Traffic & Safety Issues in Aurora

As the children head back to school this week, it is always a good idea to be reminded to be extra watchful. Summer traffic patterns will change, school buses are around and the overall volume of traffic increases when everyone returns from summer vacations.

Like many communities, one of the downsides of growth are that traffic issues will also continue to increase. Some of the issues already identified include;

• the congestion at Yonge & Wellington,
• the speed trap across St. John's Sideroad at Mackenzie Marsh where it drops to 50 kms for no reason
• traffic calming measures in the north east corner of Yonge & Wellington
• stop signs at virtually every corner
• lack of parking in the downtown core

So be sure to keep a sharp eye out for the little ones and let us know your thoughts on these and other traffic & safety issues in town.

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Community Corner: Less is more

Please don't get me wrong, I have lived in Aurora since 1990 and I love this 'just right' town. My comment is about The Auroran itself.

I used to read all the letters to the editor when it was first published. Slowly, since then, I began to realize each letter getting longer and longer and extensively drawn out. Lately, I see a letter or 2 taking up almost 80% of a page re:a subject that can be well dealt with in just about 200 words. Needless to say, I lose interest in reading them and just stick to the few briefly written ones.

I have seen bigger newspapers requiring that letters to the editor are written in less than so many words.

Community Corner: Support Local Business

Buy gas in Aurora
A reader writes, since gas stations do not compete on gas prices, most drivers buy gas either by the brand of their choice or by convenience of locations. I think all Aurora residents should make the extra efforts to purchase gas from stations located within Aurora. This will help keep local business strong and generate tax revenues towards our community.

Community Corner Now Open

You will notice that there are a couple new posts that reflect questions or comments received from readers.

We will publish these under the heading Community Corner -- so if you have something to say, or a question you always wanted to ask, leave a comment or send an email to communitycorner@auroracitizen.ca

We'll publish your questions or comments.

Community Corner: New Second Cup Opens

A reader sent along the following comment about the new Second Cup. Share your thoughts.

We have lived in Aurora for almost 2 years and love it here. My husband and I just visited the new 'Second Cup' coffee shop at the Aurora Centre. The coffee, dessert, and staff were great. Although, the music was too loud for us.

Community Corner: Will anyone bag your groceries?

A reader asked the following question. Does anyone have an answer?

Can someone tell me why the Superstore in Aurora has changed?? We have been shopping there (and Loblaws before that) for a long time now, but in the past couple of months? whenever we have gone shopping we have to 'bag our own' groceries.

We might as well go to Price Chopper or No Frills if this the case, and the prices are cheaper. My husband did write to the head office, but got no response. I asked the cashier and she said that soon every store will be getting rid of plastic bags (good for the environment), which didn't answer my question - because I already use my reusuable shopping bags. I just want someone to bag them for me.

Who knows??

Conflict ... what conflict?

There has been considerable discussion in the paper and on the street about the perceived conflict of interest of Council appointing a prominent member of the mayors campaign team to a paid position in the town without any opportunity for a member of the public to apply for the job.

While that is certainly a concern -- the perception of patronage -- it is not by definition a clear conflict of interest.

The clear conflict of interest is a member of a committee proposing a position that they were subsequently hired to fill -- as Mr Whitehurst did. Mr Whitehurst was and is a sitting member of the committee that created the job he has now been appointed too. Resigning does not change the fact that he was involved in making the decision.

The definition of a conflict on interest is when you may benefit financially from a decision.

That is exactly why members of council declare a conflict when a topic is being discussed that may have, or be seen to have, a positive or negative financial impact on them. By declaring a conflict they remove themselves from the accusation of the financial impact influencing their decision.

There is no doubt that Mr Whitehurst is in a conflict of interest. If he wasn't aware of this, then the mayor and Council certainly is and should have avoided the appointment.

For the Council to try and shift the blame to staff for this inappropriate decision is nothing less than a complete abdication of their responsibilities. Council knows they direct staff, not the other way around.

It's time for this Council to step up and show some leadership -- and stop looking for ways to avoid making hard decisions and shift responsibility to others for their poor performance.

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Where have all the Town Staff gone?

Senior staff at the Town Hall are leaving at an alarming rate. Since our new Council started, under the much vaunted open and transparent leadership style of Mayor Phyllis Morris, we have lost our Director of Planning, Director of Legal Services, Director of Public Works, Director of Corporate Service (leaving this year), and now the CAO. That's 5 of the 8 person Management Team.

The years of experience lost are significant and the costs associated with recruitment, re-training and lost opportunities without these people in place is immeasurable. The termination costs will also be considerable given the CAO had over 3 years left in his contract.

Of equal concern is the abrupt manner of the recent departure of the CAO, a well-respected member of the municipal community who the previous Council hired for a 6 year contract to provide consistent leadership for the town. It has been reported he was "escorted" from the building.

What may be more telling is that two councillors were unable to participate in the decision as one was recuperating from surgery and one was on vacation. Given that Council was informed in advance that the two councillors would not be present, why did Council go forward so abruptly with a decision with such far-reaching implications without a full Council present?

Why the urgency? Why not wait until all of Council could be present and a "special meeting" be called. The mayor has called 4 "emergency" closed session meetings this summer so far, what difference would one more make? The implication is clear -- a swift decision was made and executed.

The impact on staff morale should also be of great concern. One has to wonder if this is a purge or is there some staff-wide malaise that has caused all these departures.

At this point, the only members of the Senior Management team from last term still standing are Al Downey, Director of Leisure Services and John Gutteridge, Director of Finance/Treasurer. I guess we will just have to await their fate.

Maybe I’m the only one concerned about the state of affairs at town hall, let me know.

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For the love of Aurora

My family has lived in Aurora for many years. We love it here. Whenever we talk to friends who don't live here, we are reminded how lucky we are to live in a small(ish) community but still close enough to visit the "big city" whenever we need something we can't get right here in Aurora. But really, who needs to go to Toronto very often. Just about everything you need is right here.

However, with busy schedules, we often don't have the time to keep up with what's happening in town. So to augment our local papers, I have decided to create an online community where folks who have news and views about the community can gather.

Hopefully you will find it time well spent and add your voice to the conversation.