"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 13 February 2013

Boondoggle Is In The Eye Of The Beholder

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Makes No Sense No Matter How you Look At It":

"How the work is done is not really relevant."

Then stop making it relevant. You are the one that says "cutting into pipes" which has a connotation of digging up the pipe, cutting it open and putting in the liner. If you spent some of your time reading how the process works, you will see that it is not the case.

Regarding the cost, you say "They're still approving the item in the budget despite  the discovery. there is no way of knowing the process does what is claimed."

But there is also no way for you to know that it doesn't do what is claimed. Unless you are a civil engineer and understand what happens to a pipe once it's in the ground, you need to defer the merits to those that are paid to know.

You are not paid to know, you are paid to listen to those that know and act in how you perceive is best. Seems to me that previous councils have listened and have put their faith into the experts. Maybe you should let your shield down for a bit and do the same.

***********************

This is an interesting comment; partly true but mostly not. 
It's a scold  but not hostile. 
It says.. in effect,   be a good girl Evelyn and just do as you are told.

It's the kind of rational  I do not like to hear. 

It's been a while  since I enjoyed the luxury of being totally  dependent on someone else for my  well-being.

So long  I recall little of the time when that was so.

I have been me for a significant  length of time, with sufficient experience  to know that it's not in any person's  interest to accept advice unless it  makes sense. 

In comparison to a civil engineer, I am not paid much that's for sure. But I am paid enough to expect sensible answers from  civil engineers being paid  a whole lot more with my tax dollars to know what they are talking about.

It seems to the writer" previous Councils have listened and have put their faith in the experts"

It seems to me previous Councils haven't paid any attention at all to the experts. Projects   approved   have probably cost Aurora taxpayers ten million dollars.  And  nothing to show for it. 

Not one iota of justification for  funds spent

The answer I  received  to my question is t the region is prepared to go to great lengths at great expense to find a way to measure the effectiveness of the  process.

It's not my job to prove it doesn't work.  But with an acknowledgement like that I don't think I have to. .

I'm  the person elected to ensure public funds are spent wisely and produce benefit in return.

I think the  fiberglass  pipe re-lining project process is  a boondogle and I'm willing to say so without charge.

I may not be paid much but I do have  authority to say what I think and keep people informed.              

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Could this ' new ' critic be the old one, just moved on to another topic after the Centre? It is the same pattern. Try to belittle another person and their views without providing any useful information to the discussion.

Anonymous said...

Pamela Wallin billed more than $350,000 for travel expenses since 2010. She owns a home in Saskatchewan and a condo in T.O. Guess she stays in hotels when at the Senate. Wonder how much of that travel is for trips to conservative fund-raisers.

Anonymous said...

Telling people what you think isn't the same thing as 'informing' them. I wish more of your commenters made that distinction.

Anonymous said...

Where does the comparison to a civil engineer in the original comment mention salary and equating that back to knowledge.

Just because an engineer makes more than a part-time councillor does not mean the engineer know more? Isn't it the education and experience of the same civil engineer that shows he/she knows more about the subject matter in question?

How do measure other things that tax dollars pay for? I think there are lots of examples where the value is not evident but we do it anyways because we are told that it is the thing to do.

Anonymous said...

We were away last night & are just getting to the Council tape. About half done. What is Councillor Gallo whining about? Has he completely lost it? It sounds like he didn't see an e-mail & wants Mr. Downey's head on a platter. Surely that garbage is in the past?

Anonymous said...

No, 1:42 PM, I think this boondoggle is bigger. Ms Wallin owns a ' plot ' of land in Sask. and there is a family home there. She is a Toronto resident and owns a place in Ottawa. This may come down to where your car is registered.

Anonymous said...

According the PM Harper, Saskatchewan is somewhere in Toronto.

Anonymous said...

Hey. I was in the Maritimes for 2 university years and worked summers in Alta. Does that qualify me for the Senate? For which province since my ' family home ' was in Ontario?

Anonymous said...

You are right. There were Europeans at the Aurora Horse show. My sister's German husband came to set the jumps. It was a good gig. Several of the jumpers were from Great Britain & Germany.

Quiet please said...

I have to admit I am not a supporter of Clr.Gallo but he did have a valid point and the Mayor needs to stop cutting people off.As Brock Weir mentioned in his editorial,I would also like to hear all councilors equally including Clt.Buck.

Anonymous said...

Globe Feb 14
" Mississauga Mayor was courted by Liberal rivals in Ontario race "
Dakshana Bascaramurty

Anonymous said...

9:40 AM
Are you saying that Councillor Gallo wasn't given sufficient opportunity to speak? He droned on & on well after the subject had been thoroughly thrashed out. IMO

Anonymous said...

I prefer Gallo's run-on speeches to Councillor Sandra's gushing & gushing & gushing.