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?