Anothe Pot Boiler On The Way

I'm back. I need you to think about something.

Remembe the tumult a few weeks ago when Bell Telephone erected  a tower to better serve cell phones clients  in the neighbourhood.

It was in a field in King Township.

In contrast to wood poles and wires everywhereI  I found the white tripod  outlined against blue sky with white clouds scudding  about. neat  and appealing. If we must have modrn amenities and it seems we do , the simplicity of the tower is a vast impovement over what has beeen.

But some of the  nearest neighbours were furious. they had not een consulted.

 Despite assurance   the  Town had no authority in the matter of  a cell phones tower in a field in a neighboring muncicpality.

Despite that King Township had dome everything required under  Federal law and their own regulations.

The neighbors demanded the town spend whatever it  cost to file  an injunction to stop the erection of the Tower.

It was already up and running.

Then the fact a communication had gone out from the Town's planning department stating  the Town had mo comments was discovered.

We  had no comments.

Then the demand was  for a judicial inquiry to track down the villainous staff person who sent out the communication.

Notwithstanding that  judicial inquiries cost millions and would accomplish nothing useful, the  neighbors continued to insist.

The only thing sillier was the majority of Council  seriously considered the outrageous demand.

We  have a legal department consisting of two solicitors ,three law clerks and one other.

But Council authorized  an outside legal opinion about the logic  doing it.

It cost $9,000 of your hard-earned tax dollars.

The advice  confirmed what had been said already.

Spending massive amounts to challenge Bell's authority to do business would be utterly futile.

I  still find it mind-boggling.

But I have  another  reason  to ask you to think about it.

Supposing  a majority (there were some)  was in favour of an inquiry.

What would have been  the purpose.?

Find out who sent the e-mail stating the Town had no comment.

Then we would all know why Council could not acced to the neighbors demands.

We would have a fall guy.

What would they have done  then to satisfy the mob?

Now fast forward.

Why did staff  insist Council  had to make the decisions about the trees at 33 Longthorpe Crescent?

Do you begin to have a glimmer of undestanding  about how this Council functions ?

Even as we speak  syet another pot is being stirred in the north east of Town by Councillor Gallo.

A school site is being relinquished in a  new subdivision. The Town  has first right of refusal to buy the site. 

No park was required in the subdivision agreement. $2 million was extracted instead. 

Councillor Gallo has notified  the  neighborhood  the site  is available and invited their input. 

They want a park, tennis courts, ic surface or a  swimming pool on the site.

They think  it belongs to the town and  plans are to give it back to the developer.