"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

Wednesday 13 May 2009

The Mayor's Dilemma

Mayor Morris is huddling with Chief Administrative Officer and Town Solicitor this morning. (May 13th)Ostensibly to determine what can be done about me and what I do here on this Blog and in my Letters to the Editor. Thousands of tax payer dollars have been spent already on a variety of legal opinions to ferret out a final solution to the dilemma.

Last night a person made use of the public forum to unleash a lengthy diatribe of accusations and allegations against myself. Public forum is an opportunity granted by council,for citizens to bring attention to concerns they might have about public business. Citizens granted the right to address council are bound by the Rules of Order.

When the complainant had finished her attack, the Mayor accommodated her further by receiving a motion to suspend the Procedure Bylaw, to allow the personal vilification of an elected member to be placed in the public record and referred to a private meeting between herself and town staff .

The gist of the complaints were that I had repeatedly insulted. harassed and defamed in my Blog.

Blog is a written record . Scrolling back to December 20th, 2008, and I invite readers to do so, there is no reference whatsoever to the complainant or her activities.

My grand-daughter Hayley Buck was in the audience with classmates ,parents and teachers. They were to receive their winning anti-litter plaqued posters. My sons Frank and Andrew and Hayley's mother Rhonda .were there to see this small member of our family being recognised for excellence.
First, by courtesy of the Mayor and a block of compliant councillors, they were obliged to witness an ignominious display of ignorance and such a gross abuse of power and process, the likes of which I have never seen, directed toward myself , an elected member of the council.

In one media or another, I have for more than fifty years used the written word to convey my opinion to all and sundry. I am a battle-scarred veteran of many political battles. Everything likely to be said about any politician has already been said about me, perhaps more than once. Still. I hold elected office by virtue of the trust of people who know precisely what might be expected from me.

In 2003, after an absence of fourteen years,I was re-elected to council. In 2007 I was again returned. I occupy my seat as a representative of the people. When I am dis-respected, they are disrespected.

Profound ignorance of proper procedure , patronising, insulting, demeaning, condescending and disrespectful conduct from the head of the council are frequently endured silently for no reason other than respect for the people we serve and the symbol of responsibility and authority of elected office which the council chamber represents.

I have made the observation before , the current Mayor of Aurora enjoys neither my respect, trust nor my confidence.

Last night's display in the Council Chamber of Aurora illustrates why more perfectly than anything I could write .

4 comments:

Heather said...

I've moved this from the personal blog to here for you. It shows as ME posting it.

Elizabeth Bishenden said...

Hold fast, Evelyn. Your blog gives your opinion and you're sensible enough to attach your own name. You have nothing to hide and nothing to hide behind.

No one agrees with everything you write. That doesn't mean you shouldn't have a blog or write letters to the editor of the Auroran. It means you SHOULD have a blog and send your letters far and wide.

Hayley and her classmates have received a far greater lesson than the one that congratulates them on a job well done. (Although it was undoubtedly a job very well done!)They've seen someone stand up for freedom of speech. They, like the rest of us, are fortunate. They know they have the opportunity to disagree when they want.

Anonymous said...

The video has been posted on the rogers website

http://www.rogerstv.com/option.asp?lid=16&rid=17&tid=26834

Anonymous said...

Evelyn,
You truly amaze me. Your resilience to the constant persecution thrown your way is inspiring. I am thankful you have the job of councilor; to be the only one well-versed of procedure must be exhausting. Just continue the excellent work, keep the voters informed and hopefully no one will re-elect the Mayor.