The Omens are Ominous

We are two years.four months and two weeks into the four year term.The Mayor's views,contnue to confound. Never more so than last Tuesday evening. After consultation with someone, he said, as he inclined his head towards the Clerk,Council were informed he did not have to relinquish the gavel to provide "a sunnary". At a previous meeting, he allowed the 2013 budget to slip through without note or comment or"summary" However, when a shameless boon-doggle,real estate bid to relieve the town a a precious asset is before the town ina third attempt at lobbying, the Mayor deems it worthy of a "summation" by the presiding member. The carnival huckster scheme has the Mayor's support. On other occasions, the Mayor has argued in support of a motion only to turn around at the end and do the opposite. Debate on terminating the Culture Centre contract is previous example of duplicity. Debate was ensws. A pause took pace.When the vote shouldhave been called, instead there was an amendment pbviously prompted, from Councillor Humphreys, seconded by Councillor Thompson. The Abel-Pirri motion was effectively castrated. A year of staff time was spent in negotiations for a new agreement. Also promptly neutered. Authority to control funds became meaningless when more funds were provided than the previous agreement would have allowed. A second benefit of the new agreement was scupprred with a vote to defer restoration of partial museum service in the Church Street School until the Cultural Master Plan is complete. It hasn't even begun. A MAJORITY was achieved by Mayor Dawes and Councillor Pirri votig with Councillors Ballard, Gallo and Gaertner. The huckster heritage park carnival scheme to access hydro reserve funds by an un-identified outfit,envisages the museum being located elsewhere than Church Street School. In his "summation" last Tuesday,the Mayor stated in his view the idea would be an excellent use of the hydro reserve fund. The Municipal Act defines the role of Mayor as providing "Leadership and Guidance to Council" It's not as simple as it sounds. A Mayor has power only equal to a Councillor. Each member has a single vite MAJORITY rules. Leadership within this context, requires trust. Guidance without trust is a contradictiion in terms. After two years, four months and two weeks,it may be safe to say there is less trust than before. It does not bode well.