Did you see that antelope charge the cyclist who was invading his territory?
I often yearn for the freedom to express myself in Chris Watts style. When I've reached the point of beating my head bloody against a brick wall.... or swimming in pitch...or trapped in a room filled to the ceiling with cotten batting.
Last year we spent $347,000 on a program at Church Street School which could have been provided by the leisure services department with little change in the town's budget. The department has all manner of arts and culture programs under their umbrella which are not a burden to the taxpayers..
The museum would have been up and running with a curator in charge and volunteers doing what volunteers happily do.
There would be no conflict between the town and a board which didn't exist until a year and a half ago.
There would be no centre staff , which also did not exist , feverishly marshalling forces to protect their existence.
No consultant probably being paid $20.Ks to examine compliance with an agreement when compliance was not the question..
No town CAO attending ,cap in hand, to discuss with centre staff the possibility of having council representation on a board of johnny-come-lately status.
No authorisation from council to spend another $20 KS on another consultant for an undetermined purpose.
For distraction, I like to read about the Rob Ford's battle against the forces of entrenchment to bring city spending under control.
Or Hazel McCallion's stick-handling to justify a situation she created that cost Mississuaga 6.5million dollars for an inquiry.
Hazel held a press conference and said it's all the fault of the media and she would not advise any young person to become involved in politics today.
No politician in Canada's history has enjoyed more consistent approbation from the media than Hazel.
We will see how long it takes for turn around and payback from the media.
In the meantime...back at the ranch.
Wednesday, 12 October 2011
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
Sudbury
Last week's drive to and from Sudbury was spectacular. For several reasons. The sky was azure . The temperature simply divine. The air was balmy. Fall colours were breathtaking.
But that wasn't all. Sudbury exists because of the mining industry. It is literally carved out of rock . Rock of every hue. Houses sit on ledges of rock.Ravines are everywhere.Wet lands abound.
The highway is a joy to behold. Clean and curving ,to be seen for miles,with rock formations on every side and a procession of little anuktuks atop, bidding welcome to all who pass.
Golf courses are being created.
Every modern amenity is available to citizens of Sudbury. Two universities, three community colleges, Science Centre north and a state of the art hospital just completed.
One hundred and fifty seven thousand people lived in Greater Sudbury at the time of the last census. Aurora and Newmarket have a hundred and twenty five thousand people. Driving to Green Party candidate Pat Robertson's, house on Thursday evening it seemed like the entire population and more, were out and about.
After the election returns were in, there was a discussion, of course, about the state of politics. I met a small woman of eighty-nine years. She had canvassed every dayof the campaign.. She asked if I watched Global and what did I think of Anne Mozkowski, anchor woman. We agreed she does an excellent job.
Driving home on Friday, seeing what had been wrought, which had to have been wrought over years by numbers of governments of various stripes, when the mining industry went flat and the Region of Sudbury was created in the early seventies, one is bound to conclude; My God, some things are done spectacularly well in our Province.
And some things are not.
The incumbent Liberal for Sudbury was losing for a bit to the New Democrat. The vote ended with five hundred votes separating the two.Considering Conservatives have been the government probably the longest, what we see in Sudbury is what government has wrought.
Whether in the long run it will prove to have been sound investment, remains to be seen. For now it is certainly impressive.
But that wasn't all. Sudbury exists because of the mining industry. It is literally carved out of rock . Rock of every hue. Houses sit on ledges of rock.Ravines are everywhere.Wet lands abound.
The highway is a joy to behold. Clean and curving ,to be seen for miles,with rock formations on every side and a procession of little anuktuks atop, bidding welcome to all who pass.
Golf courses are being created.
Every modern amenity is available to citizens of Sudbury. Two universities, three community colleges, Science Centre north and a state of the art hospital just completed.
One hundred and fifty seven thousand people lived in Greater Sudbury at the time of the last census. Aurora and Newmarket have a hundred and twenty five thousand people. Driving to Green Party candidate Pat Robertson's, house on Thursday evening it seemed like the entire population and more, were out and about.
After the election returns were in, there was a discussion, of course, about the state of politics. I met a small woman of eighty-nine years. She had canvassed every dayof the campaign.. She asked if I watched Global and what did I think of Anne Mozkowski, anchor woman. We agreed she does an excellent job.
Driving home on Friday, seeing what had been wrought, which had to have been wrought over years by numbers of governments of various stripes, when the mining industry went flat and the Region of Sudbury was created in the early seventies, one is bound to conclude; My God, some things are done spectacularly well in our Province.
And some things are not.
The incumbent Liberal for Sudbury was losing for a bit to the New Democrat. The vote ended with five hundred votes separating the two.Considering Conservatives have been the government probably the longest, what we see in Sudbury is what government has wrought.
Whether in the long run it will prove to have been sound investment, remains to be seen. For now it is certainly impressive.
Monday, 10 October 2011
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "It Aint That Simple":
The comment you have chosen to print is but a short addendum to a longer previous one that you elected not to share.
A Board of Directors votes on issues and the majority holds sway. No different from any form of democratic government. But a Board of Directors is usually far more knowledgeable about the matters on which they vote.
You have a wonderful sense of what politics should be in a democracy. But the fact is that potential voters have become more and more disengaged from and disgusted with the entire process. In last week's Ontario election 49.2% of eligible voters cast ballots, the lowest percentage ever. The Liberals had 37.62% of votes cast, the Conservatives 35.43%, the NDP 22.73% and the Green Party 2.94%. I will let you do the math to determine what percentage of votes cast represents the will of the people. Less than 20% of eligibles voted in the barely minority government.
It was also very interesting to see that the blowhard Toronto mayor, who was supposed to gather in all sorts of Conservative votes in his city, produced not a single seat. It should be obvious that a big man with an even bigger voice making outrageous statements is not going to be a positive influence for very long. And so it came to pass.
The Department Director who in my opinion is doing a good job is Leisure Services. . The report card recently issued by Christopher Watts dealt quite accurately with members of Council and the mayor.
One cannot expect high performance when four out of nine are well below failing grade.
Politics and politicians have become things and creatures generally less than admired. Some seek office in order to give something back of themselves to their community. Many others are attracted by a message their egos rattles around in their heads. They like the concept of power. I am sick and tired of seeing a news story start: "So and so has come to power." The only acceptable word is "responsibility." "Power" should be treated as a weasel word.
You talk about good working relationships and trust, about bringing out the best in people. What if there isn't very much of this "best" to start with? If you follow American politics could you please show me where there is any good working relationship and trust. Politicians and their parties to the south of us act like two of packs of rabid dogs. What was a once great country is losing its political, financial and moral way.
And even though we aren't nearly as bad as them we are also in a decline
***************************
My commenter will note a slight edit of his post. Protocol demands it. I generally don't publish a comment unless I can publish the whole but I sense this writer's need to explode about the recent election and I do not disagree with the opinion.
The election was indeed a lack lustre affair. A bit like my views on war. Nobody wins. The losers makes the most mistakes and run out of machines and manpower and finally lose the public's support.
No war is glorious or triumphant. Nor was the result of last week's election.
Politics have been on the decline for a long time. For many reasons.
Rob Ford is the Mayor of Toronto because he told people what he really believed. Toronto voters had had their fill of effete bafflegab. They picked Ford because he was the one who was real.
It's the reason municipal politics is most satisfying. People can have influence even after an election. As long as they are kept informed of what is happening.
The new media is the means of renewal. It's an exciting prospect which can only grow and improve and have an increasing influence.
Stephanie did not win nearly enough votes in the Riiding of Nickel Belt to make the effort worthwhile. But she did enjoy the experience, gave a good account of herself and learned what she could never have learned otherwise.
We were guests on election night in the home of Pat Robertson, the Green candidate for the Riding of Sudbury, who had initially resolved to be an independent candidate from outrage over current social conditions.
It's a driven and passionate person who chooses that route The Green Party attracts candidates of passionate conviction. It does not reflect in votes..
What the passionate people need is to infiltrate the traditional parties and make them be what they claim to be. It would not be easy. It would take however long it would take. However long that might be, it would be shorter than displacing them in the political spectrum.
The comment you have chosen to print is but a short addendum to a longer previous one that you elected not to share.
A Board of Directors votes on issues and the majority holds sway. No different from any form of democratic government. But a Board of Directors is usually far more knowledgeable about the matters on which they vote.
You have a wonderful sense of what politics should be in a democracy. But the fact is that potential voters have become more and more disengaged from and disgusted with the entire process. In last week's Ontario election 49.2% of eligible voters cast ballots, the lowest percentage ever. The Liberals had 37.62% of votes cast, the Conservatives 35.43%, the NDP 22.73% and the Green Party 2.94%. I will let you do the math to determine what percentage of votes cast represents the will of the people. Less than 20% of eligibles voted in the barely minority government.
It was also very interesting to see that the blowhard Toronto mayor, who was supposed to gather in all sorts of Conservative votes in his city, produced not a single seat. It should be obvious that a big man with an even bigger voice making outrageous statements is not going to be a positive influence for very long. And so it came to pass.
The Department Director who in my opinion is doing a good job is Leisure Services. . The report card recently issued by Christopher Watts dealt quite accurately with members of Council and the mayor.
One cannot expect high performance when four out of nine are well below failing grade.
Politics and politicians have become things and creatures generally less than admired. Some seek office in order to give something back of themselves to their community. Many others are attracted by a message their egos rattles around in their heads. They like the concept of power. I am sick and tired of seeing a news story start: "So and so has come to power." The only acceptable word is "responsibility." "Power" should be treated as a weasel word.
You talk about good working relationships and trust, about bringing out the best in people. What if there isn't very much of this "best" to start with? If you follow American politics could you please show me where there is any good working relationship and trust. Politicians and their parties to the south of us act like two of packs of rabid dogs. What was a once great country is losing its political, financial and moral way.
And even though we aren't nearly as bad as them we are also in a decline
***************************
My commenter will note a slight edit of his post. Protocol demands it. I generally don't publish a comment unless I can publish the whole but I sense this writer's need to explode about the recent election and I do not disagree with the opinion.
The election was indeed a lack lustre affair. A bit like my views on war. Nobody wins. The losers makes the most mistakes and run out of machines and manpower and finally lose the public's support.
No war is glorious or triumphant. Nor was the result of last week's election.
Politics have been on the decline for a long time. For many reasons.
Rob Ford is the Mayor of Toronto because he told people what he really believed. Toronto voters had had their fill of effete bafflegab. They picked Ford because he was the one who was real.
It's the reason municipal politics is most satisfying. People can have influence even after an election. As long as they are kept informed of what is happening.
The new media is the means of renewal. It's an exciting prospect which can only grow and improve and have an increasing influence.
Stephanie did not win nearly enough votes in the Riiding of Nickel Belt to make the effort worthwhile. But she did enjoy the experience, gave a good account of herself and learned what she could never have learned otherwise.
We were guests on election night in the home of Pat Robertson, the Green candidate for the Riding of Sudbury, who had initially resolved to be an independent candidate from outrage over current social conditions.
It's a driven and passionate person who chooses that route The Green Party attracts candidates of passionate conviction. It does not reflect in votes..
What the passionate people need is to infiltrate the traditional parties and make them be what they claim to be. It would not be easy. It would take however long it would take. However long that might be, it would be shorter than displacing them in the political spectrum.
Sunday, 9 October 2011
It Aint That Simple
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "First Comment To The Last Post":
To those unfamiliar with the terminology, the Board of Directors is responsible for policy and long-range planning.
The Chief Executive Officer runs the business with all positions junior reporting to him.
Really quite simple.
********************************
No. It's not simple at all. It's not like any other business either.
The elected body is the senior authority. Each member of council is elected to speak for the community and state his or her position on every question that comes before council.
Decisions are made by majority vote. The minority is not squelched by the majority.Just because the majority decides, doesn't mean the minority must fall into step. A pox on that notion. They must only abide by the majority decision and may not keep harping on about it within a council meeting. Once the decision is made, it's on to the next item of business.
Unless a member who voted with the majority discovers information after the decision which made him change his mind. If it is within six months of the decision,he can ask for procedure to be waived to re-consider the decision. Any member can bring the matter up for re-consideration six months after the original decision. Unless of course the decision was to transfer title to a property or something else irreversible.
The Mayor is the CEO. I'm not sure why that title has been introduced or when. I'm not exactly sure what it means. The Mayor has no authority over councillors. Each Councillor carrries the authority to speak for the people. It can be assumed there are plenty of different opinions in the community to allow for a number in council.
The Mayor's opinion has no more authority than any other. The majority rules.
The Mayor's role is to provide guidance and leadership. The Municipal Act says so.
But to do so,the Mayor must enjoy the respect of council. It is a distinct advantage to have experience and good sense. Not having experience doesn't mean he can't provide guidance. He has the advantage of being full-time, an office in the town hall and the opportunity to suss out pertinent information to pass on to council before a decision is made.
Above all else, a Mayor must build a relationship of trust between himself and council and do everything possible to foster a good working relationship between councillors. Neither task is easy.
It takes time and consistent good will to build. Leadership in a democratic institution is not about ruling, cracking the whip or banging the gavel. It's about bringing out the best in people.
I think the CEO bit may be about ensuring decisions made by council are followed by the administration promptly and precisely.Ensuring the administration never forgets council is in charge.That council, good,bad or indifferent, occupy their chairs by the will of the electorate. Disrespect should never be tolerated.A staff person who has not understood or acquired the discipline,is not in the right job.
Neither is a Mayor who does not understand the significance.
A working relationship must be maintained between the Mayor and the administration .At the same time as an understanding between them of the separate roles of council and administration.
An indication the Mayor has aligned himself with the administration, against the role of council. is not conducive to good leadership . It negates the opportunity to provide guidance. There will be no trust
I have to go and cook..
To those unfamiliar with the terminology, the Board of Directors is responsible for policy and long-range planning.
The Chief Executive Officer runs the business with all positions junior reporting to him.
Really quite simple.
********************************
No. It's not simple at all. It's not like any other business either.
The elected body is the senior authority. Each member of council is elected to speak for the community and state his or her position on every question that comes before council.
Decisions are made by majority vote. The minority is not squelched by the majority.Just because the majority decides, doesn't mean the minority must fall into step. A pox on that notion. They must only abide by the majority decision and may not keep harping on about it within a council meeting. Once the decision is made, it's on to the next item of business.
Unless a member who voted with the majority discovers information after the decision which made him change his mind. If it is within six months of the decision,he can ask for procedure to be waived to re-consider the decision. Any member can bring the matter up for re-consideration six months after the original decision. Unless of course the decision was to transfer title to a property or something else irreversible.
The Mayor is the CEO. I'm not sure why that title has been introduced or when. I'm not exactly sure what it means. The Mayor has no authority over councillors. Each Councillor carrries the authority to speak for the people. It can be assumed there are plenty of different opinions in the community to allow for a number in council.
The Mayor's opinion has no more authority than any other. The majority rules.
The Mayor's role is to provide guidance and leadership. The Municipal Act says so.
But to do so,the Mayor must enjoy the respect of council. It is a distinct advantage to have experience and good sense. Not having experience doesn't mean he can't provide guidance. He has the advantage of being full-time, an office in the town hall and the opportunity to suss out pertinent information to pass on to council before a decision is made.
Above all else, a Mayor must build a relationship of trust between himself and council and do everything possible to foster a good working relationship between councillors. Neither task is easy.
It takes time and consistent good will to build. Leadership in a democratic institution is not about ruling, cracking the whip or banging the gavel. It's about bringing out the best in people.
I think the CEO bit may be about ensuring decisions made by council are followed by the administration promptly and precisely.Ensuring the administration never forgets council is in charge.That council, good,bad or indifferent, occupy their chairs by the will of the electorate. Disrespect should never be tolerated.A staff person who has not understood or acquired the discipline,is not in the right job.
Neither is a Mayor who does not understand the significance.
A working relationship must be maintained between the Mayor and the administration .At the same time as an understanding between them of the separate roles of council and administration.
An indication the Mayor has aligned himself with the administration, against the role of council. is not conducive to good leadership . It negates the opportunity to provide guidance. There will be no trust
I have to go and cook..
Saturday, 8 October 2011
First Comment To The Last Post
Councillors are entitled to receive information they request. Everything at the town hall is public business except employees are entitled to the same privacy as all others.
The last Council was a complete aberration from the norm. By the end nothing was functioning as it should
Normally. the political and administrative are separate authorities. Professional staff provide expertise. The elected body makes decisions that provide direction for staff to follow. Not the other way about.When an elected official is intent on exercising all authority, that's not hard to set up with a majority block of votes and compliant staff.
The current Mayor only knows how it was left. I daresay it looks like something he can handle. He has yet to discover how wrong that is.
Church Street School is a town facility like any other. The building has always been shared, The museum was managed by a curator .Members of the Historical Society gave countless hours of their time. Like Theatre Aurora, having their own space meant everything to them.
General care and management of the facility was under the Leisure Services Department.It worked well until a noisy member of the Historical Society decided since they were raising funds for the renovation, they should be in full charge of the building. The Director of Leisure Services should butt out.
That's where the cookie started to crumble. They got what they wanted. Then the haughty one disappeared from sight and sound. No-one of equal independence and determination took her place. It can and does happen in a volunteer organisation. Sort of like Wind in the Willows.Not a good path for an elected body to follow.
What had been a good working relationship for twenty-five years, broke like Humpty-Dumpty into a million pieces and all the Queen's Horses and All the Queen's men have had no inclination to put Humpty together again.
The Director was further marginalised in the consultant led staff re-organisation. His responsibilities were reduced by half and transferred to another without expertise. And if anyone thinks that was the consultant's idea ,they are out of their tree. It gave the elected C.E.O. power unknown before. Same thing happened with the Director of Corporate and Customer Services.
So, along with other problems created, we find ourselves with a loosy-goosy agreement capable of being interpreted every which way but up and a new council determined there must be logic where there isn't. What I have to relate is not credible. You have to have been there to know the truth of it.
It has taken time to arrive at this point. When we are past it, I am certain the pace will quicken.
Council asked for a staff review of the agreement. What they got was an audit of agreement compliance. It's not what was requested. They don't have to look far to understand why.
We are still dealing with residuals.
.
The last Council was a complete aberration from the norm. By the end nothing was functioning as it should
Normally. the political and administrative are separate authorities. Professional staff provide expertise. The elected body makes decisions that provide direction for staff to follow. Not the other way about.When an elected official is intent on exercising all authority, that's not hard to set up with a majority block of votes and compliant staff.
The current Mayor only knows how it was left. I daresay it looks like something he can handle. He has yet to discover how wrong that is.
Church Street School is a town facility like any other. The building has always been shared, The museum was managed by a curator .Members of the Historical Society gave countless hours of their time. Like Theatre Aurora, having their own space meant everything to them.
General care and management of the facility was under the Leisure Services Department.It worked well until a noisy member of the Historical Society decided since they were raising funds for the renovation, they should be in full charge of the building. The Director of Leisure Services should butt out.
That's where the cookie started to crumble. They got what they wanted. Then the haughty one disappeared from sight and sound. No-one of equal independence and determination took her place. It can and does happen in a volunteer organisation. Sort of like Wind in the Willows.Not a good path for an elected body to follow.
What had been a good working relationship for twenty-five years, broke like Humpty-Dumpty into a million pieces and all the Queen's Horses and All the Queen's men have had no inclination to put Humpty together again.
The Director was further marginalised in the consultant led staff re-organisation. His responsibilities were reduced by half and transferred to another without expertise. And if anyone thinks that was the consultant's idea ,they are out of their tree. It gave the elected C.E.O. power unknown before. Same thing happened with the Director of Corporate and Customer Services.
So, along with other problems created, we find ourselves with a loosy-goosy agreement capable of being interpreted every which way but up and a new council determined there must be logic where there isn't. What I have to relate is not credible. You have to have been there to know the truth of it.
It has taken time to arrive at this point. When we are past it, I am certain the pace will quicken.
Council asked for a staff review of the agreement. What they got was an audit of agreement compliance. It's not what was requested. They don't have to look far to understand why.
We are still dealing with residuals.
.
Before Sudbury
On Thursday,before we left, I posted and ran out and jumped into the car to be in Sudbury for election night.
I didn't do much editing or tidying.The wheels still turned in my head all the way to the Riding of Nickel Belt to be with my grand-daughter.
It's odd how things come to-gether. Bits and pieces have been filed away for almost two years. The complete picture didn't take shape until I wrote it on Thursday and even then it wasn't complete.
The Culture Centre agreement is nothing more than it says; a contract to purchase Arts and Culture services. Council didn't actually see the agreement at first. Now it seems obvious why. It is an administrative process not a legal agreement to delegate authority.
When I did see the contract ,I thought it was an odd description for a legal agreement. Still it didn't register. I thought it was compliance with regulations governing authority to transfer public funds to an organisation with delegated authority.
It was a means to an end but not how I assumed it.
I accept recommendations from staff are straightforward, comply with the best interest of the municipality and are separate from politics.
I had little impact on decisions in the last term of council. Endurance was the mode and biding my time the practice.
Council created an ad hoc committee to recommend a management structure for Church Street School Heritage and Culture Centre. The town's former treasurer,recommended an arms-length-board to operate the facility without dependence on public funds and without political interference that would mitigate against the objective.
The Novida Study recommended a process to accomplish the goal. Seed money was to be start-up funds being reduced annually by $100Ks.
I asked after the presentation, what should I tell people about the new service they will receive upon paying increased taxes to support the program.
He offered no answer.I did not accept the plan.
Council representation on the Ad Hoc ccommittee were Gaertner and Granger. The newly hired Curator,acted as resource, quit during the process. I noticed that as one more exodus from town employment but suspected nothing.
The Mayor's friend Ken Whitehurst, served as paid replacement to the committee while still serving as a member.
A group of individuals were eventually introduced to Council as "the board". Two faces were familiar but of sufficient status to ensure confidence. One had been appointed as interim chair.When he addressed council, there was an element of anger in his tone. Also noted and filed away.
The facility opened. No museum. Weeks passed. Still no museum. I asked the obvious question. When?
The Mayor's eyes slid rapidly from side to side before she referred the question to the treasurer and indicated a report would be forthcoming.
I spoke to the new curator. She was having difficulty discerning rights for the museum in the agreement. She had been told by centre staff, there were none. A museum does not produce revenue. They said the centre's responsibility was to be financially self-sufficient.
Time passed no activity noted at the centre. Eventually,Town planning charettes,werescheduled. Town Management Team held conferences .I asked staff if staff were paying fees to use the facility. Received no definitive answer.
A Christmas party was held for town employees. Attendance recommended. They played musical chairs the Saturday before Christmas. Who paid or if a user fee was paid was not transparent.
The following August, a black tie event, to celebrate beforehand the jazz festival was held. No fee charged. Admission of $75.was charged to elite guests but no user fee. The event was deemed to be promotion of culture.
I am repeating, I know. That's a review. The St Kitts woman was reported a regular presence at the centre.Now we know the Morton Leonard woman was interim secretary.
Still no museum.
The Library Board held a reception to start library week. The Minister of Libraries chose Aurora to launch the celebration in Ontario. Regional Librarians were invited. We waited. No Minister..He appeared with the Mayor , thirty minutes late.
A funny thing had happened on the way to the library. He was hi-jacked and taken to Church Street School as guest of the Mayor and friends .
Time passed and it was difficult to ascertain if anything. was being paid for by anyone except the town treasurer.
The part year operation ended. No financial accounting presented to Council. Budget meetings revealed a year- end substantial surplus.The centre's budget hung on to that. A full year's allocation was budgeted for the second year. Apparently, the surplus belonged to the centre. Council was acquiescent.
We had an election. Payment of legal fees incurred by the former Mayor was the burning issue. More legal fees were incurred to obtain legal advice about whether legal fees should be paid by the town for legal services provided to the former Mayor.
The budget followed. Church Street School Centre funding increased according to the agreement.The centre budgeted for a deficit but that wasn't anything for council to worry our pretty pointy heads about. Not our business.
The town's budget was approved with no resolution to lack of accommodation for the town's museum.
In June,a notice of motion came forward, Before it could be presented, the mover was subject to a spate of criticism and abuse from centre board members. A special Sunday afternoon meeting had been called to deal with the crisis creaed by his notice of motion.
Wording was changed to assuage their concerns. Fullsome praise was accorded their endeavours. A review of the agreement was directed by council.
It took the shape of a performance audit by experts in the field.In August, the treasurer received the report.
In September, a recommendation from staff was received by council. The Chief Administrative Officer requests authority to meet with centre staff, advise them how to include key performance indicators in the quarterly report to the treasurer and discuss the possibility of adding council representation to the board.
They submit a quarterly report to the treasurer to obtain the next quarter's payment of funds. The report is not shared with council because a purchase of goods and services agreement is an administrative procedure.
Adding Council representation to the board is the antithesis to the business plan recommended by Novida consultants and approved by the last council.
The specialist consultant's audit of the agreement was attached to the staff report which recommended action purported to satisfy council's concern.
The Mayor came late to the meeting. I was speaking to the audit report. Several members had already expressed complete satisfaction with what they perceived as total compliance with "the agreement"
Councillor Gallo expressed particular satisfaction that centre staff would no longer be "smeared" with accusations.He offered no example to support his accusation of "smearing" which contravenes rules of order but escaped the attention of the presiding member.
No sooner was the Mayor seated than he raised a point of order against myself that the auditor's report was not under discussion. Staff's recommendation was the question. The Mayor's point was upheld. The auditor's report was not further discussed. It was under no circumstances, a commendation of the agreement between the town and centre management.
The point was made once again. The agreement is the problem. Not the board's adherence or lack thereoff.
Following approval of the staff recommendation, I moved the agreement be referred to the town solicitor for review and report.
The Mayor demurred. "I can't see the point" he said. "And I know how much work the solicitor has"
The solicitor agreed he would review and comment on the agreements risks and shortcomings and present in a month.The vote was taken with the Mayor in support.
I received an indication a councillor has been trying for months to discover responsiblility for the agreement. He never gets an answer.
"Well" I said, "that's because you are asking the responsible parties "
The previous motion directed the CAO to review the agreement. A consultant was retained and instructed to audit the centre's compliance with the agreement.
On the way to Sudbury the whole picture was suddenly revealed in all its detail.
The agreement is nothing more than its title says;a contract for a purchase of goods and services.
Committing the town to pay for something totally intangible for a period of four years with annual increases in payment.
Like buying a supply of coffee for the staff cafeteria. Or purchase of printing supplies. Or stationery. Or a paper shredding contract.Or a three year contract to supply crossing guards. Or animal contro; services.
The process kept the procedure under the wire.
Off the radar.
Out of the public eye.
Not accountable to Council.
Neither open nor transparent.
Nor like any other agreement the town has with an organisation using town facilities to provide a program under town auspices.
Not like the agreement with Theatre Aurora.
The Highland Soccer Club.
The Aurora Tennis Club,
The Aurora Bowling Club,
The Aurora Senior's Centre.
All of which agreements are open and transparent.
All made under the umbrella of the town's Leisure Services Department, undoubtedly vetted by the town's legal department.
But an agreement bearing similarities to $12Ks provided to the St Kitts woman to
"voluntarily" organise the July 1st Parade while being provided with $2,000 to hire herself an assistant.
A bit like the sponsorship introduced by the town's economic development office in 2010, and this year doubled, by demand, $4,000 cash to the St Kitts Jazz Festival as well as a thousand dollars waiver of user fees for the town park, bandshell, sound system, public washrooms, picnic tables to accommodate 6000, admission fee paying audience, fee paying vendors, revenue producing beer garden and food vendor and sponsorships from town businesses and a $25,000 Trillium grant for the purpose of contributing to arts and culture and the munificent sum of $6,000 contributed and divided between two charities.
I didn't do much editing or tidying.The wheels still turned in my head all the way to the Riding of Nickel Belt to be with my grand-daughter.
It's odd how things come to-gether. Bits and pieces have been filed away for almost two years. The complete picture didn't take shape until I wrote it on Thursday and even then it wasn't complete.
The Culture Centre agreement is nothing more than it says; a contract to purchase Arts and Culture services. Council didn't actually see the agreement at first. Now it seems obvious why. It is an administrative process not a legal agreement to delegate authority.
When I did see the contract ,I thought it was an odd description for a legal agreement. Still it didn't register. I thought it was compliance with regulations governing authority to transfer public funds to an organisation with delegated authority.
It was a means to an end but not how I assumed it.
I accept recommendations from staff are straightforward, comply with the best interest of the municipality and are separate from politics.
I had little impact on decisions in the last term of council. Endurance was the mode and biding my time the practice.
Council created an ad hoc committee to recommend a management structure for Church Street School Heritage and Culture Centre. The town's former treasurer,recommended an arms-length-board to operate the facility without dependence on public funds and without political interference that would mitigate against the objective.
The Novida Study recommended a process to accomplish the goal. Seed money was to be start-up funds being reduced annually by $100Ks.
I asked after the presentation, what should I tell people about the new service they will receive upon paying increased taxes to support the program.
He offered no answer.I did not accept the plan.
Council representation on the Ad Hoc ccommittee were Gaertner and Granger. The newly hired Curator,acted as resource, quit during the process. I noticed that as one more exodus from town employment but suspected nothing.
The Mayor's friend Ken Whitehurst, served as paid replacement to the committee while still serving as a member.
A group of individuals were eventually introduced to Council as "the board". Two faces were familiar but of sufficient status to ensure confidence. One had been appointed as interim chair.When he addressed council, there was an element of anger in his tone. Also noted and filed away.
The facility opened. No museum. Weeks passed. Still no museum. I asked the obvious question. When?
The Mayor's eyes slid rapidly from side to side before she referred the question to the treasurer and indicated a report would be forthcoming.
I spoke to the new curator. She was having difficulty discerning rights for the museum in the agreement. She had been told by centre staff, there were none. A museum does not produce revenue. They said the centre's responsibility was to be financially self-sufficient.
Time passed no activity noted at the centre. Eventually,Town planning charettes,werescheduled. Town Management Team held conferences .I asked staff if staff were paying fees to use the facility. Received no definitive answer.
A Christmas party was held for town employees. Attendance recommended. They played musical chairs the Saturday before Christmas. Who paid or if a user fee was paid was not transparent.
The following August, a black tie event, to celebrate beforehand the jazz festival was held. No fee charged. Admission of $75.was charged to elite guests but no user fee. The event was deemed to be promotion of culture.
I am repeating, I know. That's a review. The St Kitts woman was reported a regular presence at the centre.Now we know the Morton Leonard woman was interim secretary.
Still no museum.
The Library Board held a reception to start library week. The Minister of Libraries chose Aurora to launch the celebration in Ontario. Regional Librarians were invited. We waited. No Minister..He appeared with the Mayor , thirty minutes late.
A funny thing had happened on the way to the library. He was hi-jacked and taken to Church Street School as guest of the Mayor and friends .
Time passed and it was difficult to ascertain if anything. was being paid for by anyone except the town treasurer.
The part year operation ended. No financial accounting presented to Council. Budget meetings revealed a year- end substantial surplus.The centre's budget hung on to that. A full year's allocation was budgeted for the second year. Apparently, the surplus belonged to the centre. Council was acquiescent.
We had an election. Payment of legal fees incurred by the former Mayor was the burning issue. More legal fees were incurred to obtain legal advice about whether legal fees should be paid by the town for legal services provided to the former Mayor.
The budget followed. Church Street School Centre funding increased according to the agreement.The centre budgeted for a deficit but that wasn't anything for council to worry our pretty pointy heads about. Not our business.
The town's budget was approved with no resolution to lack of accommodation for the town's museum.
In June,a notice of motion came forward, Before it could be presented, the mover was subject to a spate of criticism and abuse from centre board members. A special Sunday afternoon meeting had been called to deal with the crisis creaed by his notice of motion.
Wording was changed to assuage their concerns. Fullsome praise was accorded their endeavours. A review of the agreement was directed by council.
It took the shape of a performance audit by experts in the field.In August, the treasurer received the report.
In September, a recommendation from staff was received by council. The Chief Administrative Officer requests authority to meet with centre staff, advise them how to include key performance indicators in the quarterly report to the treasurer and discuss the possibility of adding council representation to the board.
They submit a quarterly report to the treasurer to obtain the next quarter's payment of funds. The report is not shared with council because a purchase of goods and services agreement is an administrative procedure.
Adding Council representation to the board is the antithesis to the business plan recommended by Novida consultants and approved by the last council.
The specialist consultant's audit of the agreement was attached to the staff report which recommended action purported to satisfy council's concern.
The Mayor came late to the meeting. I was speaking to the audit report. Several members had already expressed complete satisfaction with what they perceived as total compliance with "the agreement"
Councillor Gallo expressed particular satisfaction that centre staff would no longer be "smeared" with accusations.He offered no example to support his accusation of "smearing" which contravenes rules of order but escaped the attention of the presiding member.
No sooner was the Mayor seated than he raised a point of order against myself that the auditor's report was not under discussion. Staff's recommendation was the question. The Mayor's point was upheld. The auditor's report was not further discussed. It was under no circumstances, a commendation of the agreement between the town and centre management.
The point was made once again. The agreement is the problem. Not the board's adherence or lack thereoff.
Following approval of the staff recommendation, I moved the agreement be referred to the town solicitor for review and report.
The Mayor demurred. "I can't see the point" he said. "And I know how much work the solicitor has"
The solicitor agreed he would review and comment on the agreements risks and shortcomings and present in a month.The vote was taken with the Mayor in support.
I received an indication a councillor has been trying for months to discover responsiblility for the agreement. He never gets an answer.
"Well" I said, "that's because you are asking the responsible parties "
The previous motion directed the CAO to review the agreement. A consultant was retained and instructed to audit the centre's compliance with the agreement.
On the way to Sudbury the whole picture was suddenly revealed in all its detail.
The agreement is nothing more than its title says;a contract for a purchase of goods and services.
Committing the town to pay for something totally intangible for a period of four years with annual increases in payment.
Like buying a supply of coffee for the staff cafeteria. Or purchase of printing supplies. Or stationery. Or a paper shredding contract.Or a three year contract to supply crossing guards. Or animal contro; services.
The process kept the procedure under the wire.
Off the radar.
Out of the public eye.
Not accountable to Council.
Neither open nor transparent.
Nor like any other agreement the town has with an organisation using town facilities to provide a program under town auspices.
Not like the agreement with Theatre Aurora.
The Highland Soccer Club.
The Aurora Tennis Club,
The Aurora Bowling Club,
The Aurora Senior's Centre.
All of which agreements are open and transparent.
All made under the umbrella of the town's Leisure Services Department, undoubtedly vetted by the town's legal department.
But an agreement bearing similarities to $12Ks provided to the St Kitts woman to
"voluntarily" organise the July 1st Parade while being provided with $2,000 to hire herself an assistant.
A bit like the sponsorship introduced by the town's economic development office in 2010, and this year doubled, by demand, $4,000 cash to the St Kitts Jazz Festival as well as a thousand dollars waiver of user fees for the town park, bandshell, sound system, public washrooms, picnic tables to accommodate 6000, admission fee paying audience, fee paying vendors, revenue producing beer garden and food vendor and sponsorships from town businesses and a $25,000 Trillium grant for the purpose of contributing to arts and culture and the munificent sum of $6,000 contributed and divided between two charities.
Thursday, 6 October 2011
Things Seen And Heard
I left the meeting on Tuesday after the discussion about the Church Street School agreement. The next item on the agenda was a future policy about indemnification for councillors and staff.I am assured by all, I do not have a conflict of interest because the policy is for going forward and litigation I have initiated is in the past.
But it is not past. It is current. I filed against six individuals. They have received indemnification under the town's insurers. The suit is ongoing.
I am not comfortable discussing a policy without being able to say what I think about its necessity.
What I think, has to do with my experience. Since the law suit has a claim of $5.2 million attached. I think that puts me in a conflict...of sorts.
Anyway, except for two people I am familiar with on the Church Street School board, the rest seated themselves in the first row of seats opposite me on Tuesday. Like the soccer club members who came last year to glare at me throughout the meeting, except they were in the last row.
When I left the town hall, they were huddled outside in conference. I heard it from someone who left before me. And someone who left after. They were heard to discuss a letter writing campaign from or to the community.
The story is credible. Because they've been doing it already. Three letters have been received over the months.Including the one from David Griffith, a former Councillor, obviously a man of culture and hostility.
Councillor Abel received several hostile e-mails and one quite abusive, from board members in June after he gave notice of motion to review the agreement.
It's an interesting paradox.
The board sits at the will of Council. Circumstances dictate the appearance of respect.
The town owns the building, provides the funds which justify their existence.. When the funds were approved to renovate the building for a specific purpose, neither that board nor the staff existed.
The library board and the librarian functions under the Library Board Act, has authority under the Act, is located in a building owned by the town, receives funding from the town, and observes all rules of propriety and respect towards the Town and its elected body.
This board functions under an agreement ,which as far as I know was neither written nor vetted by the town's legal department. It seems to have been written by the finance department as a simple purchase of services agreement unlike any I have ever seen.
Board members were not appointed by council.They are unlikely to have been elected . despite the expert consultant's statement to that effect. but there they are huddled together in the gloaming outside the town hall, plotting, if not the overthrow of council, at least how to mount a battle against Council in order to survive the vicissitudes of public service.
But it is not past. It is current. I filed against six individuals. They have received indemnification under the town's insurers. The suit is ongoing.
I am not comfortable discussing a policy without being able to say what I think about its necessity.
What I think, has to do with my experience. Since the law suit has a claim of $5.2 million attached. I think that puts me in a conflict...of sorts.
Anyway, except for two people I am familiar with on the Church Street School board, the rest seated themselves in the first row of seats opposite me on Tuesday. Like the soccer club members who came last year to glare at me throughout the meeting, except they were in the last row.
When I left the town hall, they were huddled outside in conference. I heard it from someone who left before me. And someone who left after. They were heard to discuss a letter writing campaign from or to the community.
The story is credible. Because they've been doing it already. Three letters have been received over the months.Including the one from David Griffith, a former Councillor, obviously a man of culture and hostility.
Councillor Abel received several hostile e-mails and one quite abusive, from board members in June after he gave notice of motion to review the agreement.
It's an interesting paradox.
The board sits at the will of Council. Circumstances dictate the appearance of respect.
The town owns the building, provides the funds which justify their existence.. When the funds were approved to renovate the building for a specific purpose, neither that board nor the staff existed.
The library board and the librarian functions under the Library Board Act, has authority under the Act, is located in a building owned by the town, receives funding from the town, and observes all rules of propriety and respect towards the Town and its elected body.
This board functions under an agreement ,which as far as I know was neither written nor vetted by the town's legal department. It seems to have been written by the finance department as a simple purchase of services agreement unlike any I have ever seen.
Board members were not appointed by council.They are unlikely to have been elected . despite the expert consultant's statement to that effect. but there they are huddled together in the gloaming outside the town hall, plotting, if not the overthrow of council, at least how to mount a battle against Council in order to survive the vicissitudes of public service.
Wednesday, 5 October 2011
The Report I Touched On Yesterday
We dealt with report No. CAO11-017 last night. It 's probably on the town's web site. I say probably because I never go there.
Council received the report and authorized the CAO to work with Culture Centre to develop key performance indicators and how they will be reported , The CAO is to work with the ACS staff to define a reporting relationship between the Centre and Council, including a plan to incorporate Council representation on the Board of Directors.
Direction was in June to conduct "an agreement compliance review".
Last night's recommendation was accompanied by a report from a "consultant.with particular expertise on agreement compliance"
He wasn't at the meeting. He wasn't reporting to Council. He was reporting to staff.
No chance to ask him anything.. Which kind of evens things, I guess, because he didn't ask me anything either nor anybody else who was around in 2006 when the decision was made to invest $2,3million of the Hydro Reserve Fund in the Church Street School for a stated purpose thereoff.
The report was received by the director of financial services in August.The director receives all documentation from the Culture Centre Board with no obligation to share with council.
The report starts out by stating " in 2007, council recognised the need for cultural develoopment and adopted a broad mandate for a wide set of arts and culture , as well as heritage programming in the community. Council authorized a withdrawal from the Discretionary Reserve Fund for the purpose of renovating a Heritage Centre with the intention of establishing an arts and culture centre."
Is it my imagination, or is there an element of double speak in that paragraph?
The year of the decision was actually 2006, the last year of the previous council term.
No reference is made to Strategic Plan or Master Recreation Plan. No documentation of community demand. No reference to the bylaw to control expenditure from the Hydro Reserve Fund. The scope of the project was narrowly defined.
When the town sold the hydro, a bylaw was passed to ensure there would be no withdrawal without certain steps being followed. The money was not to be frittered away on inconsequential items. The community would be aware and involved in any decision to use the funds.
The vote was unanimous.The objective strong and firm. .
The agreement that handed Church Street School , rent free, with no obligation to account to the elected body, with a burden to the taxpayer of half a million dollars a year and growing every year, ad infinitum, is shameless disrespect for everything intended when funds were provided from the Hydro Reserve Fund, to complete the renovation project started and funded in part by the Aurora Historical Society which is now shut out from use of the facility and has been since this board was" elected"staff appointed and the Centre opened.
Last night,Council also directed the town's legal counsel to review the agreement and report on its merits or otherwise.
The agreement is signed by the former Mayor and former Municipal Clerk for the town.
For the Culture Centre ,it is signed by the Interim chair and Interim Secretary of the Centre Board, who was at the time, Susan Morton Leonard.
As an aside, last night the Mayor hesitated to refer the agreement to the solicitor. He could not see the point. He is aware how busy the solicitor is.
The solicitor accepted the task. Said he would review the agreement for risks and shortcomings.
Immediately after the vote was taken , the CAO vacated his seat, scooped up the solicitor and they left the chamber for a matter of minutes.
It may be my imagination, but I cannot rid myself of the feeling,council is being managed from within
.
I hesitate to use the word manipulated.
It is so easy.
Like an open and on-going invitation.
The last paragraph of the expert's report states as follows:
"From our discussion with the AHS curator-manager, it appears that there may be a misunderstanding by th AHS in what is described in the study, simply as a reference to their expectations, was an actual recommendation . We were unable to find anything in the study or in the CSA that indicates the Centre has an obligation to the AHS other than a host for the collection and to collaborate where possible in developing and presenting heritage programming "
Last night, I had difficulty bringing everything forward to Council's attention. The new procedure bylaw limits the time a Councillor can speak to ten minutes. Also, the Mayor called a point of order that I was not speaking to the question. In turn, Councillor Gaertner, presiding member, upheld the Mayor's point..
I have just read the CSA agreement . I was not aware the signatures on the agreement for the CSA were interim chairman and interim secretary. Who claimed to have authority to bind the corporation.
I had no idea Morton Leonard's name was on the document.
I heard the argument against accommodating the AHS , is a museum makes no money.
One of the first events held at the School was a black tie event promoting Sher St. Kitts Jazz Festival. The facility was provided free for the event with the argument the centre was promoting culture. Admission to the event was $75.
I know because I asked. But not Morton Leonard. I had no idea she was involved.
Silly me.
Council received the report and authorized the CAO to work with Culture Centre to develop key performance indicators and how they will be reported , The CAO is to work with the ACS staff to define a reporting relationship between the Centre and Council, including a plan to incorporate Council representation on the Board of Directors.
Direction was in June to conduct "an agreement compliance review".
Last night's recommendation was accompanied by a report from a "consultant.with particular expertise on agreement compliance"
He wasn't at the meeting. He wasn't reporting to Council. He was reporting to staff.
No chance to ask him anything.. Which kind of evens things, I guess, because he didn't ask me anything either nor anybody else who was around in 2006 when the decision was made to invest $2,3million of the Hydro Reserve Fund in the Church Street School for a stated purpose thereoff.
The report was received by the director of financial services in August.The director receives all documentation from the Culture Centre Board with no obligation to share with council.
The report starts out by stating " in 2007, council recognised the need for cultural develoopment and adopted a broad mandate for a wide set of arts and culture , as well as heritage programming in the community. Council authorized a withdrawal from the Discretionary Reserve Fund for the purpose of renovating a Heritage Centre with the intention of establishing an arts and culture centre."
Is it my imagination, or is there an element of double speak in that paragraph?
The year of the decision was actually 2006, the last year of the previous council term.
No reference is made to Strategic Plan or Master Recreation Plan. No documentation of community demand. No reference to the bylaw to control expenditure from the Hydro Reserve Fund. The scope of the project was narrowly defined.
When the town sold the hydro, a bylaw was passed to ensure there would be no withdrawal without certain steps being followed. The money was not to be frittered away on inconsequential items. The community would be aware and involved in any decision to use the funds.
The vote was unanimous.The objective strong and firm. .
The agreement that handed Church Street School , rent free, with no obligation to account to the elected body, with a burden to the taxpayer of half a million dollars a year and growing every year, ad infinitum, is shameless disrespect for everything intended when funds were provided from the Hydro Reserve Fund, to complete the renovation project started and funded in part by the Aurora Historical Society which is now shut out from use of the facility and has been since this board was" elected"staff appointed and the Centre opened.
Last night,Council also directed the town's legal counsel to review the agreement and report on its merits or otherwise.
The agreement is signed by the former Mayor and former Municipal Clerk for the town.
For the Culture Centre ,it is signed by the Interim chair and Interim Secretary of the Centre Board, who was at the time, Susan Morton Leonard.
As an aside, last night the Mayor hesitated to refer the agreement to the solicitor. He could not see the point. He is aware how busy the solicitor is.
The solicitor accepted the task. Said he would review the agreement for risks and shortcomings.
Immediately after the vote was taken , the CAO vacated his seat, scooped up the solicitor and they left the chamber for a matter of minutes.
It may be my imagination, but I cannot rid myself of the feeling,council is being managed from within
.
I hesitate to use the word manipulated.
It is so easy.
Like an open and on-going invitation.
The last paragraph of the expert's report states as follows:
"From our discussion with the AHS curator-manager, it appears that there may be a misunderstanding by th AHS in what is described in the study, simply as a reference to their expectations, was an actual recommendation . We were unable to find anything in the study or in the CSA that indicates the Centre has an obligation to the AHS other than a host for the collection and to collaborate where possible in developing and presenting heritage programming "
Last night, I had difficulty bringing everything forward to Council's attention. The new procedure bylaw limits the time a Councillor can speak to ten minutes. Also, the Mayor called a point of order that I was not speaking to the question. In turn, Councillor Gaertner, presiding member, upheld the Mayor's point..
I have just read the CSA agreement . I was not aware the signatures on the agreement for the CSA were interim chairman and interim secretary. Who claimed to have authority to bind the corporation.
I had no idea Morton Leonard's name was on the document.
I heard the argument against accommodating the AHS , is a museum makes no money.
One of the first events held at the School was a black tie event promoting Sher St. Kitts Jazz Festival. The facility was provided free for the event with the argument the centre was promoting culture. Admission to the event was $75.
I know because I asked. But not Morton Leonard. I had no idea she was involved.
Silly me.
Allison Wasn't Invited Either
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "A Declared Mission":
Did they ask Alison C.M ?
*******************
They did not.
Did I tell you the fifty, women of fiftiesh organisation is sponsored by the United Way.
********************
Did they ask Alison C.M ?
*******************
They did not.
Did I tell you the fifty, women of fiftiesh organisation is sponsored by the United Way.
********************
Tuesday, 4 October 2011
What Does A Council Do Anyway?
Aurora Councillors received an e-mail this morning . It started out:
"As you may know from July 1st ,we entered an agreement "
No, as it turns out, I did not know.
We have an audit report on the Church Street School operation on to-night's agenda . It says the governing board was elected. I did not know that.
I do not know when that election was held nor who were the electors nor what constituency would have that authority?
It seems lots of things happen that I do not know about. That, as a Councillor, I think I should.
I know stuff that contradicts other stuff, that I read in consultants' reports.
Like the asinine consultant comment that eighteen years ago, the town built a town hall to accommodate the staff and size of community we had then, without a thought to the future.
At the end of the last term, a staff report was presented to Council recommending transfer of council authority to staff.
No specifics were provided. Only numbers. All of which was represented as housekeeping; tidying up.
I argued it would be an excellent exercise for the new Council. It would provide, from the outset, an understanding of the separate roles of Council and staff.
On that night, Councillors knew not what they surrendered.. They did it anyway.
It was probably one of those solitary votes in opposition.
What did it matter?
I thought it did then. I think it does now.
Methinks it's time to re-consider.
"As you may know from July 1st ,we entered an agreement "
No, as it turns out, I did not know.
We have an audit report on the Church Street School operation on to-night's agenda . It says the governing board was elected. I did not know that.
I do not know when that election was held nor who were the electors nor what constituency would have that authority?
It seems lots of things happen that I do not know about. That, as a Councillor, I think I should.
I know stuff that contradicts other stuff, that I read in consultants' reports.
Like the asinine consultant comment that eighteen years ago, the town built a town hall to accommodate the staff and size of community we had then, without a thought to the future.
At the end of the last term, a staff report was presented to Council recommending transfer of council authority to staff.
No specifics were provided. Only numbers. All of which was represented as housekeeping; tidying up.
I argued it would be an excellent exercise for the new Council. It would provide, from the outset, an understanding of the separate roles of Council and staff.
On that night, Councillors knew not what they surrendered.. They did it anyway.
It was probably one of those solitary votes in opposition.
What did it matter?
I thought it did then. I think it does now.
Methinks it's time to re-consider.
Monday, 3 October 2011
What To Make Of It...
So now we know and it cost Mississauga taxpayers $6.5 million to find out. Without a shadow of a doubt, Hazel Mc Callion did everything she knew how, to help her son make millions in a real estate deal.Only he didn't.
A former city manager was fingered by Justice Cunningham for his part in the affair .
Will Don Cherry come out once again to rally support for Hazel?
Will Carolyn Parrish get credit for being right?
Did Hazel once again contribute to Parish's defeat in the by-election by telling voters she can't work with that woman?
Was it all for the good of Mississuaga ?
Or was it plain old-fashioned human greed ?
Hazel has said, she will not apologise and she will not resign.
Justice Cunningham says he is saddened and recommends the Province pass new stricter rules for municipal politicians.
Like we see stuff like that every day. Municipal politicians in the way of making millions with a word in the right place and unable to resist the temptation ?
Like the Province is doing anything now to enforce regulations already on the books.
In the wake of the computer scandal inquiry that cost Toronto $13 million , Provincial knee -jerk reaction was to pass regulations permitting municipalities to adopt a Code Of Conduct.
And look how that was used.
I guess Justice Cunningham isn't aware, it takes a citizen to retain a lawyer at his own expense to file a Conflict of Interest charge against a politician who clearly and openly uses a position of trust to influence a decision for personal benefit.
A feature was done on Hazel, where she revealed she prays every morning.
Now what are we to make of it all ?
The story should take the heat off Rob Ford for a bit, The Toronto media are as eager to make a black-hearted devil out of Ford, as they were to make a Saint out of Hazel.
We shall see how the story unfolds.
A former city manager was fingered by Justice Cunningham for his part in the affair .
Will Don Cherry come out once again to rally support for Hazel?
Will Carolyn Parrish get credit for being right?
Did Hazel once again contribute to Parish's defeat in the by-election by telling voters she can't work with that woman?
Was it all for the good of Mississuaga ?
Or was it plain old-fashioned human greed ?
Hazel has said, she will not apologise and she will not resign.
Justice Cunningham says he is saddened and recommends the Province pass new stricter rules for municipal politicians.
Like we see stuff like that every day. Municipal politicians in the way of making millions with a word in the right place and unable to resist the temptation ?
Like the Province is doing anything now to enforce regulations already on the books.
In the wake of the computer scandal inquiry that cost Toronto $13 million , Provincial knee -jerk reaction was to pass regulations permitting municipalities to adopt a Code Of Conduct.
And look how that was used.
I guess Justice Cunningham isn't aware, it takes a citizen to retain a lawyer at his own expense to file a Conflict of Interest charge against a politician who clearly and openly uses a position of trust to influence a decision for personal benefit.
A feature was done on Hazel, where she revealed she prays every morning.
Now what are we to make of it all ?
The story should take the heat off Rob Ford for a bit, The Toronto media are as eager to make a black-hearted devil out of Ford, as they were to make a Saint out of Hazel.
We shall see how the story unfolds.
A Declared Mission
Anonymous said...
Thanks to 28 September 3:46.Gave me food for thought.
I'm in a group of women in their 50s, sixth decade of life
.
We are turned off government because of the "politics" some, like you champion.
You've set the bar too low for us. We don't care about the lowest common denominator.
We want to build from the bottom up, with a foundation of principles.
You want "all is fair in love, war and politics".
Check out the history to see have ideas are changing in all three areas.
I think you are beating a dead horse.
We have a declared difference of mission.
****************
The above comment was one of sixteen made to the post "Making Sausage" that I published. To be precise ,it was a comment made to a comment made to the post Making Sausage There were other comments not worth the space.
I thought this one was a train of thought worth revealing. Fraught with anticipation.
It appeared to be a declaration of something. A spokesperson for a Group of Women in their fifties with a mission to change the world.
This is interesting, I thought. A novel way to start out. Make a brave declaration but don't tell anybody who you are.
At the week-end I picked up Thursday's edition of The Banner/The Era, looking for clues. I usually check headlines, addresses of letter writers, the editorial. Seldom find anything I want to read. But this headline was right across the top of Page 2. Couldn't miss it.
"Women's Leadership Council kick-starts campaign"
Ha-Ha ,I thought, this could be it.
Seems fifty women were at a luncheon hosted by Allstate to celebrate female leaders across the region.
Joan Walker is the chairperson of the newly minted United Way Women's Leadership Council. They hope to" kick start a movement tapping into the compassion, energy and cameraderie of women who want to make a difference"
The lunch was in Markham. The paper came out the same day as the comment to my post "Making Sausage" The guest speaker was Deborah Kelly, editor-in-chief of the paper I was reading.
Ms Kelly was introduced as a busy mother of two teen-agers , a volunteer, a person who juggled job and career and home, who had been on the Board of the United Way for six years.The group heard how she is "thrilled to be making a living pursuing her passion for community news"
The editor had this profound statement to contribute to the kick start of the movement.
"I have come to believe that without citizens who are willing to give freely of their time, energy,passion and compassion to worthy causes, communities....simply do not exist.A community without citizens who care is simply a sterile place with roads,houses,schools and business."
More stuff like that. I wondered how many sterile communities the fiftiesh Ms.Kelly has become familiar with in twenty-eight years doing the same job in Aurora.This morning, reading the story again to ensure I had the quotes right, I realised something else.
The editor sounds remarkably like someone we all know, who served lashings of Kool-ade and the same doctrine of self -promotion and even threw in a Prayer Breakfast and couldn't get re-elected last time around.
I wondered how many other women I know, "giving of themselves " in political office, had been invited to the United Way luncheon "to celebrate women leaders across the Region"
I know some of them read this blog. Maybe you could let me know if you or any of the other heavy hitters in the Region were considered worthy of this exclusive group.
If I was the only one left out, I will know I'm on the right track.
Thanks to 28 September 3:46.Gave me food for thought.
I'm in a group of women in their 50s, sixth decade of life
.
We are turned off government because of the "politics" some, like you champion.
You've set the bar too low for us. We don't care about the lowest common denominator.
We want to build from the bottom up, with a foundation of principles.
You want "all is fair in love, war and politics".
Check out the history to see have ideas are changing in all three areas.
I think you are beating a dead horse.
We have a declared difference of mission.
****************
The above comment was one of sixteen made to the post "Making Sausage" that I published. To be precise ,it was a comment made to a comment made to the post Making Sausage There were other comments not worth the space.
I thought this one was a train of thought worth revealing. Fraught with anticipation.
It appeared to be a declaration of something. A spokesperson for a Group of Women in their fifties with a mission to change the world.
This is interesting, I thought. A novel way to start out. Make a brave declaration but don't tell anybody who you are.
At the week-end I picked up Thursday's edition of The Banner/The Era, looking for clues. I usually check headlines, addresses of letter writers, the editorial. Seldom find anything I want to read. But this headline was right across the top of Page 2. Couldn't miss it.
"Women's Leadership Council kick-starts campaign"
Ha-Ha ,I thought, this could be it.
Seems fifty women were at a luncheon hosted by Allstate to celebrate female leaders across the region.
Joan Walker is the chairperson of the newly minted United Way Women's Leadership Council. They hope to" kick start a movement tapping into the compassion, energy and cameraderie of women who want to make a difference"
The lunch was in Markham. The paper came out the same day as the comment to my post "Making Sausage" The guest speaker was Deborah Kelly, editor-in-chief of the paper I was reading.
Ms Kelly was introduced as a busy mother of two teen-agers , a volunteer, a person who juggled job and career and home, who had been on the Board of the United Way for six years.The group heard how she is "thrilled to be making a living pursuing her passion for community news"
The editor had this profound statement to contribute to the kick start of the movement.
"I have come to believe that without citizens who are willing to give freely of their time, energy,passion and compassion to worthy causes, communities....simply do not exist.A community without citizens who care is simply a sterile place with roads,houses,schools and business."
More stuff like that. I wondered how many sterile communities the fiftiesh Ms.Kelly has become familiar with in twenty-eight years doing the same job in Aurora.This morning, reading the story again to ensure I had the quotes right, I realised something else.
The editor sounds remarkably like someone we all know, who served lashings of Kool-ade and the same doctrine of self -promotion and even threw in a Prayer Breakfast and couldn't get re-elected last time around.
I wondered how many other women I know, "giving of themselves " in political office, had been invited to the United Way luncheon "to celebrate women leaders across the Region"
I know some of them read this blog. Maybe you could let me know if you or any of the other heavy hitters in the Region were considered worthy of this exclusive group.
If I was the only one left out, I will know I'm on the right track.
Sunday, 2 October 2011
Theatre Aurora
Robyn and I had a night at the theatre on Friday. An enjoyable evening it was. We went early to ensure a parking space. The lounge provided for a comfortable wait. Coffee was served, Cloak room with an attendant and of course the ticket wicket; all as it should be.
Robyn found grand-dad's name on a plaque. Her parent's wedding reception was held there. Also a reception for Grand-dad's eightieth birthday.
I noticed differences. A warm wood floor in the lounge. Graded seating and theatre chairs of style and comfort. Stage lighting representing a huge investment.
Robyn is seventeen. She was surprised to discover Uncle Frank was an actor.
Charlie's Aunt was his role in the first play ever presented in the building . Robyn's reaction made me realise how much time had passed since theatre was a major part of our lives.
Uncle Martin trod the boards. Aunt Theresa as well and of course, it had been Grand-dad's abiding passion for forty years.
I told how the building came to us. The late Dodie Herskovitz, whose name appears nowhere, gave it and the property around it, for a theatre in exchange for a few hundred dollars owed in taxes.
She donated couple of hundred brand new chrome and orange vinyl chairs as well.
An L.I.P. grant was available. Between Friday night and Monday morning, plans were prepared to submit with an application.
The late Tim Baker- Pearce, Harry Shaw and Barbara McGowan's brother and I don't know who else were involved.
The late Bud Rodgers, our clerk-administrator processed the application lickety- split and we received a cheque for twenty-one thousand dollars
The building was cinder block with a flat roof. Three large windows formed the corner, left of the front door. The main body of space was five or six steps down from the front area.
In the centre of the factory floor,surrounded by concrete rubble, in a higgledy- piggledy pile, rested assets of Theatre Aurora. Dodie had given them free storage.
High windows on either side of the building had not a pane of glass in sight. Birds roosted inside. on beams; flying back and forth, cheeping and chirping. like it was a natural thing.
Excitement was intense. A theatre group, regularly presenting a season of productions without a home, is a challenge one cannot imagine. It's one of things you do as you go. If asked afterwards how it was done, the only answer was; it happened.
Sets constructed, in separate home basements were put together on stage practically hours before first night.
St Andrew's College theatre was an excellent venue. But it was lent for a specific time.
There were packed houses throughout the run: three week-ends at most.
Everybody involved had jobs.. Rehearsals, set construction, furniture assembly from a store and living rooms, costumes sewn all had to be done at night. The work took it's toll.
But not until after end-of-run celebrations at various homes; Baker-Pearce's or Terry Hallet's and others.
The talent was amazing. Productions extraordinary.
They did Noel Coward,Neil Simon, Shakespeare,Doyly Carte,George Bernard Shaw. Oklahoma, The Boyfriend, Fiddler On The Roof, The Sound of Music, Music Man, My Fair Lady, A Man For All Seasons and oh so many others.
Ron Wallace acted in The Odd Couple.
I have thought, before it's too late, we should have our own walk of fame in Aurora. The stars who gave so much of themselves just for the satisfaction of creating the magic that is theatre. It's a compelling urge. We should have stars on Yonge Street sidewalk.
For a few hours, several times a season, they transported us from our ordinary lives to another place.They gave us something memorable.
On Friday, Robyn and I experienced the magic once again on Henderson Drive.
The play is Drawer Boy by Michael Healey.
Go see what has been accomplished by sustained dedication, not only in presenting plays but in the actual physical creation of a jewel of a theatre out of a midden of a concrete box.
The Company is open for anyone to join. They offer opportunities not found anywhere else...
Robyn found grand-dad's name on a plaque. Her parent's wedding reception was held there. Also a reception for Grand-dad's eightieth birthday.
I noticed differences. A warm wood floor in the lounge. Graded seating and theatre chairs of style and comfort. Stage lighting representing a huge investment.
Robyn is seventeen. She was surprised to discover Uncle Frank was an actor.
Charlie's Aunt was his role in the first play ever presented in the building . Robyn's reaction made me realise how much time had passed since theatre was a major part of our lives.
Uncle Martin trod the boards. Aunt Theresa as well and of course, it had been Grand-dad's abiding passion for forty years.
I told how the building came to us. The late Dodie Herskovitz, whose name appears nowhere, gave it and the property around it, for a theatre in exchange for a few hundred dollars owed in taxes.
She donated couple of hundred brand new chrome and orange vinyl chairs as well.
An L.I.P. grant was available. Between Friday night and Monday morning, plans were prepared to submit with an application.
The late Tim Baker- Pearce, Harry Shaw and Barbara McGowan's brother and I don't know who else were involved.
The late Bud Rodgers, our clerk-administrator processed the application lickety- split and we received a cheque for twenty-one thousand dollars
The building was cinder block with a flat roof. Three large windows formed the corner, left of the front door. The main body of space was five or six steps down from the front area.
In the centre of the factory floor,surrounded by concrete rubble, in a higgledy- piggledy pile, rested assets of Theatre Aurora. Dodie had given them free storage.
High windows on either side of the building had not a pane of glass in sight. Birds roosted inside. on beams; flying back and forth, cheeping and chirping. like it was a natural thing.
Excitement was intense. A theatre group, regularly presenting a season of productions without a home, is a challenge one cannot imagine. It's one of things you do as you go. If asked afterwards how it was done, the only answer was; it happened.
Sets constructed, in separate home basements were put together on stage practically hours before first night.
St Andrew's College theatre was an excellent venue. But it was lent for a specific time.
There were packed houses throughout the run: three week-ends at most.
Everybody involved had jobs.. Rehearsals, set construction, furniture assembly from a store and living rooms, costumes sewn all had to be done at night. The work took it's toll.
But not until after end-of-run celebrations at various homes; Baker-Pearce's or Terry Hallet's and others.
The talent was amazing. Productions extraordinary.
They did Noel Coward,Neil Simon, Shakespeare,Doyly Carte,George Bernard Shaw. Oklahoma, The Boyfriend, Fiddler On The Roof, The Sound of Music, Music Man, My Fair Lady, A Man For All Seasons and oh so many others.
Ron Wallace acted in The Odd Couple.
I have thought, before it's too late, we should have our own walk of fame in Aurora. The stars who gave so much of themselves just for the satisfaction of creating the magic that is theatre. It's a compelling urge. We should have stars on Yonge Street sidewalk.
For a few hours, several times a season, they transported us from our ordinary lives to another place.They gave us something memorable.
On Friday, Robyn and I experienced the magic once again on Henderson Drive.
The play is Drawer Boy by Michael Healey.
Go see what has been accomplished by sustained dedication, not only in presenting plays but in the actual physical creation of a jewel of a theatre out of a midden of a concrete box.
The Company is open for anyone to join. They offer opportunities not found anywhere else...
Saturday, 1 October 2011
The Customer Is Always Right ???
It's the maxim of business. People who wish to succeed in business are careful not to offend a potential client.
Politics is not the same. A politician who wants to succeed,does not go out of the way to offend a voter. Potentially everybody above the age of eighteen. The difference is, a voter is not a client or a customer but a card-carrying member.
A politician must decide what should please or displease the voter.Voters come in all shapes and sizes of priorities and passions.
So, the answer for the politician is simple but complex ... no single answer.
"You can please some of the people some of the time, you can't please all of the people all of the time"
Tricky eh! Not really. A politician is first and foremost a voter; first in election and foremost in Council. You have to be elected. . A candidate is a wannabe. A politician dumped after a single term is a has- been and never-was.
So, what's the difference? Understanding who you are... comfort in your skin... successfully projecting and seeking support from like-minded voters.
It means never having to remember who you represent. They are always with you at the table. In the warp and weave of your clothing. In every strand of your hair. In every thought and every observation that presents itself.
It's being able to speak with force and conviction. Knowing you speak not for yourself alone.
In my early years a friend, Michael McMorrow resident of Newmarket, graduate of McGill University gave me a Latin motto. I prefer it in my own language:
"Don't let the bastards grind you down" To this day, it suits me.
In respect of the north-east traffic calming project, a woman said to me; "I don't care how much it costs as long as I get what I want"
She was a teacher. Teachers tend to refer to professional status when presenting a view. Buses transporting children to school in her neighbourhood was a particular bug-a-boo.
It's my impression, once all-important certification is obtained, some members of the profession never exercise their minds again. It could be said they rest on their laurels. Or minds are in their seating arrangement; driven there by force of gravity.
Any professional nowadays could lay claim to the same distinction.Who is there to challenge them?
Students? Patients? Clients unfamiliar with the law? How to build a bridge? How to remove salt from water that wasn't there in the first place? How to calculate a fair rate for water, remotely connected to cost , which is nothing?
In politics, since so many are on the public payroll, one meets almost all at one time or another.It's entirely conceivable one might find oneself in conflict with one or other or a number at the same time.
There's a common reluctance to acknowledge politics as a profession. Even though modern universities provide degrees in the science.A student can complete a course and obtain a degree within a council term. Do they learn the same?
My sister informed me once of a poll to determine status of various professions in the public's mind.I said; "Don't tell me. Teachers first, politicians last"
"Yes" she said, with glee. My brother-in-law was a high school teacher and a decent man,He wasn't in the room, when my sister related how much status he, and indirectly she, had more than I.
They were guests in my home for several days before leaving on a two month summer vacation trip to the U.K., parking a car for the duration in my driveway and free transportation to the airport.
They didn't get free transportation from the airport on the way home.
This post strayed from my original intent.My intended reference was to an opportunity I had to be on a panel to judge a debating competition at St. Andrew's College.
The contest obviously required pros and cons of a particular question. Points were scored for various aspects of arguments.No questions were directed to professionals to assist contestants to make up their minds and create arguments. A grasp of rules was obviously a pre-requisite. Points lost for failure to observe would be points thrown away and time wasted.As in any competition, be it chess, tennis, hockey, soccer or any tournament one might care to mention.
In politics, no goals are scored. There is no Stanley Cup. No glory for the team. No annual awards available on application to be named best at this or that. We are a society awash with special trophies and awards made common by regularity.
Only majority decisions are made by politicians; good, bad or indifferent; to the benefit or otherwise, of the community at large.
The trophy is not first-time election. It is re-election.
It is the judgment of the electorate, depending on all sorts of unrelated things.
Opportunity for a politician to connect with a voter has never been better since advent of internet and direct contact. It is destined to grow.
It is what I am about here. It is what has infuriated my adversaries.
It is what was determined by hook or by crook, in absence of open debate, logic, integrity or conscience, no matter the cost to the public treasury,to silence this blog.
Yet they did not. They silenced themselves.
Politics is not the same. A politician who wants to succeed,does not go out of the way to offend a voter. Potentially everybody above the age of eighteen. The difference is, a voter is not a client or a customer but a card-carrying member.
A politician must decide what should please or displease the voter.Voters come in all shapes and sizes of priorities and passions.
So, the answer for the politician is simple but complex ... no single answer.
"You can please some of the people some of the time, you can't please all of the people all of the time"
Tricky eh! Not really. A politician is first and foremost a voter; first in election and foremost in Council. You have to be elected. . A candidate is a wannabe. A politician dumped after a single term is a has- been and never-was.
So, what's the difference? Understanding who you are... comfort in your skin... successfully projecting and seeking support from like-minded voters.
It means never having to remember who you represent. They are always with you at the table. In the warp and weave of your clothing. In every strand of your hair. In every thought and every observation that presents itself.
It's being able to speak with force and conviction. Knowing you speak not for yourself alone.
In my early years a friend, Michael McMorrow resident of Newmarket, graduate of McGill University gave me a Latin motto. I prefer it in my own language:
"Don't let the bastards grind you down" To this day, it suits me.
In respect of the north-east traffic calming project, a woman said to me; "I don't care how much it costs as long as I get what I want"
She was a teacher. Teachers tend to refer to professional status when presenting a view. Buses transporting children to school in her neighbourhood was a particular bug-a-boo.
It's my impression, once all-important certification is obtained, some members of the profession never exercise their minds again. It could be said they rest on their laurels. Or minds are in their seating arrangement; driven there by force of gravity.
Any professional nowadays could lay claim to the same distinction.Who is there to challenge them?
Students? Patients? Clients unfamiliar with the law? How to build a bridge? How to remove salt from water that wasn't there in the first place? How to calculate a fair rate for water, remotely connected to cost , which is nothing?
In politics, since so many are on the public payroll, one meets almost all at one time or another.It's entirely conceivable one might find oneself in conflict with one or other or a number at the same time.
There's a common reluctance to acknowledge politics as a profession. Even though modern universities provide degrees in the science.A student can complete a course and obtain a degree within a council term. Do they learn the same?
My sister informed me once of a poll to determine status of various professions in the public's mind.I said; "Don't tell me. Teachers first, politicians last"
"Yes" she said, with glee. My brother-in-law was a high school teacher and a decent man,He wasn't in the room, when my sister related how much status he, and indirectly she, had more than I.
They were guests in my home for several days before leaving on a two month summer vacation trip to the U.K., parking a car for the duration in my driveway and free transportation to the airport.
They didn't get free transportation from the airport on the way home.
This post strayed from my original intent.My intended reference was to an opportunity I had to be on a panel to judge a debating competition at St. Andrew's College.
The contest obviously required pros and cons of a particular question. Points were scored for various aspects of arguments.No questions were directed to professionals to assist contestants to make up their minds and create arguments. A grasp of rules was obviously a pre-requisite. Points lost for failure to observe would be points thrown away and time wasted.As in any competition, be it chess, tennis, hockey, soccer or any tournament one might care to mention.
In politics, no goals are scored. There is no Stanley Cup. No glory for the team. No annual awards available on application to be named best at this or that. We are a society awash with special trophies and awards made common by regularity.
Only majority decisions are made by politicians; good, bad or indifferent; to the benefit or otherwise, of the community at large.
The trophy is not first-time election. It is re-election.
It is the judgment of the electorate, depending on all sorts of unrelated things.
Opportunity for a politician to connect with a voter has never been better since advent of internet and direct contact. It is destined to grow.
It is what I am about here. It is what has infuriated my adversaries.
It is what was determined by hook or by crook, in absence of open debate, logic, integrity or conscience, no matter the cost to the public treasury,to silence this blog.
Yet they did not. They silenced themselves.
Challenge Accepted
Dear Anonymous 2:56 Pm,
I'm in, as long as I do not have to wear a spandex costume.
Many thanks,
Paul Pirri
************
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "In Response to a Question":
There should be a round ring constructed of three heavy ropes and eight strong timber poles from which these ropes are suspended. Into the ring should be placed about 15 inches of fine granular sand.
On the outer side of each of the eight strong timber poles should be hung the personalized thick heavy padded leather shields and three inch diameter oaken staves, each six feet in length, one for each Councillor.
These are to be used by the individual Councillors to settle irrelevant or irregular points of order, fought to the finish within the ring. The declared winner will have his or her point of order heard by all for up to 15 minutes whereupon the loser shall be banned from Council meetings for one month with commensurate loss of pay.
The Mayor will not be able to participate in the ring-wars. He will be the final arbiter to declare winners and losers. If he is challenged by another member of Council he shall be able to appoint a champion to fight in his place. If his champion loses then the Mayor agrees to remain seated without speaking for a period of 30 minutes during which time all rules of procedure are temporarily suspended.
This latter situation will hardly be noticed for its difference from present Council meetings.
*******************
Young Paul Pirri exemplifies the difference between this Council and the last. It can be explained with a single word: HUMOUR
We still have the carry-over of Councillor Gaertner .
The new element of Councillor Ballard who gives all the signs of having a score to settle only it's hard to recognise what that might be.
Coumcillor Gallo shows signs of relenting from the sour and bitter disposition of the past council.
Never-the-less, on the whole, the Council that laughs to-gether can work to-gether
I'm in, as long as I do not have to wear a spandex costume.
Many thanks,
Paul Pirri
************
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "In Response to a Question":
There should be a round ring constructed of three heavy ropes and eight strong timber poles from which these ropes are suspended. Into the ring should be placed about 15 inches of fine granular sand.
On the outer side of each of the eight strong timber poles should be hung the personalized thick heavy padded leather shields and three inch diameter oaken staves, each six feet in length, one for each Councillor.
These are to be used by the individual Councillors to settle irrelevant or irregular points of order, fought to the finish within the ring. The declared winner will have his or her point of order heard by all for up to 15 minutes whereupon the loser shall be banned from Council meetings for one month with commensurate loss of pay.
The Mayor will not be able to participate in the ring-wars. He will be the final arbiter to declare winners and losers. If he is challenged by another member of Council he shall be able to appoint a champion to fight in his place. If his champion loses then the Mayor agrees to remain seated without speaking for a period of 30 minutes during which time all rules of procedure are temporarily suspended.
This latter situation will hardly be noticed for its difference from present Council meetings.
*******************
Young Paul Pirri exemplifies the difference between this Council and the last. It can be explained with a single word: HUMOUR
We still have the carry-over of Councillor Gaertner .
The new element of Councillor Ballard who gives all the signs of having a score to settle only it's hard to recognise what that might be.
Coumcillor Gallo shows signs of relenting from the sour and bitter disposition of the past council.
Never-the-less, on the whole, the Council that laughs to-gether can work to-gether
Friday, 30 September 2011
A Request
I've been advised to post in office writer and transfer to the blog when the post is finished. That was to prevent the possibility of losing a few hours of work.
My last post was an e-mail first to a correspondent. I cut and pasted it to the blog. I don't know why it came out larger.
I am writing this in office writer. I have enlarged the print. Whether it comes through on the blog , we shall see.
If it works, it's another reason for me to work in office writer first.
Now I will discover how to transfer it to the blog.
Maybe.
I couldn't figure it so I cut and pasted.
In Response to a Question
Hi
I think Bourinot's rules of order for debate should simply have been adopted with changes to suit a council meeting. The rest of the procedure and schedule and times of meetings ,should all have been handled in committee and would not have needed much time.
In the last administration, at the beginning, the CAO proposed daytime meetings. It would have meant the entire staff would not have to attend for the whole meeting.They could be in their offices doing their own work until called upon.
Thumbs were turned down on that idea or any other advice he had to give. Councillors are part-time ,they said. They can't be expected to attend daytime meetings.
Now we have an increasing number of 4.p.m. meetings with only the member of staff present for the item being considered.
The new schedules have been become a regular feature.I may have missed the discussion.
Like agendas, with twenty-six items at one meeting plus presentations and delegations and other meetings with one item ,such as the last one. How is that efficient use of time ?
When the Clerk presented his revision to council on June 14th, a solicitor sat alongside to assure council , he found the bylaw satisfactory as written. He was retired legal counsel to the Region of Sudbury.
What was he there for? Can't we do anything without bringing in consultants to fatten up the payroll ?
Last week, the Mayor told Councillors we could let the Clerk know of further concerns we had on the procedure bylaw, by e-mail.
I did that already, every time I thought of something. Nothing came of that approach. I thought a list might be compiled for council. The Clerk can't change stuff now that the revision has been before Council.
It seems to me some of the boys decided how it should be, from stuff they learned at workshops for councillors. They've decided it's not worth spending time to get everybody on board or even a shared understanding.
I'm firmly of the view, wording should be reduced to a minimum. It's far from there at the moment. There should be no room for interpretation. If it gets passed in its present form, we will continue to spend as much time disputing rules as we do attending to real business
.
.
We should discuss and agree for example, whether a point of order means disagreement with a point being made in debate. It doesn't.
Opposite views on an issue is debate.
Opposite views on an issue is debate.
Does a point of order mean a councillor can be interrupted because somebody else doesn't understand or disagrees with the meaning of a word?
Or somebody decides they know better the meaning of improper conduct?
Why is it appropriate to record comments of non-elected delegates while the Municipal Act does not permit notes or comments made by elected representatives in the public record to be kept by the clerk?Why is the person who can recruit two more to expand the time allowed to delegate, have fifteen minutes, while an elected representatives is to be limited to ten?
Why are non - elected allowed to come back again and again to press their case, when councillors are not permitted such excess? Nor should be.
This crap was introduced during the last administration to create a champion for those who felt they have the more authority than the elected, to participate formally in the decision making process.
At the end of the term, staff were directed to prepare a report of all that was accomplished by volunteer advisory committees. It was so much reading it was directed to be condensed. That was done too.
Staff time was no object.
Doesn't anyone understand the reason we hold elections ?
My God, why is it hard for people, who put their name up for office, tramp the street for weeks and knock on thousands of doors to be given the trust and confidence of the people, to understand the authority they have received on successful election.
The entire slant of the last administration was to remove authority from all but one and to denigrate the role of Council.
It doesn't look like change is intended in the current term.I just recalled an exercise from the Council of 2003/6.
We had an interim CAO until the deal with Power Stream was complete. His contract was extended because the deal took longer.
During the extension , he occupied some of his time with Councillors individually to hear their concerns with the procedure bylaw. He had been CAO in the Town of Vaughan for a couple of decades.
He produced a revised bylaw. Can't say what became of it.
Stephanie Phoned
Left a message . I was out to dinner at the return of the highly successful Mayor's Charity Golf Tournament.
"I need to talk to you Grannie" Stephanie said . "I am so angry. I need you to calm me down"
I told you. my grand-daughter is the Green Party candidate for the Nickle Belt Riding in the Provincial election.
She introduces herself at meetings as coming from a political family.
C 'est moi, mon ami. C'est tres neat. n'est pas"
It seems the Liberal in Sudbury Riding has made a joint announcement with Sudbury Mayor.
They talked with a mining guru, who told them prospects of finding metals in the James Bay area within something called the Ring of Fire, are positive.
They talked with a smelter operator, who said, if ores are found, he will operate a smelter in the Sudbury Riding.There will be jobs,jobs,jobs.
"These are Aboriginal lands,they're talking about Grannie...they haven't even talked to the Band Chiefs"
"Well. don't worry about it" I said. "It sounds to me like the guy is running scared and dreaming stuff up with a little help from his friends. People will make up their own minds if they want to believe it.... or not "
"He's not in your Riding. You have to focus on your own campaign. Focus on what you have to tell people and look for opportunities to get your message out"
Apart from being a candidate for the Greens, the Nickle Belt Riding is geographically humongous.The challenge is great. To do the job as it should be done, a candidate would need a small plane and a water craft.
By contrast, our own riding of Newmarket-Aurora is beautifully compact..
Eric,Stephanie's partner sent me a message on Facebook this morning;
"Your grand-daughter is out of control and I love it. It's great to watch."
I commented back;
"She's not out of control. She is just coming into her stride. Stand clear"
At grandson Myles wedding party a couple of summers ago, Eric sat beside me and asked;
"How come all the women in your family are insane?"
Theresa, my daughter, Stephanie's mother, had just won the competition for removing her bra without touching outer garments, in the least number of seconds.
But actually, it was my grandson who was the star of the show. As soon as the party music got going,Adam zig-zagged across the floor, tossed his jacket aside and went into a break-dancing routine that lasted for hours.Ruined the expensive white shirt his mother had to buy for the wedding.
He had the floor to himself for ten minutes before his cousins, Patrick and Cameron and Mark and brothers Aron and Keenan joined him and gave us a show even they did not know they were capable
Soon the Uncles and Aunts joined the fun to keep up with the young ones.Uncle Frank. glass raised. did his version of the Grand Fandango, barely lifting a foot off the floor.
Goodness Gracious!!!Great Balls Of Fire!!!! That was a party.
Erik just reminded me.
"I need to talk to you Grannie" Stephanie said . "I am so angry. I need you to calm me down"
I told you. my grand-daughter is the Green Party candidate for the Nickle Belt Riding in the Provincial election.
She introduces herself at meetings as coming from a political family.
C 'est moi, mon ami. C'est tres neat. n'est pas"
It seems the Liberal in Sudbury Riding has made a joint announcement with Sudbury Mayor.
They talked with a mining guru, who told them prospects of finding metals in the James Bay area within something called the Ring of Fire, are positive.
They talked with a smelter operator, who said, if ores are found, he will operate a smelter in the Sudbury Riding.There will be jobs,jobs,jobs.
"These are Aboriginal lands,they're talking about Grannie...they haven't even talked to the Band Chiefs"
"Well. don't worry about it" I said. "It sounds to me like the guy is running scared and dreaming stuff up with a little help from his friends. People will make up their own minds if they want to believe it.... or not "
"He's not in your Riding. You have to focus on your own campaign. Focus on what you have to tell people and look for opportunities to get your message out"
Apart from being a candidate for the Greens, the Nickle Belt Riding is geographically humongous.The challenge is great. To do the job as it should be done, a candidate would need a small plane and a water craft.
By contrast, our own riding of Newmarket-Aurora is beautifully compact..
Eric,Stephanie's partner sent me a message on Facebook this morning;
"Your grand-daughter is out of control and I love it. It's great to watch."
I commented back;
"She's not out of control. She is just coming into her stride. Stand clear"
At grandson Myles wedding party a couple of summers ago, Eric sat beside me and asked;
"How come all the women in your family are insane?"
Theresa, my daughter, Stephanie's mother, had just won the competition for removing her bra without touching outer garments, in the least number of seconds.
But actually, it was my grandson who was the star of the show. As soon as the party music got going,Adam zig-zagged across the floor, tossed his jacket aside and went into a break-dancing routine that lasted for hours.Ruined the expensive white shirt his mother had to buy for the wedding.
He had the floor to himself for ten minutes before his cousins, Patrick and Cameron and Mark and brothers Aron and Keenan joined him and gave us a show even they did not know they were capable
Soon the Uncles and Aunts joined the fun to keep up with the young ones.Uncle Frank. glass raised. did his version of the Grand Fandango, barely lifting a foot off the floor.
Goodness Gracious!!!Great Balls Of Fire!!!! That was a party.
Erik just reminded me.
Thursday, 29 September 2011
Be True To Yourself
I generally delete virulent comments.
Now and then I publish a sample.
I published an uncomplimentary comment on Councillor Gaertner. I eased my conscience with one against myself for balance.There were others.
I always know when I've hit the ball out of the field.
I think the comment came from an unseated candidate. Though none of them have been around town forty years
It was 1963 when I first ran for office .My involvement has been forty- eight years in total.
I have held office twenty four years. At the end of this term I will have been part of an Aurora Council longer than not, within that time.
The writer is right. My interest never faltered, in or out of office, during all of those years.I do enjoy politics.I am good at it. I never found another candidate who offered what I look for in a candidate.
It is theatre. Sometimes theatre of the absurd.
Thinking on one's feet ...extemporaneous expression...it's all part of the challenge. People are born with the need to speak out. Politics provides the opportunity. Being part of the decision- making process is the prize.
I believe it is a worthwhile and necessary endeavour. A politician can be honest. earn respect and make a contribution.
Blunt honesty is bound to piss some people off as often as it re-assures others. I have found it easy to be who I am.
My commenter's plan for what he is going to be in his old age is flawed. If he hasn't discovered himself already, it's too late now.
However long your life may be, you will only have contentment, knowing you didn't waste a minute being someone other than who you are
Now and then I publish a sample.
I published an uncomplimentary comment on Councillor Gaertner. I eased my conscience with one against myself for balance.There were others.
I always know when I've hit the ball out of the field.
I think the comment came from an unseated candidate. Though none of them have been around town forty years
It was 1963 when I first ran for office .My involvement has been forty- eight years in total.
I have held office twenty four years. At the end of this term I will have been part of an Aurora Council longer than not, within that time.
The writer is right. My interest never faltered, in or out of office, during all of those years.I do enjoy politics.I am good at it. I never found another candidate who offered what I look for in a candidate.
It is theatre. Sometimes theatre of the absurd.
Thinking on one's feet ...extemporaneous expression...it's all part of the challenge. People are born with the need to speak out. Politics provides the opportunity. Being part of the decision- making process is the prize.
I believe it is a worthwhile and necessary endeavour. A politician can be honest. earn respect and make a contribution.
Blunt honesty is bound to piss some people off as often as it re-assures others. I have found it easy to be who I am.
My commenter's plan for what he is going to be in his old age is flawed. If he hasn't discovered himself already, it's too late now.
However long your life may be, you will only have contentment, knowing you didn't waste a minute being someone other than who you are
Wednesday, 28 September 2011
Making Sausage
The procedure bylaw was discussed again last night. In a televised council meeting. The Mayor's call.
As we were leaving the town hall, a comment was made, the meeting was so exciting, a reporter fell asleep.
Arguing about rules is like cooking porridge. You have to keep stirring or it goes lumpy. Edible but not appetising.
Rules of Order are an agreement upon how we conduct ourselves. Without commitment, meetings are like the traffic pattern in the north-east quadrant; plagued by obstructions and deterrents to the safe, smooth, efficient movement of traffic.
According to the agenda, the bylaw was recommended for approval. I had a position .
The discussion opened with the Mayor's announcement, we had already spent eleven hours on the issue therefore each Councillor would be limited forthwith to ten minutes to speak.
Well, I thought. That's a new one for the book. Also not the Mayor's decision to make. Let's see how that works.
Councillor Gaertner was first up and focused on the clause that dealt with the problem of improper conduct. The question and answer session certainly seemed more than ten minutes.
I may have to buy a stop watch. It will go in a bag along with the hand-cuffs I bought to chain myself to the railings in the event of an attempt to remove me from the seat to which I was elected.
I may also have to buy a bull horn to ensure against an attempt to deny me the right to speak or finish my thought.
Many dismiss politicians as a bunch of thieves and robbers.
In previous terms the view appeared to be shared by a select group of town representatives.
The supreme beings determined the solution was a Code of Ethics followed by the Code of Conduct followed by the appointment an Integrity Commissioner.
They were the answer to the implied problem of the lack of integrity or ethics among the elected.
They brought Aurora to a "gold standard of integrity".
Extraordinary expense was incurred in a failed attempt to ensure purity and righteousness in public affairs and bring the main transgressor to heel.
The time came when the community made its own judgment.
Councillor Gaertner was re-elected and clearly feels the responsibility to defend the gold standard.
Seeking to understand what comes under the Councillor's heading of improper conduct, I posed a question.
When the Councillor accused staff of deliberately falsifying records and refusing to withdraw the accusation or apologize. as requested by the presiding member, would that qualify?
The Councillor called a point of order and angrily proclaimed herself innocent of the charge.
Being so righteous an' all.
Therein lies the crux of our problem
There is no shared understanding of rules or even the meaning of words. Councillor Gaertner regularly sets herself up as an arbiter of words. Meetings are frequently disrupted while she re-defines a word in someone else's vocabulary and argues it means what she determines it to mean and it's not permissible. And somebody should apologise to somebody.
In the circumstances, a lack of consistency or order continues to bog the Council down.
Providing the presiding member with power to penalise will not solve the problem. It creates yet another.
The Municipal Act does not intend the duties of a Mayor to provide leadership and guidance means wielding a whip.
Parliamentary rules have been in print in Canada since 1984. Amended regularly to keep them up to date.
They are tried, tested and true and acknowledged and used successfully throughout the world
By the Mayor's count, Council had spent, before last night's meeting ,eleven hours trying to re-invent the wheel.
Finally on recognition by the chair, I expounded on the principle of restoring authority to council .
I spoke for twelve minutes.Two minutes more than the presiding member's decree.
I was not permitted to complete my thought.
I have one more opportunity to do so when the bylaw is presented to council for approval
I can't promise it will be exciting television.
What's exciting about stirring porridge?
As we were leaving the town hall, a comment was made, the meeting was so exciting, a reporter fell asleep.
Arguing about rules is like cooking porridge. You have to keep stirring or it goes lumpy. Edible but not appetising.
Rules of Order are an agreement upon how we conduct ourselves. Without commitment, meetings are like the traffic pattern in the north-east quadrant; plagued by obstructions and deterrents to the safe, smooth, efficient movement of traffic.
According to the agenda, the bylaw was recommended for approval. I had a position .
The discussion opened with the Mayor's announcement, we had already spent eleven hours on the issue therefore each Councillor would be limited forthwith to ten minutes to speak.
Well, I thought. That's a new one for the book. Also not the Mayor's decision to make. Let's see how that works.
Councillor Gaertner was first up and focused on the clause that dealt with the problem of improper conduct. The question and answer session certainly seemed more than ten minutes.
I may have to buy a stop watch. It will go in a bag along with the hand-cuffs I bought to chain myself to the railings in the event of an attempt to remove me from the seat to which I was elected.
I may also have to buy a bull horn to ensure against an attempt to deny me the right to speak or finish my thought.
Many dismiss politicians as a bunch of thieves and robbers.
In previous terms the view appeared to be shared by a select group of town representatives.
The supreme beings determined the solution was a Code of Ethics followed by the Code of Conduct followed by the appointment an Integrity Commissioner.
They were the answer to the implied problem of the lack of integrity or ethics among the elected.
They brought Aurora to a "gold standard of integrity".
Extraordinary expense was incurred in a failed attempt to ensure purity and righteousness in public affairs and bring the main transgressor to heel.
The time came when the community made its own judgment.
Councillor Gaertner was re-elected and clearly feels the responsibility to defend the gold standard.
Seeking to understand what comes under the Councillor's heading of improper conduct, I posed a question.
When the Councillor accused staff of deliberately falsifying records and refusing to withdraw the accusation or apologize. as requested by the presiding member, would that qualify?
The Councillor called a point of order and angrily proclaimed herself innocent of the charge.
Being so righteous an' all.
Therein lies the crux of our problem
There is no shared understanding of rules or even the meaning of words. Councillor Gaertner regularly sets herself up as an arbiter of words. Meetings are frequently disrupted while she re-defines a word in someone else's vocabulary and argues it means what she determines it to mean and it's not permissible. And somebody should apologise to somebody.
In the circumstances, a lack of consistency or order continues to bog the Council down.
Providing the presiding member with power to penalise will not solve the problem. It creates yet another.
The Municipal Act does not intend the duties of a Mayor to provide leadership and guidance means wielding a whip.
Parliamentary rules have been in print in Canada since 1984. Amended regularly to keep them up to date.
They are tried, tested and true and acknowledged and used successfully throughout the world
By the Mayor's count, Council had spent, before last night's meeting ,eleven hours trying to re-invent the wheel.
Finally on recognition by the chair, I expounded on the principle of restoring authority to council .
I spoke for twelve minutes.Two minutes more than the presiding member's decree.
I was not permitted to complete my thought.
I have one more opportunity to do so when the bylaw is presented to council for approval
I can't promise it will be exciting television.
What's exciting about stirring porridge?
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