Brock Weir excels in using accurate quotes. Choice of quotes is his decision.
I take cues from the Auroran. It's the source of news for most. I fill in details from personal experience. Chris Watts posts are extremely informative. . Anna Lozyk Romeo attends meetings and posts regularly on her Blog.
I think Brock is biased but no more so than any other reporter. He's not writing Hansard. He has to start, flesh out ,finish every story and fit it into available space. It's the nature of his job.
It also represents an occupational hazard for politicians.
The former CAO has been credited with maintaining order at meetings.
It's not his job and that's not what happens.,
Staff reports bear two signatures. The relevant Director and CAO's
Had he still been on board, the CAO signature would have been the second on the radio station feasability report.
Unless he decided Council's authority should be disregarded. It wasn't likely. It clearly was the Mayor's
Heart's Desire. resolutions by a Presinf Member is not the norm.
During the last term and the previous, the elected body was frequently disrespected. Resolutions passed were never heard of again. The process was selective and the Mayor was complicit.,
If a Council can't depend on the Mayor to support their collective authority.,they are compelled to exercise it themselves.
That never happened.
The right to govern ourselves, well or badly, as far as I could tell, was a foreign concept to this Mayor and the former and various staff members.
The Chief Administrative Officer is not a traditional role and is loosely defined in the Municipal Act.
The Municipal Clerk carries the weight of statutory responsibilities. His signature accompanies the Mayor's on all legal agreements and municipal bylaws. It is his/her job to ensure Council direction, determined by resolution,is precisely followed.
He is under pain of prosecution if things are not done according to his legal responsibility.
Public Records rest entirely with the Clerk.
A duly certified municipal clerk and deputy-clerk are required to be appointed by law. No such stricture applies to either CAO or Town Solicitor position.
I think the office of CAO conflicts with legal responsibilities of the Municipal Clerk.
In the last ire-organization, recommended by the CAO, the position of Director of Legislative Services was terminated to "save money" . The Municipal Clerk now serves under the jurisdiction not only of CAO but alsoTown Solicitor, who is also not required by law.
Bad stuff happens and has happened in Aurora because of lack of clarity and confusion generated re authority of the role of CAO and Municipal Clerk.
The former CAO exercised authority surrendered to him by current and former Mayors , each for a different reason but both for political ends.,
In my judgement, the community is not well served by the circumstance.
Successive Councils have failed to recognize or exercise their authority. The Mayor is but one of nine.
A Council member disrespected means all members and the community at large are disrespected.
The institution fails.
Nothing good can come of it.
And nothing has.
ReplyDeleteWould Donald Trump make a better mayor than Geoff Dawe?
Would Donald Trump survive in any elected position that he might capture?
Is Geoff Dawe surviving as mayor of Aurora, now well into his fifth year? Has he learned anything? Not much.
Donald Trump would certainly take our minds off the apple while the orchard was raped.
Unfortunately we in Aurora have to watch the rape of our hard earned dollars.
I agree 20:55 but there is one equation not spoken of.
DeleteThe old boys club(see Mayors buddies)
Have a ring leader(see man behind the curtain).
He is running the show and digging for every last dollar.
Only the elite members will benefit.
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ReplyDelete20:55- We don't have to watch any such thing. There was a post earlier that said we need to be actively engaged with are elected officials if we want change. I certainly remember when residents packed council with that bell tower, the clear garbage bag program, the tree cutting drama, and all those that showed up for that culture center. It worked for them. It's amazing to me the amount of money we hand over to our elected officials and then just ignore how they spend it.
ReplyDeleteThe Mayor does forget he has just the one vote - it is always amusing when he hits a seed-bumo and a group take sits own directions. A leader as long as there are followers. But the assistance at crucial moments by the departing one are now just awkward gaps.
ReplyDeleteNone of the new- when they were new and the current new ones- have attended that course held weekends for new councillors. as far as I know. It involves some travel to whatever town is holding the classes and some time from other activities. But it does teach the basics. Even the mayor was going around with little booklet on how to be a mayor
ReplyDeleteNow if someone could just help get this heat wave to move on ?
Very well said Ev - I don't always agree with you, but you have been on target these past few weeks!
ReplyDeleteMore on Mr Watts Blog
ReplyDeleteThe Auroran is coming up
ReplyDelete7:10- Ahh.. the old boys club. It's a pretty tight group. It extends beyond this Town borders. Many forget...but we are part of a Region.
ReplyDeleteI am confused.
ReplyDeleteThe Mayor states that he believes that the radio station should not cost the town any money.
But - somehow it is receiving a rent-free room in the Leisure Centre for a year or so and $10,000 to start the furnishing.
Does he think that does not entail value ? A lot of businesses would take that with a huge thank-you.
@ 7:10
ReplyDeleteMay I disagree about a moving hand. There are simply too many goofs, for lack of a better word that Evelyn might have to cut.
ReplyDeleteI am getting a headache because there are certain words/phrases in apparent common usage that are meaningless to me.
HELP
Millennial Generation Y Hashtag
Well, someone directed staff to prepare that report. They do not go out and spend time and money of their own initiative.
ReplyDeleteClearly the mayor doesn't think it was himself. Maybe it was the pixies.