Went to Council last night to see what they did with the CC
The resolution to approve the Community Centre was on the fast track - as soon as the resolution was read the Mayor barked out, "All those in favour?" hands shot up and it was done - five seconds!
The bike and rider have been on the trail six days now and are approaching Cochrane.email from George:
"Anyway, things here are going reasonably well. Took the train to Longlac, - along with 40 passengers from England, who had never been to Canada. Their only complaints were that the cabins were too small, and that people weren't dressing properly for dinner in the dining car!
They were aghast that I was getting off in the "wilderness"! I started biking east from Longlac on Hwy 11 last Thursday. Two days of great tailwinds took me to Hearst by Friday PM. I was worried about overdoing it (in terms of what my legs would stand), so I purposely cut back on Saturday and ended at Mattice at noon. Then heavy rain on Saturday AM, to the point where it was too dangerous to continue on the highway:virtually non-existent paved shoulder, and lots of trucks avoiding hilly Lake Superior route). 
Had to relent, and hitched a ride with a couple in their truck, who took me to "Kap". Back on the bike again today, and arrived at Smooth Rock Falls (Abitibi mill town, but mill has been shut for a few years now). Should make it easily to Cochrane tomorrow, then on to Moosonsee by rail. I've had no physical problems yet (which is very encouraging), and equipment/clothing is working pretty much as expected. Heavy rain highlighted a leak in the tent, so I'll need to get some seam sealer before Quebec. I'm sending this from the public library in Smooth Rock, which is just about to close. I'll have more time to catch up in Cochrane/Moosonee. Bye for now,
What a difference a week makes in politics, last week the developers for a site on Elgin St were granted a fraction of what they wanted and this week they were back congratulating Council for being flexible and donating enough land for a new soccer pitch adjacent to the existing ones. So what went on this week for such a change of heart? More discussions with the staff and a new report presented to Council that's what. The early report restricted the build of 285 houses to 1/3 singles, 1/3 medium density, 1/3 high density. The new report reduced the number of medium and high density homes and increased the number of single family homes from 75 to 122. One soccer pitch and park equals 47 singles!
Another delegation was the appearance of a very frustrated homeowner. Adrian Worley, who lives at 157 King St W. has the misfortune to be the first to have his road swept, three time a week, by the very loud and slow mechanical Town sweeper. His beef is that the sweeper starts at 5.30am, well before his normal wakeup time. he has done everything right - complained through all the official channels and to the pols - for over a year, but was told by the Director of Works, "The Town is exempt from the noise bylaw!" Well he came to Council to say enough is enough and he is mad about the runaround. So what happened? His complaints were sent off to the Director of Works for a report.
What a difference a week makes in politics, last week the developers for a site on Elgin St were granted a fraction of what they wanted and this week they were back congratulating Council for being flexible and donating enough land for a new soccer pitch adjacent to the existing ones. So what went on this week for such a change of heart? More discussions with the staff and a new report presented to Council that's what. The early report restricted the build of 285 houses to 1/3 singles, 1/3 medium density, 1/3 high density. The new report reduced the number of medium and high density homes and increased the number of single family homes from 75 to 122. One soccer pitch and park equals 47 singles!
Another delegation was the appearance of a very frustrated homeowner. Adrian Worley, who lives at 157 King St W. has the misfortune to be the first to have his road swept, three time a week, by the very loud and slow mechanical Town sweeper. His beef is that the sweeper starts at 5.30am, well before his normal wakeup time. he has done everything right - complained through all the official channels and to the pols - for over a year, but was told by the Director of Works, "The Town is exempt from the noise bylaw!" Well he came to Council to say enough is enough and he is mad about the runaround. So what happened? His complaints were sent off to the Director of Works for a report.
10 comments:
To paraphrase a letter to the editor in today's Globe and Mail: "The other day I saw some drunken sailors on a bender. They were spending money like Cobourg Councillors ... ".
How better to 'feel good' in our 'Feel good town' than to behave like "some drunken sailors on a bender" and spend money like Cobourg Councillors! How uncanny's that? It just keeps getting better here in 'feel good town'...hey...pour me another, and cheers to Canada Day!
hi, i live in Moosonee, and hope to see George the cyclist when he arrives!!!
Hi Connie, glad to see you on the site, yep look for George, he may be in Town a little while he has to wait for a plane to take him across the Bay.
For some strange reason my handsome spouse decided to celebrate Canada Day by watching part of Cobourg Town Council's meeting on Cable 10. As usual, I could feel my blood pressure rising dangerously as the proceedings dragged on and on.
Some observations follow. First up was a lengthy report from Councillor Mutton, at the conclusion of which not the Mayor, nor even one Councillor, had a single question or comment.
It surprised me to see she is still being given the silent and invisible treatment after all this time. That is a particular freeze-out that I have been a victim of myself, and it is most frustrating.
A technique used by the Old Guard, it is designed to make the target give up and go away. It usually doesn't work and eventually the Old Guard will give up and face the inevitable: change! These particular old boys have not given up the game yet, and it is disgusting to watch. I don't know how she puts up with it.
What added fuel to my fire though was that the Mayor, silent and sullen after Mutton's report, had lots to say to Councillor Spooner about his colourful tie, and then made much fun with Councillor McDonald about a movie scheduled to play soon in the Park that the latter featured prominently in his report.
McDonald's report, by the way, consisted almost entirely of his reading off the contents of a summer park schedule. It appeared he didn't actually do much of anything.
Spooner, on the other hand, was at least entertaining. After coyly referring to problems in Victoria Park with visitors, he introduced a postcard and proudly announced the Town has engaged "goodwill ambassadors" to hand them out to folks in the park. He then
proceeded to read the contents.
The card, after welcoming people to the park, then contains a long list of forbidden activities which stops just short of banning swimming. A fine welcome indeed, and a fine introduction to public relations for the idealistic youngsters who will be hired to distribute them.
The highlight of this spectacle was the Mayor's own report. I had thought Councillor Mutton went on too long but compared to him she was brief.
Now I know the real reason Delanty keeps running - it's the only way anybody will listen to him. Without the flashy robe and clunky big necklace who would pay attention to his hokey self congratulatory speeches? To hear him talk you'd think he invented the sand on the beach. What an insufferable little man he is!
This is not a TV show I would recommend watching too often, although it is a good reality check for voters to see how the Town's business is conducted.
I have a three part theory about the "freezing out" of Miriam which is based on attending some mind-numbing council meetings.
1. It is better than the active bullying carried out at the beginning of this council term by the Mayor who would invite each councillor to verbally attack Miriam in turn. Since this technique was made public the council take a more sly approach.
2. Miriam has on occasion been provoked enough to respond to personmal accusations made at her by other councillors. Her attack has been so effective that the offending councillor general retreats in silence, although they never apologize. Presumably the council are now afraid to ask Miriam any question in case it provokes a tongue lashing that they do not know how to defend themselves against.
3. The council are very good at tuning-out and probably do not listen to anybody's presentations unless they believe they will be personally affected. Even if they listen they probably do not understand what has been said, and it is thus difficult to respond. When councillors do ask questions about issues it is usually obvious that the matter has been discussed in advance and the questions are pre-planned. Since Miriam rarely lets the council know ahead of time what she is going to say the other council members are at a loss about what to say.
What this really proves is that the "coordinator system" is an abomination. Lazy councillors and uninterested and half-learned participants. Does the Coordinator of planning have to know or even care about the coordinator of sewers's problems - of course not. There is an answer and it's not that hard to implement. A council meeting once a month and three committee meetings of the whole: one for planning, one for finance and one for operations. No coordinators just fully participating and aware councillors. The DM to chair the committee meetings.
Ben, would the committee meetings you propose be open to the public? I'd be concerned that decisions would be made at these meetings and then rushed through and rubber stamped at the full Council meetings without any opportunity for debate or public input.
Not disagreeing with you, just wondering how the public would get their chance to participate.
While we're at it, do you still support the ward system for the election of councillors?
Absolutely, the only difference would be that you would get three working meetings a month and one rubber stamp as opposed to two WMs and 2 rubber stamps. All open and subject to scrutiny
no to a ward system we are not big enough
Mz M & M looks so much better than the other Councillors. I mean, she's a babe perfumed with the Essence of Estrogen. That catches the eye, but it is her wilfull intelligence and caring that keeps eyes on her.
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