The Network Has More Work To do

Broderick Epps has left a new comment on your post "Somebody asked":

Evelyn

You mention the 50K salary of the Regional Councillors.
Don't forget their added pay as Committee members, more if you are the Chair of said committee ie Wayne Emmerson of Transportation or John Taylor Planning and Development.
What is really sad is how few people know who Regional Council is what issues they face and HOW THEY SPEND OUR MONEY!!!

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I didn't forget. I never knew committee members.received extra The Region didn't start out that way.There was no extra pay ro serve on  a board or committee.

In the last term ,the former Mayor had former Councillor MacEachern appointed to the South Lake Simcoe Conservation Authority . The Councillor  was paid  extra.  I understood  that was because she was not a regional councillor.

As for knowing how they spend our money, we embarked on a course in  Aurora  last term which will accomplish the same objective.

On September 10th 2010. Report NO. CFS10-017 was presented to Council nad approved. If reading this, the report is on the Town's web site under Council, Agendas and Minutes.

Sum and substance is that of a Set of 63 policies that required Council authority  all but seventeen were transferred to the  CAO..

The report  was presented as housekeeping. Tidying things up so to speak.

I suggested it would be a good exeroice for  the incoming Council,  taking office on Deember 1st.

 Council would  receive a grounding on what was and what wasn't  withing their authority and why.

It was no go. Without further ado or discussion, council  gave away the store.

I had no illusions. Not for a minute did I believe our former Mayor was giving up power.

Like so many  changes in the last three years ,the model is probably regional.
Councillors  hear about stuff  that  perplex. Can't even ask about because the last council fixed it that way.
I've told the Mayor of my concerns. He  asked for  the report.

  It' s why I have it in my hand  ready to call the Clerk in the morning and  request circulation.

The  report  recommends  staff  undertake a review and update of all corporate policies and procedures;

The CAO be delegated approval authority for administrative policy matters as identified in Attachment #2 of Report CFS10_917 with all other policies remaining subject to Council approval.

Purpose of the report is  have Council authorise staff to undertake a review of Administrative procedures and to transfer accountability and authority for most of them to the CAO to facilitate the review process while maintaining Council's authority on key matters.

And if that sounds like duplication, that's because it is and how it appears in the report. 

 A few "key matters' for council to deal with, are Flag-raising. Media relations, employment of relatives,  council expense policies and really really big stuff  like that.

Once again, the deed was done without a murmur of  protest. With of course  the exception of myself,  Mary, Mary, quite contrary.

At the time, candidates were  already  registered for the upcoming election. in October.Some of them were attending council meetings.

I know current councillors have been  wondering why there seems to be so  little to do

There is concern about stuff they hear  that they had no say in.

Maybe having the report in their hand will help them to understand why.

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I  think  election  rather than appointment of  Regional Chairman might bring a new awareness to  the community  about what the Region is about.  Nothing like an election to stir things up.

I attended the regional inaugural last year, to support  Aurora's  Mayor.

Each regional councillor had an opportunity to speak.

Oh My Gawd...

THEY  appointed  the Chairman that night.

Had  they appointed one of their own, there would have had to be an immediate by-election to fill his or her seat, with the local municipality paying the tab.

I have heard a couple of other regions have voted for direct election of the Chairperson.

It's time for us to talk about that.  Now that we know what social media can accomplish.

Let the network do its job.