2009 will be an important year

This year will be the last year of action for the current Council. Starting early in 2010, the politicians will start thinking even more about getting re-elected than they already do now. Some might say that is all some politicians think about.

Eventually they will become what is referred to as a 'Lame Duck' since they will stop making decisions they feel are more appropriately made by the incoming Council. Usually this starts in late spring, but given the track record of indecision by the current Council, it will probably start much sooner.

We have already started the year with the loss of another senior team member, John Gutteridge our Treasurer, leaving just Al Downey as the lone survivor since this Council took office. You would have to look long and hard to find another Council that has burned through an entire senior team in less than 1 term. Quite a legacy!

Hard to believe that the entire team wasn't up to standards. Somehow the Town survived -- and thrived -- under the leadership of many of these same people. And this is just the people who are in senior roles. It is difficult to determine what pool of talent has been lost at other levels of the organization -- often these are the leaders of the future.

CAO Garbe has a tough job ahead and we wish him the best. He has the job of building a new staff and rebuilding their moral. A tough job at the best of times, but given the current situation it would seem almost impossible. Time will tell whether Council will give him the latitude to make the necessary adjustments.

It will be interesting to see what agenda this Council chooses to pursue this year. Stay tuned.

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Start, Stop, Do Differently

Every year at this time people tend to review the past and look forward to the future. In business, a performance review acts in the same manner. We have already seen a number of "Year in Reviews" for our current Council, but what about the coming year? What you think Council should be focusing on?

If you were providing a review for Council, what would you say to them for 2009? What would you tell them to Start doing, Stop doing or Do differently?

Share your thoughts.

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Did you see the weekend Toronto Star

Seems we are not the only community that has experienced Code of Conduct issues. We couldn't resist. Happy New Year!



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