"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

Sunday 15 April 2018

TIME FOR RECKONING

At this time in the last election year, Council made the calamitous decision to proceed with the joint facility. The vacancy left by Councillor Ballard's election to the provincial assembly had to be filled to get sufficient support.

Council had  authority to appoint an individual. They didn't. A competition was created and a number of people entered in good faith. A written statement was required and a speech in a public 
meeting . Neither undertaking  is stress free. 

It's true no-one was required to compete. But that  they were sufficiently interested was to their credit.
Unfortunately it seemed obvious to me the decision  had already been made by the Mayor, his henchmen and woman. It was no coincidence the person chosen, cast the deciding vote for the project. 

I often argued against staff recommendations. I was without confidence in their competence . Considering what I knew of their hiring, their backgrounds.or previous advice ; not the purchase of an unsuitable  site from Mr. Leibovitz...nor the  20 year lease of the Hydro property to the QYR...nor sale of the town works and parks sites without a competition...none of it convinced me the town's interest was served . Cost to taxpayers was in the millions. None of it  sensible. 

In my years of service, I learned to make arguments with the force of logic. If the community responded, I was successful. Often, I was not. But my position was always clear. People expected it of me and they deserved it. 

Water  and sewer rates were another example of betrayal. I choose that word deliberately. Meters were installed to create the illusion people paid only for  water used. Staff refused  to justify the increases. The Mayor parroted what he had heard  at the Region. "Water  is the best bargain we have" 

I believe we are paying for treatment systems at Lake Simcoe  and servicing to allow northern York Region to be developed in ever increasing density. 

33% increase in water rates is a tax increase like any other. It's just located in a different column to deliberately obscure the fact. 

Do we read about it in the local newspapers? Do they have any obligation in the matter? The answer
 to both questions is negative. 

The previous two posts are comments. I'm pleased to see them. They indicate interest in how the community  is  not served by our current council . 

I hope it grows and continues. 

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I hope that there will be a choice of good candidates. We had a choice to pick 8 Councillors in the last election, I chose 2 (Evelyn Buck, and Tom Mrakas). I wouldn't have chosen Dawe for the Mayors position, but felt I really didn't have a choice with Gallo running against him. There was no way in hell I wanted to see him at the council table at all. This election we have a choice of 6 and a Mayor. If councillor Mrakas chooses to run for Mayor, he has my vote. I will not be voting for any other that is sitting on council right now.

Anonymous said...

The Hydro Reserve is going to be dipped into.
Changes to the Bylaw to need not require unanimous support is coming.
Grandiose plans of Tom are behind this IMO.

Anonymous said...

Word on the street is that Chris Watts is going to run as a candidate for the "Silly Party". He may have a hard time against those currently in the "Slightly Silly Party".

Anonymous said...

By god Ev your still firing on all 8 cylinders, you are an amazing lady with an amazing past ,Keep it up we love ya !