I made reference recently to a "regional attitude"
The Mayor demanded to know what I meant.
I was happy to oblige.
It's the attitude of people who do not have to explain. Do not have to account. Have no direct connection to the people who pay the bills.
Today I have the perfect example. New trees are being planted on Bathurst Street to replace dead trees removed last year.
Recently a statement was made that the Region had spent $20.million on tree planting . 75% of the trees died. It represented $15 million wastage.
Trees on the east side of Bathurst, immediately north of Henderson Drive were probably planted seven years ago. All the paraphernalia surrounded them;, plastic shields.... supports and wires... and mounded soil and mulch.
Not a leaf ever appeared on those suckers. There they stood. Dead as door nails for seven years. Sure enough seventy-five per cent of them had died.
They stayed there in their blighted state for seven years.
Last year, the evidence of failure was finally removed.
Currently the sad relics are being replaced. Saplings, with the bright fresh green leaves of Spring on their branches are being planted.
In the same holes in which the previous trees died.It will obviously save the contractors, time and money. If there is no warranty , as likely inthe last planting, why should they care.
If that happened in the Town of Aurora, more than a few people would be seeking a sensible explanation from Councillors and staff.
I doubt the Region has fielded a single phone call on the issue.
It's what I mean by a Regional attitude.They do not have to account to real people.
A corollary to this story: the Town has adopted recommendations
to provide underpasses at particular locations on Regional roads to form links in the trail system and safety for pedestrians from residential neighborhoods to retail services.
Support from the Region has been turgid. High costs have been cited without reference to design.
Money wasted on failed tree-planting, could have paid to have seven underpasses constructed, even at the price cited without reference to design.
I'm guessing there will be persistent stone-walling against the council adopted strategy. Not just by the Region.
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Friday, 25 May 2012
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4 comments:
There is a clear "regional attitude" and I concur that there is a removal of accountability from constituents.
I witnessed while attending a conference yesterday that intends to lay out a framework for a comprehensive approach to bandwidth and innovation in York Region, or at least the northern 6 municipalities to be under represented by certain municipalities in staff and council.
What was most discouraging was the fact that Regional Chair Bill Fish who was slated to provide Closing Remarks at 4:30 was a no show. He did arrive closer to 5PM and while hob-knobbing with Regional Clr. John Taylor he let slip that the reason he was late was that he was tired.
Not too tired to get paid a huge salary. Not too tired to continuously plunge the Region into debt, but too tired to conceive of running an election campaign for his position, and too tired to bother to address a conference regarding a serious infrastructure deficit.
Yeah there is a regional attitude, there's also a converse attitude from the regional taxpayers.
Especially when you start adding up the waste.
Oh come now Councilor , dont be so critical, after all This is the "Rising Star" where everything is wonderful , pay no attention to that 2 billion dollar deficit and the burden the buearcrats have placed on our children and grand children, never mind those out of control development charges that will all but financial cripple the end users, ignor the duplication in services already provided at the local level, and yes by all means have confidence in the fact that the Region is getting greener and greener with all of these trees being planted in concrete and road salt and left to die, It's all ok, they mean well.
Welcome, Christopher.
It is always good, for us and for you, when you drop in. I think you are getting more comfortable about being with us, that elusive ' we ' thing you used to reject. I read your material regularly but am still computer-ignorant so there is no way to really thank you for your work. Love the inspirations and the wicked satirical sketches. Much of the rest is over my head but the launch of the Facebook IPO has filtered through the haze. Fascinating world you live in.
Good illustration of the folly of the two tier municipal government.
Major decisions on programs and spending happen at the regional level yet the upper-tier government is "insulated" by the fact we voters can only vote at the lower-tier level.
While some municipalities vote directly for a Regional rep or reps, Aurora gets one Regional rep - by default- through our mayor.
Last week's council meeting presented another example: the repaving of Wellington St.
The project is Regional yet Aurora council is left to ponder and debate "streetscaping".
If Aurora kicks in a bit of money AND fills out an application AND the Region approves then we MIGHT get a few extra "goodies" along Wellington.
A classic case of "I'll decide what car we'll buy but I may let you can offer an opinion on colour if you like"
In a perfect world the representation would be reversed and we would vote more for the folks that make more of the major decisions.
Don't worry - it'll never happen.
And besides, who would be left to debate the Farmers Market and JazzFest?
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