"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

Tuesday 11 March 2014

Highest and Best Use of Time ?

The previous post opened with a compliment to myself.

Thank you.   I needed that.

Mayor Dawe and Councillor Abel have difficulty concealing impatience when I  talk.

Rules of order state  a member recognized  has the floor and shall speak without interruption.

I try to organize my thoughts . I  often start , as I do in a post , from experience to make my point.

The Mayor's habit  now is to interrupt with the question "What does that have to do with
the issue"  without giving me the chance to complete the reference.

He signals with a twirling finger to speed it up.

The  actions display  more about the Mayor .

Respect for the Chair  and the process is ingrained after all the  years   The discipline is hard to shake.

But  there is a negaative effect.  Especially when Councillor Abel echoes the Mayor .

" That's  right' he says " we don't want to hear the story"

Councillor Abel  takes out his day book and puts his time  to better use copying details of upcoming events  to  attend.

He  reports  each week during Public Service Announcements  section of the  Council Agenda.

The minutes frequently reflect a page or more .

I was not a Councillor when that  agenda item was created. I've never understood  the connection to corporation  business   Yet  it takes precedence.

A decision  on $26 million for a public works and parks yard and garage  was made  between 10.30 to 11.00 p.m.

By the way, the $26 million price tag is an estimate.

Specifications  and tender documents need to be prepared and bids called.

Three months  are allowed before closing. Letting a contract a highly legalistic process.

This  contract  is multi- faceted.

Bids are to state a price  without this or  that or the next thing ???

Sub contractors will be involved.

Any contractor  along the line could lose his shirt if he's not careful.

Bids  will undoubtedly be sufficient to ensure against that possibility.

Analysis of the bids  will be complicated.

Estimates,  while in our hands, more than doubled.

Final price of the final product and final timing of completion cannot  yet be secure.

Problems, if they occur, could be front and centre at the time of election.

How smart is that?

Could it have been avoided ?

Would sufficient time for deliberation, with attention of all Council encouraged, at a reasonable time in the evening,  have made a difference?

Could the decision have been unanimous insteaad of half of Council opposed.. Those are not good odds for a decision of this magnitude.

No great assurance to the community the decision was the right one.

We will never know the answer  to the question because it was not allowed to happen.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Been involved in numerous construction projects, large and small. Never known one where the tenders came in less than expected. Not one in which the end costs were not over-budget. Just consider Canada's military procurement as an example. And in some instances there, no product has been delivered at all.

Anonymous said...

Look at this ! A Tuesday afternoon when there is no need for you worry about the weather in the evening.

Anonymous said...

According to the town web-site, the armoury is being designated an historical building . They still call it the old name there. Does that mean it can't be sold or used or what ?

Anonymous said...

It keeps going through my mind - how much equipment could our parks dept. have to warrant the proposed expenditure? I realize it will be with public works but surely the parks dept. only has a number of small trucks, a few trailers and riding mowers along with a lot of small equipment such as mowers and sundry equipment. I am not trying to diminish their responsibilities but surely this could be housed in a fairly small garage and workshop.



Anonymous said...

16:29-Much of this work could be contracted out, so we don't have to worry about spending any of this money. Why does the town refuse to look at this?

Anonymous said...


You mentioned some short time ago that much of our town's land has water a short way below the surface or is sitting on quick-sand.

Was a sub-soil test done on the land on which the Joint-Op Centre is to be located? I also believe you mentioned a cantilevered structure. Why is this necessary?

If any of the above exist one or more will have added very considerably to the cost.

What other pieces of land were available that might not have these built-in extras?

Anonymous said...

@16:20
I think the Armoury has historical significance but had heard recently that some councillor wanted a list of all the properties in Aurora to help determine what could be sold off to cover all the out-going expenses.
Looks like they are going a bit crazy with the labelling.

Anonymous said...

Auroran is up

Anonymous said...

17:12
The town, especially Cllr Thompson, are delighted that the space will be used by contractors parking & servicing their equipment for jobs throughout the Region. No rent required We're to be a ' Hub '.

Anonymous said...

There are 2 potential candidates who have written in the Auroran
Does anyone else see them ?

Anonymous said...

20:15- Nah..I don’t think so.

Anonymous said...

I don't mind a brief announcement of events to come but am unable to fathom why Councillor Abel relates his schedule for past happenings. Like, it's over...

Anonymous said...

The tenders will be back before the election.

Anonymous said...

"...for past happenings. Like, it's over..."

11:39, I do hope you realize how ironically funny that is.

Anonymous said...

How ironic that councillor Abel wishes to hurry you up. Pot and kettle in my opinion because he is a rambler if ever there was one!

Anonymous said...

12:24... Maybe it's the content he has issue with and not the method.