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Thursday's issue of The Banner reported that Mayor Morris admitted that a mistake was made by allowing five of eight votes to carry a two-thirds majority. She also felt that it was merely a tempest in a teapot. However, she has not commented on why this mistake was stricken from the official record.
If a mistake was made -- fine, fix it. But let's not pretend it didn't happen. They rammed through a vote and overrode the advice of staff and are now pretending it was no big deal.
Further, when Cllr Collins-Mrakas requested the Minutes be revised to reflect what actually happened, this Council voted against it -- effectively breaking the trust Citizens should have in the official record of events that are supposed to be captured in Council Minutes. The Minutes are supposed to be an accurate record of what took place in a meeting.
If these Minutes are wrong -- what about previous Minutes? What else have they changed to suit?
Please explain how changing Minutes fits with their much lauded Code of Ethics? Or is this their ethics?
Imagine if a Provincial or Federal government decided to change the official record of the proceeding to appease the ruling party. The media would be all over it.
What of our media? Why do The Banner and The Auroran not make a bigger deal of this mockery of the system?
The Minutes are incorrect and the Council has said that's okay, we like them better this way. They have decided that the public is only owed the information as they see it and what they see fit.
One of the first rules of leadership is accountability. Pretending a mistake didn't happen is not accountable, or transparent.
To belittle an issue of this significance to a simple sound bite underlines their opinion of the citizens of Aurora.
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Saturday, May 30, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
The Town of Aurora Weights In
The following email was received from Neil Garbe, CAO of the Town of Aurora at 4:46 pm Friday May 29. It is posted unedited in its entirety.
He was not specific which post by New_Man_in_Town was being referenced, but we have reviewed the 4 posted and cannot find a post that "alleges criminal wrong-doing on the part of The Corporation of the Town of Aurora". However, we did find a comment on Wed 5/27 under What's up with the May 12 Council Minutes that referenced the Mayor.
As our readers and contributors are aware, anonymous posts are just that -- anonymous -- and we are unaware of the identity of these contributors. Similarly they are aware of our Editorial Policy & Legal Notice which is prominently displayed on the right side of the blog.
Please post the following:
To: Aurora Citizen blog
A recent comment was posted to this site using the pseudonym “New_Man_in_Town.” The comment alleges criminal wrong-doing on the part of The Corporation of the Town of Aurora and those for whom it is responsible. These are serious accusations which are completely unfounded and potentially defamatory. I found the comment troubling and, as head of the Town’s administration, I am obligated to protect the names and reputations of the Town, its elected officials and employees
I am requesting that the moderator of the Aurora Citizen immediately remove the comment and apologize for its inclusion on the site. I am also requesting that the moderator contact “New_Man_in_Town” and solicit a retraction and apology from that individual. Please be advised that such statement will not be tolerated and the Town will be taking all actions that may be required to identify the individuals involved in order to protect the Town and those for whom it is responsible.
Neil Garbe
Chief Administrative Officer
Corporation of the Town of Aurora
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He was not specific which post by New_Man_in_Town was being referenced, but we have reviewed the 4 posted and cannot find a post that "alleges criminal wrong-doing on the part of The Corporation of the Town of Aurora". However, we did find a comment on Wed 5/27 under What's up with the May 12 Council Minutes that referenced the Mayor.
As our readers and contributors are aware, anonymous posts are just that -- anonymous -- and we are unaware of the identity of these contributors. Similarly they are aware of our Editorial Policy & Legal Notice which is prominently displayed on the right side of the blog.
Please post the following:
To: Aurora Citizen blog
A recent comment was posted to this site using the pseudonym “New_Man_in_Town.” The comment alleges criminal wrong-doing on the part of The Corporation of the Town of Aurora and those for whom it is responsible. These are serious accusations which are completely unfounded and potentially defamatory. I found the comment troubling and, as head of the Town’s administration, I am obligated to protect the names and reputations of the Town, its elected officials and employees
I am requesting that the moderator of the Aurora Citizen immediately remove the comment and apologize for its inclusion on the site. I am also requesting that the moderator contact “New_Man_in_Town” and solicit a retraction and apology from that individual. Please be advised that such statement will not be tolerated and the Town will be taking all actions that may be required to identify the individuals involved in order to protect the Town and those for whom it is responsible.
Neil Garbe
Chief Administrative Officer
Corporation of the Town of Aurora
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Wednesday, May 27, 2009
You Get the Government You Deserve
The recent activities of Council have clearly demonstrated their values and ethics.
If you agree with their behaviour -- tell a friend and write to the newspaper.
If you disagree with their behaviour -- tell a friend and write to the newspaper.
Regardless of your point of view, take action. Writing on this site alone is not enough.
We have the opportunity to vote at specific opportunities -- but we have the right and duty to hold them accountable for their actions everyday. The best way to hold them accountable is to speak out, because getting re-elected is often the only accountability they understand.
We will let you know when the meeting is available online for those who didn't see it live or miss it on local TV.
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If you agree with their behaviour -- tell a friend and write to the newspaper.
If you disagree with their behaviour -- tell a friend and write to the newspaper.
Regardless of your point of view, take action. Writing on this site alone is not enough.
We have the opportunity to vote at specific opportunities -- but we have the right and duty to hold them accountable for their actions everyday. The best way to hold them accountable is to speak out, because getting re-elected is often the only accountability they understand.
We will let you know when the meeting is available online for those who didn't see it live or miss it on local TV.
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Saturday, May 23, 2009
What's up with the May 12 Council Minutes?
The minutes for the May 12 meeting have been published. However, the Minutes and the video don't match.
The is only one recorded vote recorded -- which passed 7-1 -- but the recorded vote that was passed 5-3 and has been the subject of considerable discussion seems to have disappeared. It simply says 'Carried".
How can this be? Can anyone can shed any light on this matter? Why do the Minutes not reflect what we can all see on the video?
How can this Council approve Minutes which anyone watching the tape knows is factually wrong? Is this an attempt at revising history? If the Minutes of the Town can be trusted for accuracy -- what does that say about the political process in Aurora.
The Minutes will be subject to Council scrutiny on Tuesday. Let's hope they get corrected. Stay tuned!
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The is only one recorded vote recorded -- which passed 7-1 -- but the recorded vote that was passed 5-3 and has been the subject of considerable discussion seems to have disappeared. It simply says 'Carried".
How can this be? Can anyone can shed any light on this matter? Why do the Minutes not reflect what we can all see on the video?
How can this Council approve Minutes which anyone watching the tape knows is factually wrong? Is this an attempt at revising history? If the Minutes of the Town can be trusted for accuracy -- what does that say about the political process in Aurora.
The Minutes will be subject to Council scrutiny on Tuesday. Let's hope they get corrected. Stay tuned!
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Thursday, May 21, 2009
Energy Conservation Week
Aurora is recognizing Energy Conservation Week from May 17 to 23, 2009.
With conservation in mind, one of our readers was interested in knowing how others felt about plastic single use water bottles.
Recently there has been a considerable focus on the banning of single use water bottles at schools, sports facilities, sports clubs and municipal facilities. Our own Aurora Youth Soccer Club has banned them at games and practices.
Some folks are starting to use designer water bottles that reflect their personality.
What do you think? Should they be banned? Should they just be discouraged? Should we be free to chose?
What else are you doing to conserve? Share your thoughts and ideas.
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With conservation in mind, one of our readers was interested in knowing how others felt about plastic single use water bottles.
Recently there has been a considerable focus on the banning of single use water bottles at schools, sports facilities, sports clubs and municipal facilities. Our own Aurora Youth Soccer Club has banned them at games and practices.
Some folks are starting to use designer water bottles that reflect their personality.
What do you think? Should they be banned? Should they just be discouraged? Should we be free to chose?
What else are you doing to conserve? Share your thoughts and ideas.
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Tuesday, May 19, 2009
St Kitts Provides Answers
You can see Sher St Kitts response to some of the questions raised about the Dream Team and the Canada Day Parade Committee in a Letter to the Editor on page 4 of this weeks The Auroran.
You can also see Councillor Buck's comments on the meeting on page 6.
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You can also see Councillor Buck's comments on the meeting on page 6.
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Should Anonymous Comments be Allowed?
There has been feedback on whether anonymous comments should be allowed. Ironically, many of these have come from Anonymous.
A suggestion was that people select a user name -- which would still protect the anonymity of the commenter, but would allow for people to see who is commenting by virtue of their online persona. Some folks have chosen to do this, but not many.
One option would be for the moderator to manually post only those with an anonymous user name. Remember -- this would still allow for anonymity.
What do you think. In addition to reviewing the comments, we will post a poll for the next 2 weeks. Let us know your thoughts.
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A suggestion was that people select a user name -- which would still protect the anonymity of the commenter, but would allow for people to see who is commenting by virtue of their online persona. Some folks have chosen to do this, but not many.
One option would be for the moderator to manually post only those with an anonymous user name. Remember -- this would still allow for anonymity.
What do you think. In addition to reviewing the comments, we will post a poll for the next 2 weeks. Let us know your thoughts.
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New Council Math
On May 16 Councillor Collins-Mrakas provided the following information in response to questions raised about why 5/8 was deemed to be a 2/3 majority.
As there seems to be considerable discussion of this matter, and, frankly some confusion, I provide the following for your information.
For those who are not familiar with previous decisions of Council which by procedure required a 2/3 majority in order to carry, I draw the residents attention to the matter before council on May 13th, 2008 regarding the reconsideration of the decision to hold a by-election.
As you can see from the excerpt of the meeting (appended below), the vote was 5 to 3 in favour of reconsideration - a majority - yet the vote was defeated due to the fact that we did not have a 2/3 majority.
Please review the Clerk's comments and explanation provided with regards to the reason for defeat.
It will be interesting to see how Council explains this change in procedure.
Addendum: Elizabeth Bishenden provided a link in her comments that provide some additional insight into this issue. According to the “Parliamentary Procedure Instructional Materials Centre” a two-thirds majority of 8 voters is 6.
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As there seems to be considerable discussion of this matter, and, frankly some confusion, I provide the following for your information.
For those who are not familiar with previous decisions of Council which by procedure required a 2/3 majority in order to carry, I draw the residents attention to the matter before council on May 13th, 2008 regarding the reconsideration of the decision to hold a by-election.
As you can see from the excerpt of the meeting (appended below), the vote was 5 to 3 in favour of reconsideration - a majority - yet the vote was defeated due to the fact that we did not have a 2/3 majority.
Please review the Clerk's comments and explanation provided with regards to the reason for defeat.
Council Meeting May 13th, 2008
(IX) NEW BUSINESS/GENERAL INFORMATION – COUNCILLORS
Moved by Councillor McRoberts Seconded by Councillor Collins-MrakasTHAT a Notice of Reconsideration for the motion related to holding a by-election be accepted.
On a recorded vote the motion FAILED TO CARRY, as the required 2/3 majority was not achieved.
YEAS: 5 NAYS: 3
VOTING YEAS: Councillors Buck, Collins-Mrakas, Gaertner, McRoberts and Wilson
VOTING NAYS: Councillors Granger, MacEachern and Mayor Morris
Note: On a motion to reconsider there must be a majority of at least 2/3 of Council in favour of the reconsideration to allow it to pass, as required by the Procedural By-law. In this case the 2/3 majority was not achieved therefore the motion failed to carry.
It will be interesting to see how Council explains this change in procedure.
Addendum: Elizabeth Bishenden provided a link in her comments that provide some additional insight into this issue. According to the “Parliamentary Procedure Instructional Materials Centre” a two-thirds majority of 8 voters is 6.
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Thursday, May 14, 2009
See It Yourself -- Then Decide Yourself
There has been considerable discussion about Tuesday's meeting, where Council waived the procedural By-laws to give Sher St Kitts the opportunity to speak at length about the questions that have been raised by Councillor Buck about the activities and accountability of a Town Committee that is organizing the July 1st Parade.
Most people did not attend and many will miss it on TV due to other commitments when it shows.
However you can avail yourself of the service provided by Rogers to see the meeting online on their website. All televised meetings are available although the May 12 meeting has not yet been uploaded (probably not until after the regularly scheduled airing this weekend).
You will then have the opportunity to decide for yourself who did what and whether conduct was appropriate.
Possibly someone who attended the meeting could suggest what parts of the meeting should be reviewed so everyone doesn't have to watch the entire session (horrors;)).
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Most people did not attend and many will miss it on TV due to other commitments when it shows.
However you can avail yourself of the service provided by Rogers to see the meeting online on their website. All televised meetings are available although the May 12 meeting has not yet been uploaded (probably not until after the regularly scheduled airing this weekend).
You will then have the opportunity to decide for yourself who did what and whether conduct was appropriate.
Possibly someone who attended the meeting could suggest what parts of the meeting should be reviewed so everyone doesn't have to watch the entire session (horrors;)).
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The State of Volunteerism
Volunteers have recently come into the spotlight here in Aurora.
First, Sher St Kitts has come to our attention because the committee she heads has been unclear on how funding for the July 1st parade and how the Dream Team is associated with a Town funded and endorsed committee. This lack of transparency and potential conflict of interest has raised eyebrows and concern in some quarters. At a meeting on Tuesday, this issue was raised in a very confrontational manner -- endorsed by the Mayor and Council.
Before you ask why we used the word endorsed -- understand that when someone attacks a Councillor directly (versus Council as a whole) on a civil matter that is outside the mandate of Council and this is allowed only because Council waives the procedural by-law - that implies endorsement.
The same week, we have seen the resignation of Dave Giroux, the President of the Aurora Minor Ball Association (AMBA) in frustration because Council continues to refuse to honour their commitment to build a senior ball diamond. Not everyday one sees that!
He communicated his reasons through the local papers and has encourage stakeholders to rally around the issues because of the lack of movement on this issue.
We all recognize that stuff happens -- but when they escalate to this level it links directly back to leadership -- by the Mayor and Council.
Why have they not been able to deal with issues without this level of escalation?
Council needs to immediately take the following steps;
First, Sher St Kitts has come to our attention because the committee she heads has been unclear on how funding for the July 1st parade and how the Dream Team is associated with a Town funded and endorsed committee. This lack of transparency and potential conflict of interest has raised eyebrows and concern in some quarters. At a meeting on Tuesday, this issue was raised in a very confrontational manner -- endorsed by the Mayor and Council.
Before you ask why we used the word endorsed -- understand that when someone attacks a Councillor directly (versus Council as a whole) on a civil matter that is outside the mandate of Council and this is allowed only because Council waives the procedural by-law - that implies endorsement.
The same week, we have seen the resignation of Dave Giroux, the President of the Aurora Minor Ball Association (AMBA) in frustration because Council continues to refuse to honour their commitment to build a senior ball diamond. Not everyday one sees that!
He communicated his reasons through the local papers and has encourage stakeholders to rally around the issues because of the lack of movement on this issue.
We all recognize that stuff happens -- but when they escalate to this level it links directly back to leadership -- by the Mayor and Council.
Why have they not been able to deal with issues without this level of escalation?
Council needs to immediately take the following steps;
- Clarify the conflict of interest and financial questions associated with the Dream Team and the Town endorsed parade committee.
- Communicate with the stakeholders in the AMBA about what has happened and why they have not moved forward on resolutions that are a year old. Plus indicate what next steps and timing are in place to resolve the outstanding issues.
We predict if Council doesn't move quickly to address these issues they will continue to fester and will become significant issues at the next election. We all know that is the last thing the Mayor wants. Unfortunately, she may not get her wish.
Stay tuned.
PS -- There are a number of comments related to this post in the previous post When Is An Invitation Not An Invitation?
Use the envelope and pencil icons immediately below to forward this post to friends or leave a comment.Monday, May 11, 2009
When Is An Invitation Not An Invitation?
Have you ever had a party where you felt obligated to invite someone even though you didn't want them to come? How did you manage that?
One way is to send the invitation so late that they have no opportunity to re-arrange their schedule to make the party.
Mayor Morris has invited various user groups and interested stakeholders in the senior ball diamond to a meeting scheduled for Monday May 11 (tonight).
In the email she states,
Short notice equals poor attendance. For an issue of such importance -- that has been in discussion for over 1 year -- shouldn't this meeting have been published further in advance.
What is your opinion about a Senior Ball Diamond?
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One way is to send the invitation so late that they have no opportunity to re-arrange their schedule to make the party.
Mayor Morris has invited various user groups and interested stakeholders in the senior ball diamond to a meeting scheduled for Monday May 11 (tonight).
In the email she states,
"In an effort to bring all parties together - and to get all the facts on the table - I am proposing to host " one meeting " rather than lots of one - on-ones on the same topic. It is hoped that as many members as possible will try to attend."The problem is that the email was sent last night at 5:59 PM -- leaving folks with the difficult task to change their plans for tonight with very little notice.
Short notice equals poor attendance. For an issue of such importance -- that has been in discussion for over 1 year -- shouldn't this meeting have been published further in advance.
What is your opinion about a Senior Ball Diamond?
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Saturday, May 9, 2009
Ethical Emails
Adam Giambrone recently found himself in hot water for an inappropriate email he set to Councillor Cesar Palacio. Giambrone has subsequently apologized to that Councillor, Council and his community.
Of note, this infraction has come to the attention of the City's Integrity Commissioner when the offended Councillor asked for a ruling on whether the email had crossed the line and qualified as inappropriate conduct according to the Council's Code of Conduct.
We have heard a lot about Council's conduct here in Aurora. As well we have heard about inappropriate emails sent from Council members to other Council members. However, these accusations have not been supported by much factual evidence. Are not emails supposed to be part of public record?
It will be interesting to see how the City of Toronto handles this situation. It will be equally interesting to see how our own Council handles a similar matter. The comparison should be enlightening.
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Of note, this infraction has come to the attention of the City's Integrity Commissioner when the offended Councillor asked for a ruling on whether the email had crossed the line and qualified as inappropriate conduct according to the Council's Code of Conduct.
We have heard a lot about Council's conduct here in Aurora. As well we have heard about inappropriate emails sent from Council members to other Council members. However, these accusations have not been supported by much factual evidence. Are not emails supposed to be part of public record?
It will be interesting to see how the City of Toronto handles this situation. It will be equally interesting to see how our own Council handles a similar matter. The comparison should be enlightening.
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Thursday, May 7, 2009
Food for Thought
We thought these quotes were interesting. We have endeavoured to give appropriate credit where due. Please let us know if we have credited incorrectly.
It is amazing what can be accomplished when nobody cares about who gets the credit. Robert Yates
Blessed is the leader who seeks the best for those he serves. Unknown
When all think alike, then no one is thinking. Walter Lippman
The older I get the less I listen to what people say and the more I look at what they do. Andrew Carnegie
Celebrate what you want to see more of. Tom Peters
Your position never gives you the right to command. It only imposes on you the duty of so living your life that others may receive your orders without being humiliated. Dag Hammarskjoeld
He who has great power should use it lightly. Seneca
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It is amazing what can be accomplished when nobody cares about who gets the credit. Robert Yates
Blessed is the leader who seeks the best for those he serves. Unknown
When all think alike, then no one is thinking. Walter Lippman
The older I get the less I listen to what people say and the more I look at what they do. Andrew Carnegie
Celebrate what you want to see more of. Tom Peters
Your position never gives you the right to command. It only imposes on you the duty of so living your life that others may receive your orders without being humiliated. Dag Hammarskjoeld
He who has great power should use it lightly. Seneca
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Sunday, May 3, 2009
Development Charges
The Town is considering raising development charges by 12 - 39% -- which will raise the cost of residential and non-residential construction in Aurora.
Development charges are used to pay for everything from parks to roads. The theory is that new construction should pay for the services needed by those new home/business owners.
Of course, nothing is that simple. For example, business doesn't use parks and rec facilities, while smaller home subdivisions have more people so they use them more. Plus there is the ongoing cost to replace aging infrastructure which new residents also put pressure on.
Certainly, particularly in today's economy, any increase in development charges will increase prices in Aurora which could slow growth. Many residents would welcome slowed growth.
But if growth is slowed, then development charges that are already in the financial forecasts for future years (together with the tax revenue from that new construction) will be lost, putting an increased burden on existing taxpayers. Few residents are pleased with increased taxes.
And we all know that services in Aurora are already stretched.
So what is Council supposed to do? It is a difficult balancing act. We don't envy them.
There is a public meeting at Town Hall on Wed May 6 at 7 pm where you can get more information or make comments. Or you can share your thoughts here.
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Development charges are used to pay for everything from parks to roads. The theory is that new construction should pay for the services needed by those new home/business owners.
Of course, nothing is that simple. For example, business doesn't use parks and rec facilities, while smaller home subdivisions have more people so they use them more. Plus there is the ongoing cost to replace aging infrastructure which new residents also put pressure on.
Certainly, particularly in today's economy, any increase in development charges will increase prices in Aurora which could slow growth. Many residents would welcome slowed growth.
But if growth is slowed, then development charges that are already in the financial forecasts for future years (together with the tax revenue from that new construction) will be lost, putting an increased burden on existing taxpayers. Few residents are pleased with increased taxes.
And we all know that services in Aurora are already stretched.
So what is Council supposed to do? It is a difficult balancing act. We don't envy them.
There is a public meeting at Town Hall on Wed May 6 at 7 pm where you can get more information or make comments. Or you can share your thoughts here.
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Saturday, May 2, 2009
Hacking: A Disturbing Strategy
Someone who disagrees with the issues raised on this site is now hacking the site and deleting comments.
It is a disturbing strategy. Initially they attacked the commentators. Now they are deleting the comments.
We fully recognize that this is probably 1 individual who thinks they are doing the Mayor and Council a favour. We are confident the Mayor and Council would be equally concerned by this behaviour.
What is happening to our community when dissenting voices are targeted to try and silence them?
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It is a disturbing strategy. Initially they attacked the commentators. Now they are deleting the comments.
We fully recognize that this is probably 1 individual who thinks they are doing the Mayor and Council a favour. We are confident the Mayor and Council would be equally concerned by this behaviour.
What is happening to our community when dissenting voices are targeted to try and silence them?
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