Deja vu

We have seen it before. 

It has happened again recently.

A resident took  the microphone, courtesy of council and prattled  about  personal real estate matters in her neighborhood , the vicinity of the newest of twenty-one  celll towers erected within the municipality.

 I heard my name. Then the word disrespectful. I glanced at the Mayor to ensure he was on top of the situation . Later I asked the Councillor nearest the speaker what exactly was said. 

Apparently the comment, addressed to myself was that I should  not  speak if I was going to be disrespectful. 

I said all I had to say about the Bell Cell tower erected in a field on  King Twp. side of Bathurst Street during Council's debate on the issue. 

Later, putting the dots together, I made  the connection. 

During the  controversy involving about fifty homes, Councillors received a flurry of  e-mails.

I didn't do my usual thing of responding to each. Town staff ,other Councillors and the Mayor  were all engaged running around like chickens with heads cut off trying to make the problem disappear.

I did speak to the issue at Council.  I had no interest in spending $150,000 of taxpayers money on a futile  gesture. 

I don't live within the distance that made me eligible for notice of intent to erect a tower .The resident at the microphone was one of the ten who did and  failed to use the  opportunity for input prior to the cell tower erection. . 

After the initial  furious flurry, I received a late e-mail from a resident who posed several questions for me to answer. 

I acknowledged  his communication and  posed several  questions to answer to himself. 

An e-mail campaign generally has a lengthy circulation list. The late  e-mail to me must have been on the list and the  e-mail from me was likely  returned to the entire list. 

I received a response from Councillor Gallo requesting that I remove his name from the list because he did not want to be associated with insults and disrespect to residents. It was promptly followed by one from Councillor Ballard echoing the sentiment. 

Both  reflected the oft-expressed philosophy of Councillor Gaertner that a Councillor's job is to give 

"the people" whatever they  wish. Kind of like a Fairy Godmother. 

It's a philosophy I do not share. 

I e-mailed back  if they knew how to remove themselves from someone else's circulation list they should do so immediately.  I would not be offended.

I sit alongside Councillor Gallo at the Council table. He sits next to Councillor Ballard. Afterwards, no hint was given to the exchange .

I figured  it wasn't on the record for my benefit. But  instead for the people on the circulation list.To make  the right impression. To ensure the residents knew who their real friends were. 

And  that's what prompted the resident  with the cell tower problem to come to Council , take  microphone , courtesy of Council, and blow a  fart in my  general direction. 

Like I said a couple of weeks ago. Councillors are just people the same as everybody else. It's functioning in the fish bowl of politics that makes them behave in  weird and ludicrous fashion.