"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 13 October 2013

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.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

The boy does tend to miss-speak on occasion.

Anonymous said...

Dammit, woman ! I was just thanking whoever invented self-basting turkeys & eyeing the good bottle of wine that someone dropped off !

Anonymous said...


Your reservoir must have replenished very quickly and the tide is once again on high.

I was under the impression that councillors, when speaking to the public, are supposed to do so as part of the "council in whole." They are not supposed to speak against council decisions and are certainly not to make promises that council can't or won't keep, ones that involve a capital outlay of potentially several millions of dollars.

Or has the policy changed once again?

Clr. Gallo has just pulled the plug on himself and on his legitimacy.

Anonymous said...

"They are not supposed to speak against council decisions..."

You're a regular reader of this blog, are you, 15:43?

Anonymous said...

Councillor Gallo :
" I was re-elected. "
" Culture is dead in Aurora. "
& those are just the easy balls.

Anonymous said...

Not a pot boiler. Another red herring. Towers, 3 trees, buried wires, light from a play-ground, awkward driveways, dangerous climbing apparatus, unsightly guard railing.............

Anonymous said...

What is this all in aid of ? Sound like the residents have been given information about some closed meeting dealing with Aurora land dealings. That's like discussing staff appraisals and legal proceedings. Has everyone gone nuts ????

Anonymous said...


18:31

Clause 3 of the Town's Code of Ethics states:

COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA RELATIONS

"Members of Council will accurately and adequately communicate the attitudes and decisions of Aurora's Council even if they disagree with a majority decision of Council so that:

There is respect for the decision making processes of Council;"

Possibly the Code of Ethics isn't being enforced.

So sue someone.

Anonymous said...

I would not like to be in Cllr. Gallo's shoes when he explains this to the town solicitor. Even I understand those rules about buying & selling property.

Anonymous said...

Oops Just wanted to wish you a happy thanksgiving. All our leftovers has been put away & there is still a food fight out here. Take care.

Anonymous said...

Why don't they just have a whip=around & see how much money their group is actually prepared to spend on that land for a park. Probably zip. I would dearly love a park near my residence but I realize that it is not possible. Somehow the kids manage to get where they should be even if they have to Walk or use Wheels.