Anonymous:
“ Given all your years in politics, why is it that people are less engaged with politics and their representatives? Voter turn outs are always astonishing low during an election. Which means during the 4 yr term, nobody besides interest groups are engaged to what's happening in their riding or municipalities. I could be wrong, but I don't believe that was the case 30+ yrs ago”.
Despite many changes, municipal voter turnout doesn’t appear to have changed much since I was a first time candidate. An acclamation for Mayor’s usually means voter turnout will be as low as 20%. Without a mayoralty contest, it seldom reaches 50%.
There was a time, before my time, only property owners were allowed to vote. Several eligibility changes since then have had little impact on percentages.
Women had been given the vote. Adult children living at home were added to the list. They didn’t own property, nor pay municipal taxes. They had no stake in local business affairs. They paid taxes to both senior levels of government if employed or drove a car.
Since they didn’t own property and services to property were charged to owners, logically non-owners had little interest in municipal elections. Percentage of turn-out would be deflated by the addition to the list. The municipal voters list was compiled at the local level. Two people knocked on doors and recorded names and numbers.
My interest in municipal politics started with the purchase of a home. I’m living in it still. Local school boards and the Hydro Commission were also on the ballot. Water rates were collected by the Hydro Commission. Hydro rates were separate from taxes. Water was a flat rate less than $10 monthly.
Recreation was organized by volunteers. Recreation Commission was composed of representation from sports organizations, a member of Council and a Director of Recreation whose main job was arena manager. His role in recreation was to advise, help volunteers find space for activities and suss out whatever grants might be available from senior levels of government. A non-elected Board managed the arena to ensure operation was self-sufficient Property Owners had a right to vote on money bills. There were no lot levies. Capital projects were financed, part by fund-raising, mostly by debenture borrowing. It was a big deal.
If residents of a particular street wanted a sidewalk or other improvements, they paid for it. It was a Local Improvement Tax and I believe the legislation is still on the books. 75% support of the property owners on the street is required for approval.
During my first term, voting age was reduced from 21 to 18 years old. Reeve Jimmy Murray. argued if young people were old enough to fight for the country, they were old enough to vote. They didn’t ask for it. I don’t believe they used it. The impact grew the voters’ list but not the votes.18 to 21year olds are unlikely to own property or pay property taxes or have an appreciation of their impact.
Other changes have contributed to loss of interest in municipal politics. The four year term didn’t help. Before my first term, municipal elections were held every twelve months...then two in 1967....then three...then in 2006, four year term was introduced and the voters list taken from the national census. The census has a record of all residents, including immigrants not entitled to vote.
I asked the clerk, who is also elections officer, about the risk of including people not entitled to vote. He didn’t think it was much of a risk since people who were not citizens knew they were not entitled to vote. I did not agree. But if he was right, it was another group on the list that had no right to be there. It meant % voter turnout would be further skewed by numbers, for one reason or another, unlikely to vote.
Growth of high density rental housing deflates turnout percentages. A person who owns a home, sells it and moves into an apartment is likely to continue to vote. A new resident with a one year lease is unlikely to have the same interest. A job change can easily mean a change of address...right out of town.
Delegation status and advisory committees are useless entities....or nonentities...in my opinion. Only elected members are accountable for decisions made and they can’t share blame.
In my opinion, committees and delegate status were created for illusion of purpose. An accessible Mayor or Councillor can far more easily convey public opinion and it’s their job to do so.
Councillor Gaertner firmly believes Council must do what the people want. Despite different
positions taken at the Council table, it somehow escapes the Councillor’s attention there is no way of knowing what all of the people want all of the time. That’s why we elect a council. But her belief allows her to be on whatever side is making the greatest clamour or both sides and as we have seen, guarantees re-election. The same applies to Councillor Humfreys.
Another significant change in my time was media coverage. The Aurora Banner and Newmarket Era were privately owned when we came to live in Aurora. The Toronto Telegram was owned by a man called Basset. A printers strike against the paper lasted several years. Basset folded the paper. He didn’t sell it. He bought the Aurora Banner. The Era changed hands as well. For several years, both newspapers had editors who were former municipal journalists...Bob Buchanan and Dave Haskell. Buchanan was editor of The Banner for a year before taking an editorial position on town affairs. He felt it took that long to be sufficiently informed. He attended all council meetings, reported on them and eventually wrote editorials.
He lived at 100 Wells Street and walked to the office every morning...in his element...playing the role of small town editor in a Norman Rockwell illustration. He had found his pot of gold.
The first time I rose to speak in a council meeting, I read from prepared notes. He diplomatically informed me that prepared notes did not have a place in debate. The object was to persuade by response to the motion and comments made by others in the debate. It requires homework in preparation, skill and practice, quick wits and agility. One has it or one doesn’t. It’s not the be all and end all.
Good sense, consistency, equity and integrity are key principles. All the rest follow.
This post is no doubt tedious for some to read but I was asked and I am delighted to respond.
I was asked earlier to write more stories about my childhood. I do that regularly on a blog of
memories on my birthplace. One of these days I may gather a few.
Thursday, 21 May 2020
Thursday, 14 May 2020
BENEATH THE SURFACE...BEHIND THE SCREEN...CHANGES LIE
We learned something new from a comment. Condo buyers pay $10.20.30 thousand dollars extra for a parking space. If they discover they don’t want it, they can’t sell it because nobody else wants it. I can see that. I can see how a single mother might not be a car owner and shelter without parking would be less expensive to build and more affordable to rent.
Councillor Gaertner must know of neighbours in her social housing project who do not have cars. I know they’re there.
I can see how public transit use would grow and not be trundling around town like a phantom, in the evening hours. Especially if government made funds they didn’t spend on highways available to put public transit fares within reach of every pocket.
When we came to Canada, TTC fares were 25 cents adult and ten cents a child. Every day in summer we went on two street cars to Kew Beach at Waverly Road and spent the day. We were there before the locals in the morning and didn’t leave until the last rays of the sun left the beach in the. evening. Street car fare was all it cost to enjoy the summers there or the Island or the beach at the end of the Queen Street line, at the beginning of Scarborough bluffs.
Life was good. And it wasn’t costly. Which was also good because we were a one income family. We came to Aurora and of course had to have a car. Because subdivisions were built with the car in mind. A good part of the post war economy was built around the automobile. The other, as it still is, around the homebuilding industry.
Commuter transit was non-existent. As were the 400 series of highways. Car pools were the transit mode of necessity. A man with a van provided a shopping delivery service. The baker called and milk was delivered. We picked up the mail at the post office. People got to know each other in the line-up.
Aurora was dry. Richmond Hill had the nearest liquor store. The Beer Store was equally distant.
Things have changed. And changed again. Councils were elected every twelve months...then two years then three ... and now a Council term is four years.
Zoning became the rule rather than the exception. It’s typical of government. Clumsy. In constant need of amendment to suit particular circumstance.
Aurora population was 7500 after Regency Acres was completed. Council was composed of a Mayor, Reeve, a Deputy Reeve, and five councillors.
The volunteer community was alive and well and augmented the town’s budget. They provided social, cultural and recreational activities. Funds were raised to help build the Community Centre, the library, and to keep fees down for minor hockey so that every boy in Aurora could afford to play. The town had a Volunteer Fire Brigade and a thirteen man police force. All of whom lived in the town. Their kids went to school with everybody else’s kids. It mattered.
1967, Canada’s Centennial was the first year the town’s budget reached a million.
Everyone understood the connection between debt and taxes. Every effort was made to raise funds to keep town debt manageable.
Water was a flat rate at $7.50. The only reserve fund the town had was the Water Reserve Fund. We borrowed from it occasionally. We built an additional bay to the fire hall with a loan from the Water Reserve. I think the fund was $18,000 most of the time.
We had a Recreation Commission, an Arena Management Board, Planning Board, Library Board and Hydro Commission and local school boards. Hydro Commission members and school board trustees were elected. Other boards were appointed with specific authority under Provincial Law.
Library board members were appointed by school boards.
Millions were not extorted from developers to be used for specific purposes and no other and to swell the cost of housing.
Yes sir, things were very different. Councillors were hands on and accountable. Nobody had ever heard the expression “micro- management”.
It means only the Mayor gets to decide how and what advice Council receives.
Councillors received copies of all bills paid during the month.
There were other changes which in my view were not beneficial but appeared to be so for political
purposes.
Councillor Gaertner must know of neighbours in her social housing project who do not have cars. I know they’re there.
I can see how public transit use would grow and not be trundling around town like a phantom, in the evening hours. Especially if government made funds they didn’t spend on highways available to put public transit fares within reach of every pocket.
When we came to Canada, TTC fares were 25 cents adult and ten cents a child. Every day in summer we went on two street cars to Kew Beach at Waverly Road and spent the day. We were there before the locals in the morning and didn’t leave until the last rays of the sun left the beach in the. evening. Street car fare was all it cost to enjoy the summers there or the Island or the beach at the end of the Queen Street line, at the beginning of Scarborough bluffs.
Life was good. And it wasn’t costly. Which was also good because we were a one income family. We came to Aurora and of course had to have a car. Because subdivisions were built with the car in mind. A good part of the post war economy was built around the automobile. The other, as it still is, around the homebuilding industry.
Commuter transit was non-existent. As were the 400 series of highways. Car pools were the transit mode of necessity. A man with a van provided a shopping delivery service. The baker called and milk was delivered. We picked up the mail at the post office. People got to know each other in the line-up.
Aurora was dry. Richmond Hill had the nearest liquor store. The Beer Store was equally distant.
Things have changed. And changed again. Councils were elected every twelve months...then two years then three ... and now a Council term is four years.
Zoning became the rule rather than the exception. It’s typical of government. Clumsy. In constant need of amendment to suit particular circumstance.
Aurora population was 7500 after Regency Acres was completed. Council was composed of a Mayor, Reeve, a Deputy Reeve, and five councillors.
The volunteer community was alive and well and augmented the town’s budget. They provided social, cultural and recreational activities. Funds were raised to help build the Community Centre, the library, and to keep fees down for minor hockey so that every boy in Aurora could afford to play. The town had a Volunteer Fire Brigade and a thirteen man police force. All of whom lived in the town. Their kids went to school with everybody else’s kids. It mattered.
1967, Canada’s Centennial was the first year the town’s budget reached a million.
Everyone understood the connection between debt and taxes. Every effort was made to raise funds to keep town debt manageable.
Water was a flat rate at $7.50. The only reserve fund the town had was the Water Reserve Fund. We borrowed from it occasionally. We built an additional bay to the fire hall with a loan from the Water Reserve. I think the fund was $18,000 most of the time.
We had a Recreation Commission, an Arena Management Board, Planning Board, Library Board and Hydro Commission and local school boards. Hydro Commission members and school board trustees were elected. Other boards were appointed with specific authority under Provincial Law.
Library board members were appointed by school boards.
Millions were not extorted from developers to be used for specific purposes and no other and to swell the cost of housing.
Yes sir, things were very different. Councillors were hands on and accountable. Nobody had ever heard the expression “micro- management”.
It means only the Mayor gets to decide how and what advice Council receives.
Councillors received copies of all bills paid during the month.
There were other changes which in my view were not beneficial but appeared to be so for political
purposes.
Wednesday, 13 May 2020
WHAT IF PIGS COULD FLY
I just had a thought. What if...zoning was changed from a requirement of X number of parking spaces per unit of residential housing units to O parking spaces, starting with Wellington Towers and the condominiums already built at Yonge and Centre and those the on the west side of Yonge.
What would be the result? Well....for a start, only people who choose not to own a car would buy a unit. Would that be a good thing? Bear with me. I’m thinking this out as we go. I can’t see it as a bad thing. Maybe some units don’t use parking spaces now.
People buy condominiums in the city centre and rent apartments in the heart of things because they want to be a part of the new elite. People without cars.
Not having a car would encourage new and thriving retail in the vicinity of the buildings as was the original intent. There’s nothing intrinsically bad about not owning a car. Some might argue no car is better than a hybrid vehicle. There’s nothing uniquely sensible about requiring developers to include space for an owner’s car and a third of a space for a visitor.
Car rentals could become part of the mix in the retail section.
Highways are very expensive to build and maintain. During week days, a thick yellow blanket of pollution is clearly visible hanging over the highway routes from north, west, and east of Toronto. It can’t be good for people living in residential buildings that line the highways.
What if governments encouraged people to live without cars instead of imposing exorbitant taxes to reduce the carbon footprint. It couldn’t damage whats left of the auto industry any more than Brian Mulroney’s free trade deal did already.
What if government were to use the money no longer needed to build highways to reduce the cost of public transit?
What if people didn't have to worry about buying space for two family cars and space for guests Cars to park when thinking about shelter for their families.
The more I pursue this argument the better I like it. Imagine if not having a car could keep a family out of debt. Allow Mum to stay at home and nurture her children. Allow children to be at home and receive the nurturing necessary for emotional development. Allow government to provide assistance to stay-at-home Mums or Dads at a fraction of the cost of child care centres.
Who knows, considering the short time it takes to raise a family and how precious it is, parents might actually discover it can be quite rewarding.
We might see kids playing in the playgrounds that cost so much to build and parents cheerfully engaging in pleasant chattery about this and that. Maybe about how the town is managed and who’s doing a good job. You know, stuff they don’t have time for when both parents are going out to work.
Now...I know everybody’s circumstances are not the same. I do not suggest a new zoning category reducing or eliminating requirement for parking in every circumstance.
But verily, I do believe it could make a difference. In even more ways than mentioned here.
What would be the result? Well....for a start, only people who choose not to own a car would buy a unit. Would that be a good thing? Bear with me. I’m thinking this out as we go. I can’t see it as a bad thing. Maybe some units don’t use parking spaces now.
People buy condominiums in the city centre and rent apartments in the heart of things because they want to be a part of the new elite. People without cars.
Not having a car would encourage new and thriving retail in the vicinity of the buildings as was the original intent. There’s nothing intrinsically bad about not owning a car. Some might argue no car is better than a hybrid vehicle. There’s nothing uniquely sensible about requiring developers to include space for an owner’s car and a third of a space for a visitor.
Car rentals could become part of the mix in the retail section.
Highways are very expensive to build and maintain. During week days, a thick yellow blanket of pollution is clearly visible hanging over the highway routes from north, west, and east of Toronto. It can’t be good for people living in residential buildings that line the highways.
What if governments encouraged people to live without cars instead of imposing exorbitant taxes to reduce the carbon footprint. It couldn’t damage whats left of the auto industry any more than Brian Mulroney’s free trade deal did already.
What if government were to use the money no longer needed to build highways to reduce the cost of public transit?
What if people didn't have to worry about buying space for two family cars and space for guests Cars to park when thinking about shelter for their families.
The more I pursue this argument the better I like it. Imagine if not having a car could keep a family out of debt. Allow Mum to stay at home and nurture her children. Allow children to be at home and receive the nurturing necessary for emotional development. Allow government to provide assistance to stay-at-home Mums or Dads at a fraction of the cost of child care centres.
Who knows, considering the short time it takes to raise a family and how precious it is, parents might actually discover it can be quite rewarding.
We might see kids playing in the playgrounds that cost so much to build and parents cheerfully engaging in pleasant chattery about this and that. Maybe about how the town is managed and who’s doing a good job. You know, stuff they don’t have time for when both parents are going out to work.
Now...I know everybody’s circumstances are not the same. I do not suggest a new zoning category reducing or eliminating requirement for parking in every circumstance.
But verily, I do believe it could make a difference. In even more ways than mentioned here.
Monday, 11 May 2020
NOTHING IS AS IT SHOULD BE....THEY DON’T KNOW HOW IT SHOULD BE
Another story perfectly illustrates a problem with our town’s business operation. It happened during the Dawe administration but was a carry over from before. The town CAO came from the Region during the administration prior to Dawe. I believe he was manager of statistics in the Region’s CAO office. I’m not aware of any experience managing a municipality. $75,000 was included in several budgets for education after appointment. He enrolled in something called Institute for Excellence, aced it, and received certification in excellence.
A 20 year lease for the Hydro Building to Queen‘s York Rangers and eviction of the town parks department was enacted. Parks built a gazebo there. Picnic benches and garbage receptacles, all to our own sturdy design were constructed during the winter months. A dismantled barn was stored in the yard; heritage salvage. The clerk used the office building to store records. The parks department could have handily transferred to the hydro building, leaving the entire site at the end of Scanlon Court to expand the works department. Making the joint parks and works boondoggle completely farcical.
Councillor Gaertner gushed her appreciation of the CAO for accomplishment of the lease to Queen’s York Rangers without specifying why.
Public Works handled renovations to the Hydro building to suit the Rangers’ purpose. Final cost was never public. As landlords, the town is responsible for building upkeep and insurance. Then the town paid half a million to the federal government for a contaminated shed occupying a corner of the town park for over a hundred years.
Rent was presented as an asset. Forfeited market value of the property, tax revenue and opportunities for employment were not presented as an offset.
During the Dawe administration the lease was extended from 20 to 30 years.
The Municipal Act requires public property, rendered redundant to municipal needs to be so advertised. It must then be offered for sale in competitive bidding. That advice was never conveyed to Council. The Chief Financial Advisor was not asked to report on merits of leasing the property versus realizing the asset or continuing use for the parks and other needed purpose.
Leasing the Hydro property was never a legitimate option. The Municipal Act requires that a property redundant to needs must be advertised as such and sold to the highest bidder.
You can’t give away an asset worth millions to a pal. Well, they did.
I never believed gifting the Hydro property to the Rangers was the brainchild of the CAO. I have did not believe Aurora property owners had a responsibility to save the Rangers from the oblivion intended by the federal government.
I had no appreciation for the deal. The Town's interest was not well served.
The blog often takes me off on a tangent.
Another story from the Dawe administration was to be the pillar of the post.
Frank Stronach had a parcel of land approved for servicing. ..75 lots...I think. It was to be sold by auction.
The CAO recommended the town acquire the land for recreation purposes. Market value was cited as the cost. Of course the cost was more and the implications far-reaching. Paying the cost of land with all approvals and servicing units available, ready for shovels into the ground was preposterous.
Real estate deals can be discussed out of the public eye. The deal never happened and the discussion never became public. It was never clear where the direction came from to pursue the purchase. In the circumstances, I assume prior discussion in the Mayor’s office for it to get to the council table.
The arguments against it were real and several and terribly obvious. The town would forfeit development of seventy five lots and tax revenue from seventy-five new homes. Changing the designation would move the property from asset to liability....a switch from black to red in the accounts columns.
The CAO had no argument in response. He was in the difficult position of defending a recommendation that probably wasn’t his in the first place.
But that’s not all.
The Planning Act requires the municipality to process an Official Plan and update it every five years.
Master plans, prepared by consultants at an average cost of $100 thousand a piece for various public services are based on needs forecast by the Official Plan.
Firehalls, recreation, schools , equipment, stuff like that are part of the calculation for lot levies which must also be updated every five years. As public planning board, Council is kept busy, talking and talking and talking at public meetings. After listening to developers and their experts talking and talking and talking about their plans, after the planners have read lengthy reports with comments from all and sundry about merits or otherwise of plans and the public are invited to say what they think about the plan.
OMG thousands and thousands of hours of endless talk, round and round it goes into the planning process. Thousands of hours of payroll time go into planning proposals that produce absolutely nothing in the end. The whole exercise is about multiplying the value of a property without any actual physical changes.
Somebody has to pay for it...Guess who my friends?...It’s you, that's who...and future owners.
You can’t take seventy five lots out of the Official Plan forecast without scrambling the whole shebang.
Nothing would be the same. The idea never got off the ground.
For all practical and economic purposes, it should never have been on the table in the first place.
But it was how much of the Council’s time was occupied during the Dawe Administration.
And before.
A 20 year lease for the Hydro Building to Queen‘s York Rangers and eviction of the town parks department was enacted. Parks built a gazebo there. Picnic benches and garbage receptacles, all to our own sturdy design were constructed during the winter months. A dismantled barn was stored in the yard; heritage salvage. The clerk used the office building to store records. The parks department could have handily transferred to the hydro building, leaving the entire site at the end of Scanlon Court to expand the works department. Making the joint parks and works boondoggle completely farcical.
Councillor Gaertner gushed her appreciation of the CAO for accomplishment of the lease to Queen’s York Rangers without specifying why.
Public Works handled renovations to the Hydro building to suit the Rangers’ purpose. Final cost was never public. As landlords, the town is responsible for building upkeep and insurance. Then the town paid half a million to the federal government for a contaminated shed occupying a corner of the town park for over a hundred years.
Rent was presented as an asset. Forfeited market value of the property, tax revenue and opportunities for employment were not presented as an offset.
During the Dawe administration the lease was extended from 20 to 30 years.
The Municipal Act requires public property, rendered redundant to municipal needs to be so advertised. It must then be offered for sale in competitive bidding. That advice was never conveyed to Council. The Chief Financial Advisor was not asked to report on merits of leasing the property versus realizing the asset or continuing use for the parks and other needed purpose.
Leasing the Hydro property was never a legitimate option. The Municipal Act requires that a property redundant to needs must be advertised as such and sold to the highest bidder.
You can’t give away an asset worth millions to a pal. Well, they did.
I never believed gifting the Hydro property to the Rangers was the brainchild of the CAO. I have did not believe Aurora property owners had a responsibility to save the Rangers from the oblivion intended by the federal government.
I had no appreciation for the deal. The Town's interest was not well served.
The blog often takes me off on a tangent.
Another story from the Dawe administration was to be the pillar of the post.
Frank Stronach had a parcel of land approved for servicing. ..75 lots...I think. It was to be sold by auction.
The CAO recommended the town acquire the land for recreation purposes. Market value was cited as the cost. Of course the cost was more and the implications far-reaching. Paying the cost of land with all approvals and servicing units available, ready for shovels into the ground was preposterous.
Real estate deals can be discussed out of the public eye. The deal never happened and the discussion never became public. It was never clear where the direction came from to pursue the purchase. In the circumstances, I assume prior discussion in the Mayor’s office for it to get to the council table.
The arguments against it were real and several and terribly obvious. The town would forfeit development of seventy five lots and tax revenue from seventy-five new homes. Changing the designation would move the property from asset to liability....a switch from black to red in the accounts columns.
The CAO had no argument in response. He was in the difficult position of defending a recommendation that probably wasn’t his in the first place.
But that’s not all.
The Planning Act requires the municipality to process an Official Plan and update it every five years.
Master plans, prepared by consultants at an average cost of $100 thousand a piece for various public services are based on needs forecast by the Official Plan.
Firehalls, recreation, schools , equipment, stuff like that are part of the calculation for lot levies which must also be updated every five years. As public planning board, Council is kept busy, talking and talking and talking at public meetings. After listening to developers and their experts talking and talking and talking about their plans, after the planners have read lengthy reports with comments from all and sundry about merits or otherwise of plans and the public are invited to say what they think about the plan.
OMG thousands and thousands of hours of endless talk, round and round it goes into the planning process. Thousands of hours of payroll time go into planning proposals that produce absolutely nothing in the end. The whole exercise is about multiplying the value of a property without any actual physical changes.
Somebody has to pay for it...Guess who my friends?...It’s you, that's who...and future owners.
You can’t take seventy five lots out of the Official Plan forecast without scrambling the whole shebang.
Nothing would be the same. The idea never got off the ground.
For all practical and economic purposes, it should never have been on the table in the first place.
But it was how much of the Council’s time was occupied during the Dawe Administration.
And before.
Saturday, 9 May 2020
OH ! WHEN THE SAINTS COME MARCHING IN
In the stats, views are down. Obviously because I wasn’t critiquing Council’s zoom meeting.
Y’all know I need no encouragement to be wicked. But you gotta admit, it’s the gift that keeps on giving.
I tuned into the meeting because I understood the Chief Financial Advisor, was to advise on the financial impact of the Library Square Project. That didn’t happen.
Instead the advice was how lockdown would affect the budget. From my perspective, I thought it should save resources. If suspended service reduced revenue, it followed non-employed employees
would be laid off. That didn’t happen.
Instead, a $2 something million dollar deficit is forecast. To be funded from a reserve created from over - taxation imposed in past decades years to “stabilize” taxes when a new firehall gets built from lot levies but has to be staffed with money raised from property taxes.
Municipal law does not permit budgeting for a deficit. The reserve fund dodge was devised by a previous Chief Financial Advisor to get around the Municipal Act. If you can’t strike a budget to take less money than you need, you can’t strike a budget to take more and for the same reason. People who pay for service must be the people who receive it. You can't return the money if they leave town before the funds were spent. The Chief Financial Advisors of all the municipalities and the Region have meetings, to come up with strategies, and a common front. If a Councillor challenges a recommendation....the Chief Financial Officer can name various municipalities doing it. In Aurora, it’s mostly Richmond Hill that gets cited. The strategy never fails. Councillors are usually assured by what everybody else is doing. Like a flock, right.
We shall pause and ponder the point at this juncture. It’s the kind of thing that got me a reputation for being a bit of a stickler and a fuddy-duddy forby.
For more than a century, town management was under the authority of a Clerk/Treasurer. Initially the same individual. When speaking to money management he was the “Treasurer”. One word.
Now, we have a three word title: Chief Financial Advisor. It takes 3 times as long to say, 3 times as long to type, 3 times as much space on a page, 3 times as much paper to accommodate. 3 times as much energy to copy.
In every sense, it costs 3 times as much and serves no useful purpose.
It indicates more than one advisor. You can’t have a Chief, if there are no underlings. Is that good to know?
Not to worry. Richmond Hill is doing it. They have four times the population. I hesitate to guess how much larger the geographic area with numerous small rural communities contained within. The relatively small town of Aurora has the same number of Chiefs as the sprawling municipality of Richmond Hill. Does that make sense?
When I started this post, I intended to write about the stupidity and hypocrisy of the non-decision on the Wellington Towers Development site plan, led by Councillors Humfreys, and Gaertner with hemming and hawing Councillor Gallo insinuating mud into the waters without really saying anything.
Instead, the financial deficit created by Covid 19 was the topic. Council was informed of its impact. Other than use of reserves, ill-advisedly collected, advice was neither offered nor sought on how to offset the loss. Not only did the Treasurer forecast a deficit without a cut in costs, in a different area of town business, Council potentially added considerably to the deficit with anticipated cost of hundreds of thousands to defend the indefensible before the OMB.
I have never operated a business. I have raised seven children. At the same time I served as an elected representative and appointed public servant over several decades of my life. My education with two terms as Mayor and nine as Member of a quasi-judicial review board is more than that offered in any university.
I do pay attention to detail needed for accomplishment of any degree of success. Undoubtedly, I did not manage all well, all of the time. But I do know how.
Our Town’s Business is not well managed. It’s no way to run a railroad.
Y’all know I need no encouragement to be wicked. But you gotta admit, it’s the gift that keeps on giving.
I tuned into the meeting because I understood the Chief Financial Advisor, was to advise on the financial impact of the Library Square Project. That didn’t happen.
Instead the advice was how lockdown would affect the budget. From my perspective, I thought it should save resources. If suspended service reduced revenue, it followed non-employed employees
would be laid off. That didn’t happen.
Instead, a $2 something million dollar deficit is forecast. To be funded from a reserve created from over - taxation imposed in past decades years to “stabilize” taxes when a new firehall gets built from lot levies but has to be staffed with money raised from property taxes.
Municipal law does not permit budgeting for a deficit. The reserve fund dodge was devised by a previous Chief Financial Advisor to get around the Municipal Act. If you can’t strike a budget to take less money than you need, you can’t strike a budget to take more and for the same reason. People who pay for service must be the people who receive it. You can't return the money if they leave town before the funds were spent. The Chief Financial Advisors of all the municipalities and the Region have meetings, to come up with strategies, and a common front. If a Councillor challenges a recommendation....the Chief Financial Officer can name various municipalities doing it. In Aurora, it’s mostly Richmond Hill that gets cited. The strategy never fails. Councillors are usually assured by what everybody else is doing. Like a flock, right.
We shall pause and ponder the point at this juncture. It’s the kind of thing that got me a reputation for being a bit of a stickler and a fuddy-duddy forby.
For more than a century, town management was under the authority of a Clerk/Treasurer. Initially the same individual. When speaking to money management he was the “Treasurer”. One word.
Now, we have a three word title: Chief Financial Advisor. It takes 3 times as long to say, 3 times as long to type, 3 times as much space on a page, 3 times as much paper to accommodate. 3 times as much energy to copy.
In every sense, it costs 3 times as much and serves no useful purpose.
It indicates more than one advisor. You can’t have a Chief, if there are no underlings. Is that good to know?
Not to worry. Richmond Hill is doing it. They have four times the population. I hesitate to guess how much larger the geographic area with numerous small rural communities contained within. The relatively small town of Aurora has the same number of Chiefs as the sprawling municipality of Richmond Hill. Does that make sense?
When I started this post, I intended to write about the stupidity and hypocrisy of the non-decision on the Wellington Towers Development site plan, led by Councillors Humfreys, and Gaertner with hemming and hawing Councillor Gallo insinuating mud into the waters without really saying anything.
Instead, the financial deficit created by Covid 19 was the topic. Council was informed of its impact. Other than use of reserves, ill-advisedly collected, advice was neither offered nor sought on how to offset the loss. Not only did the Treasurer forecast a deficit without a cut in costs, in a different area of town business, Council potentially added considerably to the deficit with anticipated cost of hundreds of thousands to defend the indefensible before the OMB.
I have never operated a business. I have raised seven children. At the same time I served as an elected representative and appointed public servant over several decades of my life. My education with two terms as Mayor and nine as Member of a quasi-judicial review board is more than that offered in any university.
I do pay attention to detail needed for accomplishment of any degree of success. Undoubtedly, I did not manage all well, all of the time. But I do know how.
Our Town’s Business is not well managed. It’s no way to run a railroad.
Saturday, 2 May 2020
THE PAST IS DOOMED TO BE REPEATED
In again. ..out again...on again ...off again. Round and round the mulberry bush....0n and on it went , the non- debate about an imponderable number of parking spots in a development proposal.
The same points repeated over and over and over again with no attempt to follow procedure and no calls to order. Seven people around the table and not a one sufficiently proficient to get the Councillor off the spot.
It started off with a heartfelt expression of regret because the development was close to her heart being rental n’all and some of it assisted. Then on went the fan dangle about how many spots the bylaw called for, how many were being provided. After endless repetition and motions to reconsider which the clerk informed required a two thirds majority, which it did not receive and eventually a motion to re consider the reconsideration which did not receive the required two-thirds majority , the Mayor volunteered that the application would undoubtedly proceed immediately to the formerly known, Ontario Municipal Board, if a decision was not made within the time limit. Which would be, the very next morning.
But oh my , the ladies already knew that and the decision was not difficult. Council had to ensure existing tenants, they would not be inconvenienced or lose parking spaces by the construction.
Like the town has such unlimited domain .
We’ve seen it all before.
A few years ago , in a subdivision at Bayview, a new owner of a million dollar mansion needed his lot graded to lead drainage away from his house. It was the last remaining feature before occupancy permit could be granted.A tree had to be removed.An abutting owner liked that tree. He claimed he bought the neighbouring lot because of it and objected to its removal. He collected signatures and petitioned council. The right to be able to enjoy that tree with their coffee in the morning was their
earnest contention. I am not making this up. It’s what we have become.
Dear lord, what a moral dilemma for Councillors Gaertner and Humfreys but hthey never doubted the decision. Over and over again they claimed responsibility to protect the property owners rights . But not the rights of the tree owner. Oh Dearie me, no. It was the other fella’s rights they had to protect with much weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth and rending of garments.
I did make that last bit up. It’s called poetic licence.
The developer tried every computation possible to meet the concern. The owner had sold his previous home and despite being owner of a brand new million dollar mansion, he was obliged to move his family of teens and pre-teens into a motel for Christmas. But none of that touched the hearts of the morally bound Councillors.
The final solution called for a virtual plantation of mature trees before the neighbour backed down from his totally selfish and unreasonable demand to retain the tree. At last the ladies were rescued from the moral high ground of protecting the interest of “the voters”
Councillor Gaertner and Gallo were the only survivors of the Mormac regime. Replacements for the regime proved just as febrile.
The Mayor of this day stayed apart from the fray.He may have voted for thevtrees remkval but he certainly provided no leadership in the face of the farcical.
Rules of procedures,properly applied would have prevented the three ring circus .And it’s where lack of experience and competence or courage in the chair always fails the day.
Here we are , several council terms distant and still haunted by ghosts of our relatively recent ignominious past.
Nothing much changed despite clear intention of the voters.
The same points repeated over and over and over again with no attempt to follow procedure and no calls to order. Seven people around the table and not a one sufficiently proficient to get the Councillor off the spot.
It started off with a heartfelt expression of regret because the development was close to her heart being rental n’all and some of it assisted. Then on went the fan dangle about how many spots the bylaw called for, how many were being provided. After endless repetition and motions to reconsider which the clerk informed required a two thirds majority, which it did not receive and eventually a motion to re consider the reconsideration which did not receive the required two-thirds majority , the Mayor volunteered that the application would undoubtedly proceed immediately to the formerly known, Ontario Municipal Board, if a decision was not made within the time limit. Which would be, the very next morning.
But oh my , the ladies already knew that and the decision was not difficult. Council had to ensure existing tenants, they would not be inconvenienced or lose parking spaces by the construction.
Like the town has such unlimited domain .
We’ve seen it all before.
A few years ago , in a subdivision at Bayview, a new owner of a million dollar mansion needed his lot graded to lead drainage away from his house. It was the last remaining feature before occupancy permit could be granted.A tree had to be removed.An abutting owner liked that tree. He claimed he bought the neighbouring lot because of it and objected to its removal. He collected signatures and petitioned council. The right to be able to enjoy that tree with their coffee in the morning was their
earnest contention. I am not making this up. It’s what we have become.
Dear lord, what a moral dilemma for Councillors Gaertner and Humfreys but hthey never doubted the decision. Over and over again they claimed responsibility to protect the property owners rights . But not the rights of the tree owner. Oh Dearie me, no. It was the other fella’s rights they had to protect with much weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth and rending of garments.
I did make that last bit up. It’s called poetic licence.
The developer tried every computation possible to meet the concern. The owner had sold his previous home and despite being owner of a brand new million dollar mansion, he was obliged to move his family of teens and pre-teens into a motel for Christmas. But none of that touched the hearts of the morally bound Councillors.
The final solution called for a virtual plantation of mature trees before the neighbour backed down from his totally selfish and unreasonable demand to retain the tree. At last the ladies were rescued from the moral high ground of protecting the interest of “the voters”
Councillor Gaertner and Gallo were the only survivors of the Mormac regime. Replacements for the regime proved just as febrile.
The Mayor of this day stayed apart from the fray.He may have voted for thevtrees remkval but he certainly provided no leadership in the face of the farcical.
Rules of procedures,properly applied would have prevented the three ring circus .And it’s where lack of experience and competence or courage in the chair always fails the day.
Here we are , several council terms distant and still haunted by ghosts of our relatively recent ignominious past.
Nothing much changed despite clear intention of the voters.
Friday, 1 May 2020
OOPS....MY MISTAKE
This blog was started more than twenty years ago. At the back of my mind, I always felt lack of comments meant slight interest in the subject matter . I read numbers indicating fantastic success of other blogs. When I left Council last time, I thought I should change the focus.
I tried. Now and then...here and there... but I couldn’t make the switch. My critique ,in parts of Council’s Tuesday Zoom meeting scored higher numbers than before. When checking “traffic” ,I noticed a line indicating “Comments awaiting moderation”. I’d never seen it before. I had never clicked on the line that brought it forward. When I did, lo and behold, I discovered numerous unpublished comments going back several years.
There are definite hazards in operating a computer with a limited understanding . I may have stumbled over most. The first was the worst. I paid thousands of dollars I could ill afford, to create a Web site. Then discovered it wasn’t needed to publish a blog . By then I learned initial outlay was not the last: annual fees of thousands were necessary maintain the domain.
Anyway, too late now to publish the comments. Some were never relevant. People in other lands with no competence in english saw the chance to comment as opportunity for a schille. They would never have been published. For the rest , I can only offer my apology with explanation as noted.
I promise to do a better job and I am thrilled to see more interest in the town’s affairs than previously realized .
I tried. Now and then...here and there... but I couldn’t make the switch. My critique ,in parts of Council’s Tuesday Zoom meeting scored higher numbers than before. When checking “traffic” ,I noticed a line indicating “Comments awaiting moderation”. I’d never seen it before. I had never clicked on the line that brought it forward. When I did, lo and behold, I discovered numerous unpublished comments going back several years.
There are definite hazards in operating a computer with a limited understanding . I may have stumbled over most. The first was the worst. I paid thousands of dollars I could ill afford, to create a Web site. Then discovered it wasn’t needed to publish a blog . By then I learned initial outlay was not the last: annual fees of thousands were necessary maintain the domain.
Anyway, too late now to publish the comments. Some were never relevant. People in other lands with no competence in english saw the chance to comment as opportunity for a schille. They would never have been published. For the rest , I can only offer my apology with explanation as noted.
I promise to do a better job and I am thrilled to see more interest in the town’s affairs than previously realized .
Thursday, 30 April 2020
“”Don’t Pay The Fine, You’ll Only Encourage The Bastards”
The story of a mother, ticketed in the park, was published in the Toronto Sun yesterday. Today, Premier Ford commented, the by-law officer could have used better judgement. It’s not what our doughty leaders in Aurora said.
At Tuesday’s Zoom meeting, Councillor Humfreys brought up the subject in new business at the end of the wrangle.With suitably sad countenance, the Councillor referred to “harsh” and ”really nasty comments” made in social media. Gazing earnestly into the camera, she assured all 29 viewers, Council is trying to protect lives. ”There are two sides to every story” she said, “and you have to know both”.
Next day, the Mayor told a local reporter he could not comment because the matter was before the court. But we already know from the bylaw officer, the town has a ”zero tolerance” policy in effect.
Next day, the Mayor told a local reporter he could not comment because the matter was before the court. But we already know from the bylaw officer, the town has a ”zero tolerance” policy in effect.
I made nasty comments on social media about the bylaw. Several. It’s a nasty bylaw, with nasty intent. I plagiarized the title of a book I bought and advised “Don’t pay the fine. You’ll only encourage the bastards”.
I struggle to find titles for blog posts. I bought the book because of its title. I read a few pages. Nothing definitive emerged and I knew it was unlikely. But the title certainly grabbed my attention and apparently Councillor Humfreys’. I was titillated. She was daintily horrified.
Anyway, thanks to the bylaw and zero tolerance application, Aurora has acquired notoriety.
I struggle to find titles for blog posts. I bought the book because of its title. I read a few pages. Nothing definitive emerged and I knew it was unlikely. But the title certainly grabbed my attention and apparently Councillor Humfreys’. I was titillated. She was daintily horrified.
Anyway, thanks to the bylaw and zero tolerance application, Aurora has acquired notoriety.
Burlington did the same with a 17 year old shooting a few baskets in an empty park. The same explanation was offered. Kid had a bad attitude... oh yeah... and that merits an $880 fine.
As if we don’t have enough to contend with, Great Tunderin’ Jasus, what will they come up with next to relieve our worries. After watching Councillor Humfreys on Tuesday with a foot firmly planted on each side of a barbed wire fence of awkward height and her own construction over parking spaces in a site plan, I shudder to contemplate.
As if we don’t have enough to contend with, Great Tunderin’ Jasus, what will they come up with next to relieve our worries. After watching Councillor Humfreys on Tuesday with a foot firmly planted on each side of a barbed wire fence of awkward height and her own construction over parking spaces in a site plan, I shudder to contemplate.
I think I like these Zoom-in meetings. Councillor Gilliland was in her basement. A window in the wall behind was a clear indicator. Councillor Gaertner could have been in her late mother’s North York Apartment. She did a lot of swaying back and forth and waving her arms about. Councillors Thompson, Kim and Gallo all had doors in the backdrop and light walls. The Mayor had a suitably studious background of dark wood panelling and bookshelves. His voice was surprisingly light.
Wednesday, 29 April 2020
FAL DE REE ...FAL DE RAA
Alright now...to pick up the thread...there was little meaningful exchange with the treasurer at last night’s meeting.No-one asked how staff were being deployed while the town hall was closed and service suspended. No payroll savings were noted. The library budget would have to be reduced with twenty-eight employees laid off but it wasn’t mentioned.
Reference was made to a planned increase in water and sewer rates not being applied. No-one asked why rates 9% higher than last year? Councillor Gaertner expressed concern that delaying the increase would make it harder later .
That’s when I become irritated that Councillor Gaertner may not be a resident or a taxpayer in Aurora . When the Councillor sold her home , the real estate sign on her front lawn proclaimed the fact.Neighbours privately raised the question of whether or not the family had moved out of town.
The Councillor had cared for her elderly mother in North York in her last years. At that time , staff had difficulty making contact and once , they were accused of harassment.
When the family home was sold , Councillor Gaertner claimed to be living with former Councillor McEachern. Had she moved with her children out of town, eligibility to serve on Aurora Council was over. A vacancy would have occurred, a by -election held and things might have been different from that point.
The Councillor subsequently provided an address on Murray Drive. I was never able to accept that. I don’t think someone who doesn’t live in the town or pay taxes to the town should have a say in what taxes should be imposed. Especially if I am opposed to a particular tax. Like the Culture Centre for example. That’s another thing the treasurer didn’t reference.There’s half a million there that should
not be expended.
Apparently only twenty -six people viewed the “virtual “ meeting last night. Councillors should be glad of that. It was not their finest four hours. At the end of the meeting,Councillor Gaertner in her sixth term of office , asked if she could make an amendment to add something to the Agenda.
The Municipal Act spells out clear and simple the responsibilities of a Council. Every Councillor receives a copy. At least one business meeting a month must be held. Public notice must be given of decisions to be decided and Councillors must be in their place,uncovered, at the same time ,the same night of the month ,as determined on the night of the inaugural meeting of each new Council. Two items are on the agenda of an inaugural. Swearing into office and passage of the Procedural Bylaw. All to ensure the public are informed of the business to be conducted. After twenty-two years , Councillor Gartner has never understood the terms of engagement. She may not be the only one at the table who doesn’t.
Normally, it would have been the Mayor’s responsibility to provide the guidance. Tom Mrakas is the fourth Mayor Councillor Gaertner has served under.
Reference was made to a planned increase in water and sewer rates not being applied. No-one asked why rates 9% higher than last year? Councillor Gaertner expressed concern that delaying the increase would make it harder later .
That’s when I become irritated that Councillor Gaertner may not be a resident or a taxpayer in Aurora . When the Councillor sold her home , the real estate sign on her front lawn proclaimed the fact.Neighbours privately raised the question of whether or not the family had moved out of town.
The Councillor had cared for her elderly mother in North York in her last years. At that time , staff had difficulty making contact and once , they were accused of harassment.
When the family home was sold , Councillor Gaertner claimed to be living with former Councillor McEachern. Had she moved with her children out of town, eligibility to serve on Aurora Council was over. A vacancy would have occurred, a by -election held and things might have been different from that point.
The Councillor subsequently provided an address on Murray Drive. I was never able to accept that. I don’t think someone who doesn’t live in the town or pay taxes to the town should have a say in what taxes should be imposed. Especially if I am opposed to a particular tax. Like the Culture Centre for example. That’s another thing the treasurer didn’t reference.There’s half a million there that should
not be expended.
Apparently only twenty -six people viewed the “virtual “ meeting last night. Councillors should be glad of that. It was not their finest four hours. At the end of the meeting,Councillor Gaertner in her sixth term of office , asked if she could make an amendment to add something to the Agenda.
The Municipal Act spells out clear and simple the responsibilities of a Council. Every Councillor receives a copy. At least one business meeting a month must be held. Public notice must be given of decisions to be decided and Councillors must be in their place,uncovered, at the same time ,the same night of the month ,as determined on the night of the inaugural meeting of each new Council. Two items are on the agenda of an inaugural. Swearing into office and passage of the Procedural Bylaw. All to ensure the public are informed of the business to be conducted. After twenty-two years , Councillor Gartner has never understood the terms of engagement. She may not be the only one at the table who doesn’t.
Normally, it would have been the Mayor’s responsibility to provide the guidance. Tom Mrakas is the fourth Mayor Councillor Gaertner has served under.
A VIRTUAL MEETING ON ZOOM
Try as I might I can’t move far from our town’s business. After my last post , a request came
to write more stories of my childhood. I’ve been doing it regularly on a web site on my birth town . An old postcard gets published and it’s like turning on a tap: one thing leads to another and before I know it ,I’ve been writing non stop for thirty minutes. Like the Last of the Mohicans I guess. Of the few left,not that many are using computers and clicking on Facebook. The stories of course go with the postcards. They wouldn't make a lot of sense without them and only then to other Irvinites. I’m not sufficiently computer literate to transfer it to my blog and that would probably not be honest . My contribution is appreciated , my output is prolific and it suits my scattered approach.
I watched a “virtual” Aurora Council meeting last night. I learned Ontario Emergency Measures suspends parts of the Municipal Act and allows Council to hold meeting without being physically present. It’s still tricky though. Depending on how thorough the work done to suspend one Act to allow another Act to supersede, therein lies potential for challenge to whatever decisions were made by Council at the “virtual “meeting.
It might be difficult however for even the smartest lawyer to figure out what actual decisions were on made. I watched because the Agenda seemed to indicate the Chief Financial Officer would report on the financial impact of the $56 million Library Square Complex. That is not what happened. The Report focussed instead on the financial impact of the coronovirus emergency measures. It’s grim. The impact is likely to extend into the foreseeable future.
The town has a slush fund of $10 million created by taxing property owners in excess for the last several years. The fund was created in anticipation of arbitrated awards to increased firefighters to staff new fire-halls built with lot levies calculated on the basis of population growth forecast in Master Plans. Fees collected to build new firehalls can only be used for that purpose.Millions of dollars of equipment must be installed. Custom made in the good old US of A. Sleeping, cooking and recreational facilities must be provided. A fire crew numbers seven. Over a twenty -four hour period and three shifts , new hires number twenty-one minimum. The town’s genius financial advisor of a few years ago, recommended taxpayers of the day should pay forward to meet the financial demands of the future.Now those funds will be used for a different emergency . And it won’t go far.
No matter: lot levies will still be charged, new firehalls will continue to be built and politicians will argue development does not pay for itself. It increases taxes . The logic is flawed. But if money can be extorted from developers, who tack it on to the price of a home, well, hell, it’s like shooting fish in a barrel, who’s going to argue against it.
Me ...that’s who. But it’s like spitting in the wind.
Aurora Chamber of Commerce argues the town isn’t doing anything to help business owners get through the crisis. While the town itself deals with shortfalls and continues to contemplate spending$56 million on the Library Square Complex to stimulate business activity down town. Like the Armoury project was supposed to. We still don't know how much that cost nor, it seems, has downtown business noticed any great advances.
I do run on, don’t I. A couple of other things happened, or didn’t, at last night's “virtual” meeting.
But that’s my offering for now.
to write more stories of my childhood. I’ve been doing it regularly on a web site on my birth town . An old postcard gets published and it’s like turning on a tap: one thing leads to another and before I know it ,I’ve been writing non stop for thirty minutes. Like the Last of the Mohicans I guess. Of the few left,not that many are using computers and clicking on Facebook. The stories of course go with the postcards. They wouldn't make a lot of sense without them and only then to other Irvinites. I’m not sufficiently computer literate to transfer it to my blog and that would probably not be honest . My contribution is appreciated , my output is prolific and it suits my scattered approach.
I watched a “virtual” Aurora Council meeting last night. I learned Ontario Emergency Measures suspends parts of the Municipal Act and allows Council to hold meeting without being physically present. It’s still tricky though. Depending on how thorough the work done to suspend one Act to allow another Act to supersede, therein lies potential for challenge to whatever decisions were made by Council at the “virtual “meeting.
It might be difficult however for even the smartest lawyer to figure out what actual decisions were on made. I watched because the Agenda seemed to indicate the Chief Financial Officer would report on the financial impact of the $56 million Library Square Complex. That is not what happened. The Report focussed instead on the financial impact of the coronovirus emergency measures. It’s grim. The impact is likely to extend into the foreseeable future.
The town has a slush fund of $10 million created by taxing property owners in excess for the last several years. The fund was created in anticipation of arbitrated awards to increased firefighters to staff new fire-halls built with lot levies calculated on the basis of population growth forecast in Master Plans. Fees collected to build new firehalls can only be used for that purpose.Millions of dollars of equipment must be installed. Custom made in the good old US of A. Sleeping, cooking and recreational facilities must be provided. A fire crew numbers seven. Over a twenty -four hour period and three shifts , new hires number twenty-one minimum. The town’s genius financial advisor of a few years ago, recommended taxpayers of the day should pay forward to meet the financial demands of the future.Now those funds will be used for a different emergency . And it won’t go far.
No matter: lot levies will still be charged, new firehalls will continue to be built and politicians will argue development does not pay for itself. It increases taxes . The logic is flawed. But if money can be extorted from developers, who tack it on to the price of a home, well, hell, it’s like shooting fish in a barrel, who’s going to argue against it.
Me ...that’s who. But it’s like spitting in the wind.
Aurora Chamber of Commerce argues the town isn’t doing anything to help business owners get through the crisis. While the town itself deals with shortfalls and continues to contemplate spending$56 million on the Library Square Complex to stimulate business activity down town. Like the Armoury project was supposed to. We still don't know how much that cost nor, it seems, has downtown business noticed any great advances.
I do run on, don’t I. A couple of other things happened, or didn’t, at last night's “virtual” meeting.
But that’s my offering for now.
Saturday, 4 April 2020
TRY AND MAKE SENSE OF THIS
Having personal support workers visit twice a day provides a whole new insight into other people’s lives and experience. A number of ladies come to call. Patterns emerge. It’s not an easy job. Not least of the negatives is driving between appointments. And not least of that are various encounters with York Regional Police. Hardly a week goes by that one of the ladies doesn’t get, a ticket for one or other traffic offence. Penalties are in hundreds of dollars but worse still are demerit points on driving records.
I have represented myself in traffic court, I know a few things and learned a few things.
My time was not wasted.
Government is indeed a blunt and bruising implement careless of a target.
Most PSWs are immigrants. I suspect availability of this type of employment is reason for easy admission. An example of a ticket issued with a fine of $600, and 4 demerit points was for having a cell phone on the knee while driving. She had been in the country 7 months. Didn’t have GPS but was using the cell phone to find her way in Richmond Hill.
Her language skills are good but not so good for complete confidence. Still, my advice was to request a hearing, attend court. Plead guilty with an explanation.
She was not talking on the cell phone. She was not distracted. She was focussed on making the right turn. The officer neither asked nor was apparently interested in an explanation.
She has since received another ticket because she failed to notice a new configuration of lights at an intersection on Yonge Street and made an illegal left turn. Another hefty fine and demerit points.
Parking tickets are issued by bylaw officers. Town plows fill driveways with massive chunks of ice and frozen snow, blocking entry and exit. Time scheduled for visit with a client is one hour.
Speeding tickets appear to be issued willy nilly and PSWs seem to get more than their share. They do receive a car allowance but they are not paid for driving time. My advice is always the same. Ask for a hearing and throw yourself on the mercy of the court.
I have represented myself in traffic court, I know a few things and learned a few things.
My time was not wasted.
For the purpose of this discussion, current circumstances in York Region traffic court are particularly relevant. One of my ladies took my advice and reported back. The court room was crowded. Two crown attorneys were on hand for prosecution. Her name was not on the appended list. She approached a Crown to ensure the right location and a deal was proferred. Plead guilty, pay $60, and demerit points will be removed.
The ticket was for speeding. The fine was $280 with four demerit points.
She took the deal. The judge was so informed and she asked why the miscreant was speeding. The schedule was explained. What’s your job? She was asked, and answered. The judge would have made the fine $45, without demerits points and furthermore, insisted on providing a couple of months to pay.
In the meantime, two crown attorneys spent the first couple of hours of that day and likely every day, undoing that which was wrought by York Police on the streets of the Region. Officers attended as witnesses, and being paid in generous terms at municipal expense. The court room was full of those who felt the need to defend themselves; like the catch of the day.
No doubt, the scene repeats five days a week in every traffic court in Ontario. The cost, public and private cannot begin to be imagined.
York Region’s Police is an army, thousands strong. Their motto is “TO SERVE AND PROTECT”. Banks are robbed, assaults happen and murders committed. But not to worry my friends, they’re out there in force, issuing tickets with fines and penalties that challenged in court, do not stand up to reality of time and place.
Now tickets are to be issued with penalties of up to $5,000 for hanging about in the open. New recruitment, new uniforms, new cars, new armaments, will all be required. To be deployed to the extent of a day in court, when all will be pled down to a reasonable penalty in the mind of a judge which may but will likely not accomplish anything useful.
Government is indeed a blunt and bruising implement careless of a target.
Wednesday, 11 March 2020
A BRIGHT BRIGHT SUNSHINY DAY
My daughter and I drove through the new industrial park on Leslie Street on Monday. It was a beautiful day. The sky was high, wide, incredibly blue and the day was beautifully warm. Despite being a construction zone, the area was spectacular with many white, high, well designed buildings.The Holiday Inn facility is close to completion. It can be seen from the 404. The other hotel structure was obvious though no sign identified it.
We were both dumbfounded. “How come we knew nothing about this?” I said. “Wow, this is fantastic.” We echoed each other “I/you will have to write something positive about it.”
I caught the inflection. Theresa thinks I’m negative. She would never say it...may not even allow herself to think it. My family believes it’s great that I continue to participate in the public debate. None would say anything to discourage me. But that may be, because there’s little chance of that happening.
We were even more impressed when we turned onto Wellington Street and noted signs of construction on the site south of Smart Centre. All those new employees mean a new retail market. New homes in the neighbourhood will generate new trade. Highway 404 and the carriage trade will contribute. Tournaments and swim meets at the Stronach Centre will create hotel clientelle. Walmart is already well patronized and provides numerous jobs. Empty stores in the Smart Centre will soon be occupied.
Now we have to wrap our heads around the new focus and determine what it means to the old Town Centre.
We drove along Wellington into the town. New tree planting will make it an impressive avenue. Closer in, old homes have been pleasingly re-tooled to serve new purpose, mostly professional. Just as envisaged fifty years ago when we planned for that to happen.
We turned north on Yonge Street, passed building after building of residential condos. Unleased space at ground level awaits new enterprise. It will follow the walk-in trade as residents re-discover life without cars. Came back south on Yonge Street. It was Monday...mid-day...traditionally a slow day...but last Monday, downtown Aurora was lively and if not exactly a hive of activity...definitely bustling.
There's room still for renewal on Yonge Street. If the town can get a handle on traffic, it could be a great neighbourly place to live, shop, and enjoy life.
It’s easy to imagine, having been around long enough to watch it evolve. Even more satisfying to have had a hand in making it happen.
Susan Seibert, are you reading me? I raise a glass to you, m’dear, m’darlin and to the council and administration that had a heart in the community.
Today, I turned on the video of the Mayor’s speech at The Chamber luncheon. The sound was imperfect. It echoed in the space. I heard less than half of what he said. It was an opportunity missed. He should ask Chris Watts if it can be improved.
We were both dumbfounded. “How come we knew nothing about this?” I said. “Wow, this is fantastic.” We echoed each other “I/you will have to write something positive about it.”
I caught the inflection. Theresa thinks I’m negative. She would never say it...may not even allow herself to think it. My family believes it’s great that I continue to participate in the public debate. None would say anything to discourage me. But that may be, because there’s little chance of that happening.
We were even more impressed when we turned onto Wellington Street and noted signs of construction on the site south of Smart Centre. All those new employees mean a new retail market. New homes in the neighbourhood will generate new trade. Highway 404 and the carriage trade will contribute. Tournaments and swim meets at the Stronach Centre will create hotel clientelle. Walmart is already well patronized and provides numerous jobs. Empty stores in the Smart Centre will soon be occupied.
Now we have to wrap our heads around the new focus and determine what it means to the old Town Centre.
We drove along Wellington into the town. New tree planting will make it an impressive avenue. Closer in, old homes have been pleasingly re-tooled to serve new purpose, mostly professional. Just as envisaged fifty years ago when we planned for that to happen.
We turned north on Yonge Street, passed building after building of residential condos. Unleased space at ground level awaits new enterprise. It will follow the walk-in trade as residents re-discover life without cars. Came back south on Yonge Street. It was Monday...mid-day...traditionally a slow day...but last Monday, downtown Aurora was lively and if not exactly a hive of activity...definitely bustling.
There's room still for renewal on Yonge Street. If the town can get a handle on traffic, it could be a great neighbourly place to live, shop, and enjoy life.
It’s easy to imagine, having been around long enough to watch it evolve. Even more satisfying to have had a hand in making it happen.
Susan Seibert, are you reading me? I raise a glass to you, m’dear, m’darlin and to the council and administration that had a heart in the community.
Today, I turned on the video of the Mayor’s speech at The Chamber luncheon. The sound was imperfect. It echoed in the space. I heard less than half of what he said. It was an opportunity missed. He should ask Chris Watts if it can be improved.
Tuesday, 10 March 2020
YE PAYS YER MONEY....And THEN YE PAYS MORE
The immediate response to my last post was so slight, I got discouraged. I monopolized Anna Lozyk Romano’s blog instead. I know Anna doesn't mind. Still it doesn’t seem right.Yesterday I re-checked the stats on my blog and discovered on one March day, 69 people had read the post. I realize my blog has a limited audience at the best of times. It would seem sensible not to be overly concerned about immediate stats.
I don’t write with a view to make money though I don’t think that would necessarily be a bad thing.
But I do have this compulsion to spill the beans about what I know to be true. Anna has the same feeling that her blog is not widely read, yet I depend on it to keep me informed. I suspect the spike in my readership on that day in March may have been regional reps. Well that’s a good thing. They may collectively decide what I have to say is not worth noting. But they can’t be sure.
I read of the policy to invoice at-fault drivers for emergency calls to collisions on Anna’s post.
Nowhere else was there any discussion. Not at Aurora Council and apparently not in Newmarket either according to Mayor John Taylor.
Apparently the only question in Aurora was “Why did it take so long?”
My immediate reaction was ....why now?
How much revenue will it generate? How much will it cost to administer? Will it reduce the budget? If not, why not? What are they planning to do with the extra money? Buy more gold braid for the Chief’s uniform? Why is he wearing a uniform? Why are any of them provided with a uniform? They don't fight fires or respond to emergency calls in uniform?
But the most significant question of all: if it’s right and proper to charge an at-fault driver for the emergency call to a collision...why is it not also appropriate to invoice a person responsible for a fire in their home for the fire department to fight the fire?
If a person falls asleep with a lit cigarette in his hand, or leaves a pot of oil over a flame on the stove, or overloads a circuit, or messes with wiring, or if a landlord fails to maintain wiring in a safe condition...are they not all similarly at-fault the cause of fires. Should the person responsible not be similarly invoiced for the cost of fighting the fire?
Why should the taxpayer subsidize the cost?
With all the people sitting around the council table...elected to represent the taxpayers ...were none of these questions asked and answered? What do they think they’re there for? Why do we pay them? Are they just figures in the crowd scene? Backdrop to the play?
If a sewer pipe collapses, the town repairs it. But the property owner pays what it costs for that part of the repair on their property.
If a private property abuts a public property, the town will pay half the cost of a fence but it must be built to the town’s standard.
If I took the time I could probably come up with other examples of non-subsidization. But enough is enough. Towing is a private service. Companies compete. If municipalities invoice the cost of emergency measures, what law gives them a monopoly in the emergency business?
Contracting out public services to avoid providing employees with benefits is now the prevailing method of cost-saving in the public sector. If senior’s housing and senior’s care and child care can be farmed out by the Region to save, why not fire protection and emergency calls.
I’m not just asking.
I want answers.
I don’t write with a view to make money though I don’t think that would necessarily be a bad thing.
But I do have this compulsion to spill the beans about what I know to be true. Anna has the same feeling that her blog is not widely read, yet I depend on it to keep me informed. I suspect the spike in my readership on that day in March may have been regional reps. Well that’s a good thing. They may collectively decide what I have to say is not worth noting. But they can’t be sure.
I read of the policy to invoice at-fault drivers for emergency calls to collisions on Anna’s post.
Nowhere else was there any discussion. Not at Aurora Council and apparently not in Newmarket either according to Mayor John Taylor.
Apparently the only question in Aurora was “Why did it take so long?”
My immediate reaction was ....why now?
How much revenue will it generate? How much will it cost to administer? Will it reduce the budget? If not, why not? What are they planning to do with the extra money? Buy more gold braid for the Chief’s uniform? Why is he wearing a uniform? Why are any of them provided with a uniform? They don't fight fires or respond to emergency calls in uniform?
But the most significant question of all: if it’s right and proper to charge an at-fault driver for the emergency call to a collision...why is it not also appropriate to invoice a person responsible for a fire in their home for the fire department to fight the fire?
If a person falls asleep with a lit cigarette in his hand, or leaves a pot of oil over a flame on the stove, or overloads a circuit, or messes with wiring, or if a landlord fails to maintain wiring in a safe condition...are they not all similarly at-fault the cause of fires. Should the person responsible not be similarly invoiced for the cost of fighting the fire?
Why should the taxpayer subsidize the cost?
With all the people sitting around the council table...elected to represent the taxpayers ...were none of these questions asked and answered? What do they think they’re there for? Why do we pay them? Are they just figures in the crowd scene? Backdrop to the play?
If a sewer pipe collapses, the town repairs it. But the property owner pays what it costs for that part of the repair on their property.
If a private property abuts a public property, the town will pay half the cost of a fence but it must be built to the town’s standard.
If I took the time I could probably come up with other examples of non-subsidization. But enough is enough. Towing is a private service. Companies compete. If municipalities invoice the cost of emergency measures, what law gives them a monopoly in the emergency business?
Contracting out public services to avoid providing employees with benefits is now the prevailing method of cost-saving in the public sector. If senior’s housing and senior’s care and child care can be farmed out by the Region to save, why not fire protection and emergency calls.
I’m not just asking.
I want answers.
Saturday, 18 January 2020
”REGIONAL MATTERS” And HOW THEY AFFECT US
Less by design than accident , I retrieved the Regional Publication from the re-cycling box at Christmas. It’s the first one I’ve seen. To-day I want to draw attention to the back page. There
are three rows of photos of members of York Regional Council...twenty-one in total. nine of them are Mayors of local Councils. The rest are Regional councillors. All,except the chair, serve also on local Councils. All receive remuneration from both sources. Not all receive the same benefits. Benefit packages are said to be worth $30 thousand a year.
Regional councillors receive termination settlements, if defeated from office. Not sure if they quit .If a Regional Councillor dies while in office, life insurance is paid.
Taking a wild guess ,I would say, average cost of a regional councillor to taxpayers might be as much as $200.thousand a year . Multiplied by twenty-one , quite a tidy burden.
York Region was created in 1971. Next year ,it will be half a century old.
Metro Toronto was around that age when the boroughs were amalgamated and Metro
was wiped out. Toronto became a single government unit with forty-four Councillors and a Mayor. Council meetings lasted several days. Decisions were slow in the making.
One of the first decisions made by Premier Ford when he took office was to cut the number of Toronto Councillors almost in half to twenty- four members. A mighty clamour ensued. A year has passed. No great catastrophe has occurred.
York Region as noted in the opening sentence has twenty-one councillors. On top of that,
nine municipal Councils with I don’t know how many, ward and elected at large local councillors. In terms of remuneration and benefits most have re-classified themselves as employees. They are not hired. They cannot be fired. But somehow they have managed to re-classify remuneration and benefits to their substantial advantage. Payroll for municipal council undoubtedly exceeds that of Regional Council. It absorbs millions of dollars.
It would be a simple matter to discover the tally to the penny. It may even be part of the report already generated for the Province for changes they intended. We do not know that. The report has not been released. Regional Councillors asked to receive the report. Whether or not that happened,we are not aware.
We do not know what changes were intended. We do know Aurora and Newmarket expressed
opposition , assuring the Province the current system serves us very well.it certainky serves them well.
Our elected representatives opposed change without disclosure of the change proposed.
It is reasonable to assume ,changes proposed by the Ford government would be aimed at
reducing numbers; bodies and financial cost. It makes equal sense the taxpayers of York Region
are entitled to know what was proposed in the shelved report.
It has not been suggested.
I am suggesting it now.
are three rows of photos of members of York Regional Council...twenty-one in total. nine of them are Mayors of local Councils. The rest are Regional councillors. All,except the chair, serve also on local Councils. All receive remuneration from both sources. Not all receive the same benefits. Benefit packages are said to be worth $30 thousand a year.
Regional councillors receive termination settlements, if defeated from office. Not sure if they quit .If a Regional Councillor dies while in office, life insurance is paid.
Taking a wild guess ,I would say, average cost of a regional councillor to taxpayers might be as much as $200.thousand a year . Multiplied by twenty-one , quite a tidy burden.
York Region was created in 1971. Next year ,it will be half a century old.
Metro Toronto was around that age when the boroughs were amalgamated and Metro
was wiped out. Toronto became a single government unit with forty-four Councillors and a Mayor. Council meetings lasted several days. Decisions were slow in the making.
One of the first decisions made by Premier Ford when he took office was to cut the number of Toronto Councillors almost in half to twenty- four members. A mighty clamour ensued. A year has passed. No great catastrophe has occurred.
York Region as noted in the opening sentence has twenty-one councillors. On top of that,
nine municipal Councils with I don’t know how many, ward and elected at large local councillors. In terms of remuneration and benefits most have re-classified themselves as employees. They are not hired. They cannot be fired. But somehow they have managed to re-classify remuneration and benefits to their substantial advantage. Payroll for municipal council undoubtedly exceeds that of Regional Council. It absorbs millions of dollars.
It would be a simple matter to discover the tally to the penny. It may even be part of the report already generated for the Province for changes they intended. We do not know that. The report has not been released. Regional Councillors asked to receive the report. Whether or not that happened,we are not aware.
We do not know what changes were intended. We do know Aurora and Newmarket expressed
opposition , assuring the Province the current system serves us very well.it certainky serves them well.
Our elected representatives opposed change without disclosure of the change proposed.
It is reasonable to assume ,changes proposed by the Ford government would be aimed at
reducing numbers; bodies and financial cost. It makes equal sense the taxpayers of York Region
are entitled to know what was proposed in the shelved report.
It has not been suggested.
I am suggesting it now.
Wednesday, 8 January 2020
WARD OFF THE QUESTION
A Councillor is not allowed to impugn the motives of another Councillor. Rightly so. According to rules of debate, it compels focus on the question under debate. On the other hand, when no other reason is offered in support of the motion, motive becomes the whole of it.
Finger cramps are part of my problem with blog posting...and aging of course. Commenting on Facebook is easier and very convenient. but only seen by a limited number. My grandchildren have set me up with a keyboard for my ipad and a tray on my walker. So I sit on the reclining chair with everything at my fingertips, so to speak. I’m giving you the picture to explain any shortcomings that may be with this post. The late great Andy Foote, who had the last few minutes of “Sixty Minutes” on a Sunday night, used to complain about growing old. He had a routine minimal surgical procedure and never came out of it. He didn’t have anything to complain about after that.
I never thought much about growing old. I certainly never imagined how it would be with a personal computer. In the history of mankind, old age has never been so interesting. It is my intention to avoid even the most routine surgery. Unless of course life becomes so miserable it presents as a suitable exit.
Anyway, to get to the subject of this post...a ward system for the Town of Aurora....What have we heard to recommend it? Are people complaining about poor representation? I don’t think so. If they were, why did Council decide to reduce the number of Councillors in the last election? Who asked for that? Or was it merely a step in the larger strategy? Was the ward system the real purpose of the plan?
Here’s where we get down to motive in the absence of logic. The question of wards was on the ballot already. Voters said no.
Our Mayor uses “Getting things done” as his modus operandi. It’s a good one. But not exactly what we think of when that getting done is against the expressed will of the people.
So who benefits from the ward system? Well who moved the motion and amended it in a most peculiar fashion? An amendment cannot change the purpose of a motion. This motion authorized funds for a planning study. Then amended to add unanimous support by Council for that which was to be studied. The amendment was not in order. It should have been ruled out of order.
So who is the apparent architect of this fiendish plot? Councillor Michael Thompson is the mover and shaker there-off. What do we know of the Councillor? Not a lot...Why is that? The Councillor keeps his head down and stays out of trouble. He likes the job. He wants to keep it. He is prepared to do whatever it takes. But he’s not alone.
And the easiest way to ensure the job is theirs ad infinitum is with a ward system. No town wide campaign...no responsibility for decisions made that do not affect the Ward. Easy to classify as a full-time position and collect benefits like health plans, life insurance, pensions and termination settlements in the event of defeat at the polls etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.
If the pattern of Markham is followed, each Ward Councillor would receive a budget. They might share an office and staff so they can follow a private career or operate a business and milk the system for everything it has to offer.
Don’t tell me I’m exaggerating. It’s happening all around us. The former Regional Chair collected a quarter of a million a year from the Region and practiced law at the same time.
The Province obviously intended to do some re-organizing to correct the situation but got cold feet in the face of Doug Ford’s lack of political skill.
The situation is as bad as it can be. Like every public institution, municipal councils in Ontario have become their own reason for being and that is to serve the people who are supposed to be doing the serving.
My fingers have held up this far but now I have to review the copy.
Finger cramps are part of my problem with blog posting...and aging of course. Commenting on Facebook is easier and very convenient. but only seen by a limited number. My grandchildren have set me up with a keyboard for my ipad and a tray on my walker. So I sit on the reclining chair with everything at my fingertips, so to speak. I’m giving you the picture to explain any shortcomings that may be with this post. The late great Andy Foote, who had the last few minutes of “Sixty Minutes” on a Sunday night, used to complain about growing old. He had a routine minimal surgical procedure and never came out of it. He didn’t have anything to complain about after that.
I never thought much about growing old. I certainly never imagined how it would be with a personal computer. In the history of mankind, old age has never been so interesting. It is my intention to avoid even the most routine surgery. Unless of course life becomes so miserable it presents as a suitable exit.
Anyway, to get to the subject of this post...a ward system for the Town of Aurora....What have we heard to recommend it? Are people complaining about poor representation? I don’t think so. If they were, why did Council decide to reduce the number of Councillors in the last election? Who asked for that? Or was it merely a step in the larger strategy? Was the ward system the real purpose of the plan?
Here’s where we get down to motive in the absence of logic. The question of wards was on the ballot already. Voters said no.
Our Mayor uses “Getting things done” as his modus operandi. It’s a good one. But not exactly what we think of when that getting done is against the expressed will of the people.
So who benefits from the ward system? Well who moved the motion and amended it in a most peculiar fashion? An amendment cannot change the purpose of a motion. This motion authorized funds for a planning study. Then amended to add unanimous support by Council for that which was to be studied. The amendment was not in order. It should have been ruled out of order.
So who is the apparent architect of this fiendish plot? Councillor Michael Thompson is the mover and shaker there-off. What do we know of the Councillor? Not a lot...Why is that? The Councillor keeps his head down and stays out of trouble. He likes the job. He wants to keep it. He is prepared to do whatever it takes. But he’s not alone.
And the easiest way to ensure the job is theirs ad infinitum is with a ward system. No town wide campaign...no responsibility for decisions made that do not affect the Ward. Easy to classify as a full-time position and collect benefits like health plans, life insurance, pensions and termination settlements in the event of defeat at the polls etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.
If the pattern of Markham is followed, each Ward Councillor would receive a budget. They might share an office and staff so they can follow a private career or operate a business and milk the system for everything it has to offer.
Don’t tell me I’m exaggerating. It’s happening all around us. The former Regional Chair collected a quarter of a million a year from the Region and practiced law at the same time.
The Province obviously intended to do some re-organizing to correct the situation but got cold feet in the face of Doug Ford’s lack of political skill.
The situation is as bad as it can be. Like every public institution, municipal councils in Ontario have become their own reason for being and that is to serve the people who are supposed to be doing the serving.
My fingers have held up this far but now I have to review the copy.
Thursday, 17 October 2019
LITTLE DID YOU KNOW
A poll in one of the town’s weekly publication poses a patently foolish question
about municipal autonomy and gun control. It arises from a news item about a
discussion between the Prime Minister of Canada and the Mayor of Aurora.
They may not be of the same age but they are both products of the modern education system.
Civics must have been another subject teachers decided need not be taught.
Neither appears to be aware that a municipality is low man on the totem pole. Canada’s Constitution does not give them the right to exist. The Province grants their authority. Premier Ford could decide tomorrow to consign our municipality into history.There is no practical reason why he shouldn’t .In 1971 when the region was planned ,Newmarket and Aurora were planned as a single urban node. We were successful in arguing services provided locally and separately at minimal or no cost was reason enough to hold off on amalgamation.
Aurora has enjoyed autonomy for an additional fifty years. The cost of two separate administrations
no longer makes economic sense nor has it since George Timpson was elected Mayor, a
full-time firefighter brigade was established and then amalgamated with Newmarket to form a more powerful bargaining unit. The service is classified essential. Because the right to strike is not
available ,agreements must be settled by arbitration and it was off to the races, no holds barred,
and financial control became a mythical reality.
When I was first elected , Tridel Corporation was just the Del Zotto brothers. They had a former
North York bylaw officer to represent them in an application to develop.They developed the rental apartment complex at the corner of Wellington Street and Murray Drive. He told about a study North York commissioned which determined the average time spent fighting fires was 18 minutes in a year.
Firehalls were beacons of brightness and colour with gardens outside and competitions for best and part of the neighbourhood. Fire Pumpers were bright and shiny and spotlessly clean and usually prominently displayed. Firefighters maintained the firehall when they weren’t fighting fires. Then the Professional Firefighters Association successfully argued they were firefighters, not janitors,so they didn’t do it anymore when they weren’t fighting fires.
Nowadays, sleeping and recreation facilities are provided at firehalls...kitchens,where they can test recipes to while away the hours when they’re not fighting fires and take beefcake photos for fund-raising calendars I made myself very unpopular with firefighters wives when I drew attention to the
Coke machine that sold beer in the new firehall. At the time, I didn’t even know that anybody who knew, could drop in and chug-a-lug when they felt the need.
I have heard of a Toronto firefighter who lives in Vancouver . His wife was an airline stewardess so he flew home at no cost, between shifts. I’m not sure how that fits in with being an emergency
service and being on call for whatever emergency might arise. I’m not even sure the story is true.
Repeating it is just one of the little perks of no longer being in elected office .
As often happens, this post took off in it’s own direction. My intention was to illustrate the impact of firefighter’s compensation on settlements for other public services. But that’s a longer story than
one might imagine...as old as the history of Ontario.
Neither appears to be aware that a municipality is low man on the totem pole. Canada’s Constitution does not give them the right to exist. The Province grants their authority. Premier Ford could decide tomorrow to consign our municipality into history.There is no practical reason why he shouldn’t .In 1971 when the region was planned ,Newmarket and Aurora were planned as a single urban node. We were successful in arguing services provided locally and separately at minimal or no cost was reason enough to hold off on amalgamation.
Aurora has enjoyed autonomy for an additional fifty years. The cost of two separate administrations
no longer makes economic sense nor has it since George Timpson was elected Mayor, a
full-time firefighter brigade was established and then amalgamated with Newmarket to form a more powerful bargaining unit. The service is classified essential. Because the right to strike is not
available ,agreements must be settled by arbitration and it was off to the races, no holds barred,
and financial control became a mythical reality.
When I was first elected , Tridel Corporation was just the Del Zotto brothers. They had a former
North York bylaw officer to represent them in an application to develop.They developed the rental apartment complex at the corner of Wellington Street and Murray Drive. He told about a study North York commissioned which determined the average time spent fighting fires was 18 minutes in a year.
Firehalls were beacons of brightness and colour with gardens outside and competitions for best and part of the neighbourhood. Fire Pumpers were bright and shiny and spotlessly clean and usually prominently displayed. Firefighters maintained the firehall when they weren’t fighting fires. Then the Professional Firefighters Association successfully argued they were firefighters, not janitors,so they didn’t do it anymore when they weren’t fighting fires.
Nowadays, sleeping and recreation facilities are provided at firehalls...kitchens,where they can test recipes to while away the hours when they’re not fighting fires and take beefcake photos for fund-raising calendars I made myself very unpopular with firefighters wives when I drew attention to the
Coke machine that sold beer in the new firehall. At the time, I didn’t even know that anybody who knew, could drop in and chug-a-lug when they felt the need.
I have heard of a Toronto firefighter who lives in Vancouver . His wife was an airline stewardess so he flew home at no cost, between shifts. I’m not sure how that fits in with being an emergency
service and being on call for whatever emergency might arise. I’m not even sure the story is true.
Repeating it is just one of the little perks of no longer being in elected office .
As often happens, this post took off in it’s own direction. My intention was to illustrate the impact of firefighter’s compensation on settlements for other public services. But that’s a longer story than
one might imagine...as old as the history of Ontario.
Friday, 11 October 2019
DISCRETION...THE BETTER PART OF VALOUR
The late Jack Layton had a highly successful career in Toronto politics before he became Leader of New Democrats. He didn’t keep his party allegiance a secret. The machinery was probably, in good part, responsible for his success. It wasn't until the Federal campaign we learned he was from Quebec. Grew up there, spoke fluent French and shared the culture...all attributes which no doubt contributed to success in winning seats in La Belle Province.
Then he died.
His courage in continuing the campaign, though he knew he was dying, may also have been a factor. His political colleagues certainly showed their respect at his funeral. Only another politician would understand the depth of his commitment.
Quebec underpinnings were not known in his municipal career. Toronto was and still is, in many respects, an Orange Protestant town. It would be a waste of time for example, to apply to Toronto Police Force without “The Ring” (masonic).
Mr Layton wouldn’t lie about his background. There would be no need. It would simply not be mentioned.
I read Jagmeet Singh refers to Quebec's new law prohibiting religious symbols from being worn by some public servants in the work place as divisive and inciting hatred.
Stuff and nonsense.
Muslim women are not compelled to wear a symbol of their religion. Many choose otherwise. It Simplifies their lives in the new country they’ve chosen. As Jack Layton chose not to broadcast in Protestant Toronto that he was from Quebec.
When I started this post, three days ago, the theme running through my head was loosely connected to legal action I undertook against a former Mayor of Aurora and five Councillors for libelling me in an ad paid for with town resources.
I was not successful. I’m not in the habit of giving up a fight. But I had already incurred substantial debt for legal fees and settlement required further debt.To continue the fight would have meant my home would have had to be sold. I no longer had any confidence in the integrity of the legal system, nor the resources to continue. The defendants, on the other hand, had their costs paid by the Town’s insurance company. None of the normal restraints applied.
My family’s advice “Put it behind you mother. Get on with your life”
So I did.
But to keep it behind me, I must keep it buried for a while yet. The Judge’s name, his dismissal of my jury, time taken to deliver and gross lack of reasoning in his decision has not diminished my anger. For my own peace of mind, I need to let it lie for a while yet.
Then he died.
His courage in continuing the campaign, though he knew he was dying, may also have been a factor. His political colleagues certainly showed their respect at his funeral. Only another politician would understand the depth of his commitment.
Quebec underpinnings were not known in his municipal career. Toronto was and still is, in many respects, an Orange Protestant town. It would be a waste of time for example, to apply to Toronto Police Force without “The Ring” (masonic).
Mr Layton wouldn’t lie about his background. There would be no need. It would simply not be mentioned.
I read Jagmeet Singh refers to Quebec's new law prohibiting religious symbols from being worn by some public servants in the work place as divisive and inciting hatred.
Stuff and nonsense.
Muslim women are not compelled to wear a symbol of their religion. Many choose otherwise. It Simplifies their lives in the new country they’ve chosen. As Jack Layton chose not to broadcast in Protestant Toronto that he was from Quebec.
When I started this post, three days ago, the theme running through my head was loosely connected to legal action I undertook against a former Mayor of Aurora and five Councillors for libelling me in an ad paid for with town resources.
I was not successful. I’m not in the habit of giving up a fight. But I had already incurred substantial debt for legal fees and settlement required further debt.To continue the fight would have meant my home would have had to be sold. I no longer had any confidence in the integrity of the legal system, nor the resources to continue. The defendants, on the other hand, had their costs paid by the Town’s insurance company. None of the normal restraints applied.
My family’s advice “Put it behind you mother. Get on with your life”
So I did.
But to keep it behind me, I must keep it buried for a while yet. The Judge’s name, his dismissal of my jury, time taken to deliver and gross lack of reasoning in his decision has not diminished my anger. For my own peace of mind, I need to let it lie for a while yet.
Sunday, 6 October 2019
TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF IT
I caught a glimpse of the Prime Minister expressing regrets once more for injustice inflicted on past generations of original inhabitants of North America by past governments . The Human Rights Division has ruled the government must pay $52 billion in compensation. The government has appealed the decision but spokespersons explain, apologetically, process leaves them no option.
$52 billion...hmm...that’s not pocket change...makes me think of a couple of other groups who could be eligible.A community in Nova Scotia has ancestors, brought here as slaves.Who knows how many children were shipped from the UK . TO solve their poverty problem they transported them to Canada and let anyone who wanted take them as unpaid labour... no follow up to ensure their wellbeing. Many farmers of the day placed a higher value on animals than they did children.
Parents sold their children into indentured service to pay off debt. They might be able to make similar claims and get a judgement for another $52billion.
Merrily ...merrily...blithely as they go....the dollars.
What about the Métis people...John A MacDonald’s statue has been removed.He was responsible for hanging Louis Riel. Has anybody thought about demanding compensation for that injustice.Would he have to be tried again, posthumously, before they could calculate how much wrongful death might
be worth in dollars.
In an FB commentI , I professed ignorance of Indigenous affairs. I sought answers to various questions. As yet, no-one has chosen to enlighten me. It could mean two things. They don’t know
the answers or they don’t want to tell me.
I am left with an impression . Indigenous people choose to live on Reserves. Certain
advantage accrues.They pay no taxes..elect a Chief ...manage their own affairs...
and receive annual payments to fund the cost from the Federal government under Treaty Agreements Children often have to be placed in foster care because parents are not caring for them .It’s
not a good option but it’s the best we have.
On reservations ,sewage contaminates drinking water . There’s something about mercury but I’m not sure where it’s coming from.Housing is inadequate. Schools are poor. Children are addicted to drugs and alcohol before they are ten years old. And little girls engaged in prostitution in Winnipeg disappear regularly without apparent concern.
There’s no reason to expect $52 billion in compensation for injustice to children of past generations will likely be spent more wisely than the rest. Why would it be different now?
It’s my impression from what I’ve read over the years. I stand to be corrected.
For generations migrants have been leaving homes, families and everything familiar to travel thousands of miles for better opportunities for their children.Some return. Transition being too hard. Most endure. Not all are successful but the children are better off.
Why should little Indian children expect less from their parents?
$52 billion...hmm...that’s not pocket change...makes me think of a couple of other groups who could be eligible.A community in Nova Scotia has ancestors, brought here as slaves.Who knows how many children were shipped from the UK . TO solve their poverty problem they transported them to Canada and let anyone who wanted take them as unpaid labour... no follow up to ensure their wellbeing. Many farmers of the day placed a higher value on animals than they did children.
Parents sold their children into indentured service to pay off debt. They might be able to make similar claims and get a judgement for another $52billion.
Merrily ...merrily...blithely as they go....the dollars.
What about the Métis people...John A MacDonald’s statue has been removed.He was responsible for hanging Louis Riel. Has anybody thought about demanding compensation for that injustice.Would he have to be tried again, posthumously, before they could calculate how much wrongful death might
be worth in dollars.
In an FB commentI , I professed ignorance of Indigenous affairs. I sought answers to various questions. As yet, no-one has chosen to enlighten me. It could mean two things. They don’t know
the answers or they don’t want to tell me.
I am left with an impression . Indigenous people choose to live on Reserves. Certain
advantage accrues.They pay no taxes..elect a Chief ...manage their own affairs...
and receive annual payments to fund the cost from the Federal government under Treaty Agreements Children often have to be placed in foster care because parents are not caring for them .It’s
not a good option but it’s the best we have.
On reservations ,sewage contaminates drinking water . There’s something about mercury but I’m not sure where it’s coming from.Housing is inadequate. Schools are poor. Children are addicted to drugs and alcohol before they are ten years old. And little girls engaged in prostitution in Winnipeg disappear regularly without apparent concern.
There’s no reason to expect $52 billion in compensation for injustice to children of past generations will likely be spent more wisely than the rest. Why would it be different now?
It’s my impression from what I’ve read over the years. I stand to be corrected.
For generations migrants have been leaving homes, families and everything familiar to travel thousands of miles for better opportunities for their children.Some return. Transition being too hard. Most endure. Not all are successful but the children are better off.
Why should little Indian children expect less from their parents?
LIFE FOR SOME IS A SHORT TOUGH TREK
I watched a movie , The Lincoln Lawyer, on Netflicks last night. There wasn’t much depth to it.But it made me realize something. From having a great interest in the law from every angle ,I have
become cynical.I thought of the justice system as one step beyond politics...decisions made
strictly on the weight of evidence have to be better .
I served nine years on Ontario Social Services Appeal Board ..a quasi-judicial body where I learned about rules of evidence. Board members travelled all over Ontario , including IndianReservations. We heard arguments from local welfare officials, provincial social workers, well-to-do parents ,with lawyers, petitioning for fees for their children to attend private boarding schools in the States . Because Ontario provided no support for kids with learning difficulties.
Legal Aid lawyers represented clients refused permanent disability allowances. Local welfare
workers were there to support clients who had been denied long-term disability even though they’d been on welfare assistance for years. Welfare was intended for short term financial support.
I was called for jury duty once. It doesn’t necessarily mean serving on a jury. It means being one of a pool lawyers choose from. After selection first thing in the morning, when I wasn’t chosen,I’d go into a court room and sit through a proceeding.
Eventually I was chosen and after the trial ,chosen again by the jury to be jury master and deliver the decision.that was in the Provincial Court House on University Avenue in Toronto.
On one occasion, I sat in a courtroom in Newmarket for weeks, for the trial of a pathetic little guy who’d yearned to be a policeman and now found himself charged byYork Region police for making accusations against a Vaughan politician. Jellyfish Julian Fantino was a witness in the case.The defendant had been campaign manager for a council candidate who promised him a job if he got elected. Before that , in high school , the defendant had been a regular informant in the TIPS program
The candidate was elected. He didn’t keep his promise. The defendant made an accusation of wrong-
doing.
He was undersized , in a suit miles too big with sleeves that reached his finger-tips. He wore a cheap wig because he had lost his hair. He was twenty-seven years old . With all the weight of York Region Police on top of him, he was found guilty. Before sentence, he was diagnosed with. AIDS.What happened to him after, I do not know.
Throughout the trial his mother and sister ,also small people, were in attendance. They did not
understand English well and gave all the appearance of clinging to each other, scared and bewildered.
My heart went out to them and their unfortunate man-child. The odds were stacked against him. He never had a chance.
Like most of my posts ,this one took off on it’s own direction .I will get back to the one intended but
for now , this sad and catastrophic little tale ends here.
become cynical.I thought of the justice system as one step beyond politics...decisions made
strictly on the weight of evidence have to be better .
I served nine years on Ontario Social Services Appeal Board ..a quasi-judicial body where I learned about rules of evidence. Board members travelled all over Ontario , including IndianReservations. We heard arguments from local welfare officials, provincial social workers, well-to-do parents ,with lawyers, petitioning for fees for their children to attend private boarding schools in the States . Because Ontario provided no support for kids with learning difficulties.
Legal Aid lawyers represented clients refused permanent disability allowances. Local welfare
workers were there to support clients who had been denied long-term disability even though they’d been on welfare assistance for years. Welfare was intended for short term financial support.
I was called for jury duty once. It doesn’t necessarily mean serving on a jury. It means being one of a pool lawyers choose from. After selection first thing in the morning, when I wasn’t chosen,I’d go into a court room and sit through a proceeding.
Eventually I was chosen and after the trial ,chosen again by the jury to be jury master and deliver the decision.that was in the Provincial Court House on University Avenue in Toronto.
On one occasion, I sat in a courtroom in Newmarket for weeks, for the trial of a pathetic little guy who’d yearned to be a policeman and now found himself charged byYork Region police for making accusations against a Vaughan politician. Jellyfish Julian Fantino was a witness in the case.The defendant had been campaign manager for a council candidate who promised him a job if he got elected. Before that , in high school , the defendant had been a regular informant in the TIPS program
The candidate was elected. He didn’t keep his promise. The defendant made an accusation of wrong-
doing.
He was undersized , in a suit miles too big with sleeves that reached his finger-tips. He wore a cheap wig because he had lost his hair. He was twenty-seven years old . With all the weight of York Region Police on top of him, he was found guilty. Before sentence, he was diagnosed with. AIDS.What happened to him after, I do not know.
Throughout the trial his mother and sister ,also small people, were in attendance. They did not
understand English well and gave all the appearance of clinging to each other, scared and bewildered.
My heart went out to them and their unfortunate man-child. The odds were stacked against him. He never had a chance.
Like most of my posts ,this one took off on it’s own direction .I will get back to the one intended but
for now , this sad and catastrophic little tale ends here.
Friday, 4 October 2019
NOT AS GOOD AS THE BEST NOR BETTER THAN THE REST
Union leaders are paid executive salaries. They have to be elected. The more successful they are in bargaining ,the more likely to be re-elected. The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) is a powerful union.Municipal employers cower before their power. They have however come up with an option to bargaining in good faith. CUPE and the education workers bargaining unit has fallen into the trap...perhaps unwitting... perhaps not.
Education workers have voted to strike. Boards of Education have declared war. All services will be withheld and schools will close. TEACHERS WILL LIKELY CONTINUE TO BE PAID ACCORDNG TO THEIR CONTRACT. Education Boards couldn’t do that with teachers but they can with clerical workers and janitorial employees. Their work can be contracted out.
The harsh reality is ,when teachers’ bargaining is successful less is left for lesser workers.
Since the Province took financial responsibility for education Board budgets are
subject to Provincial authority. Payroll is 75% of most public service budgets.therefore any
effort to control costs must focus thereon.
Since the teachers union , or professional association as they like to be known, gets the lion’s share, less is left. for lesser employees.if ghe strike , Boards can blame the union for closing schools. To achieve savings required by their Provincial masters, the services can be contracted out. Public sympathy for education workers is unlikely. Everyone doesn’t understand a school is a community.
CUPE is a powerful union but it’s future is not secure. With no new hires and retirements not
Replaced, membership will be reduced over the long term and bargaining units will lose their effectiveness.Management would always prefer not to have to deal with a union.On the one hand. unions bargain hard ,on the other, politicians mm. like to be seen as the good guys.
This morning, a headline informed us Ontario students up to Grade 5 are reading below Grade level. It’s the one subject essential to teach. Students can find everything they need to know from a computer . First they need to know how to read.
Most people recognize taxes are necessary to pay for services. They do not begrudge paying those who provide the service reasonable compensation. It’s when the service is not up to the standard they expect....that’s when they begrudge paying the bill.
Nor do they understand the difference between being a contract worker and a member of the family.
Education workers have voted to strike. Boards of Education have declared war. All services will be withheld and schools will close. TEACHERS WILL LIKELY CONTINUE TO BE PAID ACCORDNG TO THEIR CONTRACT. Education Boards couldn’t do that with teachers but they can with clerical workers and janitorial employees. Their work can be contracted out.
The harsh reality is ,when teachers’ bargaining is successful less is left for lesser workers.
Since the Province took financial responsibility for education Board budgets are
subject to Provincial authority. Payroll is 75% of most public service budgets.therefore any
effort to control costs must focus thereon.
Since the teachers union , or professional association as they like to be known, gets the lion’s share, less is left. for lesser employees.if ghe strike , Boards can blame the union for closing schools. To achieve savings required by their Provincial masters, the services can be contracted out. Public sympathy for education workers is unlikely. Everyone doesn’t understand a school is a community.
CUPE is a powerful union but it’s future is not secure. With no new hires and retirements not
Replaced, membership will be reduced over the long term and bargaining units will lose their effectiveness.Management would always prefer not to have to deal with a union.On the one hand. unions bargain hard ,on the other, politicians mm. like to be seen as the good guys.
This morning, a headline informed us Ontario students up to Grade 5 are reading below Grade level. It’s the one subject essential to teach. Students can find everything they need to know from a computer . First they need to know how to read.
Most people recognize taxes are necessary to pay for services. They do not begrudge paying those who provide the service reasonable compensation. It’s when the service is not up to the standard they expect....that’s when they begrudge paying the bill.
Nor do they understand the difference between being a contract worker and a member of the family.
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