payroll advised the action was merited.
On no count was that action found by the court to be merited. Quite the opposite.
Two Councillors refused to attend the meeting at which the decision was made because the matter was not the business of council. A third repudiated the decision before it was ratified in Council.
Yet, $65,000. of public resources flowed unchecked out of the public treasury. to pay for it.
No policy was cited. No approval sought for court action to proceed.
No estimate or limit approved to pay for the action
Yet money was spent.
The tap was turned on and not turned off until the new council got into the routine of regular meetings, months after the blighters were defeated in the election.
We are now assured of a policy that never allows such a thing to happen again.
Sorry my friends. Why would you believe that?
In this day and age, why would you accept, there was no purchasing policy in place that should have prevented this from happening?
With an administration that willingly allowed itself to be steered to refuse to release to the public the total funds spent on legal fees over a specific period of time, why would you believe the taxpayers
of the town did not need to be protected from such abuse by political chicanery????
Three citizens of the town have had to incur thousands of dollars to defend themselves against legal action funded by the town.
Another citizen is in the process of using personal resources to bring the matter of Conflict of Interest by the former Mayor before a court for a judgment.
Is this not a scandal of gargantuan proportions for a small Ontario town of fifty thousand people?
Does this not warrant a demand for answers ?
Instead of a meek and mild warranty, it will never happen again?
It never happened before.Why did it happen during that term of office?
Hundreds of thousands of dollars of cheques have been written on the town's treasury, to make villains out of honest law-abiding citizens who did nothing more than insist on exercising their right to freedom of expression and run afoul of six individuals who had no concept of limits to their power, no administration left to remind them. and a treasury that spilled money out on demand.
The town engaged in litigation against three of its citizens .
How many were involved in facilitating the action?
Now that the Judge has handed down a decision , is now the time to require answers as to how, with all the checks and balances in place to protect the public interest , was this appalling debacle allowed to
take place ?
Why should anyone believe money taken from them in taxes, on the understanding it is to pay for public services, is now being properly expended for that purpose?
Where does the public take confidence that all is well in light of these circumstances ?
Wednesday, 20 July 2011
Previous Post
Someone else logged into my computer yesterday with a different name and password. I spent almost three hours on that last post before I discovered I was not logged in to my blog.
When I finally did find the post, it was not the whole enchilada. It's too hot to start all over again.
Sorry.
When I finally did find the post, it was not the whole enchilada. It's too hot to start all over again.
Sorry.
Gimme A Break !!!!!
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "A ...":
I know you have to write something in your blog everyday, but is this latest post the "best you got?". You can and have done better.
As per a couple previous posts, I don't expecct to see this hit your public blog. This is just for you, Evelyn and hopefully will lead to a little self examination. Change begins with Self Realization
***************
I don't have to write a post every day. I never assume what I write will engender interest. I know there are people who like to read something from me every day. How do I know? Because they tell me so.
But mostly I write because:
1. I have something to say.
2. I am free to say it.
3. I am aware there are people who hate the fact I have something to say, I am free to say it .There are people who want to hear it....for whatever reason.
I think when residents take upon themselves responsibility to appear before Council and speak for others, they should at least be prepared to recognise the formality of the occasion and the potential for challenge.
Council is the only body with authority to speak for the community. It is not happenstance.
It happens after six weeks at least of hard campaigning and an election under strict rules and regulations.
Being elected is a responsibility and an obligation.
A Councillor does not speak for him or herself alone.
I know you have to write something in your blog everyday, but is this latest post the "best you got?". You can and have done better.
As per a couple previous posts, I don't expecct to see this hit your public blog. This is just for you, Evelyn and hopefully will lead to a little self examination. Change begins with Self Realization
***************
I don't have to write a post every day. I never assume what I write will engender interest. I know there are people who like to read something from me every day. How do I know? Because they tell me so.
But mostly I write because:
1. I have something to say.
2. I am free to say it.
3. I am aware there are people who hate the fact I have something to say, I am free to say it .There are people who want to hear it....for whatever reason.
I think when residents take upon themselves responsibility to appear before Council and speak for others, they should at least be prepared to recognise the formality of the occasion and the potential for challenge.
Council is the only body with authority to speak for the community. It is not happenstance.
It happens after six weeks at least of hard campaigning and an election under strict rules and regulations.
Being elected is a responsibility and an obligation.
A Councillor does not speak for him or herself alone.
Monday, 18 July 2011
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "A Different Perspective On A Child's Needs":
While it was a fun read, I wonder how being elected as a town council member makes you an arbiter of child rearing? You may have opinions on how child should be raised, but like it or not this is not the 1960's anymore. Federal and provincial governments have legislated all sorts of laws to "protect" us. Seatbelts, bike helmets, no more lawn darts! Yes we all survived our youth, but this is not the same world that it once was. If you feel that you represent the electorate, perhaps you need to understand it first.
If I received your note, I think I would be offended first, angry second and then more resolute to get this process underway to get what I wanted.
******************
It's always interesting to observe another person's thought process.The foregoing is no exception.
It suggests that I must understand the electorate before I offer an opinion..
Being elected does not suffice to indicate of my authority to speak for others.
On the other hand, a resident not elected is the one for council to follow.
A person comes to a public meeting,proceeds to the microphone to make a point. For five minutes. choking on her tears,she relays a disjointed a tale of what might have been, had she not been on hand to prevent it.
But being on hand, she did not prevent it.
So the responsible party for a near accident is obviously the municipality and the equipment provided for children older than her own,to play and learn.
The spectacle was acutely embarrasing . But the speaker who returned a second time with a four year old in her arms, coached to speak into a microphone. for even greater dramatic effect.
We live in a free and democratic country. People are free to choose methods to get what they believe they should have. And risk making fools of themselves or the people who respond to the embarrassing nonsense.
One of the most significant changes I have observed over the years is how willing the moderns to make horses asses of themselves to get what they want, however unreasonable it may be. .
"I want it . You will do as I say because I want it"
"If you don't, I will call you names. Put forward outrageous suggestions such as coroner inquests to terrify the gullible and demand the sensible step out of the way If it doesn't work, I will demand you step down from office because you do not represent me"
"When all else fails, I will darkly refer to disrespecting a resident"
All in the name of dumbing down the electorate.
While it was a fun read, I wonder how being elected as a town council member makes you an arbiter of child rearing? You may have opinions on how child should be raised, but like it or not this is not the 1960's anymore. Federal and provincial governments have legislated all sorts of laws to "protect" us. Seatbelts, bike helmets, no more lawn darts! Yes we all survived our youth, but this is not the same world that it once was. If you feel that you represent the electorate, perhaps you need to understand it first.
If I received your note, I think I would be offended first, angry second and then more resolute to get this process underway to get what I wanted.
******************
It's always interesting to observe another person's thought process.The foregoing is no exception.
It suggests that I must understand the electorate before I offer an opinion..
Being elected does not suffice to indicate of my authority to speak for others.
On the other hand, a resident not elected is the one for council to follow.
A person comes to a public meeting,proceeds to the microphone to make a point. For five minutes. choking on her tears,she relays a disjointed a tale of what might have been, had she not been on hand to prevent it.
But being on hand, she did not prevent it.
So the responsible party for a near accident is obviously the municipality and the equipment provided for children older than her own,to play and learn.
The spectacle was acutely embarrasing . But the speaker who returned a second time with a four year old in her arms, coached to speak into a microphone. for even greater dramatic effect.
We live in a free and democratic country. People are free to choose methods to get what they believe they should have. And risk making fools of themselves or the people who respond to the embarrassing nonsense.
One of the most significant changes I have observed over the years is how willing the moderns to make horses asses of themselves to get what they want, however unreasonable it may be. .
"I want it . You will do as I say because I want it"
"If you don't, I will call you names. Put forward outrageous suggestions such as coroner inquests to terrify the gullible and demand the sensible step out of the way If it doesn't work, I will demand you step down from office because you do not represent me"
"When all else fails, I will darkly refer to disrespecting a resident"
All in the name of dumbing down the electorate.
Friday, 15 July 2011
The Town Charged Westhill
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "If Things Go As They Should":
Whatever happened to the law suit that the former
council issued against West Hill when
Gallo ran to tell them the development company was
cutting down trees on their own property ?
***********
The town bylaw department charged Westhill for cutting trees on their own property.
Westhill paid a $10 thousand dollar fine.
The former Mayor got a picture of herself in the middle of a freshly plowed field wearing flip-flops without a tree in sight, valiantly defending the universe from the marauders.
Staff's advice in March 2008, .on the basis of all our planning requirements , was to approve Westhill in principle and continue work to resolve the outstanding issues.
The O.M.B. decision, was to approve Westhill and direct the parties to resolve the outstanding isssues.
within three months.
Three years , two lawyers and $650.000 later ,the O.M.B. did what planning staff advised Council from the beginning.
Notwithstanding the sheer lunacy and disgrace to the municipality, a letter was sent on June 30th to the Honourable John Wilkinson ,Minister of the Environment from the new Aurora Mayor's office requesting him to deny a permit to take water. The obvious objective being the development must be stopped.
The image of Monty Python's Fish Dance comes to mind.
**********************
The story about Councillor Gaertner's phone call to her idol and mentor has been flushed out a bit.
The phone being used was not a cell phone in the washroom. It was the town's phone at the reception desk. When the Councillor heard someone coming, she said to the person on the other end of the line;
"Sshh.....someone's coming/"
*************************
The Leisure Services Director , in response to a question, informed Council it would probably cost
$5 thousand to remove the undulating monkey bars from Confederation Park playground. .. including concrete supports.
It would likely also cost that amount to replace it with something else.
Staff try to find something different and interesting for each playground.
What would be the point?
The question is still pending.
Whatever happened to the law suit that the former
council issued against West Hill when
Gallo ran to tell them the development company was
cutting down trees on their own property ?
***********
The town bylaw department charged Westhill for cutting trees on their own property.
Westhill paid a $10 thousand dollar fine.
The former Mayor got a picture of herself in the middle of a freshly plowed field wearing flip-flops without a tree in sight, valiantly defending the universe from the marauders.
Staff's advice in March 2008, .on the basis of all our planning requirements , was to approve Westhill in principle and continue work to resolve the outstanding issues.
The O.M.B. decision, was to approve Westhill and direct the parties to resolve the outstanding isssues.
within three months.
Three years , two lawyers and $650.000 later ,the O.M.B. did what planning staff advised Council from the beginning.
Notwithstanding the sheer lunacy and disgrace to the municipality, a letter was sent on June 30th to the Honourable John Wilkinson ,Minister of the Environment from the new Aurora Mayor's office requesting him to deny a permit to take water. The obvious objective being the development must be stopped.
The image of Monty Python's Fish Dance comes to mind.
**********************
The story about Councillor Gaertner's phone call to her idol and mentor has been flushed out a bit.
The phone being used was not a cell phone in the washroom. It was the town's phone at the reception desk. When the Councillor heard someone coming, she said to the person on the other end of the line;
"Sshh.....someone's coming/"
*************************
The Leisure Services Director , in response to a question, informed Council it would probably cost
$5 thousand to remove the undulating monkey bars from Confederation Park playground. .. including concrete supports.
It would likely also cost that amount to replace it with something else.
Staff try to find something different and interesting for each playground.
What would be the point?
The question is still pending.
Thursday, 14 July 2011
If Things Go As They Should
Residents who watched the June Council meeting and again in July, will no doubt tune in again in August to see how the undulating monkey bar issue was was played out by council.
I was personally shocked a motion was proposed for instantaneous action to remove the equipment without hearing from anyone but two complainants.One of them choking so hard on tears it was truly difficult to decipher words.
At least staff are now being provided an opportunity to respond to the severe criticism of their judgment in using town resources to install a piece of playground equipment , already determined by some councillors, to be hazardous to life and limb of children at play. as established by opinion of two residents taking responsibility for all town children as well as their own.
Council's decision in August will help form the basis of community judgment of how this council handles the obligation to decide based on best judgment of the interest of community--at-large or whatever.
It's another one of those risks life presents. Council is the crucible. Also known as the fish bowl.Could be seen by some as a playground for the effete and the elite.
I think it's better television than soap opera. I don't watch it. It's enough to be part of it
Early months of a new term are critical. Other council decisions will be made and gradually a new bed of public opinion, like coral, will be formed.... on top of what was before.
An interesting exchange happened on Tuesday. Councillor Gaertner tried again to bring the O.M.B. decision on Westhill back to the Council table. She requested staff summarise requirements of the O.M.B.decision because "people" can't understand the text of the decision as posted on the O.M.B. web site or the town's.
The Mayor squelched the issue. The Councillor's microphone was turned off . No motion was accepted.
The rest took place off stage. Councillor Gaertner left the chamber and made her way to the women's washroom. To be followed later by two other parties from the council chamber for presumably legitimate reasons. It is said, an extract of a phone conversation was overheard as follows;
Councillor Gaertner ......."Now what will we do? Maybe we should listen to the tape together and make a decision from there"
It's commonly understood Councillor Gaertner comes to every council meeting loaded for bear; Specific targets being the Mayor, myself and the O.M.B. decision on the Westhill development plan, in that order.
Every dodge known to man has been employed to get Westhill back on the table for discussion. The last was a motion processed without notice, at ten past eleven, during a second extension of the hour of adjournment sought for the express purpose of completing the business items on the agenda .
I left when Councillor Gaertner started to rattle on about rights of staff to be protected from a fate worse than death by a councillor seeking to do due diligence on behalf of the taxpayers.
Councillor Thompson was absent the meeting.
The no-notice motion was to direct the Mayor to write a letter to the Honorable John Wilkinson, Minister of Environment , requesting that he deny a permit to Westhill to take water.
The vote was four to three. Councillors Ballard, Gaertner,Gallo and Humphryes in favour; The Mayor, Councillors Abel and Pirrie against.
Subsequently, a letter on the Mayor's stationery, signed by the Mayor, setting out the vacuous wording of the resolution, was sent to the Office of the Ministry, proving to all who read it, the cult of jackass is alive and well in Aurora, despite results of the recent election.
The only comfort is, the town does not have a monopoly on jackassism.
There' s plenty to go around in government circles.
I was personally shocked a motion was proposed for instantaneous action to remove the equipment without hearing from anyone but two complainants.One of them choking so hard on tears it was truly difficult to decipher words.
At least staff are now being provided an opportunity to respond to the severe criticism of their judgment in using town resources to install a piece of playground equipment , already determined by some councillors, to be hazardous to life and limb of children at play. as established by opinion of two residents taking responsibility for all town children as well as their own.
Council's decision in August will help form the basis of community judgment of how this council handles the obligation to decide based on best judgment of the interest of community--at-large or whatever.
It's another one of those risks life presents. Council is the crucible. Also known as the fish bowl.Could be seen by some as a playground for the effete and the elite.
I think it's better television than soap opera. I don't watch it. It's enough to be part of it
Early months of a new term are critical. Other council decisions will be made and gradually a new bed of public opinion, like coral, will be formed.... on top of what was before.
An interesting exchange happened on Tuesday. Councillor Gaertner tried again to bring the O.M.B. decision on Westhill back to the Council table. She requested staff summarise requirements of the O.M.B.decision because "people" can't understand the text of the decision as posted on the O.M.B. web site or the town's.
The Mayor squelched the issue. The Councillor's microphone was turned off . No motion was accepted.
The rest took place off stage. Councillor Gaertner left the chamber and made her way to the women's washroom. To be followed later by two other parties from the council chamber for presumably legitimate reasons. It is said, an extract of a phone conversation was overheard as follows;
Councillor Gaertner ......."Now what will we do? Maybe we should listen to the tape together and make a decision from there"
It's commonly understood Councillor Gaertner comes to every council meeting loaded for bear; Specific targets being the Mayor, myself and the O.M.B. decision on the Westhill development plan, in that order.
Every dodge known to man has been employed to get Westhill back on the table for discussion. The last was a motion processed without notice, at ten past eleven, during a second extension of the hour of adjournment sought for the express purpose of completing the business items on the agenda .
I left when Councillor Gaertner started to rattle on about rights of staff to be protected from a fate worse than death by a councillor seeking to do due diligence on behalf of the taxpayers.
Councillor Thompson was absent the meeting.
The no-notice motion was to direct the Mayor to write a letter to the Honorable John Wilkinson, Minister of Environment , requesting that he deny a permit to Westhill to take water.
The vote was four to three. Councillors Ballard, Gaertner,Gallo and Humphryes in favour; The Mayor, Councillors Abel and Pirrie against.
Subsequently, a letter on the Mayor's stationery, signed by the Mayor, setting out the vacuous wording of the resolution, was sent to the Office of the Ministry, proving to all who read it, the cult of jackass is alive and well in Aurora, despite results of the recent election.
The only comfort is, the town does not have a monopoly on jackassism.
There' s plenty to go around in government circles.
A Different Perspective On A Child's Needs
I sent the following e-mail this morning. in response to one received from a resident who wishes the town to remove a piece of playground equipment installed in Confederation Park two years ago. No reports or claims for injury have been received by the town.
Two mothers who live close by, came to Council in July to present in opposition to a motion before Council to remove the equipment.
Good Morning Ms Harris,
I received your e-mail and note your comments. I listened carefully to your presentation when you presented to Council in June. I did not hear a reference to a specific injury to your child. It was difficult to understand you due to your lack of composure.
You related an incident and indicated, had you not been there "within two feet" something terrible might have happened.
In your e-mail, detail of the incident refers to a specific injury. However, it seems though you were at hand you did not prevent your child from "falling on her back, injuring the pelvic bone and experiencing difficulty in walking for a time as a result of bruising"
Ms Harris, municipalities provide playground challenging equipment for children to experience and learn. It is the nature of play. Always striving. Always pushing . Climb higher. Go faster. Always trying to master next steps. When playground equipment no longer provides that opportunity it no longer serves its purpose.
Playgrounds are refurbished on a regular basis. Municipalities invest substantially on carefully designed equipment. Safety standards are imposed and observed.
I have known mothers unwilling to allow children to take any risk at all in order to keep them safe.
I note you carried your six year old down the steps in the council chamber and held her in your arms while you encouraged the child to say what you wanted her to say,into the microphone.
I do not suggest a mother can be too protective or a child can receive too much love.
I do however contend parents can have different ideas about how best to raise children.
A municipal council has a duty to make decisions in the best interest of the entire community. To do that responsibly, every perspective must be considered. Nine members are enough to provide what's needed.
I was not a child protected at all times. I was one of five. Older siblings were assigned the role of caring for younger.
Perhaps not surprisingly, I became a parent who does not believe it's possible that children can be protected from every possible risk.
I raised seven.
There were bumps and bruises, three cuts that had to be stitched and once I had to wait twenty-four hours to know if scratches on the surface of his eye would result in blindness for my child. These were the my worst experiences until they became teen-agers. Then the really hair-raising stuff happened.
No amount of parental pleading and tears was enough to assure me of their safety.
No amount of parental pleading and tears was enough to assure me of their safety.
In family gatherings, I still hear of adventures I knew nothing about and still want to be kept from me.
I am mother to five sons and two daughters now engaged in raising their own.
I survived. As will they. Because that's what we all do.
I will not be voting to remove the monkey bars from Confederation Park and replace them with something innocuous that meets your idea that a child's needs can be met without providing an opportunity to learn how high, how far, how fast they can go without coming to harm.
Wednesday, 13 July 2011
A Perspective For The Day
one to post on your blog! Heather
This is the generation I should have been in, Respectful and simple
This is the generation I should have been in, Respectful and simple