Whoa !!!

It's a comment from One Who Knows.

It's high time you stop wasting your precious time with the pea brains and put that pen of yours to something worth while , Like an autobiography, it would be an over night sensation and #1 best seller
Go for it!!

It's an interesting piece of advice.. I can take it two ways:

Stop writing stuff that isn't worthwhile....or

Stop writing stuff that isn't worthwhile and tell us the story of your life.

But I am telling you bits and pieces of it here and there. Anybody who writes is telling the reader everything about themselves. Soon you will know everything I know about myself.

In reading, there's nothing to distract; no beguiling smile, sparkling blue eyes or riveting gaze out of a sea of wrinkles.

Only the words.

I love words. I know I can put them together. I like to do it. I always watch writers being interviewed. I listen for the secret that reveals how to create fiction.

I know it's like building a house. Still I don't. I have no interest in creating fiction.

I am a chronicler.

Is that a word?

It is now.

They say; write about what you know.I do that.

Other things I do are similar. I write first thing in the morning. Three or four hours go by without my noticing.

I wrote when I was very young. Letters mostly; to my brother who went away to a seminary when he was eleven and I was seven. They were never sent. I never had a penny for a stamp.

In Primary 3, first class after the summer; Sister Eugenius told us to write about where we went for holidays.

We hadn't left home. .The shore was close. Most days, my sister and I were there together. I don't know where our mother went. Probably to our grandmother's house.

Anyway, the only thing I could think to write about was a movie I saw. The title was Four Feathers I've seen it again since. It' s a classic.

We'd been taught a line of poetry was a good way to end a composition.

I finished with a line from A Babbling Brook by Alfred Lord Tennyson .

"For men may come and men may go but I go on forever"

I was pleased with the composition. I didn't have to struggle. It was several pages long.

It was returned to me with a sniff and the comment; "the poem isn't suitable"

I was eight years old and already conscious the teacher assumed everyone would have been away on vacation.

I have no idea why she thought that.

Nobody I knew ever knew a writer.

Nobody talked about what they would like to be when they grew up. No-one asked or made suggestions.

My sister desperately wanted to be somebody else.She was two years older than I was. I had to play her pretend game.

I bet if I had ever thought or said I would like to be a writer, I would have had that knocked out of me pronto. I don't mean physically. There are many ways to put a child down.

In Aurora I wrote letters to the editor. Then I wrote a weekly column for eleven years.

But I had to wait until Blog came into my life.for things to happen the way they should. Opportunity presented itself. You have to know it when you see it.

My immediate objective now is to acquire the thingy that stores posts. independent of the computer.

I think I am writing a book. At some point, I will sort the posts into order and publish.
My computer is always inviting me to do that at $14.95 a pop.

Maybe I'll do one before the election.

Pesky Water Rates

Haven't gone away. I'm skelly-eyed from searching for budget references to water used by various town departments being charged to individual budgets.

I found reference to fire drills and fire-fighting. It didn't give amount used, expenditure or source of revenue.

It was in the paragraph referring to "water loss" Pshaw!!!! Do I look like an idiot?

I found $15 thousand in capital works for a water carrier or tank truck. No reference to water use.

The budget has columns identifying expenditure, previous year's cost, increase and source of funding; be that reserves, tax levy or part this and part that.

But there's nothing....Neither Nil, Zip, Zilch or Zero. Not that I can see.

I asked for help. Didn't get it.

I think about hundreds of thousands, millions. maybe billions of gallons of water used to create summer ice in a building with a metal clad roof. I know it's hundreds of thousands of gallons a day. Every time I think about it the flow grows.

There's a splash pad in the town park. Town swimming pools. Roads being flushed and mains merrily swabbed.

There's the town hall with toilets gushing and multiple hands washing.

All are tax supported.

Tax increase for 2010 shows at 2.8 per cent Won't that look good on a campaign leaflet?

Water rate increase on the other hand is 14%.

Water loss which includes, fire department but no other town department, was increased from 8% to 12% for no reason I can see.

$250.thousand was shifted from an expenditure against a capital reserve account to a charge on the water rates . Outrageous !!!!

Now....I have an admission to make.

I have always considered water meters a sly, sneaky, shifty, and thoroughly underhanded means of removing sewers from the tax bill.

Taxes were not reduced because of the shift. Perish the thought. We just got an extra bill.

I never appreciated a storm sewer rate tacked on to the water rates.

Storm sewers are part of road infrastructure.They have nothing to do with water consumption.

Roads and transportation are tax supported. Storm sewers keep our lots and roadways from flooding.

Ice arenas and swimming pools are supported by user fees....supposedly.

How can the fee be calculated without all costs factored ?

I have heard arguments whether debt should be a factor.... water is never mentioned.

I believe water rates are just a handy way for whoever is exercising power to fondle the numbers fudge the figures and fake the fiduciary .

Gas and electric companies and anybody else with a monopoly have to justify their rates.

Why not the suppliers of water?

Triggers To Reaction

My son Frank and I had breakfast at Cora's on Sunday. His twenty-eight wedding anniversary was the day before. Seemed like the wedding happened the day before.We agreed how short a year is and fleeting the days.

Too fast and too precious to waste.

On Monday, I found my thoughts cast back further. Television reported an item about the name of a new Irish pub. It triggered a reaction..

"Durrty Nell" was the name. No doubt intended to amuse. Like"Ugly Betty" for comedy T.V.

I did not see the humour. I thought about why...... am I out-of-step ?

I heard another objectionable comment after Becker ended at 11.30 p.m.

Five guys in a circle in the Casino Rama Grill Room talking about sports. The topic was Montreal's loss to Pittsburgh.

One said:

"I hate Montreal. I'm waiting for them to die like the dogs they are"

Why do people use language that way? All day I had pondered my negative reaction to the name of a new Toronto pub.

"Durrty Nell"

Being in good part Irish, it's obviously insulting to my heritage..

But that wasn't it.

I went to sleep with the thought in my head. Why do certain words always trigger the same reaction

In the morning, I knew why.

In my class in primary school was a boy named Paddy McCart. His mother was a familiar figure.

Maggie was often to be seen. Short, lank dark hair close to her head, arms clasped across her body, to keep warmth in and cold out. She had no coat, wore little more than a cheap thin cotton over-all. No stockings . Her feet in cheap "sand shoes" seemed barely to touch the ground as she hurried everywhere emitting a constant low moaning sound...almost like a whimper.

Paddy was one of the boys in the back row. He was dirty as were his clothes. I don't remember bad behaviour. More likely he wasn't learning.

Paddy was frequently called to front of class. The nun would hold him at arm's length and beat him across his chapped and filthy legs with a long heavy leather strap wrapped around her hand for greater hitting strength.

He was regularly made to stand facing into a corner. Sometimes kneel for a long time on the hard floor facing the class.

Paddy McCart was not the only boy in that condition subjected to that treatment.

Then there were others. Mark Pieroni and John McAtamany. They sat in front seats. Mark was left-handed and had to learn to be right-handed. John needed extra attention. They were nice boys. Hair always brushed and shining and they wore suits and neat knee high socks of best quality.Their shoes were never down-at-heel and always polished to a high shine.

Mark's parents owned a billiard room with a hall above where parish dances were held.He was the youngest in a family of boys.

John's family owned a tavern on the High Street. One sister,May, played organ in the church .
Vera, the second sister was a soloist in the choir.John was the youngest and only son.

They catered weddings and every year, breakfast after First Holy Communion was held in a room at the back with a cobbled stone floor and long trestle tables with snow-white tablecloths. As we left, each child received a bag of goodies and a penny. I remember the sun streaming into the room on that special day.

Years later, my mother filled in details about Paddy's father. Sober, he was not in his right mind.Mostly he was blind drunk.

There was brutality in the home.

For Paddy, there was brutality in school as well.

There was no compassion anywhere for the nine year old and others like him.

But a powerful aversion to cruelty and injustice grew in the heart of another nine year old.

Decades later, I still have a visceral reaction to names like "Durrty Nell" and "Ugly Betty"

I've never told anyone that story before.

It's not for polite company.

Thank you for reading it.

Now you know my dirty little secret. It's what makes me run and occasionally causes my rage to run over.

Don't mess with me.

A question to The Saga Ongoing.

if this is an in-camera meeting is it available online in the Robbers archives? what would have been the date?

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

I know there's a more professional way of setting this up. Next year I resolve to take lessons at the Senior's Computer Club.

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

Retaining legal counsel to settle political scores happened consistently during in-camera meetings.

The Special Meeting referred to in the post was public. It was to receive the first report of a new team of in-house auditors. The six northern municipalities of the region have an association to do things to-gether with more economical efficiency than we can do them apart.

It was an in-house audit system, intended to be on-going, as opposed to, but in addition to, the annual audit required by Provincial regulation. My impression is the auditors are employed by the region. So that also is a plus.

The meeting would not have been covered by Cable. Only Council Meetings are. If we allowed Rogers to install their cameras as requested months ago, we could probably have much more taping. Rogers asked for an agreement months ago. The equipment they would install is very expensive. They wanted an agreement that would assure them they could take it back if necessary.

They got neither that nor an answer to their request as far as I know.

Oops! I just remembered. That was another matter stuck behind closed doors. For a reason I cannot fathom.

We have cameras in the chamber and tapes can be produced .

I can't remember the date of the meeting but I think it was not much more than six months into the term.

There may be no-one left in the clerk's department, who was there at the time. The clerk is the keeper of the records. Only a couple of members of the senior management team have survived.

If I ask anyone on staff to track down the date, I may be putting them at risk.

You might check with Councillor McRoberts,Collins Mrakas and/or former Councillor Grace
Marsh. They may be a little hazy on the early details of the meeting.

They were on a fast learning curve at the time. They had been refused the regular orientation provided to new Councillors. They didn't even know it was their authority to decide. And they weren't paying much attention to anything I had to tell them.

Re-orientation helps to form cohesion between staff and Councillors, as well as bringing them up to speed on town business.

Better informed Councillors were apparently not considered an asset to the Mormac 's concept of exercising absolute power.

And y'all know what's said about absolute power.

Continuing The Saga

The election was over. Morris was triumphant. MacEachern came in second from head of the poll.

The contrived and strategic questions of the all-candidate meeting organized by Susan Walmer, campaign supporter of Morris, no doubt contributed to the outcome. But it was hardly a sweep.

Twelve thousand people voted. Seven thousand did not vote for the winner.

A Sports Coalition had also organized an all-candidate meeting. The victory party was held at Aurora Men's Soccer Clubhouse.

Generally, a winner is conscious of votes not won. When campaigning ends, effort leans towards mending fences and striving to re-assure all will be fairly represented..

Not this pair.

An in-camera meeting was called almost immediately. A discovery the Mayor claimed indicated her privacy had been invaded and needed urgent attention. It was the first time a solicitor was retained by Council.

But not at personal expense, was the Mayor's adamant declaration.

Now it seems, though it was not obvious at the time, the vehemence of the statement was likely in response to staff advice given previously but never provided to Council as a whole.

I tend to deal with what I see, hear and read. The silence from the administration on the Mayor's predilection for retaining legal counsel always mystified me.

I had never dealt with the circumstance before. I may have failed there.I voted against the recommendation but I'm tormented that there may have been something more I could have done.

It was the start of a two year witch hunt. It ended with unknown town resources expended on two solicitors, no solicitor/client communications circulated at any time and advice that if there had been an invasion of privacy, it would be a civil matter to be taken up by the person whose privacy was felt to have been invaded.

At the start of it, a Special Meeting of Council was held to receive a first report from an in-house team of auditors. The system was shared with six northern municipalities and assistance from the Region.

Councillor MacEachern chose the opportunity to ask if their auditing included monitoring of telephone service. The question was not relevant to the business before Council.

No ruling emanated from the chair.

I called a point of order.

The point was over-ruled. The irrelevant question was repeated.

I persisted.

The Chair ordered me to apologize or be expelled.

I politely refused to oblige to either.

Councillor Gaertner declared her refusal to stay in a meeting where the chair was not respected. She left .

The block numbered five then. Morris, MacEachern and Wilson rose to follow. Councillor Granger still sat.

The Mayor looked back and said sharply. "Stephen, come along" .And Stephen went too.

A mystified auditor, mouth open in mid-speak and amazement still stood at the podium. Reporting had barely begun. A second auditor was present. The entire administrative staff were seated at the table.

New Councillors,McRoberts, Marsh and Collins Mrakas clustered together in confusion.

I myself sat securely in the chair to which I was elected.

A meeting barely started, was over . Nothing accomplished.

Nada.....Nil...... Zilch ..... Zero.

A shadow, May The Saints Preserve Us, of things to come.

It was on a Sunday Too

A meeting organized by Susan Walmer prior to the last election, was sponsored by a Coalition of Ratepayers Association also organized by Ms Walmer.

It was held in the Town Hall. It was commonly known Ms.Walmer was campaigning for election of Ms.Morris to the Mayor's chair.

Tim Jones was the incumbent. Nigel Keane was also a challenger.

There was a sense of unease. The organizer could not be impartial. Boycott was not an option.

Councillor Gaertner and myself were the only incumbents in the race for Council. Ms. MacEachern had been a Councillor in the previous term.

The Chamber was full to capacity . Children were there with their parents. I took assurance from that.

The only thing to watch for was jokery-pokery with the process or planted questions.

The late and former Mayor Dick Illingworth participated . He read out the
questions. No concerns there.

Mayoralty candidates had separate questions and longer to respond. That's normal.

Twenty candidates were in the race. It would be difficult to contrive mischief with that number.

Still... the association was there. I knew it would be tricky . I just had no idea the extent.

My question was about development in the Oak Ridges Moraine.

My answer was straight.

" The question is not as simple as it sounds" I said "there are properties within the Moraine with land use designations. The only way development can be halted, is if the properties are purchased by the Province. They've done it in Richmond Hill. They have not opted to do it in Aurora"

I probably added that I would abide by the law in the best interest of the municipality.

My answer would have been the same no matter where that query was posed..

It was then directed to candidate Al Wilson. In loud and ringing tones he declared he would never permit development on the Oak Ridges Moraine.

Ah...So, I thought. Was that it ?

But we weren't finished.

Ms MacEachern's name was called . The question was whether she had ever known anyone to vote who had a Conflict of Interest.

She said:

"I can't believe I am being asked that question"

Yeah right...I thought. There it is .... here it comes.

I remembered a line of the lawyer representing U.S. President Clinton in the impeachment process.

He said;

"When they say it isn't about the money...it's about the money "

When MacEachern said she couldn't believe she was being asked that question ...she knew she was going to be asked that question.

The candidate was not a member of the previous Council. Gaertner and I were the only incumbents.

No other candidate could have responded to the question...yeah or nay. They had never been on Council.

Who could have given that answer to that question?

Nobody, that's who.

MacEachern answered in the affirmative.

In an in-camera meeting, she claimed, Mayor Jones declared a Conflict and refrained from voting when a union contract settlement was presented for approval.

Though not a union member, Mayor Jones' spouse was a town employee.

The candidate further claimed when the question came up a second time, a conflict was not declared.

Tim Jones lost the election. Votes in the east side of town, where increased voltage in
overhead wires were of serious concern, made the difference.

It's doubtful the accusation changed things. But for me, it was a sign of things to come. It illustrated the depth the candidate and friends were prepared to go in their quest for power.

Of equal significance though, was public reference by a previous member of council , to an occurrence behind closed doors that dealt with labour negotiations. It was confidential.

No records were kept.

The charge could neither be substantiated nor defended.

The contract was settled long since. Yet the information did not belong to the candidate to disseminate as she saw fit.

Yet she did. In public. To an audience of electors.

In contravention of rules regularly touted by the candidate ,now Councillor, these past several years.

There Are Times

Sometimes I just have to get up and go somewhere else.

I posted on my political blog about my no show at the market and received a comment.

I published that but somehow it came up on my personal blog.

I didn't tell it to do that. But it did.

At least half a dozen times,I have copied and pasted it back to my political post. Or so I thought
.
Each time it shows up again on my personal post.

Maybe it's a meddlesome market managerial mischief maker at work. I hear tell a number were to be seen hovering in the vicinity of the market gesticulating and pointing and showing signs of continued agitation..

To the ramparts, my friends......

Prepare muskets.

The Market is Flourishing

Or so I hear. I was up before six this morning . My scooter was fully charged. I was ready to go.

I had time to write a post ...or two. Early morning was bright and blue. As the clock turned, the sky clouded over and it looked like rain pending.

I decided discretion is the better part of valour.

My daughter Theresa went and brought home locally grown strawberries and meat pies.

I love strawberries. None more than locally grown.They must be early this year. It may mean they will be at the market longer. I hope so.

Man, are they luscious.

I'm going to bake a meat pie now and have it for supper.

Reminiscent Number One

A number of years ago, the Town had a Chief Administrative Officer who apparently performed above and beyond expectations in a particular task.

Council decided, as they had authority to do, the extraordinary accomplishment should be compensated. I was not a Councillor at the time and therefore not privy to the details.

In accordance with the law of privacy, Council had authority to make the decision in private.

Salary grid for a particular position is a matter of public record. Public employees like all others are entitled to privacy under the law. Except once a year, disclosure is required for earnings in excess of $100 thousand.

Ms Morris, then a Councillor, decided it suited her purpose to make a public issue of her opposition to council's in-camera decision.

Almost immediately the chief administrative officer accepted an offer of employment elsewhere.

*******************************************
NUMBER TWO

October 23rd 2003.

A meeting of Council was held after registrations had closed for the upcoming election. A Council becomes a "dead duck" and no substantive decisions are made beyond that point

On that occasion, the following day was the deadline for submissions to the Province for input prior to passage of the Oak Ridges Moraine Act. The report had been weeks in preparation and was ,of necessity, complicated. Planning status of every property within the area had to be recorded. .

The Oak Ridges Moraine Act is intended to protect. It does not however remove land use designations legally processed. Lands at various stages in the planning process had to be articulated to be included in the Act.

Staff recommended the report be received in closed session in order to receive solicitor/client advice on particular site plan applications in process.

The report referred to a letter from a solicitor. It was not attached .

Rebecca Beaton was excited that afternoon. A dramatic move was afoot. The forces were being rallied .

The solicitor's letter had been deemed to be furtive and under-handed and Planning Director,Sue Seibert was the culprit.

I lost patience with Rebecca that day.

That night the Chamber filled with the usual caste of characters. Susan Walmer and friend Phyllis Morris. Ben Kestein was there. The Mayor's challenger and his teen age son. Rebecca and numerous others. The Sham Crusade to protect The Moraine was in full sway.

Public debate was demanded. Each took the microphone to demand staff advice be rejected.

Development should never again be permitted on the Moraine, they proclaimed with righteous fervour.

Private property rights had no place in The Oak Ridges Moraine.

Mayor Jones, Councillors West, Betty Pedersen withstood the onslaught. Councillor West, a former Mayor, pointed to a Government map of the Moraine showing non-existent watercourses. He warned of dire consequences of ignoring the reality that half the municipality is within the Moraine.

Planning Director Sue Seibert and Solicitor Shelly Pohjola left the chamber tp take an hour to re-write the report in an effort to save the municipality harmless and satisfy the opponents.

To no avail. That wasn't what they were after. There was blood in the water.

A resolution written on the spot by Councillor MacEachern, was passed to applause from the crowd.

At a subsequent meeting still prior to the election, the decision had to be re-considered and partially reversed. Councillor Mac Eachern made a public apology to property owners who had been adversely affected. She vowed her intention was not to take away anyone's rights.

There was no audience that night.

Councillor George Timpson, a former Mayor, changed his vote. First he went with the majority. Then he reversed himself
.
He was featured in the media as having flip-flopped .

In the election, the Mayoralty challenger did well for an unknown. He ate into Tim Jones' vote. Councillor West went from top of the poll to second from the bottom.Councillor Pederson retired. Councillor Timpson was defeated. As was Councillor David Griffith.

Ms Morris topped the poll.

Council Mac Eachern had withdrawn from the race prior to the Moraine fracas.When names of registrants were noted , Councillor MacEachern stated she had better things to do with her time.

I registered and was elected but not confirmed until after a re-count demanded by Councillor Mac Eachern had been completed. She had failed to persuade runner-up David Griffith to seek the re-count.

Litigation was subsequently undertaken against the municipality by an owner of a legally designated property within the Oak Ridges Moraine.

The Town lost. Of course.

Months of work were required to correct problems created for the municipality by passage of that ill-founded resolution of Oct 23rd 2003.

Now We See It

With the decision to create a Manager of Communication Services, the Chief Administrative Officer gave a statement to the Aurora Banner.

The new Manager would write speeches for the Mayor and correct misinformation that might be abroad, he said. The position called for a Master's Degree in Communications.

Hmmm........I thought....... So..... a person on the payroll assigned the task of reading blogs, letters to the editor and writing letters to the editor, refuting positions taken and opinions expressed and news reports that may reflect negatively on Mormac and Pals.

Hmmm..........I thought some more .........Sounds like what happens at Council meetings. Councillor takes a position, staff person is assigned by presiding member to refute Councillor's position. Does so obligingly and on cue.

I have to tell you, it resembles not any political debate I have ever experienced.

More like one of those dolly-molly shot games at a fair ground.

It's interesting to watch though. Every new day is a challenge.

The Communications Manager attends Council meetings. At the end , he descends from his eyrie at the press table behind my chair and confers with colleagues, backs turned to council(me)

Quite extraordinary.

Pretty clever actually to have a staff position created at taxpayers expense to promote an incumbent agenda, six months before an election.

That's a cash advantage that won't appear in any statement of election expenses.

Far better than having your name on Town Hall stationery .

A lengthy epistle went from the Mayor's office yesterday to every school principal in town advising them to warn children about danger from dogs. Probably written by the Communications Manager.

It should make a good impression in the school sector.

We will probably be seeing more of stuff like that.

The Communications Manager was a reporter with the Alliston Herald for a number of years. It's owned by the Metroland Group. As is the Aurora Banner.

I understand Mr.Ken Whitehurst, the Mayors' friend and campaign supporter was managing editor and/or editor-in-chief of the Metroland North group for a while at the same time.

That would give the town's communications manager valuable connections with the media in the GTA. It has to be a plus in any re- election campaign.

If a candidate had to hire a person with all those pluses, by golly, that would cost a pretty penny.

I wonder if Professor McDiarmid of York University is still paying attention to how candidates in Aurora pay for re-election.

Is the august academic still worried about how much money developers and unions contribute to incumbent municipal campaigns?

Thoughtful And Correct....Up To A Point

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Homecoming":

Evelyn, I agree with everything you said, this is a foolish decision but I think you have been unduly harsh in your criticism of the resident who fought for it. All home owners are "selfish" about their properties. Although it is undeniable that the town owns a few metres at the bottom of everyone's property, it is only natural that we think of it as our own. We nurture and care for it as we do the rest of our lot and we are responsible for its aesthetic maintenance. The resident did the right thing, he had a concern, went to the Mayor and fought for what he wanted. It is not his fault that council granted his request at the expense of his neighbours and fellow taxpayers. Although I agree that the Town has a responsibility to work with citizens for the betterment of all neighbourhoods, in the end it is up to the elected members to determine how best to utilize community owned property. It is them that must be held accountable for their decisions. No homeowner is objective about their own property or neighbourhood, that is job of their elected government. I think in fairness you owe him an apology. And it is council that owes an apology to his neighbours.

The foregoing was received this morning and the writer is correct.

I have said before that every citizen has a right to defend whatever he sees as his interest.

There are a couple of peculiarities here which provoked the criticism.

This neighbour collected a petition in opposition to a sidewalk when the town allowed residents to state their preference.He sought my support and I gave it freely.

Most of the street has sidewalk already. The new construction is closing a gap

Since the petition was collected, policy changed. People still have the right to express preference. But traffic pattern and pedestrian safety will be the determining factor. It's a good policy and I support it.

New information disclosed Nisbet Drive is heavily used as an alternative for drivers and pedestrians to reach commercial shopping on Yonge Street or conversely the liquor store at the corner of Brookland.

It is not unusual for cars to mount the curb and plow the boulevard in that neighbourhood.

Boulevards serve as snow storage. They also protect pedestrians from potential hazard such as the one above.

Sidewalks, even seven foot wide, cannot be kept clear and be used as snow storage.

Pedestrians, in the main, are the elderly, children and youth, mothers with strollers , the disabled and people walking pets.

These are the people needing the safety of a properly placed sidewalk.

To accommodate the new alignment, a considerable stretch of sidewalk in good condition will be broken out and discarded.

Trees being cut down are town trees in beautiful condition, in front of number 63 .

The new metre of road on the west side will require a new base and catch basins re-aligned.

A hydro transformer and vault will be closer to the travelled portion of the road and there are hydro cables which as far as I am aware have not been examined in the plans.

Neighbours' property are not all that's affected by this bastardised plan.

We are currently contemplating thousands,potentially millions of dollars in current and future budgets to improve public amenities to accommodate mobility for the disabled.

Miles of sidewalk are missing or in need of renewal within the town.

This small section was but a step in the right direction and the town is not taking it.

I acknowledge Council is responsible for the decision.

I acknowledge my criticism is severe. But I draw the line at an apology

When a citizen comes to the public forum to argue for a particular decision in his favour and so influence decision-making, privacy is surrendered and views are subject to the same analysis and criticism as any elected member seated at the table.

The only thing they do not share is responsibility for the decision.

However, in my book, my highly intelligent and influential neighbour in Nisbet Drive is not excused for his lack of social responsibility.

In my experience, knowledge that a self-serving demand can only be accommodated at the expense of one's neighbours is generally what keeps most people from making outrageously,
blatant,self-serving demands.

My neighbour has not witheld his criticism.

Of course,who can know what assurances were received by the supplicant of the righteousness of his request in the privacy of the Mayor's office.

Nah! that's still not an excuse. He is too smart to be taken in by that. More likely he was exploiting it to his advantage. .

Homecoming

Last night a glass with ice was on the table by my chair and a message from a Nisbet Drive neighbour was waiting for me when I got home.

"Tell your mother, we all appreciate what she did for us tonight"

It was nice. But it was little enough I was able to accomplish.

I told Council, Nisbet Drive residents felt they should have had an opportunity to comment on the changed construction plans for their road.

Councillor Gaertner dismissed that. Residents had plenty of opportunity to comment,she said.

The Mayor advised residents should come and see her and Public Works Director, Simanovskis if they had a problem.

Mayor Morris is certainly right about that. One resident of Nisbet Drive went to see her and the Public Works Director and the road design was promptly changed to suit his preference.

Along his property frontage, the sidewalk loops and becomes a concrete pad six feet wide, abutting the travelled portion of the road. Not only that. The road itself is to be shifted over by three feet to take the sidewalk even further from his property.

Neighbours opposite will have three feet less depth to their frontage.

To satisfy totally selfish and self-centred demands of a single individual,three beautiful street trees, two of them with probably thirty years of growth, will be cut down to be replaced by the concrete pad.

But apparently that's acceptable. Because he took his problem to the Mayor. The Mayor ensured his every wish was granted. Like a Fairy Godmother.

So chuffed was he with the success of his efforts, he boasted to neighbours about how effective he had been and how well the Mayor had taken care of his needs.

His success had been at his neighbours expense, but never did it occur to him the information might not be universally welcomed.

It's interesting to watch Mormac politics in action.

Little subtlety is involved.

By summer's end , the hybrid sidewalk will be on the ground for all to see.

Visit Nisbet Drive now and see how it is. Council awarded the contract last night with one vote opposed.

The trees will be the first to vanish. Go and see them now in all their glory of spring foliage. Take some photos. Talk to the neighbours. Give them an ear.

Next time a righteous Councillor expresses an opinion about the value of a tree, know that for the crock it is.

I've been to a few gatherings lately. In the company of neighbouring politicians.

Aurora Council meetings are being viewed far and wide.

Water Rates Homework

I logged in to the Town web site this morning I needed to check the budget.

I voted against the water rate increase. The press report noted the vote to support was seven to one. And that's where the story ended. More than likely because that's where the available space ended. But the story wasn't complete

So, the pressure is on me, myself alone, to keep following my nose.

One explanation for the increase was a change in book-keeping. Until this year, cost of maintaining water lines has been charged to a capital reserve fund established for the purpose of maintaining water lines.

The treasurer and public works director decided during budget preparation, before the year end, that should be changed.

It meant a transfer $250,000 from a charge against the capital reserve to an increase in water rates.

The "water loss" factor was increased from 8% to 11%.

I asked; since the principle that water rates are not tax supported is clearly enunciated, are we equally fastidious about not including water used in tax supported services in rates charged to the consumer.

The answer was yes; departments are charged for water used.

Well, last week I asked for the number of the line item on the budget that shows charges for water. I had found an item for "utilities" which I understood was for gas and electricity.

The answer was : water use in particular facilities is combined and shows on a specific page of the budget as charged and settled.

Well, I gotta tell you. I went looking for that item. I didn't find it. Doesn't mean it isn't there. Just that my search skills are not that great. I don't know what that word "settled" means either.

But I did find the Water Rate Report and read that again.

In a paragraph defining "water loss" it said:

Fire department use. training and fire-fighting.

D'you remember;I didn't get a clear answer when I asked about that in the joint fire committee meeting. Newmarket's treasurer was at the table. He was conspicuous in his silence.

Unmetered supplies for landscaping, parks and road maintenance are also factored in as "water loss"

I don't know how much water is used for landscaping and parks and road maintenance. I do know it isn't "lost" It's used by departments which are tax supported services.

We have multiple parks and sports facilities. More every year. We have a splash pad in the town park. Nobody knows how much water it uses. It's not a trickle.

The water is not re-circulating. It goes straight down the drain. Sewer or storm? Dunno. But it makes a difference to how much we pay.

We create outdoor ice in the winter. A hose is kept running for days.That must take thousands of gallons. Norm Weller used to calculate the cost by man hours. Never mentioned anything about water.

We didn't have meters then.

The Region doesn't charge us by the thousands of gallons. They charge us by the gallon.

The Region by the way, notified municipalities of the increase on April 1st.We got the report at council on April 20th. We didn't deal with it until April 27th. Then it was urgent. Had to be done in time to be implemented by May 1st.

The Mayor was critical of my solitary negative vote.Scoffed at the politics of it. Said I should accept staff advice.

I don't know how many tanks of water, public works uses to wash streets. It doesn't matter. It's not water lost. It is a tax supported service.

The town's budget report notes the increase in taxes on an average house is $36. For perspective, a figure of 30cents a day is included. I hate that perspective.

The increase in water rates on an average household is $115. That means three times the increase for water than taxes.

There's reference to a future increase in rates for the capital reserve account for maintaining waterlines and such.

That has to mean the treasurer's change in accounting may not be as valid as first appeared.

If the money in the capital reserve to maintain water lines and such ,came from water rates in the first place, that is certainly where it should come from to pay for maintaining the water lines and such. Not from an increase in the rates

The report refers to old water meters not registering efficiently.

That may be so.

The only subdivision I know metered before the rest of the town, was Golf Glen.
In the greater scheme of things, that's a mere handful of homes. Meter slippage could easily be checked for "water loss". I doubt it amounts to much.

Now then..... I do not represent myself as an accountant. I don't even claim to be a competent book-keeper.

But I have to tell you, fellow tax and water-rate payers, I am not satisfied the town's water rates are calculated fairly or accurately.

They are certainly not meticulous.

We are paying for more than the water we use in our homes.How much more I don't know. But I believe it is not unsubstantial.

It's clear to me service costs which should be in the tax rate have been down-loaded to the water rate.

That's not straightforward book-keeping.

I believe as a Council, we have not done our due diligence.

It Took A While

Since three legal opinions have been provided that blog posts or letters to the editor cannot be added to a Council agenda without the permission of the writer.

We are also advised no question can be placed on an agenda, without due notice, a mover and a seconder or permission to suspend the Procedure Bylaw.

But ways have been contrived to get around all of that.

Councillor MacEachern, as chair, has placed or allowed, a letter to the editor on the agenda of a couple of meetings pf the Leisure Services Advisory Committee. Where it has been chewed over and members disaffection has been reported to Council.

Whereupon it became a matter of public record.

Councillor Gallo's Question of Privilege at the April 27th Council Meeting is an example of contriving to have content of a letter to the editor placed on a council agenda. Councillor Gallo's stated intention was to "correct the record"

A Question of Privilege is a means for a Councillor, who has been offended by a comment made in debate. He may feel he has been accused of wrongdoing,or a motive attached to a position he has taken in debate. The remedy is provided to request withdrawal of the offending comment and possibly receive an apology.

Refusal to withdraw or apologize are options. Which generally means the comments complained about stand.

The process permits an inadvertent error to be resolved without grievance. It is a necessary means of maintaining civility and reducing potential for personal animosity to grow within the council.

Huh!

The obligation to state one's position, without fear or favour, and the possibility of causing offence or being offended is an occupational hazard of politics.

The substance of Council Gallo's " Question of Privilege" was a letter to the editor. It was not part of "the record"

A Question of Privilege is introduced by a request from a member to the Chair to accept a Question of Privilege.

Following normal practice,the Chair directs the Member to state the question and rules on its acceptability.

Councillor Gallo's Question of Privilege was convoluted, clumsy and a contrived means of introducing a letter to the editor into the record. Not of correcting it.

A motion was made to receive the Question of Privilege as information.

Thereby making it part of the public record.

Taking time, in the face of such an egregious lack of comprehension of the rules , by both the member and the presiding member,would have been a waste of time.

Like so much that happens in Aurora Council, trying to untangle a tangle which has been so carefully tangled by so many hands beforehand, is a true exercise in frustration.

Council's Agenda is for the purpose of expediting town business.

Preparation is the responsibility of the Clerk. As is, keeping and maintaining records.

The Municipal Act defines it.

As it does the responsibility of elected members.

The Act requires at the beginning of each term, passage of a Procedure Bylaw, setting forth dates, times for the start and end of meetings. And publication of the Agenda beforehand.

The public must always be informed, what is to be decided at a particular meeting, within a particular time frame.

We have an Integrity Commissioner once again.

The first was hired , then fired after his first decision.

He did not find in favour of the complainants.

When the Commissioner receives a complaint, he is entitled to access records to establish validity.

Decisions of Council are required to be recorded without note or comment.

Blog posts and letters to the editor cannot be included on an agenda without the writer's consent.

The record of the April 27th 2010 Council Meeting of the Town of Aurora, is chock- a-block full of notes and comments and references to blog posts and letter to the editor.

It's the rule rather than the exception.

Readers may guess at the purpose of the intention.

The Market is Growing

I hear thirty-six vendors have taken out permits.That's up from twenty-seven last year.

People don't always show up at the beginning and yesterday was a really terrible day.

The problem with permits wasn't at the town end.

The normal process is for applications to be received at the town and forwarded to the market committee to make sure they fit the profile of artisan and produce.

There was confusion about vendors plans to increase permit fees to cover the cost of hiring a manager.

Permit fees are town business. They are authorized by Bylaw.

A budget item was approved to hire a manager. The Bylaw to increase permit fees wasn't passed. No manager was hired.

Too many cooks I guess.

But there's a good feeling now that the vendors have taken control of their own affairs. There may even by opportunity for volunteer involvement. That's always a good thing .

The person who knows about accoutrements for the scooter wasn't at the store yesterday. I will have to see to that tomorrow.

A Significant Anniversary

It was May 12th 2009, Sher St.Kits came to council with a written presentation containing a variety of unfounded and unsubstantiated allegations against a Councillor, demanding Council take action and declaring her intention to file a complaint against said Councillor.

The Town Solicitor attempted on two occasions to intervene and advise the matter was not for Council to deal with.

The Mayor persisted.

Ms St Kitts was requested to provide her written comments to staff. .

A resolution was presented to suspend the Procedure Bylaw to permit Ms St Kitts' comments made in the public forum, to form part of the formal record.

There was a bit of a kefuffle about the two thirds requirement for suspension of the Procedure Bylaw.

The Mayor dealt with that too. She simply found the vote to be two thirds and declared the motion passed.

Two weeks later,May 26th 2009, Ms St. Kitts comments did not appear in the minutes presented for approval.

The minutes were challenged.

A review was requested.

And denied.

Unfounded and unsubstantiated accusations and allegations accepted in a public forum against a Member of Council, by the Mayor , against advice of the solicitor, despite a formal resolution of Council directing they be included in the formal record, were not.

The Chief Administrative Officer reported to Council; the solicitor , himself and the Clerk had conferred and decided "to follow precedent' and not record the full comments.

In response to public outcry and demands for explanation, the observation was made, in colloquial terms; "the minutes were doctored"

May 11th, 2010 Council Meeting , minutes of the April 27th, 2010 meeting are before Council for approval.

111. Open Forum

Ms Walmer ( the Mayor's friend and campaign organizer) spoke.

No motion was passed to suspend Procedure to allow the comments to form part of the public record.

No kefuffle about what constitutes a two-thirds majority.

No conference necessary between the Chief Administrator, solicitor or Municipal Clerk.

Yet there they are .

Twenty four lines . Every word recorded. In paragraphs yet. As if provided in writing.

No precedent followed.

No synopsis created.

A year almost to the day.

For a complete turn around and contradiction.

Who says minutes are not doctored to suit exigencies?

Pshaw! Let the record show.

OH!!!! THE MARKET

It's 12 p.m. and I'm not there.

I was looking forward to tootling on up there on my scooter and spending a couple of hours perusing market wares.

But the skies are heavy. It has rained on and off .Thunder has rumbled now and then.

My scooter has no hood. And I can't stay on my feet to perambulate comfortably long enough to accomplish anything worthwhile.

Instead, I will shop for a hood and cover, so that I will not be similarly inconvenienced any time in the future.

I have in mind something like a "Surrey With Fringe on Top"

What are the chances, I will find something like that?

My daughter Theresa was at the Market. The vendors were folding up early because of the weather.

On Another Topic

I know no obligation to keep outrageous behaviour confidential.

Councillor Wilson on the other hand, apparently feels a room with closed doors is an opportunity not to be missed.

On Tuesday, during the in- camera meeting, he repeated a performance similar to one hurled at former Councillor Grace Marsh before she resigned.

On his feet, shouting, flailing his arms, he declared my "hatred" of the Mayor has destroyed everything this Council has tried to do throughout the term.

He bitterly excoriated things said about him in this blog.

There was a presiding member. The attack was permitted . There was an audience of staff. an external solicitor and the rest of Council.

It takes a better man than I am, not to respond to such an attack. And I did. Though not to my satisfaction.

Yet how does one?

Calmly, deliberately and with dignity, I might say:

Councillor, if you were not so fond of casting allegations,
accusations, sneers and jeers, there would surely be nothing
for me to say about you.
Our association is as Members of a Council.
We are not friends. We are not enemies.
Neither love nor hate have a place between us.
Our exchange is public business.
I will not engage at your level.
It fails to conform to any rules of order familiar to me.
Nor to your adopted Code of Conduct.
But I am not without resources.
The blog gives me a tool to respond.
You do it your way.I will do it mine.
People will judge how we handle ourselves in their name
Blog is a new element in politics but it's all grist for the mill, Councillor....
Grist for the mill.
If you do not like how I portray you, the solution is yours.
Stop doing and saying that which allows me to paint the portrait.
Stop fooling yourself into believing because there are six of you and you can make rules to suit your purpose, it means you have the upper hand.
I wasn't born yesterday, Councillor.
Don't think, I didn't learn a thing or five along the way.
I didn't survive because I was afraid to risk all for the sake of doing what I
thought was right.
Or my passion for being straighforward overcomes all else, including political
expediency.
I know well enough, it's not what people expect from a politician.
And it's not always a political advantage.
But it is what they need to expect from me. Because it's what I have and will
continue to give.

Well, of course. I didn't say any of those things. The ambiance was not conducive.

Instead my claws came out and I cut him a new one. It definitely made me feel better and I'm certainly not sorry.

But it did nothing to improve an appalling situation.

I am not hopeful anything can.

Let's Get Real

My daughter Heather came down yesterday. Our conversation was about the Special Olympics Floor Hockey Tournament she and Sue Hoey organised in Newmarket last Saturday.

Brent Hoey and Adam have been friends since starting school.Brent is a year or two younger

The Tournament hasn't been the only thing on the go. This week-end will be the first in eight months Heather has been free.

Many things needed to be done. Theresa and my grandson Rory were at the Ray Twinney Centre to do whatever.

Robyn and ten of her school-mates were in the kitchen on Friday baking four hundred cookies for lunch bags.They had great fun putting the lunches together with everything a person would like to find in a lunch.

The buns were ordered, fresh baked panini, from the Superstore. Everybody knows the difference when buns or bread is freshly baked.

There are no revenues for a Special Olympics Tournament. Every penny has to be squeezed twice.

The fee for the arena was $1270 for the day. That was a huge burden. Someone suggested a request to the Mayor.

The letter didn't get to the Mayor. Someone else had a meeting with the Mayor and mentioned the letter.

Immediately Mayor Tony Van Bynen forwarded $500. out of his golf tournament funds to reduce the fee.No publicity given, none sought.Only those who needed the help knew they got it
and from whence it came.

One of the things learned was how some people feel compelled to come forward and say they will do this or that. They don't. Then act as if they never offered.

And others who say " What do you need me to do" and come through like gang-busters.

Some parents have tears in their eyes, for sons and daughters having a chance to do something they never imagined possible.

Then there were kids from Owen Sound and Midland who came on a bus, without parents.

It was what it was With what there was to work with. At one and the same time a learning experience and a great success.

No tournament is ever organised without a tremendous weight on the shoulders of a few strong individuals.

The rest just need to stay out of the way

Adam dons a Town of Newmarket shirt and works at the arena one day a week.He is paid the union rate. His workmates gave that tournament their Royal Best.

Adam has friends from all Newmarket who know him from the arena.

Ray Twinney's heart would have been full, had he been there to see it.

It was a fitting tribute to his memory.

HEIGH HO! TO THE MARKET WE WILL GO

On Saturday, May 7th at 8 a.m.

Aurora Farmers Market starts anew .

The Season is new but that's not all.

The Market, for the first time, will chart it's own course.

They will be independent of the town.

Free of exploitation .

They will show us their wares and cry ;

Who will buy .... Who will buy

We will hear their cry

And gather there for the sheer fun of it.

Click Forward

I forwarded the comment I received to the town and received the prompt response printed below.

I am obliged .

But I have to tell you what I miss:

I am accustomed to the clerk of the municipality providing smooth passage for the business of the corporation.

Items appear on the agenda in a timely manner for Council's attention. Bylaws are prepared on the direction of Council, before Council is even aware their direction is required.

The Clerk of the Municipality is the unseen hand that guides all things in smooth progression. Without the clerk given free rein and authority to do his/her job, chaos ensues.

Kind of like the wife and mother, who makes taking care of the multiple needs of the family look so easy everyone imagines no skill is involved.

We spent thousands of dollars on consultants to tell us how to re-organise the administration.

The Clerk's position in the administration was downgraded from number two to number four
.
Many of his responsibilities were transferred elsewhere.

We use a fraction of his skills and experience.

They are not replicated elsewhere.

On the other hand, the heavy and erratic hand of the Mayor is evident everywhere.

In Response To A Comment

In response to the inquiry, both Pet Value locations have now been provided with 2010 Pet Tags and are now selling them on behalf of the Town. Following the approval obtained from Council to enter into these agreements with the retail locations in April we finalized the agreements with the Legal Department and they were executed last week with the store owners and then signed by the Mayor and Town Clerk. Prior to this occurring I had been in contact with the store owners to advise them the agreements were coming allowing them to sell the pet tags. The front line employees at the store may not have been aware of this information.

All is now in place and the public can purchase the tags at both Pet Value locations.

I will follow-up with staff to ensure calls are properly transferred and directed to the appropriate person who is able to respond to the inquiry.

Legal Costs

On April 14th I once again sought, through proper channels, to obtain costs of the town's legal services for the years 2007/8/9/10.

I was informed they were being prepared and would be ready in two weeks. Three weeks later. Nothing .

Though costs are not available, we have recent experience of service provided.

On Tuesday, during Council in Committee, Mr. Roger Beaman,solicitor, arrived at the Town Hall between seven and eight o'clock.He was present for a consultation with Council in an in-camera meeting following Council in Committee.

Councillor Gallo was in the chair. He started the meeting on time and in good humour. He said he had made a bet with Councillor McRoberts, the meeting would be over in thirty minutes.

There were seven items on the agenda. Councillor Wilson indicated he wished to speak to six.

The meeting lasted an hour.

When I left the Town Hall at ten-thirty, Mr. Beaman was there still.

The solicitor's travel time would start when he left his office located on Bay Street. Consult time would likely be no less than three hours.

The question finally decided on Tuesday has been four times before Council in closed session. Mr. Beaman has been in attendance at least twice. Lengthy letters have also been submitted.

How many telephone conferences with the Mayor are unknown at this time.

I saw one on an invoice, at the beginning of the Westhill issue (March 2008) which lasted fifty minutes The time drew my attention.

I remember thinking..... Oh My God, that was a $475 conversation.

I think that may be the rationale that legal invoices have not been made available to me...or anyone else.

The first time Tuesday's agenda item was on the table, Council had received a letter providing three options for way and means of reimbursing opposing neighbours for their expenditures to seek a consolidated board hearing to protect their interest.

We were informed the residents had decided, after three unsuccessful proceedings , to abandon their quest. As they had a right to do. As they had a right to start it Separate and independent of the Municipality to defend their private interest.

It was not our business to know.

I made it clear then in my opinion, the item had no business being discussed behind closed doors. The Town has a policy for considering grant applications. It does not provide for secret deliberation.

I said so publicly at the time. I have said so since.

The matter has subsequently morphed into something other than a grant application. I have not been persuaded.

On Tuesday night, at the table, were two solicitors; the town solicitor and Mr. Beaman. The Chief Administrative Officer was present also and the Municipal Clerk as recording secretary.

Much of the meeting was taken up with matters other than the issue on the agenda. Disorderly, mildly describes the proceedings. Degrading for all present is without exaggeration.

In staff reports to Council, there's a section which refers to Financial Impact:

I believe the financial tally for this particular exercise was thousands, possibly, tens of thousand of dollars.

Time spent on Tuesday in totally reprehensible and chaotic disorder, with the clock ticking and the tally mounting was of no benefit to any person present.

To argue service to the community is without merit or integrity.

ON A BREACH OF TRUST

I was home last night in time for Becker and David Letterman. I was so glad to see the conflicted New York City, store front doctor and his zany friends. They certainly help to put things into perspective

Aurora's General Committee meeting started at 7p.m. Ended an hour later. Then the real fun began. It was the fourth session on the same issue. That's how long it took for the Mormac twins to get the decision they wanted.

You won't know about it for another two weeks. The Mayor wants to "see what happens" in the meantime.

Things are definitely becoming frayed to the point of frenzy around the edges.

Considerable time was spent discussing my blogs and confidentiality.They were not items on the agenda.

There were two lawyers on hand. They didn't talk about blogs.

The Procedural Bylaw and Code Of Conduct were referenced.

Well, you should have seen the conduct. Not much there to commend the Code.

If I ever had any illusion that code was intended as an instrument for good, I would certainly have lost it last night.

I snapped after about ninety minutes and said a bad word.

If I were still at the Age of Reason, I would certainly have a sin to confess.

But not a crime.

TO MARKET!!!!!!!!!!!!! TO MARKET

Aurora Farmers' Market starts on Saturday at the Town Park at 8 a.m. on Wells Street.

Vendors have made their permit applications and paid their fees. There's a bottleneck . As of today, permits are not yet issued.

There has been no advertising because the Mayor's favourite volunteer quit.

Councillor Stephen Granger, the Mayor's Council Liaison Appointee has also terminated his connection.

For the moment, The Farmers' Market is at sixes and sevens.

But never fear. They will rally and be better than ever this year.

All the better for being independent.

Starting Saturday, a favourite summer ritual will commence again at 8 a.m. on Wells Street. in front of the beautiful old school building, at the Town Park in Aurora.

Come One!!!!!!! Come All!!!!!!!!!

Enjoy a piece of the past and The Select Purveyors of the Aurora Farmer's Market

By Appointment to the Good People of Aurora

All other Aurora blogs please copy

I Digressed

An alternate term for Breach of Confidentiality, is Breach of Trust.

It's a Criminal Offense. Charges can be laid under the Criminal Code of Canada.

A charge is not a conviction. A judge makes that determination after listening to legal arguments.

But first, a determination has to be made by the appropriate official about intent and impact and the merits of laying a charge.

I do not claim proficiency in law. I have the same sense of logic and fairness as any other citizen. In addition,I have experience acquired over many years as an elected official.

I am as capable as any of determining public interest.

It is as follows;

In matters of litigation, the town takes legal advice. From time to time,Council must give authority for certain steps to be taken. Councillors must be informed. Conveying such information to a party litigating against the town is a Breach of Public Trust.

It might be inadvertence.

It might be mischief.

It might be information traded in consideration of financial exchange.That's the baddy

Whatever the reason, if the town's interest is compromised, a person could be found to be in Breach of Trust.

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

Two other aspects of town business qualify for confidentiality.

The first is individual right to privacy .

The second, labour negotiations.

Bargaining in good faith is required by law.

If Council gave authority to an hourly rate increase between two figures and a Councillor conveyed the figures to a union representative, the municipality's interest would be compromised.

That would be a Breach of Trust.

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

In the matter of individual right to privacy:

If an employee is terminated and decides to sue for unfair dismissal. The issue of course becomes the subject of litigation.

A Councillor may become possessed of particular details.

Under Rights to Privacy and because of litigation or potential litigation, the municipal interest may be doubly compromised by public release of details detrimental to the employee
or conversely, detrimental to the interest of the municipality.

That would be a Breach of Trust.

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

There's nothing complicated about the principles.

Most people, in their daily lives, have to make decisions about their own , their family or their business interest. As citizens of a society long governed by law, we have an intuition about what is right and just. Common Law is based on exactly that.

What we have to look out for in municipal politics are decisions made behind closed doors that do not belong there

A closed door session used improperly for the purpose of suppressing the public decision-making process, I think, is a Breach of Public Trust as surely as all the rest.

More About Water Rates

Yesterday's post was rough at the edges. More needs to be told. Few around when the Region was created, are still here to tell the tale.

Before Region, we had our own wells .Numbers of them . Water used by town departments was minimal.

The Town Hall was an old bank building on Yonge Street. We had less than a half -dozen people on staff there.

One toilet upstairs and one down served the needs.

The works department was a couple of battered and rusty old quanset huts on Wellington Street. There would be a toilet or two in there and I'm pretty sure, a shower of sorts.

We had one community centre with maybe three full-time staff and a bunch of rink rats.

There were probably more toilets and showers there than anywhere. They weren't much used on weekdays.

We had a traffic court in the auditorium ,with a magistrate,cops and various other miscreants from ten to four during the week.

We had the Firehall. They had a room at the back which, I discovered years later, was a bit of a watering hole for various people in the know. The Fire Chief was the only full-time person on the payroll.

Water was ours. We found it. We pumped it. We treated it. We created reservoirs. We distributed it.

The flat rate was so low, it hardly seemed worth sending out bills every three months. So they went out with hydro bills. We owned that too.

Revenue paid all costs and provided a stash to fund whatever small projects came along. Like an extra bay on the firehall. Money was borrowed from the reserve and paid back with interest.

Things were so beautifully simple. We only had three parks.I don't know if even schools were billed for water use. We owned them too. When students and staff were using facilities in the schools ,they weren't using them at home.

In those days, people who worked for the town, lived in the town.

When the region was created things didn't change right away. Ownership of wells was
transferred, But they were still the same wells and the same people using the water. We still had a flat rate user fee though it increased substantially.

When the new firehall was built, a weir was built on the creek to allow that water to be used for fire practice. I don't know if they're still doing that. We have a joint fire service with Newmarket. I mentioned it at fire committee last week but didn't get a straight answer.

But since then, My Goodness, how things have changed.

We have swimming pools. Numbers of them.

A summer ice facility at the Aurora Leisure Complex uses hundreds of thousands of litres of water daily for the cooling system. In the beginning, there was tin roof and the system worked overtime to accomplish its function. Then the roof was insulated. It still uses horrendous amounts of water, which still clean, is dumped into the sewer system and we pay for it to be treated as sewage.

We have a splash pad in the town park. I don't know if anyone knows the water consumption for that facility.But it certainly is substantial and more than before.

We have miles more streets to be washed. Hydrants to flush to keep pipes clean and clear. Dozens, maybe even hundreds of vehicles to be washed. Toilets flushing constantly in town facilities all over . The Mayor's office suite has a beautiful washroom facility complete with shower.

When I was Mayor, I had a room in the old town hall. A previous Mayor had rousted out a desk from storage and brought in an old carpet from the Queen's Hotel, his home on the north east corner of Yonge and Wellington.

I had to vacate every time the Clerk-Administrator needed it for a private meeting.

The Clerk's office had room for a desk ,two chairs and a filing cabinet .Some days you'd be hard-pressed to find him behind the stacks of papers on his desk.

It was within feet of Yonge Street and the papers would have a film of dust and black sooty specks . The stack on the file cabinets reached almost to the ceiling.

Preparing for an election, every year and then every two, battered metal ballot boxes would be scattered around . We literally had to climb over them to get around .

It was the norm. Nobody noticed the inconvenience.

Anyway, I know some town buildings are currently metered.

The question is, does the town bill itself for water used in tax-supported facilities and services? Or do we continue the practice of years ago.....when wells were ours.... flat rate charged to consumers was minimal ....and water used by the town was infinitesimal...and wasn't worth measuring?

Do we take the Region's charge for total consumption of water and simply calculate from that rates sufficient to foot the region's bill ?

That is not honest. People believe they are paying only for the water they use.They are encouraged to conserve.

When I asked the question, the answer was fuzzy. Like.... "there's an averaging factor".

Well I'm not sure that's good enough. I don't re-call any debate to signal a change. I would have noticed that.

There has to be a reason, besides size and population, why Richmond Hill's rate is hundreds of dollars a year less than our own.

When the answer is forthcoming, I will pass it on.

I just thought of something weird. I am asking questions I have never heard asked before.

I know how things were. I don't know for sure how they are.

Did the process for calculating water rates change with steadily increasing use of water by town departments ?

Or was it just not thought about?

Is the use still so insignificant it doesn't need to be thought about?

Does town staff have responsibility only to ensure sufficient funds are collected in water rates to pay the bill?

As they do in tax rates

Or when they state, water rates are not tax supported... are they not also obliged to ensure water rates do not subsidise tax rates?

Is it Council's responsibility, in a year when water rates increased by 12%, to look closer and make sure people are being fairly charged?

I think the questions are reasonable. I am one of nine. Why am I the only one interested in the
answers?

Bafflegab and Water Rates

To coin the crude and the vernacular, I think we're being screwed on water rates.

I don't have proof positive yet but I'm working on it.

Your next water bill will reflect a 12% increase.

I don't think that's right.

You need to know what I know.

First,York Region is responsible for the supply of water.They sell it to us at a wholesale price.
I'm not challenging their calculations. Not yet.

Second, water is taken from the ground. . It's not like coal,oil,.copper,diamonds or gold. We take what we need.We use it. We treat it. We return it to its source.

Water is pumped from the deep dark recesses of the ground. It's stored,treated and distributed . Water doesn't cost money. All that other stuff does.

Before meters, a flat rate was charged to every household for water. It came out with the hydro bill. I don't think it ever went much beyond $9.95 every quarter.

As little as it was, we were able to pump, store,treat and distribute fresh.cold.spring water,
to homes in Aurora, pay whatever it cost and still grow a water reserve account.

When I was Chair of the Fire Committee, we had to build an extra bay on the fire station. I think it cost $18.thousand dollars. We borrowed it from the Water Reserve Account.

It was the only reserve we had.

Sewage treatment was on the general levy.

Water meters were installed for the purpose of charging for sewage treatment.

Now the bill also includes the cost to collect rain from roofs and roads in new subdivision and to store it in ponds, for God's sake.

It's a far cry from the cost of water.

Not all water we use goes into the sanitary sewers. But we pay a sewage rate for it just the same.

Water used in the garden, car-washing, topping up the pool,or any other outdoor purpose goes through the water meter and gets charged as a sewer rate.

The Chief Financial Officer told us last week , the region allows for that in the calculation of rates.

I do not recall ever seeing an explanation in the water bill to that effect.

I am not able to accept it.

And that's not all I am unable to accept.


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

A presentation by the Treasurer was made in Council last Tuesday to explain the double digit increase in the water bill.

It started with the premise, water is not a tax supported service. .

We all know that.

For accurate application of the principle however , the user pays only for water used by the user.

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

First, the Region has increased water rates by ten per cent. That is not within our control.

Second, all regional municipalities pay the same for water.

Not all charge the same rate to consumers.

Why is our rate different to Richmond Hill's rate?

Why is our rate the same as the Town of Newmarket

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

Last Tuesday, I attended a joint Fire Services Committee. An Officer referred to water and a Regional agreement.

I seized the opportunity to ask if water used by the fire department is billed to the fire department.

My thought was, water is not tax supported and that is an accepted principle.

But fire protection is tax supported.

Is the cost of water used by the fire department shown in the cost of providing that service or is it somehow folded in to water rates not supported by taxes but charged to consumers?

We have a new fire chief. Newmarket's CAO was at the table. The Deputy Chief ,who prepares the budget was there. And Newmarket Treasurer.

It was established most fires are extinguished with water from the tanker. The tanker is filled at the station. The station is metered.

It was not established that the cost of water used is reflected in the department's budget.We heard from several at the table.

The Treasurer did not volunteer any information.

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

In his presentation to Council that evening, Aurora Treasurer explained that for better accounting he and the Public Works Director had, during their budget preparation, removed $250 thousand, expenditure normally charged against a capital reserve account for maintenance of a capital asset and transferred it to user water rates.

That was before the year end. I do not remember that item being pin-pointed.That's what happens when a change is made.

It decreased the tax rate and five months later, it contributed to a double digit increase in water rates.

In conjunction with public works director, it was also decided to increase estimated "water loss" from 8% to 12%.

"Water loss" they claim, is from "seepage" in the system. Water used in fire practice was mentioned.

The Treasurer explained Provincial requirements for water treatment have increased since Walkerton and that contributed to the increased cost of water .

Walkerton happened ten yeasr ago. . I know bafflegab when I hear it. God knows I've heard enough of it.

When meters were introduced the figure for "water loss" was 4%,I think. Since then, many miles of new waterlines have been installed ,old lines have been re-placed and others re-lined.

That's not a reason for an increase in " water loss" If anything it should accomplish the opposite.

The question about various tax supported services , such as fire department, works department, parks department, town hall, reflecting water consumption in their budgets was answered in the affirmative.

Yet I have no recollection of ever seeing water as a budget item reflected in any department's budget.

We also heard that water revenue decreased last year. It was a wet summer. Consumption was down. A deficit in revenue was likely but not mentioned as the need to increase water rates this year.

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

I voted against the water rate increase. Just me, myself,alone. Again.

I don't believe the year the region increased the water rate by ten per cent is the year to change book-keeping in a capital reserve account for maintenance of a capital asset to be added to an increase in non tax supported water rates

I don't believe it is the year to increase the estimate of "water loss"

Which I suspect is a misnomer.

I believe the budget item number to prove water use is reflected in the budgets of tax supported services should have been produced immediately the question was asked,to support the statement they are in fact included .

I do not accept justification to charge consumers in Aurora, several hundred dollars more for water than consumers in Richmond Hill, which municipality pays exactly the same for water as we do.

As a representative of the consumer in Aurora, I think we are being royally screwed in the matter of water rates.

I will be happy to be proven wrong.

The Figure asked For

I have on occasion posted political on the personal blog. Any time I've done that. I've needed
Heather Sisman to switch it for me. Well today I did it myself. I cut and pasted successfully once again.

I also have the cost of the ad that ran on the April 15Th edition of The Banner.It cost $3,700 for both pages. exclusive of GST. I calculate that at $455. The total therefore would have been in excess of $4,000.

In the ebb of a four year term, within weeks of an election campaign, I think public
perception could easily be, the ad is promoting incumbent politicians rather than the town.

No fair No fair.

Posted by Evelyn Buck at 3:36 PM

A New Element

I received an e-mail yesterday from a resident who watched part of the council meeting on Tuesday.He watched it again on -line with Rogers on Wednesday. He wanted to assure me my hearing was correct.

To the second, he gave me the time Councillor Gallo made the statement that he wanted to correct the record against my comments about the Mayor's appointment to committees.

Again to the second, my correspondent gave me the time the Councillor denied having made that reference..

I tried to copy and paste the e-mail this morning to show it in the Blog. This time I blew it and lost the whole thing. It isn't even in my delete box.

So...I am not as smart as I thought I was. Oh well.

My objective is not to prove perfidy. I've already established Councillor Gallo is taking direction from the wrong teachers. He will have to learn that for himself . He has chosen the hard way. It will be at his cost.

I wanted to show the e-mail because I think it's such a positive sign that people are becoming evermore actively involved . I think blogs and the opportunity to engage without risk is the reason.

We have always been able to cast a ballot in secret. Now we can talk about politics anonymously and let it rip. I think that's great. It may be the element needed to make democratic politics real and not just a philosophical idea. The new element may not yet have reached it's full potential. But I think it's getting there.Fast.

Paul, if you are reading this post, please send me a copy of the e-mail. It may be somewhere in ether-ether land still but I haven't a clue how to find it.

We had a vote on Tuesday to increase the water rates by 12%. I am not satisfied that amount of increase was necessary. Every municipality in the Region is paying the same rate to the Region. But the rate charged to consumers is not the same. Richmond Hill's rate is a couple of hundred dollars less than ours.

Our Chief Financial Officer informed us water rates are not tax supported. That means the user pays what it cost. In answer to my question, he also stated water used by various tax-supported services like works, parks and fire is charged to each department's budget. I do not re-call any discussion about a 10% increase for water in department budgets.

On Saturday, my task will be to scrutinise the budget with a friend to verify that we are not charging water used by tax supported services to non-tax supported rates to consumers..

If we are using water rates to reduce tax rates I want to know so that I can tell you about it.

Since the increase has already passed by your Council there's no hope of changing it.

That makes it an election issue.

Posted by Evelyn Buck at 2:58 PM 0 comment

I Went to a Marvelous Party

I Went to a Marvelous Party

The Blessing of St. Maximilian Kolbe Separate High School on Wellington Street, Aurora. It's the first one of those I have ever attended.

The evening was crammed full of unexpected images. I have to go back on my scooter for a proper tour.

But Oh My...It started at 7 p.m; a brilliant and bright celebration in every sense of the word.

Elizabeth Crowe, trustee for Aurora, King and Whitchurch- Stouffville and Chairman of the Board shared honours with Trustee Theresa McNicol of Newmarket.

When the site plan came forward to this Council for approval, incredibly a majority expressed opposition.

The land had had to be quietly assembled for the board to arrive at the point of processing a site plan. Had Council refused it, months of delay would have ensued and legal costs for the Town and the Board, all coming out of the same pocket.

Two public bodies, accountable to the same taxpayers, would have undoubtedly locked in a dispute before the Ontario Municipal Board, an outside and separate body of jurisdiction.

Councillor Gaertner had most to say.

It would be too great a burden on the town's taxpayers.No tax revenues would be derived.

A full complement of teaching, support and custodial jobs were dismissed as insignificant and not an asset to the town's economy.

How did the school board know there were enough students to justify the school ?

Where would students come from? Didn't some come from out of town? The Councillor sounded like she wanted to see the figures to be satisfied the board was making the right decision.

It was before the possibility Dr.G.W.Williams High School being closed was on the radar. When the same Councillor presented the reverse argument.

Then the business community in that neighbourhood would be devastated by loss of the school

Students and teachers were a great asset to the economic well-being of that neighbourhood. Susan Walmer was all set to lead the charge on that issue.

That was after the opportunity to sell a parcel of land to the Region for Police Headquarters with seven hundred well paid jobs in the 404 area had been turned down.

For the same reason. It would be too great a burden on the taxpayers.

When the Separate High School crisis happened, the whole burden lay on the shoulders of Elizabeth Crowe, trustee for three communities. She was not Chairman at that time.

She rallied parents, who chose spokespersons from every separate school in town to address Council and speak to the issue of need. Father Don MacLean , Our Lady of Grace parish priest came with them to lend his support and gave expression to the meaning of the school to Catholic parents.

They made the difference. The vote shifted.

Councillor MacEachern noted her daughter attends Cardinal Carter High School. The Mayor recalled she had attended a Catholic school.

Councillor Gaertner's arguments were suddenly irrelevant.

No doubt exists in my mind , were it not for the effort of School trustee Elizabeth Crowe ,
the beautiful new High School on Wellington Street, Aurora would not be.

As it stands in all it's splendid function, a distinct attribute to this community, it is a credit to the leadership of one small very determined woman who never lost sight of the main objective.

What Kind Of A March Was That

Yesterday, at a march to legalise marijuana. a man was critically injured when he fell out of a tree.

I have heard of various effects of smoking pot. But marching up a tree is new.

In the same edition of the paper, a headline referred to the charmed life of a tree whisperer. But it was a different story.

The best item was by Christopher Hume. His column generally deals with the living city. This one referred to the illusion that Toronto is a progressive city.

He says municipal councillors have made whole careers out of pandering to every last nimby impulse local residents can muster.

He called Rob Ford and Rocco Rossi "nattering nincompoops of nonsense" They are candidates for the office of Mayor of Toronto.

He said Mel Lastman's great contribution was to leave the budget in tatters and embarrass the city on network television at every turn.

But the Toronto media, of which Hume is a part, largely commended former Mayor Lastman
when he left office undefeated.

It was the phrase " nattering nincompoops" that caught my attention.

The incredible fact is, Rob Ford is, according to polls, running second in the mayoralty contest

It doesn't mean he will be the next Mayor just that, nattering nincompoop of nonsense notwithstanding, , he could be the next Mayor of the Toronto

If we compare that with our situation, we find distinct similarities.

Pandering definitely is the main modus of operandi. We do have a Number One Nimby with followers;

And despite Mr. Hume's mocking reference,confidence abounds, that pandering is sound and the only way to win votes and influence people.

Anyone who dares to challenge the theory is tilting at windmills and must be punished with penalties yet.

Can all these experienced municipal politicians be wrong?

Will "the nattering nincompoops of nonsense" win the prize in October?

Sometimes I think ....Nah!

Other times, when I listen, I think..... Oh My God, maybe!

Who's going to stop it?

Then I think of the missing factor.

Pandering is undeniable and prominent at all levels of politics

As long as leadership is the missing factor, pandering will continue to fill the bill.

In Terms Of History

The separate school board has had the right to build complete high schools for about thirty years.

When the law changed in Ontario, they started slow. They converted elementary schools. My daughter Heather went to St. Roberts in Markham . After Grade Ten, she wanted to go to Williams because private school fees were required at St Robert's.

After a few weeks, she was utterly miserable. Sheer size and numbers at Williams had completely overwhelmed her'

I don't think any institution is improved by enormity..I think it becomes dehumanized.

Heather went back to St Roberts.

When I finished writing about St. Max on Friday, I thought about how a public school supporter parent might feel about such a school being built in Aurora but not available to their children.

Then I remembered. Sue Walmer and her "organisation" went to battle to ensure it wouldn't.

When the public board was contemplating location of a new high school. the horns blared with the call to mount the ramparts to challenge the board's authority..

The Mayor, completely in character, immediately engaged and the council chamber was made available to accommodate opposition hordes to assemble and plan the campaign.

The issue was on the board's front burner because they have to make the need for a site known when development is being planned.

Arguments presented against a new school were opposite to the arguments against a new separate high school just weeks before.

Except for the lament about heritage and tradition which, in the context of education. I frankly find extraordinary.

Sue Walmer, as I said led the charge. She took CAO John Rogers to task for failing to act in making the Council Chamber available.A Council decision is required. Ms Walmer is completely confident in her supervisory role in Town affairs.

Mayor Morris inferred the town would block any attempt by the board to sell the Williams site for development. The Mayor is equally confident of her autocratic authority..

Oh....the majesty of it all.

Except maybe for police facilities which function twenty-four- seven, , nothing is as hard-worn as a school. It acquires an odor. A mixture of lunch boxes ,chalk,running shoes ,sweat , winter outerwear,exercise togs and hormone-driven youth.

People who complained about odour in the change rooms of the Aurora Community
Centre have a sense of it.

But Walmer and Morris, like a Punch and Judy Show, promptly beat upon the heads of board trustees for even thinking of such a thing.

They may not have won the battle. The school board still has a worn out building that costs hundreds of thousands to maintain and provides few of the facilities required for a modern education.

They still have a vastly expanded future student population to plan for and a decision pending

They may, like everyone else, be waiting for the next election to be over, when decisions can be made without Meddling Messrs Morris and Walmer on the scene ever-ready for combat.

The Dunning Avenue school site is worth millions which would go a long way to providing funding for a new school in a new location with all the space needed.

It would provide for housing envisaged by the Province for "infilling" to reduce urban sprawl.

Which in turn would provide passengers for a rapid transit system.

Which would reduce pollution by taking cars of the road.

Which would fulfill Aurora's commitment to environmental protection so oft cited by none other than Messrs Morris and Walmer

Oh yes, let's not forget Councillor Gaertner and MacEachern in the phony baloney
histrionics that represent Aurora's politics.

But more than anything, it would provide opportunity for public school students to enjoy facilities that would generate new enthusiasm and commitment of parents and staff and students to their future, their community and their world.

At the opening of the refurbished Church Street School, MLA Frank Klees received the only real applause of the evening. When he said we need to do the same thing with Wells Street there was a shout of laughter and the people there came to life. .

I thought, .what is the matter with these people that they can only get excited about musty, malodorous , mouldy, worn-out, relics of the past.