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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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29 comments:
This council, led by Ms Morris, will have the legacy of depleting Aurora of some of the best staff in any municipality. Not only senior staff but other staff who have worked hard and smart for the other Mayors, who chose to allow them to do their jobs rather than micro manage as done by Ms Morris. A municipality tries to hire staff that will do the job above and beyond with little interference from council. This mayor and council has cost this town the experience that came with the senior management and now in tough times, we as residents, will suffer due to councils lack of respect for them. Not only have staff members have left, but even a councillor and a few volunteers who worked for the love of Aurora. With almost two years to go it might just turn out that the last staff member left will have to turn out the lights when he or she leaves the building.
But, there will always be the mayor and her trusted followers to run the town further to the point of no return.
I would hope that this year some of those who have blindly followed this mayor, will wake up and try to think for themselves rather than asking Ms Morris if they can vote against her.
Well said!! Anonymous 7:55 am
A similar trend of Senior Staff leaving is also happening at the Region but for somewhat different reasons. A Regional Chair who "has mailed it in" and doesn't care and a handpicked and grossly overpaid CAO who is over his head and a Human Resources disaster.One Department, Transportation and Works has lost both highly respected (internally except for the chair and his sidekick and externally)General Managers.Now comes word that the highly regarded Director of Capital Works is leaving too. At a time where critical Capital Works Projects need the experience and leadership of dedicated professionals they all seem to be leaving. And this group wants an additional 1 Billion in tax dollars! We should all be worried as the politicians overseeing the Region are largely silent and in some cases Grossi and Emmerson come to mind culpable.
The Mayor now has a column in The Auroran. What took her so long to accept Ron's offer of a column?
And why start now? It will be interesting to see how the Mayor uses this form of communication. Let's hope it truly is to share information about the town as a whole, and not as a forum to respond to perceived criticisms.
Ms morris has always been an opportunist.She has in the past told a friend. Evelina that she would not run if Evelina didn't. Then she ran after Evelina said she wouldn't. Then she said that she only wanted to be deputy mayor. Then in the last election she waited until the last day to declare. She is unbelievable. Now she writes for the Auroran. WHY?WHY? Well Ms Morris grabs every opportunity to fool the residents of Aurora and it works. If not hydro lines it's clothes lines.
She fools most of the people all of the time. She is nothing but an opportunist.
Don't let her column in the Auroran fool you again.
speaking of trying to "fool" us, check out the picture attached to the mayor's column
it's circa 1990's...
I'm all for trying to present the best face forward but dear me that's just plain silly...
At least it is a picture other than the 'official' portrait with the Mayoral chain of office.
Does she ever take that chain off? Heard she got in big crap by wearing it to a ceremony at Queen's Park, trying to upstage the Lt. Gov.
Pretty catty, petty minds at work here.
Pretty pathetic, really.
Nothing serious to write about I guess.
The "other side" is falling on sad times.
Re the comments of Anonymous 9:10pm
Given that the comments speak to a woman's appearance one could see how they would be presumed to be "catty"; however,in my humble opinion, the writer (anonymous 9:10) is missing the point of the comment, namely that, hauling out a near 2 decade old photograph is the mark of an insecure individual and an amateur politician.
(On a side note, I've seen the current mayor on Rogers cable 10 and she looks lovely the way she is right now so I am not sure who advised her to do something so bush league)
Yes, it was a dumb thing to do. But it's certainly not a catastrophe. Truth be told, if it was my collumn, I'd probably put a photo of Brad Pitt in there and hope for the best. I do look like him in certain lights (or is it in the absence of light...)
Anyway, there are more important things to discuss so I hope this is the last that will be said about this.
Let's move on!
Much is written in this blog about the Mayor being an opportunist. Well, she is a politician, so reason dictates to expect politics from any politician.
And much is written in this blog that can be perceived by some as negative or critical of her leadership and abilities.
So, if people don't want this same mayor next term, who can be suggested as a viable option?
How about Evelyn Buck for mayor?
Let's call the law on Morris and get behind Ev Buck.
Ev is more effective as a councillor.
We need someone with political experience, intelligence, reason and vision. Someone like Damir Vrancic.
I think your list for mayor describes Ev perfectly.
I think that Damir Vrancic would be a good choice but I believe that we need someone who has been more active in the community throughout their term. Nigel Kean has been active in so many ways from the Farmer's Market to charitable events such as golf tournaments, bowling for Big Brorhers,Running for Big Sisters and so on. He still seems to keep himself involved by trying to keep this council on track.
He would be my choice.
I'd vote for Nigel as a councillor, but not for mayor. Unfortunately, my stance is probably what the current mayor is banking on. I don't want to vote for her either, although I did in the last election with great enthusiasm.
And there isn't anyone on the current council that is an option.
Does anybody think Tim Jones would throw his hat in the ring again?
There is a letter to the editor in today's Auroran comparing Nigel Kean's letters to the editor to the Mayor's info page in the Banner. I just want to point out that the letters to the editor do NOT COST ANY MONEY to the writer. That's the difference! Sheesh!
Regarding who would be a good candidate for Mayor.
First of all, I voted for Ms. Morris last time and was duped by her campaign message. So, she would not be my vote this time, however I am sure that even with the stuff that she has had her hand in, she will still run and would get a sizeable portion of the vote simply because she is the incumbant.
Nigel would not be a good Mayor. I base this on his past exploits on council and the way he has presented himself in the media since his last defeat. He comes across to me, and he has denied this in other places, as a sore loser. He ran for Mayor twice. The last time, he came in third in a three horse race. Resting on the laurels of the Market does not make a Mayor.
Damir would be a good Mayor from an operational view because he is a lawyer and businessman. His PR skills however are a question for me as he tended to be confrontational while on council and that is not a good trait in the public eye. I think the public service record that someone spoke to is a bit of a red herring in my mind. Just because you sit on a board or a charity or a member of a service club, that does not qualify you for public office.
There is no one on the current council that I feel should or could handle the Mayor's position. I can think of two that would be possible candidates perhaps after this next election (Collins-Mrakis and McRoberts). I also think that had Grace stayed on, she would be in that category.
Ms. Buck's time has come and gone unfortunitely. We don't live in the '60s or '70s anymore and the experiences accrued then are not relevant today.
Tim Jones should not come back - he was the cause of some of the grief that we have now.
So, we need a shining knight to ride up and save the town. Who is lurking in the background waiting to announce next year. Time will tell....
Fuimus
Ev as Mayor? ha ha ha ha ha ha... boy, you sure haven't been around Town long or you'd remember her as mayor in the '70s. What a bloody fiasco that was!
I assume you morons checked with Ron before commenting on the Mayor's column photo. Ten dollars says Ron picked it without consulting the Mayor. Ron?
Shows how petty-minded you nitwits are.
In response to Robert the Bruce, could Bill Hogg be lurking in the background?
Wonder if Madame Justice McFarland would have anything to add to this subject?
Anonymous 11:47 PM - Can you explain what you mean? I honestly don't know who Mme Justice McFarland is. I looked her up online but I'm not sure what the point is that you're making? Thanks!
The Honorable Evelyn Z. Wilson was selected to receive the Chief Justice McFarland Award! Please join us at WAAT's February 25, 2009 general membership meeting, at noon at the YWCA, as we recognize Judge Wilson's contributions to women in the law by presenting her this prestigious award.
Anonymous 8:49 AM - yeah, I found that much online, but that's in Topeka. We're not in Kansas (anymore! Ha!).
Is that where you're going with this? If not, you win. I have no idea what you mean.
Justice Madame McFarland is a judge on the Superior Court of Justice (Ontario).
PS. She doesn't deal with parking tickets.
"PS. She doesn't deal with parking tickets."
OK, nevermind. I thought you were trying to make a point.
"The Honorable Evelyn Z. Wilson was selected to receive the Chief Justice McFarland Award! "
What a fun name for the award winner, when we consider combining Aurora names .
Thanks for the good humour.
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