"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

Friday, 19 April 2013

Guest Post by Councillor Abel

John Abel has left a new comment on your post "Now You See It Now You Don't": I would like to draw attention to what I said on the Heritage Park at Council April 9th. If you refer to Rogers telecast at or around the 1 hour 45 min mark. I clearly state that I am not interested in spending any Town money on this initiative. Certainly not $6 million. It must be sustainable and not cost the Town any money once established. No funding to maintain this project. Yonge Street is prime real estate that should be used for intensification and maximize tax assessment opportunities, or for the development of condos with shops. My thinking is along the lines of the anonymous posts of April 18, 3:18 PM & 8:09 PM True I brought forth a Motion to ask Staff to prepare a report. I did so in my role as Chair of the Heritage Advisory Committee - HAC. the HAC voted and recommended that Council direct staff to prepare a report on the Heritage Park initiative and costs for a Feasibility Study. It was not unanimous, but it did carry. Councillor Humfryes volunteered to prepare a Notice of Motion. For clarity and to move along the recommendation in a timely manner. Councillor Humfryes had to attend to an urgent matter as the time line for Notices to the Council Agenda drew to a close. I stepped forward to meet the deadline. I believe it is a good practice to allow residents who prepare initiatives to proceed through committees to allow full and complete discussion. There is a small cost, that being staff resources to be utilized. Council directs Staff, and that is part of their job description. It is not a large cost, but it is fair. Very similar to the Fluery Playhouse initiative. I am a regular reader of this blog, and I appreciate the opportunity to contribute now and then. Publish Delete Mark as spam Moderate comments for this blog. Posted by John Abel to Our Town and Its Business at April 19, 2013 at 9:44 AM

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

That is the way it sounded to me at the G.C. Nothing has been committed except for Mayor Dawe's statement that ' I believe it is a good idea. " Councillors Thompson, Gallo & Abel all insisted on sustainability. And we know from experience that the Mayor can speak eloquently for an item and then vote against it.

Anonymous said...

What constitutes a quorom when councillors are debating council business on a blog? Should we expect "guest posts" from all of the others?

signed,
Democracy in Action

Anonymous said...

11:56 AM
Dear Democracy in Action
" All the others " are free to offer their viewpoints. Just as you are and just did.

Resident said...

Hi Councilor Able,

Thanks for the post it's good to get your thoughts directly. Please keep it up.