"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

Thursday 9 April 2015

THE BEAT GOES ON AND FLAK CONTINUES

"It can be assumed settlement discussions took place with other parties"

No such thing. Nor the professional courtesy of acknowledging a communication either. 

As long as the insurance company is prepared  to shovel funds in their direction,the barest of civilities were obviously not required. 

While flak continues to fly, a couple of other indices demand scrutiny.

Reversal of the company's initial denial of liability strikes a ding-dong.

What pressure was brought to bear and by whom, to coerce  the change of decision.

They were new to the municipal field. Their first contract with the northern six municipalities of York Region. The premium that won the contract was less than previous experience. 

Municipal Clerk John Leach explained to Council the company was keen to break into the municipal field.

Insurance was the Clerk's responsibility. Mr.Leach is no longer with the town. His position was eliminated for reasons of economy. 

Did the insurance company understand the field? Were they aware of the myriad of rules and regulations that circumscribe authority of municipal elected officials?

Did they believe abuse of authority and public funds to destroy a person's reputation was the corporate responsibility to defend? 

Who fed them that clap-trap? 

Or were they threatened  or bludgeoned into reversing the decision. 
Does documentation exist of the exchange between the parties? 

Who were the parties?

A first VP of the insurance company attended upon Council in the Spring and neatly skirted pertinent questions. 

A second V.P.  attended  closer to the election,clearly achieved the former objective and hit the bullseye.

He told of the company's normal policy  to aim for settlement. Stopped short of telling  why the norm was not effected in this case. Or ,why  advice of first counsel assigned was not accepted he was fired and  counsel of the group's  choice approved.

He disclosed figures of $845,000. as paid out but not the final tally. 

Candidate for Mayor, John Gallo and Councillor Gaertner were of the group receiving the benefit  from the town's insurance and refusing to settle. 

But the focus of Mayor Dawe and Councillor Abel did not lie in that direction. 

Ah Dear Me No !!! 

An added conundrum is why a VP of town insurance company  would appear at a Council meeting to accommodate a political strategy  during an election campaign. 

What sensible business executive does stuff like that?

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I believe he might have been coerced into attendance.
There were a # of statements he made that were flat wrong and our family is in insurance.

Anonymous said...

Do you think your reputation was destroyed? In fact, some may argue that it was reinforced in the wake of MorMac.

Anonymous said...


I have still never figured what happened to Mr Leach. I suspect he wanted to retire and someone cut him a deal to leave early. I am not aware of any details every being disclosed.

It struck me as unusual that his position would be declared surplus (the required Town Clerk) only to be replaced a few month later. If he was terminated or declared redundant he clearly would have a case against the Town, but I have not heard a whisper.

Anonymous said...

Hope to see you at the Home Show Evelyn!It would be nice to see you.

Anonymous said...

14:46
I know a wee bit, so will be careful here. The stuff about his job being surplus was nonsense. He left with reputation intact and an excellent package.

Anonymous said...

So what exactly was said when the Insurance man visited? I'm looking at the local papers, and there nothing there. Maybe I'm not looking
at the correct dates. Is there a link to the Council meeting?

What the Morris term went through to silence and get rid of Evelyn - adopting a Code of Conduct, external Lawyers,the complaint, Intergrity Commissioners. Then the Plastering of full page ads. All those resources, the money, and Evelyn's votes soar!

Dawe's Council gets rid of the Integrity Commissioner, drops the Code of Conduct, and then nothing.

Nothing until an appearance at Council by the Insurance man.

Anonymous said...

Mayor has some explaining to do.Evelyn did not file her papers on time but his ?????