BUSY SCRIBBLING

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "UNRECORDED NOTES AND COMMENTS": 

The article I read about it referenced you. 
Posted by Anonymous to  Our Town and Its Business at 28 October 2017 at 21:38

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Brock Weir wrote the article. Brock is a royalist and unlikely to forget detail. I mentioned it because the women councillors were so intent on making sure Paul got credit for the playground.

I never thought of Paul attached to Mormac's regime and I don't attach credit to spending $359,673. for a specialized  playground. 

My grand-daughter argues readers will immediately assume lack of empathy for the disabled. 

She could be right. They may assume. 

I assume my blog readers like details and thoughtful debate. I provide lots AND repeat it for emphasis.  And..of course...agro for some because I tell stuff that would never be known otherwise. 

That's why we see the occasional methane flare.

In my judgement ,the playground is really about culpable  ignorance and shameful exploitation. 

It's not a solitary example. It is multifaceted yet typical .

By 2003, Accessibility Committees had been legislated by the Province. Statutary indicates legal authority. Similarly, a municipal clerk is a Statutary Official. The Clerk is appointed by Bylaw to 

exercise legal function.. He is sworn into office just as a Mayor and Council.

Part of the responsibility,is keeping council informed and acting within provincial lawand interpretation.

 Municipal lawyers hate it when I talk like that. Such is the purview of their profession ...ain't nobody else gettin' in on their act. 

In Aurora, since Morris was Mayor, the clerk's authority has been whittled away. The clerk keeps 

being made subject to the authority of others. Morris started it . Dawe has kept it on the downward 

drift. 

Dawe never knew ,didn't learn and it suits him fine that way. Multiple re-organizations and turn-

overs have effectively neutered the role of clerk.The Province evinces no concern.

Except at the beginning, when the clerk was still doing the job required, successive citizen appointees to the Accessibility Committee have never understood their authority. TheTown's web site describes the Committee as Advisory.

It is not.

Unless the Act has been amended since passage, the committee still has legal authority. 

Same as Committee of Adjustment and Library Board. The first makes decisions.The second operates the library. 

 

On my search for playground cost, I noticed at  tail end of minutes."nothing in the report is authorised until approved by Council"   

 It's true of Advisory Committees. It's not true of the Accessibility Committee. 

The committee is to identify obstacles that impede disabled from living full and productive lives.Also to hold regular sessions to educate public service employees and elected representatives about needs and common errors.  

Committee members must be disabled to bring knowledge and experience of obstacles to the table.

Staff support ,competent in the field , is required for guidance and implementation. 

Problems are widespread and varied. Time is needed to improve the situation.The Committee 

Is charged with identifying priorities and setting an annual budget. Once the budget is authorised by Council ,responsibility for the program rests with the committee. 

It has not been easy passage. Committee membership is inconsistent.There are term limits. That 

Does not lead to knowledge, experience,confidence or competence.The committee is currently requesting permission to hold meetings without attendance in winter conditions.  

The Playground for the disabled illustrates Council's and Committees lack of awareness or denial of separate duty and responsibilities.

It is their role to establish priorities and follow through with the program. 

The playground was never established by the  committee as a priority.

No budget was recommended  by the committee to Council.

The Committee was not in charge of the project..

No work was done to determine need or desire ?

 Numbers of  disabled children living in Aurora?

 Where do they live? 

Where would the best location be for such a facility?

 Were parents consulted ? 

Were altenate sources of funding explored? 

My grand-daughter may be right. Asking questions might be seen as a lack of empathy for the 

disabled. Might even be ruled out of order in a debate.

On the other hand, it may be seen as the ground work for a sound decision based on facts and efficient use of resources. 

I use a mobility device. I know of problems needing attention.  

Tyler Barker. Is Chairman of the Accessibility Committee. He is  a young,determined with strong

opinions.

At the official opening of the playground, he said had there been such a facility he would have been "pestering his parents to take him there" as a child. 

In that sentence,Tyler told everything . Pestering is theoperative verb. 

I have raised children. I don't have to imagine how great the demands for a disabled child.I am veryproud of my grandson Adam but I know how much of his parent's,his family's and his community's resources were needed for Adam to live a near normal existence. They had to make their way and they still are. 

I don't know how useful a specialized playground in a remote location might fit with an already demanding existence.  I have a sense of what they may think of it.

I keep meaning to drive up to see the new facility and go regularly and spend enough time to 

determine how well it's used by the disabled.

I just never seem to get around to it.