Points of Debate

Rules of Order allow each Councillor five minutes to speak to a motion duly moved and seconded, on the table for debate. . 
  
"On being recognised by the chair, a Councillor shall speak without interruption"

It  means nothing to Councillor Gallo. He  frequently interrupts my  comments.

  
It may have something to do with my practice of referring to  experience to make my point in debate.

Comparatively, Councillor Gallo lacks experience .

His contribution  is a series of  hesitant, halting questions, seldom leading to a point.  He is improving.but it's slow going.  Often tedious.

Still, frequent interruptions  on a point of order would undoubtedly slow his progress and lead to ill will.

So, I don't  I want Councillor Gallo  to become a  self-sufficient and competent Councillor.

Report  No.IES 13-008 on  Hunter's Glen reconstruction  is multi- faceted. Five minutes  are notenough.to cover the  points  to be made. 
 
The Mayor has already revealed his passion on the issue. A spurious  point of order may well receive support from the chair. 

Recommended is an  increase in a purchase order  to allow  for  an
increase in fee to cover a  new lighting design.

The report notes  the  original estimate for  reconstruction of Hunter's Glen and Fox Point  was $450,000.00 higher than needed.  It had been  estimated on the assumption full-depth reconstruction was necessary "as in most roads in the town"

 It means ,$450,000 was  included in a previous capital budget, on a guess,  where  no justification existed. 

In the last several years, the town completed, by order of the Province,  on excel spread sheets, an  inventory of assets.It was a long  and arduous task that took five years and a full-time staff person.  But  it was completed.

The  purpose is to  track  assets, such as roads, in order to determine when and how much work is required to maintain the assets. 

In 2011 ,the  completed work  was ready to be transferred from spread sheet to computer software at a cost of $56,000.

Instead  the town spent $440,000 on a WAMS   software  program in 2011,  which is still not up and running, continues to cost additional funds and  does not fulfill the  Provincial edict. 

The IT department was not consulted  by the consultant for compatibility before purchase of the $440,000   W.A.M.S.  .

The asset inventory on excel spread sheets should have  provided precise information  about the base  of Hunter's Glen Road.

Budget estimates would have been precise.

Original cost to replace existing lighting on Hunter's Glen Road  is $33,000.

It's a short road with about  thirty homes.

Main development of the neighbourhood was approved when I was Mayor. It was the town's first estate lot subdivision. Exit and entrance were from Bloomington Road and Bayview Avenue. 

My neighbourhood is seventeen  years older.

Hunter's Glen was developed  later,  likely twenty years later than my neighbourhood

Glass Drive, in my neighbourhood, part of last year's re-construction program,  lighting is  not yet completed. The same level of lighting as before. Three lights have been  added at intersections.
Glass Drive has two schools and a park. It  collects traffic  from five roads; Murray , Patrick , Child  ,Holman  and Seaton Drive.

There are forty two homes on Glass Drive. 

"Current" lighting   was  determined  at the time of  recent design , to be adequate. 

The neighbourhood  is  fifty- four  years old 

Hunter's Glen runs from Yonge Sreet to Steeplechase  Ave.  

Both shoulders on the short stretch of road, are to be paved for bicycle paths  leading from and to,  no bicycle paths.

 The "Improved" lighting system recommended at a cost of more than $300,000 , as opposed to $33,000  will make it safer for cyclists and motorists and according to Councillor Pirri, deer.

The need for improvement  lighting was apparently discovered after the discovery that full depth construction of the road base was not needed.  

Led lights are proposed.

They are said to use less energy. 

Yet the  increased supply of power said to be necessary, is a reason for  increased  design fees.

There's an "estimate" of power savings leading to recovery of investment in led lights in 7/10 years. No documentation is attached to support  either  contention.

"Improvement of the existing illumination of the above noted street requires a full detailed redesign of the existing lighting system by the consultant involving additional site visits, assessment of potential utilities conflicts,co-ordination with local hydro authority,provide loading calculations , and prepare engineering plans and contract specifications."

The increase in fee is calculated  precisely at $14,995;  taking the existing fee from $51,740. to $66,735. 

Hunter's Glen  is an estate lot neighbourhood. Each property has its own  septic tank and  well. There are no water lines or sanitary sewers in the road allowance. Only hydro. No "potential utilities conflicts"

Final point; the consultant fee was included in the 2012 budget. The contract was awarded in August 2012. 

In February 2013, the  work is not completed. Fees were not paid in 2012.
  
The town  increased  taxes  in 2012.  

At least half -a -million dollars of which  were not required  to pay for services received. 

The Mayor likes to call that efficient financial management.  

I see it as anything but.