"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

Saturday 26 May 2012

The Litany Continues

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Don't Aski...Don't TEll":

But are we in different times? I have read all the comments & it clearly is a matter for Council to decide. Unless and until they do so, there is nothing that I can find to prevent a senior staffer from providing the necessary permits. It might require the passing of a by-law. That could be done. There is a real problem with establishing a precedent. A possible legalistic quagmire. But are we really in different times?
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There is a Bylaw governing  use of parks and the authority of the Director. An amendment might be timely.
There is no permit  for  a fence  to be erected.
There is no permit to allow a fee for use of the band shell, to extend to lease of  park space, to whatever number of vendors to generate revenue for the party of the second part.
LCBO requires a fence of a particular height to create an enclosure for a beer garden.The height is one metre.There is no maximum.
Revenue -producing opportunities were repeatedly accorded to  a person  honored by the former  Mayor in a public meeting as an outstanding volunteer. 
We  most certainly are in different times.
In the previous term, six  consistent votes authorized whatever decision might be made  by the head of Council , before or after the fact.
A majority  Council vote  trumps everything except senior government  legislation. . 
Policies were  interpreted to mean whatever was intended to be accomplished. .
A  legal contract with the Town was differently interpreted at  a different time, in the same  circumstance.
For example, a contract with an Integrity Commissioner was cancelled not quite in time to prevent the  first decision from being issued.
A second contract with a second Integrity Commissioner was signed in murky circumstance. 
Legal  agreements  with  Church Street school governing body were written by the Mayor.With neither legal input nor financial advice either apparently  to the benefit of the town.
Residents were sued by their own municipality, during  the course of an election, based on an ambiguous resolution on an issue that was not the town's business;  at a time when  Council was not scheduled to convene, therefore no authority could be sought or given  to pursue litigation. 
The list goes on...and on...and on.
It is certainly tedious for some. 
Unfortunately, the worst decisions cannot be reversed. Harm done  to individuals, can never be undone.
Some decisions that could and should be reversed are proving difficult to turn around. Some election promises have not been  fulfilled.
Reminders are necessary
Lest we forget..
   

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

And speaking of Legal Agreements are you any further in getting to the bottom of the former Hydro Building give away and the mist of grey shrouding the legality of that custom made arrangement of the back of the rate payers , Please do tell