"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Wednesday 3 October 2012

Wherefore Ombudsman?

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Things You Hear":


Quoting from the Toronto Star - "Ombudsman slams Sudbury council for lack of cooperation in investigation"

Our office will not tolerate municipal officials engaging in legal gamesmanship or political gymnastics in order to evade accounting for their actions when we investigate complaints that they met secretly and illegally to conduct city business."

Does Aurora have an ombudsman? SHOULD WE?

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The auditor's report was received in  an open meeting. 
Errors were disclosed. 
Council is obligated by regulation to protect the privacy of an individual. 
Responsibility for  errors may implicate  an indvidual
For that reason, the closed door meeting is legitimate.
A further report is forthcoming.
Provincial  law provides for  the right to  request  an investigation if  an individual  believes something illegal has happened. 
The town retains  a firm of investigators  should  such a request be received.
Nothing I have written should be taken to mean, Council has done anything illegal.
We are dealing with an unusual situation .
We need to use all the facility provided to do it fairly. . 
.
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That's a harsh statement for  the Ontario Ombudsman to make about the City of Sudbury. Unless he is prepared to back it up with evidence  that  "municipal officials are engaging in legal gamemanship and political gymnastics in order to evade accounting for their actions" 
There are two classes of municipal officials.; elected  and administrative.
Politicians can defend themselves against intemperate language,  whatever its source. .
Public servants can not. 
Whence  accountability of  The  Ontario Ombudsman ?
Who elected him ?
Or is he there by Divine Intercession?  

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is that the sound of you opening a very big can of worms I can hear?

Anonymous said...


The 2011 Audit Plan and Financial Statement for Aurora was approved Monday and was to be published on the on the Town's website.

Why is it not there yet?

What is the unusual situation you refer to? "We need to use all the facility provided to do it fairly."

Is it not the responsibility of Council to defend staff against intemperate language?

Anonymous said...

Maybe Ontario could have a phone-in Ombudsman? If something troubles you, you could ask for advice. I would like to have had an opinion on those secret meetings Mayor Dawe undertook, and might still be attending. I could have asked about it and received an opinion instead of having it still bother me.

Anonymous said...

3:04 PM I am less concerned about defending staff from Council than I am about possibly scape-goating of a staff member by other more senior staffers.

Anonymous said...

"...possibly scape-goating of a staff member by other more senior staffers."

...or by someone sitting at the council table.