"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

Monday 7 July 2014

What will Poor Robin do then poor thing ?

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Elections Are About Making a Personal Choice.":

What exactly would happen if we didn't fill the seat? Has anyone looked into that scenario? So we break the municipal act! Like that's never happened before! We're a few months away from an election and a handful of meetings away. What's the worse that can happen

Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 6 July 2014 18:49


***********************

I asked that question. The answer was not clear.

The seat needs to be filled. Having an even number at the table  has the potential for tie votes.

The Clerk,explaining the process informs Council in the event of a failure to choose ,the decision will be made by lot.

A name wil be pulled from a hat.

Toronto has the same issue.Adam Vaughan was elected in the Federal Byelection to replace Olivia Chow.  It may be the first time he has ever been seen to smile.

The seat can only be filled by appointment.Only Council can make the appointment. As far  as I'm concerned  the normal process for appointments satisfies  the regulation
.
We make appointments behind closed doors for the protection of privacy of the individual.There's a law about that too.

The  municipality's interest must be protected . The  privacy of an individual must be protected.

But  now the  argument is academic. The decision has been made.

Consequence  is yet to be determined.

If  Council had chosen to exercise judgement and common sense for best intentions, the decision would stand.

Regulations  must be interpreted . Every circumstance cannot be anticipated.

At some point , a sensible  and practical decisions must be made and Council is the responsible body .

Anyway, I've had my say and it's the best I can do.

Maybe  one person will respond to the invitation and all foregoing discussion will be for nought.

Maybe no-one and Council will have to beg a person to accept


Maybe the discussion will be about what makes  a person eligible or what makes a person.

Maybe there will be no quorum.

Or a pirate ship will swoop down and hijack the entire Council.

What could regulations say about that eventuality, I wonder.










































2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I listened carefully as the Clerk explained what " had " to be done & found myself being an age-ist snob if there is such a thing. Because I looked at his young face and wondered where he could have accumulated the wisdom to know what " had " to be done. He might have read a great deal but politics is often the unexpected and he isn't going to find that in his reading material.
Have a good day now after that monsoon that went though.

Anonymous said...

-4 minutes ago, the most out-spoken Candidate stated that no current candidates should apply for Ballard's job.