$444,610.80 Authorised Spending.

Soon after election in 2003, a call came from a resident on Yonge Street North. The view from her  sitting room window  was rented housing, in sad and neglected state, across the street.

A mattress was half leaning, half lying on the ground  between two houses. A bus stop and traffic lights were in close proximity.

The  view of our town by the carriage trade did  not commend us.

My caller  understood  the mattress  was on private property but it was a long-standing irritant and she  hoped there was a solution.

I called the Works Director and conveyed the problem.

Before the day was out, the mattress was gone.

Aurora collects such items as garbage. The sidewalk in front of the house had limited capacity. A mattress is bulky. Ownership was questionable.It  never found its way out.

At the end of the day, my caller was content.

I was re-assured all was well.

The Works Director and his Foreman are both gone now. After the Director's departure, the Foremen told me in a conversation how a call would come through;  "Drop whatever you're doing " would be the command.

The problem would be relayed and promptly acted upon.

Last Tuesday. I  brought to attention, in a public meeting. a pile of concrete rubble on a town boulevard. It had been there long enough for grass and weeds to mature and obscure  it.

At the meeting, I was asked by the director to specify the location. The project was affirmed to be regional and contracted out. I had spoken about it previously. to no avail.

On Friday,at the end of the work week, the rubble was still there.

Discussion at Tuesday's meeting focused  on awarding a contract for a soft ware program in the amount of $444.610.80

The objective is to track assets

Work orders  are to be processed by computer.

Staff are to be "trained ". New staff are to be hired.

Problems  needing correction were not identified in the report.

No work plan outlined.

No savings or payback time specified.

My question is; how will an abandoned mattress on private property, fit into a program, designed to track assets and work orders.

Obviously it won't.

Does it mean such a problem will continue to be solved to the satisfaction of residents?

Not so obvious.

The Region was referenced on Tuesday as  having satisfactory experience with the software.

Evidence might indicate otherwise.

Thirty-seven dead tree stalks, left in full view on a public right-of-way, surrounded by expensive planting paraphernalia for several years, do not commend the region's asset tracking system.

Assets purchased and planted. Assets failed to survive. Assets not replaced. Assets removed after years. Assets lost.

New concrete pads for bus stops are obvious assets. In more than one location, the task was incomplete. Cost of asset likely paid.Full value not received.

Asset on the corner of Industry Street and Mary Street likely entered into data bank. Was left-behind rubble recorded? Considering the passage of time,not likely.

I claim no private business experience. I consider it almost entirely irrelevant to the role of a municipal council member. In fact, in some situations I have observed , I consider it a drawback.

Service expected by people paying the freight to the municipal corporation; that I know about.

Odd and unexpected problems occur at any hour of any day, in and out of the work week.

What consultant can envisage each and every possible problem a town department might have to deal with in an ordinary day?  What software design to track assets would fit the situation?

The Region  has no such  responsibility. They do not deal directly with a municipal population.

The Town is not the Region

On Tuesday, Councillor  Pirri, supported  his vote to spend $444,610.80 on  soft ware by claiming to have done his homework. He did not reveal the relevant  homework..

Councillor Humphrys commended  staff for excellent work. It was hard to comprehend  comparison.

Both  Councillors and others still have limited municipal experience .

Homework does not teach what people expect or how front-line staff regularly respond to the problems that present. That comes from experience.

Being re-elected twelve times might reflect voter satisfaction with my understanding of public service within our town. It could be regarded as an asset within the  council.

There's little sign the asset is appreciated and  it is certainly unlikely to appear in any software program.

It will not fit neatly into the confines, no matter how many thousands of  hard -earned tax payer dollars are spent on it.

Or how much regional experience argues satisfaction.

It's been several years since I was able to assure Aurora residents tax dollars over-all, are being wisely spent on their behalf.

The day is no closer.



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