A Story of Love

I've been asked to write a love story in honor of Valentine's Day.

Valentine's day is past. The only love story I  could write belongs to my maternal grandparents, 

I' m not even sure how much I know . It derives from snippets from my mother and the  eleven years I lived in  their home.

Bringing it together would  be a  mammoth undertaking.  The personal blog would be best place .

But I do have a story of love.

Christmas is a time for reminiscing. I opened the door a crack  to memory  when I re-called  a younger sisiter of my father who died in childbirth with her first child.

The ice storm, the winds  and the power outage nearly blew the door off its hinges.

The first person tumbling through was Aunt Peggy.

Peggy was married to Uncle Hughie,my mother's younger brother.

They lived in the tenement building next door . All rental accommodation in Scotiish towns and cities were tenement buildings. until the late twenties.

 Peggy had one room .It was larger than either of our two rooms and full of light. It had a huge window, where ours was small . It faced  out over the backyards, where ours faced buildings opposite. The  coal range was in the centre of a wall instead of in the corner of the room like ours.

Harry was  Peggy's first child. He was a bit younger tham myself. We were close companions from earliest memory. The only snap-shot I have of my childhood is of  Harry and myself  seated on a kitchen chair  in front of a  scented white rose bush with a trumpet vine twisting through its thorny branches.

It didn't belong to anyone. It just grew there in the yard with unkempt grass all around.

Harry is snuggled beside me  on the chair my arm on  his shoulder holding him close.

Twins Hugh and Maureen were born after Harry.  Three more sons after that.

I shared much of their lives. There was a birtday cake when Harry was three. Candles lit behind a curtain and cake brought out as a surprise for a much-loved child.

When  corn flakes were introduced to the market, Peggy got them  for her children .

We had porridge with never enough milk.

In summer she trundled the old pram to the shore and sat on the rocks at the bottom of the stairs  down , surrounded by her children  playing at her feet along with  myself and my sister.

On cold  wet winter days , she brought a  large can of hot soup to school at lunch time and sat in the
open  shed with her children for the hour.

The   first Christmas Eve  we were not in our own home, my sister and I stood with noses pressed  against the window of a newsagent  and tobacconist shop. .We were short a penny-halfpenny for
Grampa's gift.

Peggy stopped and asked . We were able to buy the gift.

She would be in her mid-twenties then. Life had not been  easy .

Her mother died and as often happened in those days,  she was raised in someone else's home.

After she started work , she made a home again for a while with her father until she married my Uncle Hughie.

Times were difficult. Work hard to come by. Especially for  Catholics.

Hughie knew of berry patches where he could pick all day and sell a bucket  of raspberries or brambles.

Rugs were hand-made with rags cut into strips. Hughie had a huge frame that he hooked on for hours and sold the finished product for whatever he could get.

I was  there when Harry brought home  the first  shilling he earned  caddying at Gailes Golf Course.

Golf bags were huge and heavy as were  gold clubs.  A round of golf would take several hours.
A boy would compete with men  and be paid less

Harry might have been eleven or twelve years old then.

The argument was  about which parent should have the shilling. There was never a question
that  Harry had a right to  keep his earnings.

Peggy's children were exceptionally beautiful.

 The youngest ,Campbell, most beautiful of all.

 His eyelashes must have been an inch long. They lay heavily on his round rosy cheeks curling up
at the edges while he slept. His eyes were dark violet blue.  His hair was golden and  curled softly on his head.

He was ten  months old when Peggy  died after months of illness.

In a little metal cot in the  fireplace corner of the room, where all of her children were born and lived their lives to-gether.

 After leaving school, Harry went to work helping the green-keeper at Gailes Golf Course. He won a Junior golf championship soon after. I heard about it in London.

He did his national service in the Royal Scots Fusiliers. 

He came home and through the years went on to manage  Belisle Golf Club in Ayr.

Later , he was invited to design golf courses in places as far apart  as  Europe, Gibraltar and California.

He died in his seventies .

The  Harry Diamond Golf Tournament  is an annual event held in  Ayr in his honor.

The  last time I saw him. he re-called  his mother telling him ,while she lay dying .how proud she was of  her first born son and how much that had meant to him throughout his life.

Joy and Sorrow

Except for a nuisance cough ,the bronchitis appears to be gone. Thankyou for asking.

Next time I am near the walk -in clinic ,I will walk in. If there's no-one else in I will wait
and see if the nuisance cough can  be addressed.

Yesterday I went to London to join in closing the book on the life of my late brother's youngest
son., Craig Finnigan.

He was forty-six. At the peak of an illustrious career.His two children were present. We had
 not met.The family were not known to them and it's doubtful now we ever will

Martin and Marnie  from Barrie ,  Heather and Andy from Newmarket ,Frank from Hockley  Valley.
Stephen and Mary  from Waterloo  were there.

Andrew and Rhonda had a crisis of snow and ice melting through the ceiling  in their home that had to be attended.

Theresa and Mark had work  commitments.

Susan and Patrick Wallace, my sister's children and their father Gordon were there.They came from Eganville and Arnprior a seven and a half  hour drive east and north of London.

With Jean and  Ross ,Craig's mother and brother, we gathered in the back corner of a sports
bar for a meal after the  well- attended first visitation.

It was Valentine's Day and the Olympics were in full swing.

We were glad to be together . It's always like that.  There is sadness .yet there is joy.

There's never enough time to catch up on what we are about.

 Gordon has just bought a house and three acres in the middle of nowhere north of Ottawa.

Heated by wood stove.

It  was listed at $140,000  by a couple who had separated.  Husband  had to drive back and forth evey day to maintain the heat.

Gordon wasn't really serious. He lived in an apartment close by Susan.   A garage and  no driveway  to clear.

But he kept making offers.  At $87.500, the last one was  accepted.

It was an offer he couldn't refuse.

At eighty-five years old ,Gordon has moved out  of a convenient apartment close to his daughter Susan into the middle of nowhere to live in a house by himself.

He has to feed a stove for heat. No garage. And  a driveway  to clear.

 It's  a new beginning.

We talked abut the  Celebration of Life  the family organised for  Cyril Buck .

It was a summer Sunday afternoon at Theatre Aurora....doors wide open,  sunshine
pouring  through, throngs  of  people coming  together from near and far for the
occasion.

Delighted to  be together. Great long hugs of affection. Gales of laughter sweeping through.

A  true celebration of  the joy of life, love, laughter and friendship.

Nothing could have honored him more on the  last step  across  the threshold.

The same  step  destined for each and every one of us.

The only real charge, however long or short our lives. that we make it worthwhile for ourselves
and the people around us.

The Point is to mintain order

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Rules have a purpose":

The rules do get confusing. I had gotten the impression that when you made a point of order, the rest of Council got to vote. I didn't realize that the
Chair could dismiss it.
****************

The situation was  not that straightforward. 

The normal process is for the presiding member to maintain order. 

A Councillor   recognisedy the chair ,addresses  his/her remarks to the chair. 

To maintain order,  the chair calls a member to order if comments are out of order. 

If members know and respect the rules, there should be no need for the chair to call a member to order.

The Mayor is normally the presiding member. 

If the Mayor decides to participate in debate, the gavel is handed over to the deputy-mayor.  who then becomes the presiding member.

On this occasion , there was no question on the table.

The delegate's comment  had been  disallowed. His microphone was shut off.

Later in the meeting, the Mayor decided to  re-introduce the matter   to repudiate the
comment.

My point of order  was against the Mayor's re-introduction of  comment that was disallowed ,so that he could  issue a rebuttal.

There is no provision in the rules for doing that.

But  the Mayor dismissed  the point anyway and claimed authority

His rebuttal could have  triggered  a rebuttal of  the rebuttal.

Thereby creating disorder  out of order.

I chaired the previous  meeting  of Council in Committee.

Two delegations were on hand to present on the Hillary-McIntyre real estate scheme.

Extended time  was  allowed.

Lots of opportunity for political posturing , loss of control and ensuing mayhem.

I did what I perceived was  necessary to maintain control of the meeting.

No challenges  emanated from Council.

Next morning an e-mail was received , circulated to all Councillors on a first name basis, other than myself.

The writer observed I was rude, crass,  and hostile to the delegate . My conduct was unacceptable  and the writer was embarrassed to be in the Council Chamber.

I offered his comments wider circulation with name attached.

He didn't want that.

Said his comments were respectful and intended to be confidential.

Understanding is key

KA-NON has left a new comment on your post "Election options":

While the Mayor may only be one vote, because the role is both full-time and (relatively) highly paid, it affords the incumbent the luxury of consistent and un-fettered access to top-level staff. If the one occupying the seat chooses to interpret the Chief Executive role as it may be done in a private, commercial setting, it can (as we are seeing) lead to an (hidden) influence on things far greater than the 1 council vote. 

********************

All of which is true.

Other factors are equally true and far more compelling.

The role of Mayor is one of leadership.

A Council of eight  members ,each elected in his/her own right, is not a docile entity.

Leadership  may not be assumed.

Dues  have to be paid

Trust must be established.

Respect must be earned.

Successful election based on proven ability and performance is politically expedient.

A person who schemes with others to  denigrate and circumvent  the authority of Council does not have a  lengthy shelf life.

He has not understood

Christopher Watts would be a fine candidate

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "A False premise":

19:19
I agree. While it is fine to sit behind a computer screen and be a critic about everything and everyone, the reality of actually being the position would be too humbling for him.

It's a lot more difficult that he knows.

****************

I do not agree with either of you. 

You know you are welcome to comment on this blog while not revealing your name. 

Your comments would carry more weight if you were to  reveal you idemtity. 

But I consider it better  for you to  comment anonymously than not to hear from you at all. 

Christopher Watts is up front, pugnacious in the extreme ,determined that his voice will be heard 
and that everyone will know it is his voice. 

Certainly being a Councillor imposes a discipline. 

The Municipality's interest must always come first. 

A Councillor does not speak for him or herself alone. 

How an  idea is expressed matters as  much as the substance. Clarity is  essential to be effectively conveyed. 

How ideas  are received by colleagues is subject to a variety of influences.An open mind is important.  Open  is not the same as empty.

Being an effective Councillor is  challenging. Development of skills not previously comprehended is essential. 

Christopher Watts would certainly be an attractive and interesting candidate. Certainly not the norm.

If elected, he  has  courage , integrity, intelligence,  communication skills and , I'm sure the ability to acquire the discipline.

Whether he has the inclination is for him to know and for us to wait and see.

Having  said all of that , I repeat , I am not going to allow this blog to be used to beat up on Christopher  Watts.

If  it's debate  you're  after, do it on his terms ,reveal yourself and engage him on his  blog.

Rules have a purpose

Council members  under  rules of civil procedure are not permitted to accuse one another of wrong-doing.

The  same rule applies to any citizen who exercises the courtesy extended  to address Council as a delegate.

The Mayor was right to stop Mr.Heard from making an accusation in a public meeting.

I would have done the same thing.

I did not agree with the issue  being raised again however at another point in the meeting.

I called a point of order.

The  Mayor dismissed the point of order.

It was a judgement call.

As presiding member, it was his to make.

A challenge to the ruling would have called more attention to the accusation.

I did not exercise the option.

There's a rule for everything.

If the rules are respected  there  can be nothing treacherous about holding elected office.

Carrying insurance against the potential of a  reputation destroyed   by another ,should not be a consideration when contemplating a bid for office;  or a  consequence of  being honored to be chosen for office

What Price Accountability ?

In December, without much ado, Council made the decision to eliminate the position of Director of
Customer and Legislative Services . The Director's position included the Office of  Municipal Clerk.

A Consultant Study on Service levels indicated the high cost of providing services was the result of the high level of service.

Following  the simplistic justification for high costs an afterthought suggested elimination of a director;s position would save money.

Pre-emptively the knell fell on the  above noted position.

The Clerk of the municipality is  also the Elections  Officer.

2014 is Election Year. Candidate registrations  begin in January.

Last night, a Bylaw to appoint  a Municipal Clerk was listed on the Agenda.

The statutory office of Clerk is  required by provincial legislation.

The Bylaw had to be withdrawn .

The Deputy-clerk , who was to become Clerk, has accepted a position in New Tecumseh .On  February 28th , the town will have neither Clerk nor Deputy Clerk nor Elections Officer.

The town solicitor has been appointed Acting Deputy Clerk as well as Director of bulah -bulah-bulah.

The  Clerk before last,  resigned on the fateful day in August   when she provided, as she was required to do, the decision of the briefly ensconced  Town of Aurora Integrity Commissioner.

The Deputy-clerk had gone on stress leave  the  week before, after the Integrity Commissioner provided his decision with  instructions it be circulated.

The Deputy-Clerk was prohibited from so doing by the Acting CAO who was also town solicitor.

The month was August. The  Office of Clerk was not filled until November.

It was the time it took for recruitment and appointment.  3 months.

The Deputy-Clerk did not  return from stress leave until  the new clerk took over .

In the  Year of Our Lord, 2014,  an election year,  Aurora will be without a Municipal Clerk.
 an Elections Officer and  a Deputy Clerk  for  the next three months.

That's how long the  recruitment process takes.

The Consultant of course is not accountable.

Council is.

A False premise

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Dialogue is good":


One has to go back in time a goodly number of years to find a cast that would have been capable of the performance of our Council last night: namely Abbott and Costello, the Three Stooges and the Marx Brothers.

The RCMP is currently involved in a fraud investigation against four Senators and the former Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister.

I would suggest that a similar investigation should be commenced against the majority of Council members and the Mayor.

Elected officials swear an Oath of Office that binds them to certain standards of behaviour when it comes to dispensing the public's money, taxpayers' money. This behaviour requires that they are always transparent in their dealings and decisions, that these be made responsibly and that they be held fully accountable for their actions, whatever these might be.

With respect to the allocation of funds to the Aurora Historical Society that was voted last night, an entity that de facto no longer exists, Council has committed a fraud if not a downright theft.

All members of Council should by now be more than a little bit familiar with the background of this entity, and its gradual disappearance from our town's life.

But no, our irresponsible Council, possibly criminally irresponsible, has voted to continue the funding of a defunct entity to the tune of $70,000 for 2014, the same as last year.

I doubt the RCMP would respond to a request to investigate this matter. But the thought that this might occur is sufficient.

******************

That I publish the above does not mean I agree with it. 

Definition of fraud means intent to take from another that which does not belong to the perpetrator,

Council members are not consciously perpetrating a fraud. 

They are choosing the path most travelled. 

Each and every one acknowledged the conversation with the Historical Society needs to take place,

"But not now"

The conversation has needed to take place for ten years. Since the museum  was closed for renovations and the Town hired a heritage planner. 

Councillor Gaertner and myself are the only Councillors aware of what happened since then.

I am the only Councillor  on board since the Historical Society was created  and a museum became a reality. 

We are not looking at corruption.

We are looking at a lack of intestinal fortitude;  a common weakness among politicians.

There's the tendency to make a mental calculation of how many votes  might  be lost
as opposed to gains.

A Chief Financial Advisor has a role to advise. We don't see too much of that.  The reason I leave to your imagination. There is no clear line dawn between professional  advice and political expediency.

That didn't start in this term

This Council  has no experience with a clean clear separation of administration from political.

The malaise is not confined  to the municipal level.

$1.2 billion was swished  down the sewers  at the provincial level on the eve of the last election to save a couple of government seats.

Now we have the provincial treasurer trying  to convince  the Federal treasurer to provide more
funds to the province.

How does the argument wash in the face of $1.2 billion spent with nothing whatsoever to show?

There is no corruption in Aurora.

There's just a lack of respect for the ability of  taxpayers to be able to  properly read the game being played.

We've seen it all before.

We  recognize it all too well.

The Hall of  Fame ,the need for culture at taxpayers expense, the continuation of a grant that long since lost its justification.

They  don't even know the difference between grant and budget for a town service.

Councillor Abel is convinced the Society owned Hillary House, along with the Culture Centre Board is the taxpayers responsibility and the same as Public Library Service.

Last week, Councillor Gallo asked when was  Church Street School  acquired and how was it paid for.

The facts are available.

But  they are not required.

Facts have a way of interfering with the easier. far more pleasant task of doling out taxpayers hard-earned dollars and making friends and influencing enemies.

Election options

Talk about the election has begun.  It will be upon us son enough.

Nnames  are being crossed off.  Minds made up.

The eternal truth about elections is once again being overlooked.

An election is about electing. Not about  rejecting.

For a candidate to be rejected,  someone else must be elected.

If  no candidate for Mayor comes forwrad, the incumbent will be acclaimed.

He has made friends in all the right places.

The fat carcase of the municipal treasury has been royally engorged.

Without a mayoralty contest, the election will engender little interest.

 With no opportnity for choice, turn out  at the polls  could fall  as low as 19 per cent.

In that scenario, all  incumbents have an edge.

The Mayor's chair is  key.

Electing someone without experience or proven  ability  has not turned out well.

The   picture outline  is already clear and irrefutable

There's them that count and them that don't. //

We all know where we fit .

The simple question is, will  a candidate come forward ?

Will there be a viable alternative?

Of the figures strutting the stage  in the last three and a half years, who do you see ?

What are our choices?

Dialogue is good

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Clarity Obscured":

That was an interesting meeting. Never before have I heard a more bizarre list of reasons for doing nothing about a problem that all involved acknowledges to exist.
When the real elephant in the room was the fear for being the ones who actually do something to stop the stupidity in its tracks. 

*****************

The above reference is to a budget meeting held last night.

I've always known residents  clearly comprehend the plot . That has not changed over the years. 

Being able to share an ongoing dialogue is the great blessing of our time. 

Last night's main issue was on-going  and increased funding to the Historical Society an organisation that no longer has its original function. 

They withdrew commitment to operate a museum. They have turned over the museum collection 
to the Town.

They planned to change the name of the organization but the constitution requires 50% of membership present to accomplish the change.
 Membership  is 100.
 Significantly fewer  than fifty members were  sufficiently involved in the Historical Society's affairs to show up to the meeting.

It's not unlike other voluntary organizations. It's always a handful of people with a shared passion, doing all the work and maintaining the illusion of a viable organization

I'm the last person to repudiate passion.

Except that  on-going  funding  to a  defunct organization from taxpayers pockets is not valid. 

The initial grant to the Historical Society allowed a curator to be appointed, the museum organized. Summer history camps were provided. Classroom visits were welcome.  Special events were organized,  research services were cheerfully and generously provided to anyone who made a request.

 Heritage research on town buildings was provided to the town planning department.

The collection was  grown, inventoried and lovingly cared for .

That's all gone now. 

The Town has  had a heritage planner on the  payroll  for at least ten years.Cost not likely much less than $100 thousand a year. Umpteen consultant studies have been paid for. 

We have wrested museum space back from the Culture Centre Board,

Still unused.

The  entire collection is unaccounted for, not properly stored and fabrics  are in sad state of disrepair having been chewed by carpet beetles. 

No  research, curatorial or stewardship services are  being provided by the erstwhile Historical Society.

Nothing .Nada ...Nil...Zilch  ....Zero.

Yet the Society continues to receive a payout from the town treasury. $70 thousand last year. Another  $70 thousand this year.  It was more  three years back ,I just can't remember the exact figure.

The sum equals entire tax  revenue  from seventy/plus  average homes. 

How does it eel  to know your entire tax payment to the town is being funneled to a non-existent entity. 

To add insult to injury:

The town has called for expressions of interest for operating the  upcoming museum.

Guess which organization ,no longer an organization, has put  forward a bid for the contract..

Right,first time.  The same outfit that didn't have enough members to manage the museum despite
accepting town funds to do that very thing.

The coveted job of curator /management of the Aurora Museum may well go to the ghostly association  misrepresenting itself as  the Aurora  Historical Society.

For  an additional price , they will do what they previously refused to do despite receiving a grant for the purpose.

The same organization ,by the way, being used as a cover for the  shadowy proponents
of the Hillary/McIntyre Theme Park.

If the Aurora Historical Society no longer exists because it no longer has a function, how can a sub-committee of a non-existent organization  be  promoting a real estate scam on the backs of Aurora homeowners and businesses.

People  have put the finger on a member of staff  as architect  of all the machinations to that end.

My intuition is  the Eminence Gris is not behind the throne, it is the throne itself.

Our current Mayor is proving to be equally as adept  as the previous , at moving the pieces about on the board without a  finger  in sight.

Clarity Obscured

I published a comment severely critical of the Mayor and Council for the decision on the cockmamie theme park proposal  considered again on February 4th,

It's par for the  course and  would be completely legitimate.

If the decision had been made,

It has not.

It will not be made until the Council meeting of February 11th.

General Committee Meetings of Council do not  formalise decisions.

Recommendations are  forwarded to Council.

The system provides time for sober second thought for those Councillrs inclined to sober second thought.

More serious  though is criticism of the Office of Chief Administrator.

It would not normally  be published.

Except for two memoranda submitted  to Council in a public report by the CAO  containing details  of  proposed  procedures to negotiate purchases of properties  prior to a  Council decision on whether or not the plan has legs.

Real estate negotiations are one of the few public matters allowed to be discussed behind closed doors' to protect the interest of the municipality.

I  queried  the new Director of Legislative and Corporate Services , who is also town solicitor,
for an explanation of how such a  clear cut case of chaos and confusion could come about.

The solicitor responded there was a need to answer  Councillor questions  asked at the general committee meeting.

The difficulty  I have with the explanation, there is no  written record of the  questions.

Neither,  at the time of writing the memo ,  has Council made  a decision to proceed further with the plan.

************************
Agenda Item 9.

Memorandum to Mayor Dawe and Councillors
From Neil Garbe ,Chief Administrative Officer.
Negotiations Strategy for the purchase of properties associated with the  Hillary McIntyre Park.


Background to the  Memorandum: (Feb 11th 2014)
 
At the  meeting of February 4th 2014 staff indicated that  they would prepare a memo pertaining
to how staff will be approaching negotiations with the applicable property owners in the above matter, the due diligence required to support a potential purchase of the properties within the
proposed Hillary-McIntyre Park  and the key steps necessary to ensure feasibility of the project.

Comments.

This  memo is intended to provide a brief outline of the required steps to meet the goals of the Cost-
Benefit Study which was presented to General Committee on February 4th 2014. More details will be submitted in a report to Council on Apri;/May 2014.

*************************

This morning, yet another lengthy communication has been forwarded to Councillors by e-mail from the Chief Administrator's office,

Additional questions have been  forwarded to his office by  a nameless Councillor.

Lengthy responses from the  consultant who presented to Council in Committee last Tuesday  are forwarded to Councillors by e-mail.

The responses may or may not be read by Councillors.

It makes no never mind.

If  not presented in a public meeting. where public business is required to be conducted, it has no
relevance.

It is not admissible.

More later

Politics 101

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "People understand very well.":

I think it was Councillor Gallo [ or Ballard ] who said,
" You are never wrong if you engage the electorate. "
I believe at the time it was to justify sending letters to those near the Minto land without bothering to mention it to his fellow councillors.

****************

The strategy  has stood the Councillor in good stead. 

The first time resident John Gallo presented to Council  in my time was the 2003/6 term. 

He was president of the Ratepayers Association.  The town had received a site plan application for a designated site  in the vicinity of his home. 

It had been designated  for high density before construction of the neighborhood  town houses. 

The designation was  to serve as a buffer between residential and commercial/industrial. 

Neighbors had been using  the property. some had even installed gates in backyard fences. 

Horrifying  images were presented to Council of what would transpire if a seniors facility 
were to be allowed. 

Mr. Gallo urged the town to  buy the land for a  neighborhood park. 

The former Mayor promised the Hydro transmission lines would be buried if she were elected. 

The  neighborhood gave her the votes she needed to beat the incumbent Mayor. 

Mr. Gallo was  a candidate although not successful. 

He called me the morning after  to ask that I step aside and make way for himself. 

When former  Councillor Grace Marsh resigned  from  office. Mr. Gallo accepted appointment 
to fill the vacancy in the face of community demand for a by -election. 

We all know the story about the 6 acre unwanted school site on Mavrinac . 

Councillor Gallo knocked on doors in that neighborhood to alert the residents to the vacant site site and that in his view should be purchased by the town for a park.

He hosted a rally of neighbors at a town hall meeting  to demand the town acquire the land for a park. 

He stated .along with others  that of course he would not suggest the town should pay $6 million for the site. 

Nw the town is litigating,to compel the developer  to sell the land to the town for a fraction of its value.  

That should make for a juicy morsel in a re-election campaign except that most Councillors and the Mayor are in support. 

Councillor Thompson is not. Nor am I. 

The neighborhood by the way is fully serviced with parks. 

It's not about adding a park. 

It's about preventing residential development on the site .... and additional 
assessment revenue. 

Committee of Adjustment ...and other bric-ab-brac

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "What you hear,is not what you get ....":

@10:10
That Bus Fuss came via the C of A.

************

The Committee of Adjustment is not an advisory committee. 

Nor is it subject to the authority of Council.

It is a quasi=judicial body with statutory  authority. 

A application for a  minor variance can be handled without the lugubrious process of an application for a zoning  change or a plan of subdivision.

An application fee is charged. All parties that might have an interest, including the municipality. and neighbors with a certain distance are notified and invited to provide input. ...for or against. 

C of A  decisions are not the last word.

They can be appealed .

The OMB  has similar authority.

The appeal can be granted or denied. 

If  denied, the town has two options. 

We can prosecute  a charge against  people with special needs  for having a bus in the driveway that doesn't  conform to the zoning Bylaw. 

The  people with special needs  get a day in court. 

A judge can decide if, in the circumstances, the  Bylaw is reasonable or not. 

If not, the Bylaw  gets tossed. 

A Bylaw that doesn't stand up in court is not worth the paper it's written on. 

Any time a bylaw is challenged in court, there's a  risk it will be up-ended. . 

Then it's back to the drawing board  for re-write  of a Bylaw that is reasonable.

************************

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "What you hear,is not what you get ....":


I see on the Agenda for Council for February 11 By-Laws to appoint a Clerk and a Deputy Clerk.

Is it normal for a two month time lapse for a Council to fill these two positions, the first being a statutory requirement under the Municipal Act?

*******

Nothing about the situation  is normal.

Staff recommended and Council authorized a Consultant Study  on  Service Levels.

The study showed we were spending more on services than comparative municipalities.

It concluded  the higher cost was because of higher  levels of service.

I'm not sure Culture was included as a service level.

In any case, after concluding higher cost could be rationalized,  the suggestion was made that if Council wanted to save money we could get rid of a Director's position.

Without further ado, the  recommendation  was made to eliminate the position  of Director of  Legislative and Corporate Services .

The work load was transferred to the Director of Legal Services . We  must assume there were idle hands in that department waiting for a new function.

The Bylaw to appoint a  Municipal Clerk, a statutory requirement, appears to indicate there will not be  a lesser number  on the payroll.

Savings are yet to be established.

People understand very well.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "What you hear,is not what you get ....":

I thought committees were supposed to reduce the work of Council ?
Those we have seem determined to throw grenades onto the table. Not just the little stuff like those 3 trees. Trails Committee comes up with really weird stuff and this heritage mess looks like it sprang for another committee. It all gets fuzzy by the time the public hear about an issue.

*******************

I confess . Identifying comments by time posted makes following a thread tedious  Comments sometimes get published that wouldn't otherwise.

The suggestion  Christopher Watts can't spell is  just not on. 

No matter what you think  of his  opinions, there can be no question of his intelligence or his competence .

***********

The comment posted above is  100% positive  

Reports and recommendations for Council  decisions  are being followed.

Contradictions are clearly recognized for what they are.

Advisory committees are  regularly used for other than their stated purpose.

A  typical example is the resolution .complete with several whereases ,in the trails advisory committee report this week.

Clearly the intent of  the citizen member is to devise a means for a resolution  to be tabled and deliberated by Council.

Councillor Gallo, chairman of the committee insists it is not the committee's intent. It is not recommended to Council.

But there it is, in the committee report ,for Council to consider, accept, reject or otherwise
muddle their way around it trying not to offend the  citizen committee member.

The committees have council representation and staff support.

Hand grenades thrown on to the Council  table are hardly welcome.

Councillors Gallo, Ballard and Gaertner are the unholy trinity involved in parks and  recreation, environmental and trails  and pathways.

I believe Councillor Gallo thinks of himself as bold and straightforward.

He digs down and into staff reports and finds contradictions.

But even as he  hesitatingly asks the telling question, he  answers it:

" but if that's what it means, I'm O.K  with that"

American football does not interest me much.

Players spend too much time  hugging the ball, in huddles, with rear ends exposed.

Councillors Gallo. Ballard and Gaertner  huddles are  terribly transparent.

There is no quarterback.

The play does not follow through.

The game never ends.

No points are scored.

What you hear,is not what you get ....

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The Clock Keeps Ticking":


Could someone please explain to me how the Hillary-McIntyre Park Founding Committee and the accompanying Consultants' Study that apparently was authorized by Council at a cost of $25,000 has morphed into something that the CAO is recommending by way of a Negotiation Strategy for the Purchase of properties associated with the said Park.

Has the town passed the necessary By-Law to create a new park?

In light of the fact that a total cost figure of some $22 million has come to light and that the town is supposed to finance half of this, the remainder by fund-raising (presumably from senior levels of government), my question is what is the basis for all of this.

The Cost-Benefit Study is simply many pages of thousands of words, pictures and schematic plans, but from the standpoint of practicality it provides very little.

Unless and until the residents and taxpayers of Aurora have pledged their unqualified support for this project, including paying the bills, Council should receive the material and file it and forget it.

***********************

From the standpoint of substance, there  is none of that either 

Neither is there an explanation I can offer at this time.

I have  forwarded a  query to our new Director of  Legislative and Corporate Services, who is also the town solicitor. to explain how  Item 9 has appeared on  the Agenda for  Council on February 11th 2014.

We are  currently without a Statutary Office of Clerk of the Municipality required by provincial
legislation.

He was responsible to ensure town affairs were conducted within provincial legislative requirements and also in keeping with the town's own legislative Bylaws.

Council recently decided  the position of Director was no  longer required.  We could save money by doing without.

No Bylaw to rescind the appointment  has yet been  presented.

During this term we have seen similar scenarios to the one raised above.

Council deliberates ,opposing arguments dominate, then a resolution is presented and passed in
 the opposite direction.

One hesitates to call it trickery, yet one can hardly call it clear and succinct.

Be that as it may:

Council in  General Committee  does not make decisions.

Decisions are recommended  to Council to be formally and legally enacted.

At Council, motions are subject to further debate, or what passes for same in Aurora ,
and also to a recorded vote if  requested.

There is no confusion  left about who voted how.

No doubt  about the decision or direction to staff.

No unexpected surprises to catch an unwary Councillor unaware.

No precipitate staff report to force forward  an objective  not yet decided.

Former Mayor Timpson used to refer to his time in the Mayor's Office as the
 "Timpson Administration"

George used to carry the Chain of Office in its case wherever he went. There was speculation he wore it in pyjamas.

Perhaps we now know the tenor of the "Dawe Administration"

Now you see it.
Now you don't.

The Clock Keeps Ticking

Newmarket River Walk made the news on Channel 4 to-night. Cameras were there to  cover  Newmarket's Olympic event.

A huge outdoor flat  screen, an ice palace  and outdoor  contoured lounge seating to relax and watch the events in Sochi.

Newmarket has a couple of Olympic athletes in the competition . We wish them luck.

The River Walk was an issue in the last election.

The  facility was created  in the parking lot behind  stores on the east side of Main Street.

The situation is interesting from  an Aurora perspective  because of certain similarities.

It was the demolition of the old arena that triggered imaginative  re-use of the downtown property.

Residents are fully appreciative of the new amenity. It has already been enjoyed  for a couple of years
and there's still almost a year to go before the next election.

Council has every reason to be  satisfied with their work.

The question of conflict has been raised  re a  town  bid  might be used to force up the price of the  Stronach  parcel  designated to accommodate 92 homes on forty-foot lots.

Fat chance.

Our Council's decision  on the old surplus buildings on Library Square remains to be made.

A   Memorandum on Tuesday's Agenda  , dealing with real estate  at the north end. is:
 the previous memorandum be received.

A motion to receive means no action recommended .

It's complicated. But not.

If Council accepts the recommendation , no further action ensues.

It seemed to be leaning that way.

But direction  to negotiate prices was contradictory.

If  the recommendation is  accepted, the matter is closed.

SWOOSH...Did you hear that ?

14.5 acres of land with an allocation of services for ninety-two homes on forty foot lots has been put out for bids in the 2C  planning area of Aurora.

It' s part of the last  lands  available for development within the community.

Bidders will be builder/ developers hungry for  build-ready land.

The town  has been contemplating joining the competition to acquire the land for parks purposes.

It has been discussed behind closed doors because it is a potential real estate transaction.

In  real estate matters, the town's interest must be protected .

The purpose of  the closed door meeting has already been stated as required by the Municipal Act.

I am not giving away any secrets.

 A couple of other things are not secret.

Development charge revenue from 92  single family homes on forty-foot lots would be $5,475,656,

if the land were taken for sports facilities  that revenue  would be forfeit.

A deficit  by that amount  would be created in  revenue forecast from development charges.

A  projection  used to justify capital project spending made necessary  by development forecasts which would not happen.

Not only would  development charge revenues vanish before our eyes, annual assessment revenues
 from 92 homes on forty-foot lots would also not materialize .

The cost of taking the land out of the assessment base would  be added to the cost of  acquiring the land for sports facilities.

Instead of  new tax revenue, the land would be a drain on existing resources.

A forecast  work-load and revenue  to building services department  would not be forthcoming.

Ninety -two applications  won't be processed ... no inspections required.....revenue will not be realized .....but payroll  would be maintained nevertheless.

The proposal did not emanate from Council.

The factors above were not offered in the cost calculations.

The swooshing  sound you hear is the sink hole deepening  under town hall coffers.

Guest Post

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Nero Made History Doing Nothing":


Let me throw something out to permit a certain perspective to enter into the discussion.

The province of Ontario took the decision to create a showcase and in 1969 set out to build Ontario Place, an internationally-acclaimed cultural, leisure and entertainment parkland on and about three man-made islands along the Lake Ontario waterfront.

Ontario Place opened in May 1971 and featured a five pod pavilion complex, The Forum, pedal boats, a marina, restaurants and the world's first permanent IMAX theatre, Cinesphere.

Construction started on March 17, 1969 and took an estimated 1.5 million person hours of labour to build at a cost of $29,000,000.

The original park consisted of three man-made islands connected by picturesque bridges and walkways with the Pods, or Pavilion, complex and the geodesic dome of the Cinesphere as the focal points.

The park initially encompassed 96 acres of which 51 acres were land fill.

The gate first opened to the public on May 22, 1971.

According to the Bank of Canada inflation calculator $100 in 1971 would be worth $576.06 in 2013. If this factor is applied to the original Ontario Place cost, it would cost $167,000,000 to build in 2013.

Now, for a moment, close your eyes and visualize Ontario Place at the time it was built. And then close your eyes a second time and visualize the Hillary Heritage Park, whose cost seems to have settled somewhere in the order of $22,000,000.

Then say that Ontario Place when built is equal to 7.6 Hillary Heritage parks.

People, park Hillary Heritage Park in the scrap heap of Aurora Council ideas that never came to exist.

*****************

My younger children have many happy memories of days at Ontario Place. 

Free parking .  Free admission . Great play.... and a concert in the evening.  Arthur Fiedler and Sing along with Mitch .

The  Cinesphere  and  the amazing  high speed flight skimming the rocks   and surface of Northern Lake Superior.

It was a gift of gigantic proportions.

Probably funded with Lottery money.

Which were an embarrassment of riches. Like the first 3% sales tax imposed by the government.

Rejection accidental

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Nero Made History Doing Nothing":

Council voted 5-4 to begin negotiations. The proponents believe that they are on track. So, I think we have to keep the pressure up.
While the petition is a good thing to have available, it accepts the idea of this ' vision '. That would be a mistake. It needs to be pounded right out of consideration.


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Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 6 February 2014 13:40

The rules work. They are pre-eminent.

The first order of business for a newly elected Council is to swear the Oath of Office.

The second is to  adopt the Procedure Bylaw.

The Bylaw encompasses several aspects of Council responsibility.

Not least,  are the rules whereby we agree to  conduct ourselves in a manner conducive to civility and order.

The rule permits free expression  of strongly held  convictions  and disagreements which in a social venue would  not be acceptable.

It may be why I enjoy politics. I   don't do dainty.

I think Aurora Council does a fair job of lively exchange without inflicting  wounds.

I think it's what our community expects of us.

Community involvement is stimulated  and the social media is  bonus.

It's  best if the rules are observed.

If  each member is proficient there' s no need for the chair to be ruling the roost.

Councillors govern their own conduct.

Delegations are  also governed by the rules.

There is a time limit for presentation.

Councillors are permitted to  ask a question for clarity.

Councillors are not permitted to engage the delegate in argument or  discussion.

It's  the rule.

The purpose is obvious.  A  business meeting of Council is to deal with the business of the corporation.

The procedure bylaw sets out when meetings will be held.  The business agenda is proclaimed beforehand.

Start of the meeting and  hour of adjournment  and agenda  are publicized beforehand so that all may know what business  will be transacted.

Failure on a regular basis , to accomplish what  is set out to be accomplished during the time set aside for the purpose , reflects incompetence.

It puts the rule of order into disrepute.

Neither Councillors  nor the Municipality are well-served by the failure.

On Tuesday, more than an hour of the meeting was taken up with  presentations in
support of a proposal which  did not emanate from the Corporation or the Council.

Council still had to commence deliberation of the matter.

For the umpteenth time ,Mr. Albino had fifteen minutes to prevail upon Council to expend millions of dollars of public resources on rundown real estate.

Questions and answers were allowed.

Discussion between the delegate and Councillors was curtailed as much as  required .

The rules were implemented.

The meeting proceeded .

 The agenda was completed by 9.30 p.m.

A closed session agenda was also completed by the hour of adjournment.

I did my job the way it is  intended.

It doesn't call for smarm or  subservience.

It doesn't merit  apology.

It's the people's business .

It  is why we were elected.