Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Setting a few things straight":
Evelyn,
A simple question - I hope you publish and answer it.
You continue to talk about the hydro building/QYR deal and how that impacted the new building decision.
Given that, as your previous commenter said, the horse has left the barn. We all know the history.
The question then, what would you propose we, knowing that you can't reverse some decisions (without costs), what do you propose is done?
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 4 September 2014 10:14
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I spent hours and written a number of drafts to answer a question I conclude is not in the least bit simple.
It bores down to the central reason for the blog.
My purpose is to share, to the best of my ability, my experience as Councillor with whoever wishes to travel with me on this journey.
I promised.
The blog makes it possible.
A politician who speaks directly and personally to residents giving reasons for positions and decisions means our system of government is better.
I do not agree that an agreement between two levels of government cannot be set aside. All levels of government serve the same master. For the highest level to exploit the lowest is shameful at best and wholly cynical at worst.
It's not about breaching a contract like the Province did with two hydro generating plants with eventually admitting to a cost of $2.3 billion and now selling off assets like a bankrupt sale to get out of the hole they dug.
The decision to lease the hydro property continues to reverberate through town business.
We are now paying for a property occupying a corner of the town park which is surplus to their needs because we gave them a property that we needed.
At huge and exorbitant cost to ourselves.
Without this blog, you would not know these things. No-one else is connecting the dots.
But that in a nutshell, my friend is my objective.
Politics does not have universal appeal. With good reason. Doing the right thing can be hard.
Going along for the sake of going along is easier. There's safety in numbers.
The easy path has never been an option for me.
Because I know I am sensible and I don't think there's anything special about being sensible
I fully expect other people to be sensible too.
I may often be a solitary voice on Council. But the blog let's me share.
The weight is lighter.
The future is brighter.
You are with me every step of the way.
The horse has may have left the barn on this one, but there is something that we can do come October 27th!!
ReplyDeleteI believe that question was disingenuous, at best, and maybe an attempt to back you into an impossible corner just prior to an election.
ReplyDeleteYou handled it well.
ReplyDeleteThe present council has been a failure when it comes to making significant decisions. Even simple decisions often took up an inordinate amount of time.
Too many matters were referred back to staff, deferred, or become subjects for consultants, the latter usually with costly and impractical results.
One positive thing one can say about the present council in comparison to its predecessor is that civility replaced hostility.
If it were my responsibility to "hire and fire" - something I have done over a period of many years - it would be to replace four of the duly elected council members from the group of candidates running for a seat, together with a fifth to fill the seat that was "selected" by council.
Possibly I am somewhat harsh in my statement. I just don't think we can afford to carry as much dead wood for the next four years as we have for the past eight.
ReplyDeletePlease continue to keep us informed every step of the way. When $27M of taxpayers dollars are involved some things are worth repeating.
I do not feel the proposed expenditure for the works facility is warranted.
Please tell me we are now paying to have a garden on the roof top of what is meant to be a truck and equipment garage.
"Without this blog, you would not know these things. No-one else is connecting the dots."
ReplyDeleteHa! You flatter yourself, Councillor Hubris.
15:10-5 only?
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteFour words that have come into every day existence or are being over used bother me a great deal:
Foodie
Selfie
Vision
Proactive
I hope that candidates for council do not go overboard in their use.
I know what you mean 17:38,
ReplyDeleteFrom the political arena I am really tired of people using:
open & transparent
accountable
integrity
inclusive
authentic
respect
accessible
fiscal responsibility
trustworthy
These are words that should be pre-existing in all of our candidates, our elected representative and our government. And yet so many candidates try to stand head & shoulders above the crowd because these are qualities that they bring forth. Is it because we have lost faith in our representatives that stating you are for open & transparent government that this is some revelation?
Who's running on the opposite platform of "closed & secretive" or "fiscal irresponsibility" or "disrespect" or "exclusive"?
11:01
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting when a " change " is in the platform. Like, when was an election not a change to some degree?