"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 16 March 2015

A RESPONSE

Michael Suddard's post is a reminder of the launch of three stream garbage collection. 

Miller Contracting  made a bid for the contract . They had been collecting the garbage for years. They operated the garden waste compost yard on Bloomington Road. We took our own stuff there and bought back the fresh finished compost. 

When the contract award was recommended to Council, Miller delegated and argued Turtle Island did not have  experience or  the equipment and manpower. 

Staff have responsibility to analyze the bid and check background for performance. 

Things started off well. Public buy-in was exceptional. The streets were left neat and tidy. 

Then ...collection failed  Meetings were held . New equipment was acquired and extra manpower.  I asked and was assured no change to the contract price. 

Then... Turtle Island was sold with the contract. 

The contract is  currently being re-negotiated . 

Since streaming began the northern six municipalities 
have  negotiated as a single unit. I'm not sure how that might have worked with one using a diferent process. 

I would like to give assurance Council receives best professional advice.Too often it appears more like enabling 
a nitwit political agenda with no place set for the municipal interest. 

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Someone commented that staff appeared to be dragging their heels over the clear bags. Is it possible that they knew all of the information Michael wrote & were reluctant to tell the Mayor ?

Anonymous said...

The citizens of Aurora are stupid. They can't figure out the clear garbage bag stuff. A consultant said it was good and our own Deputy Mayor is willing to provide education on the topic. Anyone should know that a clear bag full of opaque bags is logical.

Further, our citizens are so stupid they could not even figure what was being asked on the election ballot regarding the number of needed councillors. More chose 6 than 8. Wrong answer. Their ignorance and faulty logic was explained by two brand new councillors. A failing grade to our citizens.

Then there is this issue you mention regarding the municipal interest (some might read taxpayers' interest). You see, the mayor explained this to you last term when you spoke about our town. His lecture indicated it was a big business and one has to think in those terms. Can't think small about trying to save a few dollars. Can't balance the books now, but a $27M expenditure for a works garage is logical. The citizens won't figure out we are contracting a lot of the work and reducing services. They will be easy to fool with customer service reps at town hall.

Anonymous said...

It is a holiday & people are away or doing family time. I do not think there is going to be any sort of fuss until they get out into their gardens & visit the market. Maybe not even then - my neighbours probably have no idea what goes on at council. I wish I was unaware too.

Anonymous said...

16:51- Nah...I just don't think they did their homework very well. And if they did...they just didn't present it very well. The program did have some merit. For a group that thinks that they can run this Town like a multi $ business, that sales presentation
was a fail. Cudos to the councilors who voted No.

Anonymous said...

20:16
Two of the new ones voted No

Anonymous said...

The garbage issue is concerning.Why did the Town falsely ticket a downtown merchant for too many bags? This was last term and was similar the acts of the former at the helm.