Posts
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
Use the envelope and pencil icons immediately below to forward this post to friends or leave a comment.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
41 comments:
Leaves me with a few question.
Who is the moderator?
Why was something received at 4:46PM posted at 11:40PM?
Seven hours?
Not exactly instant messaging.
This just proves the Mayor reads the Auroa Citizen. Now she has the man who carries her purse no doubt ordered to defend her. Keep the comments coming. Readership is growing. There are clearly so few avenues available to tax payers to rid themselves of an under-achieving and incompetent CEO that we must continue to let the community know the truth. Evelyn can't do it on her own.
Neil probably wishes he had stayed at the Region working for an equally delusional CAO.At least there was no forum there to hold Regional Council accountable.
So Neil Garbe has been instructed to "protect the names and reputations of the Town, its elected officials and employees" because something was said that reflects negatively on the Mayor.
Where was Neil Garbe the night St-Kitts was firing her cannons at another elected official? How did the actions of the Mayor and St-Kitts protect the town - isn't it the Mayor's responsibility to represent the town positively? Or is it now Garbe's job to cover it all up?
This constant attacking of everyone with whom people disagree accomplishes nothing.
On what basis is the CAO underachieving and incompetent?
Perhaps readership is growing, for the same reason people gather to observe a car crash.
Maybe people wonder just how far some are willing to go to destroy a political adversary.
This is after all a blog run by an anonymous moderator with a very clear political agenda.
this town is a joke and so is this mayor...( be carefull what you say this mayor will take you to court. Not only does she have to have total control at the town hall, but now the citzen's must not dis-obey.
Does she not relize that with elected office, people will say alot worse about you
Read the papers, there is lots of examples, bush is out and out called a war crimanal, is there a law suit?? NO
The toronto Sun has letters and articles on a everyday basis spitting out venom at Mayor Miller and his cronies, any lawsuits or waste of taxpaers monies to investigate?? NO
For god's sake they had a cartoon picture of Miller's ass as his face, god help the man if he drew the same cartoon of Phyllis
IT'S FREEDOM OF SPEECH!!!!!!!!!!!
and if you think its slander then by all means take it court as a civil matter...(remember the onus is on the acuser to prove what is being said is a lie)
Good luck on doing that!!!!!!!!
Right on Anonymous 9:19AM. Why didn't Mr. Garbe stop Ms. St. Kitts rampage at Evelyn, when no one else dared to. But now he is ready to 'stand on guard" for the "elected officials"! The corporation yes, but if he is going to defend the politicians it should be all of them, not just the ones the Mayor deems deserving. Have you ever seen such bias???
"the Town will be taking all actions that may be required to identify the individuals involved"
Where's Robert the Bruce when I need him? What actions can they take to find out who an anonymous poster is? Because the New Man in Town was manually entered, anyone could do the same thing. There's no way to prove that any one person was involved in posting the comment even IF they were able to track an ip address.
I don't understand (like many others) why Mr. Garbe is required to seek out the commenter and make them apologize. Nobody is made to apologize to anyone when nasty comments are posted about Evelyn.
To Anonymous May 30 @ 9:29;
“On what basis is the CAO underachieving and incompetent?”
Perhaps you are confused. CAO refers to Chief Administrative Officer-- which is Neil Garbe, the most senior bureaucrat in the Town of Aurora.
CEO refers to Chief Executive Officer -- which is Mayor Phyllis Morris in her role as Chair of the Board which is the Council.
If you re-read Anonymous of May 30 at 8:40 (where this reference was made) -- you will see they were referring to the CEO (Phyllis Morris) and made no accusations that the CAO (Neil Garbe) was underachieving or incompetent.
The CEO directs the CAO. It is only fair to conclude that his actions are as a direct result of direction from the Mayor. No CAO would threaten residents with legal action without clear and specific direction from the top.
Mr Garbe is merely following this direction -- don't shoot the messenger.
Seems like some feel mud-slinging is great for one side only.
Mud-slinging is just that.
The only animals who love mud are the pigs.
"the Town will be taking all actions that may be required to identify the individuals involved"
Heather, I believe this may also be an attempt to 'out' the person behind the Aurora Citizen (note the use of the plural, "individuals").
Suspicions aside, it must be driving them mad to not know for certain. Paranoia can do that.
Mr. Garbe as CAO,should have stepped in when in open forum an non resident ratepayer started in with her attack of Councillor Evelyn Buck. Ms. St Kitts should have been instructed to follow the proper process and file her complaint with ie Aurora's new Integrity Commissioner. Instead he just sat there.What made matters worse the Town solicitor kept reminding council that open forum was not the right venue for Ms St. Kitts.
His letter to the citizen smacks of just following Ms. Morris's instructions. Something we all know you better do as staff in the Town of Aurora or else your gone.
Long time resident writes "CEO refers to Chief Executive Officer -- which is Mayor Phyllis Morris in her role as Chair of the Board which is the Council."
Ms. Morris a CEO! Heaven help us all!You are demeaning all CEO's.
I don't understand some of the comments on this blog.
It seems that whatever is said there is a big slam on it.
I have been around longer than I would like to admit.
In the past some councillors spent a lot of time talking about garbage and parking.
Someone told me that everything was hashed out in CC so it never came out in a general council meeting.
A councillor came to my house and gave me good advice; I bought insurance from another; another gave legal advice, another drew up architect drawings.
I used their services. I came to understand their trustworthiness. Some outperformed others. They were leaders in my community.
Evelyn buck was amongst them.
I never knew her to volunteer for a cause, I never knew her to champion any good will gestures, or to put herself in the shoes of another.
I saw her criticize, I saw her declare that voters elected her to follow her own views/perceptions. She believed it was not the responsibility of an elected official to respond to/prioritize the expectations of all residents.
I saw her champion thriftiness, then push for unnecessary upgrades for the senior ball diamond.
I don't see this council as being unresponsive to residents.
I don't see them as being irresponsible or lacking planned vision.
I think they've made thoughtful, reasoned decisions, taking the time to do so.
They have adjudicated staff recommendations.
I like that.
I fear that some are way too opportunistic and selfish to represent my Town of Aurora.
To Anonymous 5:42
I believe that when money is collected from Development Charges to create a baseball field then that is exactly what it should be used for. ALL of it not just some of it. If you are not using all of it then you had not right to collect it in the first place. So in my opinion if Evelyn wants to spend NON-tax payer money on the item that it was collected for, then she should make sure we have the best that that money can buy!!!
What is the point of spending so much money on a declining sport?
And I understand that it's for very few seniors to use.
The Town establishes the priorities, and needs.
All the fancy extras are not part of a required baseball field, no matter how you look at it.
Evelyn loves being noticed. She stands for or against on that basis.
That's always been her mode of service.
Unlike others she's never been a part-time councillor, because she's never worked a real job.
Hence, she constantly plays political games.
"Whats the point of spending so much money on a declining sport" Thats what the money is for!!! The town can not spend it on anything else. If it was not needed then the town should never have collected it in the first place!! As for Evelyn YES she has had a full-time job!! Grandstanding or speaking up? So many others are so very very quite it makes Evelyn stand out. So maybe the others should speak up!! What are their names? Who can remember? They say nothing to make you remember them. I am beginning to believe that Open and Transparent means Quite and Secretive. "What you don't know won't hurt you!" Huh!!!
To anonymous of 5:48 May 30th. You stated "A councillor came to my house and gave me good advice; I bought insurance from another; another gave legal advice, another drew up architect drawings.
I used their services. I came to understand their trustworthiness. Some outperformed others. They were leaders in my community.
Evelyn buck was amongst them."
Once again the topic has been turned from what Phyliss has done to denounce what a bad individual Evelyn is. What a joke. The more I read on these blog the angrier I get. Evelyn had nothing to do with anything mentioned in this topic but all of a sudden here comes her name lets smear her here as well. And once again you claim to have knowledge about Evelyn why don't you spit out the facts and then back it up with evidence if you indeed have it.
Speaking to the fact that councillors came to your house and then you bought insurance, legal advice and architect drawings. I would hope that the purchase of these services after you knew them and that they just didn't come into your home make an impression and then sell you something as it kind of says in your blog that I believe is illegal, a councillor cannot make a personal gain and it sounds to me that that just might have occurred. However, this was obviously in the past as there is not one sort of mentioned profession sitting on this council.
In closing please take your negativity to another blog as it does not belong here. If you would like to speak to the actions of the CAO and the CEO then go ahead make my day!
Does this mean another lawyer? Good lord we must be keeping the legal field employed!
"Evelyn loves being noticed. She stands for or against on that basis.
That's always been her mode of service.
Unlike others she's never been a part-time councillor, because she's never worked a real job."
It's none of my business, but didn't Evelyn raise a whole group of children? I think there were more than half a dozen. And, I think that she did a lot of it on her own. Nobody ever sees her out with her husband.
Are you saying motherhood isn't a 'real job'? If you are, I suggest you start digging your fallout shelter quickly.
Double double toil and trouble to anonymous of May 31st at 6:40 a.m I believe the time may have been too early for you.
You state with regard to Evelyn Buck "Unlike others she's never been a part-time councillor, because she's never worked a real job. Hence, she constantly plays political games."
What gives you the right to speak such lies. Define part-time councillor if you can? How do you know Evelyn has never worked a real job? Where are your facts? Please produce them don't make statements you cannot provide evidence of. Good thing we can sign as anonymous.
Once again you try to twist the table away from the issue at hand which once again puts the mayor in a very bad light only now she has included the CAO, who we all know she hired.
What detrimental promises did she make to this CAO and the "CLARK" or correctly speaking "clerk" when she hired them? I include the clerk, Lucille King, because it was as much her responsiblity to stop that mockery that was St. Kitts and she did not. As I see it she added to the disgusting embarrassment of a public forum.
This is all evidence of how inept and unprofessional the "New Staff" is at Town of Aurora when it comes to the day to day running of the corporation itself.
Every time questionable antics come out of the town hall it reakes of stupidity. This statement by the CAO is just part and parcel of what is being created in that town hall.
I happen to agree with New Man In Town he is completely adapt in his interpretation of what is going on and adamantly correct when stating if this were a private business the mayor would be fired by now or the company would be bankrupt.
To Anonymous of May 30th 5:42 please let us know what you attributed to this great community? I have to bet it was not too much as you cannot attribute your name. Again a non entity!
"In closing please take your negativity to another blog as it does not belong here. If you would like to speak to the actions of the CAO and the CEO then go ahead make my day!
May 31, 2009 10:08 AM"
What happened to free speech?
Job, you know like working in a business world.
Separate from being a parent.
Job....like being Chief Administrative Officer in a municipality with a multi-million dollar budget,earning in excess of $100k and using his time to send an idiotic comment to a Blog whose moderator is unknown and demand a retraction and an apology from a contributor who is unknown and threatening "legal"action to defend a political boss who continues to bring wrath down upon herself with incredible spite and stupidity.
Is it a third administrative assistant to the Mayor, hired for that amount of money and apparently with no municipal professional judgement whatsoever?
Is that the kind of business the last contributor was talking about?
Does anyone on this blog really believe they are encouraging anyone to consider their point of view when hurling insults seems to be their most consistent strategy?
That's the reason people I know dismiss anything Evelyn Buck shouts about.
Something to consider if you're planning for the next election.
Or you may enjoy reveling in exercising free speech as many adolescents do.
Does Mr. Garbe have any sense of how the internet works and how his requests are foolish?
This is a feeble attempt by the Mayor to throw water on a fire that is smoldering and if not addressed soon, it will be a full-blown inferno.
What Mr. Garbe needs to do is read his job description and think about what has transpired the last two council meetings.
He states "I am obligated to protect the names and reputations of the Town, its elected officials and employees." Does that mean that a person who lives in King can come into Aurora's town hall and publicly defame a town's elected official? Looks like it to me.
If he would like to protect the Town's reputation, I suggest that he prepare a report that would detail exactly the relationship between the Town and the Dream Team. This report should be posted on the town's website and in both local papers. I am sure that Her Highness, Madam Mayor would not relish this sort of endeavour, however in an effort to show transparency all of the cards should be on the table. He should also convince the Mayor (and thus 5/8s of council) that the minutes of "The Meeting" should be altered to reflect what is clearly on the video.
Fuimus
"Or you may enjoy reveling in exercising free speech as many adolescents do."
But that's not an insult - hurled or otherwise - right?
"But that's not an insult - hurled or otherwise - right?
June 1, 2009 12:34 PM"
Only if that's your choice.
We all make choices, now don't we?
I am truly amazed at the way people put Evelyn into the same place as Phylis. I don't recall Evelyn allowing anyone to stand up and speak about a fellow Councillor the way Phylis and everyone else around the table did. Evelyn calls it the way she sees it. She tells you her take on the situation at hand. She has the experience and knowledge to back her up. She does the research. She comes to you the people as an honest representative of the town and it's people. She writes about HER opinion for all to read. She is not hiding anything from you and yet she is continually accused of wrong doing and doing it for herself. No one would sit on this council week after week and be doing it for them self. This is truly a testament of her concern for this town and the people who are running it. The others do not state their opinions, they don't say anything as a mater of fact. They would have you completely in the dark if was not for Evelyn. She is not the DESFUNCTION of this Council! You should take a closer look people. I have witness Collins-Myrakas speaking up. Thank-you for finding your voice Alison. It is nice to see that you are rising above the crowd and stating your opinions. You to will have to watch your back because we all know how well the evil wrong doers are perceived in some of the publics eye. I do not see you as the evil wrong doer but there are definitely people who will see you that way because they don't like the truth or just can't handle it.
Buck is a self-absorbed politician who loves to play politics.
Let's remember that everyone has a version of truth.
There is no one truth, although Buck does promote that notion.
Her goal is to divide and conquer, not that it's really been a successful approach over the years.
She was a very unpopular mayor, probably more unpopular than Morris.
But, that's politics.
To anonymous June 1 @4:40. whether you agree with Ms. Buck or not one thing is certain she writes and speaks from experience in an articulate cogent manner. I would like to see Morris accolytes Wilson, Granger and especially Ms. Gaertner try to articulate why they support Ms. Morris and her actions against Ms. Buck. Better yet have them try in the absence of or without the assistence of Morris/Maceachern.The word impossible comes quickly to mind. Thats the problem I'm afraid. So blame Buck all you want, at least she has her own opinion. What about the three stooges mentioned??
"Buck is a self-absorbed politician who loves to play politics....She was a very unpopular mayor, probably more unpopular than Morris."
I have to play devil's advocate here - Buck might be all these things you're claiming - BUT she got elected, and re-elected again and again.
Like the old adage with the bear that's chasing us. I don't have to outrun the bear, I just have to outrun you.
Think of how many people Evelyn Buck has outrun. Do you think Phyllis will be able to outrun anyone in 2010?
Buck wasn't reelected when she ran for mayor.
Was so re-elected Mayor.
Ev you were appointed once (remember Illingworth stepped down).
You were elected mayor.
When you ran again you were defeated.
Remember?
You were never reelected mayor.
"You were never reelected mayor."
Doesn't being APPOINTED when Illingworth stepped down count? Seems to me Evelyn had the next highest # of votes.
The year Evelyn was appointed was also the year she was head of the polls and was appointed by a unanimous vote of Council. That was for a full term. Illingworth sat a one meeting and had to resign. She was then re-elected to the office in the following election. There was a challenge. Evelyn held the office of Mayor for two full terms and before that the office of Reeve and the last County Councillor. Can't change history.
Evelyn was elected mayor by voters one time.
She was appointed mayor one term.
"Evelyn was elected mayor by voters one time.
She was appointed mayor one term."
I wasn't following politics in the 1970's so I looked it up. According to http://www.town.aurora.on.ca/aurora/index_e.aspx?ArticleID=534
Evelyn was appointed as Mayor (from her elected position as Reeve) when Illingworth had to step down close to the beginning of 1973. She was Mayor in 1974, and again in the 75/76 term.
What exactly does Aurora's political history have to do with the Town's Chief Administrative Officer's ultimatum to an unknown moderator, to require removal of an anonymous comment, critical of a politician, by a deadline.
I am currently awaiting a response from the Town's solicitor to justify discussion of this matter behind closed doors and expenditure of town resources on this issue.
When I receive it you will too.
Post a Comment