"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

Saturday, 21 March 2015

THE. TANGLED WEB IS WOVEN

Christopher Watts has posted on a hazy situation at the Region. There's a move to bring back photo radar. The Mayor of Newmarket is making a bid for provincial support. 

Initially he stated his intent to bring forward  a motion. Then 
didn't. Aurora's Mayor denied news reports that he did.

The Regional  Clerk affirms there is no motion in the record. 

Despite there being no motion directing them, regional  staff are preparing a report on the  issue for Council 

You may ask;  Why are regional staff preparing a report on an issue without formal direction from Council?

Therein lies the tale of weird and wonderful modern mastery of politics at the Region and increasingly in our local council. 

Despite Procedure Bylaws, Rules of Order and Codes of Conduct , a mere whisper in the ear of a staff member is sufficient and so much more facile than moving a motion that needs a seconder, requires debate and a majority vote to be enacted and at the same time risks drawing  public  attention to the local hero  spearheading the initiative. 

It allows him to see how the idea is received before he claims credit or not. 

Why bother with the messy business of politics when 
responsibility can  be so much more easily assigned to 
staff whose jobs are secure so long as they accommodate.

It's interesting the denial did not come from the Mayor of Newmarket

9 comments:

Christopher Watts said...

I understand that it was discussed at a budget meeting in January and that council referred to staff to prepare a report. That much appears to be open and transparent. What isn't is being able to keep track and follow these issues, along with the voting intent of its members when they deny they are entertaining the idea and investing staff time that suggests otherwise. We're lucky that the press picked up on this when they did as it provides time for residents to engage. There isn't a motion at Regional council, but that doesn't mean there won't be before the end of the month. Noor Javed relayed to me: "The issue is very much on the table, but not in an official way. My discussion with the mayor (Van Bynen) suggested he and council are very serious about seeing the idea through." Doesn't line-up with or regional rep saying that there is "NOTHING" (notice all caps) at the Region about Photo Radar

Anonymous said...

Sounds like CYA to me

Anonymous said...



Who is running our affairs?

The dogs or the ponies?

Anonymous said...

17:08- Donkeys.

Anonymous said...

Much ado about nothing
Provincial support is not going to happen hence talk is cheap.

Anonymous said...

17:41- I wouldn't bet on that. If they can get a nice chunk of those fines...oh yes they will! Besides..These councils are now loaded with Liberals.

Anonymous said...

19:31
Do we know who gets the fines ? Gotta be careful about jumping to conclusions.

Anonymous said...

Surely they have plenty of reports sitting in their file rooms. It is not as if there is anything new to report on photo radar.

Anonymous said...

Maybe our mayor is out of the loop or dozing...