Ward 2 Candidate Schnurr Files MFOIA Request

I am glad to see that someone else in Windsor is as mad as I about the secrecy at City Hall.

It seems that Chris Schnurr in Ward 2 has taken up City Hall secrecy as an issue in this campaign and is actually doing something about it. http://www.chrisschnurr.ca/index-3.html

Interestingly, the Star has made a big deal of it throughout the term of this Council. It is one of the few issues that they have taken Eddie to task for. Today's Star is interesting with the conflict between Henderson and the Editorial Board over the subject.

I received the following Press Release from Ward 2 Candidate Chris Schnurr that you might find interesting:

• "For Immediate
  Release October 30, 2006
  
  Chris Schnurr, council candidate for ward two, will be filing a request for information, in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information Act today.
  
  "I am troubled by the mayor's comment that a 'municipality can be sued if information that is protected under the act is disclosed,' I am sure the mayor, as a lawyer, is aware that section 16 of the Act allows for information to be disclosed, if there is a 'compelling public interest.' Disclosure of the agreements that impact Windsorite's financially is clearly a "compelling" public interest."
  
  Schnurr is seeking information regarding leasing and subleasing contracts in the Canderel building, the contract between the Windsor Spitfires and the city, as well as parking agreements with respect to the Canderel building.
  
  "We, as taxpayers, need to have these documents released now. We cannot, nor do we need another MFP or Canderel disaster. I would expect that openness and transparency is essential for current councillors and the mayor as they claim."
  

Given my experience with City Hall, we all know that he will get a run-around, similar to what I am going through. But can you imagine what will happen if he, as well as several other mavericks, get elected. Wow, will Eddie have a miserable 4 years as Mayor, assuming he is re-elected first and that he stays that long and does not run for the Tories next year provincially!

Drew Dilkens: Is He The World's First Segway Politician

Here is a photo taken of Ward One Candidate Drew Dilkens riding the world’s first self-balancing personal transportation device, the Segway® Personal Transporter. I know, I know, I am no Spike Bell! No one can match his work!

Drew came to my house last night campaigning and I took the picture. Another world's first for Windsor.

If the device enables him to visit a lot more homes, as he claims, than last time and get some publicity, that plus his name recognition should mean that he will give Councillor Budget a "Segway" run for his money for the top position in the Ward.

If Drew's "Segway" campaigning, Al Teshuba's attack on Brister, Greg Baggio's volume of signs and Tom Lynd's reputation combined with the Community's disappointment with Brister on the border and his failure to rally his colleagues over Superior Park work together, Dave may not have a pleasant November 13 evening.

The Star/Francis Caption Contest

I saw this photo on the Internet website of Andrew Foot of internationalmetropolis.com. Andrew has given me permission to post it!

So dear readers, put on your creative caps and tell me what the Mayor and Marty Beneteau, Editor of the Star, are saying to each other.

Is Eddie In Breach Of Contract

Did you remember that there is a contract in place between between Eddie Francis and the people of the City of Windsor. It was signed with a great flourish during the last campaign. Not only that, Eddie agreed that "I solemnly pledge to enact this plan." As a man of honour, if he has not carried out what he promised, should he be running for Mayor? If one wants to be technical, is he in breach of his contract with the citizens of Windsor?

I prepared a Mayor's Report Card too. In going through my archives over the weekend, I looked at Eddie's speeches in the past campaign and noticed that some interesting projects that were supposed to have been completed during Eddie's term of Council seemed to have disappeared from sight. They got lost in the shuffle somehow. Here is a list of just some of the key items:

1. The border--what is our position today now that Schwartz is invisible other than threatening to sue someone
2. Citistat and the millions of dollars it was to save us
3. Fiscal responsibility with threats of a higher taxes next year or reduced services, huge increase in debt next year that has never been discussed properly, problems at Enwin and at the Tunnel that have been kept "in camera" (except for the huge increase in Councillor salaries to deal with them!)
4. The Code of Conduct for elected officials after leaving office introduced in March, 2004. It was deferred to the next Council strategic session but has never been heard of since.
5. The report of the consultants hired by the City last summer who were to compile citizens' comments at various meetings held re the border.
6. The Border Issues Communications Committee. The committee consisted of Councillors Brister, Gignac, Jones, Postma and Valentinis [I wonder if they are waiting on #5 above too]
7. The new family-oriented entertainment attractions downtown
8. The influx of businesses to reduce the huge vacancy rate downtown in stores and offices
9. Citistat and the millions of dollars it was to save us
10. The in depth audits of all City departments to identify inefficiencies and implement sound management principles
11. The People Based Budget other than in the first year
12. Councillor Portfolios
13. A collegial atmosphere amongst Councillors that required the Governor's hubby to intervene
14. Citistat and the millions of dollars it was to save us
15. The creation of Windsor's "New Image" ("Sin city" never dies it seems)
16. Mayor's “Windsor Information Bulletin” for citizens
17. The public/private partnership for a new arena, the only realistic strategy available that will ensure that this project will become a reality since teh example of other Ontario cities is that a multipurpose facility cannot be built by public nor the private sector interests acting alone
18. Open and accountable government since in 2006 alone so far twenty-nine (29) in camera meeting have taken place in that time with 137 items being considered and many siginificant agreements with third parties are protected by "confidentiality." eg Spitfires deal, Canderel subleases, Keg parking, details of Estrin/Schwartz fees.
19. Citistat and the millions of dollars it was to save us
20. The Knowledge Industry task force
21. Money that must be paid out in MFP and Canderel have become "savings"
22. The review of all of the assets throughout the City’s various divisions to determine if there are surplus or underutilized assets and what actions we should take with them
23. Saving natural resources like Ojibway with international trucks or Superior Park with an unwanted school.
24. The Executive Environmental Team that was to be charged with implementing a seven-point plan for our environment
25. The reclamation and relocation of the Zalev recycling plant as a “pilot project” to demonstrate the co-operation among the three levels of Government and private industry
26. New style of Government in Windsor---ooooops that is a promise kept all right!
27. Citistat and the millions of dollars it was to save us

Oh there is a lot more to review but I thought the list of failures was long enough. Now where is Judge Judy when you really need her!

The Infamous Agenda Item #14 (Now #13)

Remember the infamous Agenda Item #5 just over a year ago. I wrote about it in these terms:

"Who would have thought that a subject entitled ‘Essex-Windsor Regional Transportation Master Plan’ is really a motion that includes endorsing the already failed Schwartz short-term strategy on the border and giving out a blank cheque to spend taxpayer money!" Sixteen delegations overnight lined up to speak about it and oppose it. The Mayor and Council cut and ran when they saw the opposition and it has never been brought back!

Perhaps this Monday night we have another one of them. Shall we call it, say, the Infamous Agenda Item #14. It is described as Item 14 "Asset Review Analysis, Development of Surplus Real Estate Disposal Strategy."

One of the authors is Mike Stamp, the fellow in charge of the Superior Park. A funny section in his Report seems to me to be the basis of the OMB taking a look again at the Superior Park deal. Take a look at Part 2 where it talks about Superior Park. Stamp refers to Resolution M114-2005 in the Report which says:

• "That the initiative to sell the City owned parks BE DISCONTINUED and further that issues and decisions relating to the disposal of parks and any community meetings held for the purpose of discussing same BE INITIATED by the Ward Councillors."

He goes on to say that the Official Plan allows for the sale BUT that taxpayers have historically expressed dissatisfaction of the sale of parkland.

WAS THE PROPER PROCEDURE EVER USED IN THIS MATTER? HOW WAS THE SALE OF SUPERIOR PARK RAMMED THROUGH AGAINST THE WISHES OF THE NEIGHBOURS? DID THE WARD COUNCILLORS INITIATE THE SALE?

I'll let the Superior Park residents decide if they are going to move forward to an OMB appeal on the basis of improper procedure and that the Park needs rezoning if a school is to be built there.

I must admit that I am not sure what this Agenda item is to accomplish. I think it is designed to let Administration sell what they want on the List since it is a "Development of Surplus Real Estate Disposal Strategy" provided the "process" is followed but frankly, I am not certain.

Interestingly, the date of the Report is August 22, the "drop-dead" date of the Superior Park deal but it is brought forward 2 weeks before the municipal election for passing by the Council that is effectively finished. Why can it not be held for the new Council to make the decision. I am just getting too suspicious I guess of everything that is being done.

PS. Since this Report is prepared by the "Planning Department" that knows everything about the City and the future, don't you think that the Mayor's cry for a second bridge now is positively demonstrated to be a phony! Read on Page 4:

RETAIN BORDER INITIATIVES: "Realization of monies from this source could be years or decades away."

The land discussed is 368 properties of which a great many parts are at Brighton Beach.

It's all a huge joke and we are being sold a bill of goods on the border by our municipal leaders!

UPDATE:

Item #14 has been re-numbered to Item #13 (housekeeping issue....the original #13 was pulled and dealt with Oct 23 06 due to time sensitivities). I wonder if it will be bad luck for some on Council like the November 13 election

The Windsor Star Should Be Ashamed (Part II)

I wrote last time about how the Windsor Star has not reported that one of its Editors, John Coleman, is married to the Mayor of Windsor's Chief of Staff, Norma Coleman.

The only mention that I could find about her appointment was in this story:

• Boyd sues city for firing;
  Brian Cross Windsor Star 07-14-2004
  
  Jane Boyd, the chief aide to former mayors Mike Hurst and John Millson, says she was wrongfully dismissed by the city after Mayor Eddie Francis was elected last November.
  
  [14 paragraphs later and right in the last paragraph of the story we read:]
  
  "After Jane Boyd's departure, it took until May for Mayor Eddie Francis to fill her position with Norma Coleman. Coleman had originally been hired away from the Town of Tecumseh in February to be policy adviser to Francis, replacing Matt Marchand, who went with Hurst to the Detroit River Tunnel Partnership. The policy adviser job has since been filled by Jeffrey Kroecker. Paul Carter was hired as assistant to the mayor and two of Hurst's former assistants, Alena Sleziak and Ingrid Christ, were kept on, said Francis."
  

It was a story about a Jane Boyd lawsuit. How Norma's appointment fit into that article is a big stretch as far as I am concerned. Note that the story was published in July but Norma was hired for the post in May, 2 months before. Why was both the publicity machine at City Hall and the Star so secretive about the appointment?

The Star has had to make tough decisions about "relationships" before in the Mayor's office. Check out the story below that explains how the decision was made to publicize "Mayor David Burr's relationship with his secretary...[after] The Star learned that the mayor had separated from his wife."

The Star decided that it would print a story dealing with the secretary, the Mayor's alleged girlfriend, "with no apparent credentials" going overseas at taxpayers' expense on a trade mission. The key for the decision was "the relationship was now entering the spectrum of public interest."

While the "relationship" story in this case is not the same, nevertheless "relationships" are involved. How can it be argued that there is no public interest in a matter involving the Chief of Staff of the Mayor and a key Editor of the Star, a paper that reaches "82 per cent of Windsor and Essex County homes at least once a week" and "reaches 60 per cent of Windsor and Essex County every day." It is beyond a doubt the major media player in the County that provides a good deal of the information upon which people form opinions and make decisions.

The reporter involved in the first story, which was published, was Marty Beneteau. Ironically, the person ultimately responsible for the decision not to publicize the second story at the Star is the Editor, Marty Beneteau.

Beneteau claims that "The Star's job is to inform, entertain and, at times, run stories that while jarring, help bring about change." In my opinion, in this case, the Star failed in that mission.

In my opinion, the Star owes us an apology!

• "Kiss and tell---Publishing details of a mayor's personal life
  
  The Windsor Star's decision: When is the mayor's relationship with his secretary a legitimate part of a story?
  By Marty Beneteau
  Richard Brennan
  Reporters, The Windsor Star
  
  Windsor (Ontario) Mayor David Burr's relationship with his secretary had been the source of persistent rumors around the city. Fuel was added to the fire when The Star learned that the mayor had separated from his wife, which was reported in a short story in the newspaper.
  
  After a secret meeting of the city council, Burr announced he was going on a trade mission to Japan, Hong Kong and China, and that his secretary Kim Wilson was part of the delegation. That's when Star city hall reporter Marty Beneteau started questioning why a secretary with no apparent credentials for this kind of goodwill trip was tagging along at taxpayers' expense.
  
  Wilson was appointed to the delegation in her capacity as twin cities coordinator, a job that involves promoting cultural and economic ties between Windsor and similar-sized communities abroad. Burr had given her the post shortly after his election in 1985, taking it out of the city administrator's office.
  
  Following the closed council meeting in which Burr unveiled his plans, two councillors approached Beneteau in a hallway, visibly upset, suggesting the reporter find out more about the trade mission.
  
  Beneteau approached Burr before he lowered the gavel on the council's weekly public meeting, and the mayor detailed his itinerary, who was going along and why. The issue of his relationship with Wilson was not raised.
  
  Beneteau returned to the newsroom, and troubled about this missing element in the story, consulted with a fellow city hall reporter. They agreed that the relationship was now entering the spectrum of public interest, and that Burr should have a chance to answer the rumors.
  
  Beneteau contacted the mayor by telephone at his home, explained the situation and asked: "Is Kim Wilson your girlfriend?"
  
  Burr, who was upset about the line of questioning, acknowledged that he had heard the rumor since his separation and flatly denied it. The conversation ended abruptly.
  
  Although all his instincts as a 10-year reporter told him the alleged relationship was pertinent to the Far East mission, Beneteau realized that this was not an element to the story that could be tossed in without some serious consideration. The personal lives of two public people were about to be exposed. The credibility of the reporter and his newspaper would be called into question.
  
  Night assistant metro editor Doug Firby immediately agreed the issue was of legitimate public interest. But since the newspaper was dealing mainly with rumor and innuendo, Firby was concerned about being fair and at the same time thorough.
  
  Facing both a legal and ethical dilemma, the reporter and editor talked about the fine line between conveying what they knew to be true and what had in fact been substantiated. That the mayor acknowledged the rumor and its circulation around city hall effectively provided the basis upon which the information was used.
  
  Another factor was the obvious tension it had created among city councillors, pushed to the limit by Wilson being named to the trade mission.
  
  Beneteau and Firby discussed exactly how and where the relationship should be played, agreeing that it should not be the lead but simply a detail addressed in the body of the story. The matter was dealt with in two sentences, toward the bottom of a 21-paragraph story that constituted a straight news account of the trade mission.
  
  On the day the story appeared Beneteau met again with the mayor in his office to pursue information on the trade mission that was to cost $20,000. Burr's relationship with Wilson surfaced again in the conversation. Beneteau explained at length that the rumored relationship with Wilson had been of no consequence until she received city tax dollars to go abroad.
  
  Burr accused Beneteau of taking a "cheap shot" by using the mayor's acknowledgment and denial of a rumor as the basis for that element of the story.
  
  The Star made no further mention of the alleged relationship until it was raised by other media at a news conference. The mayor himself raised it in an address to the city council in which he condemned The Star and attacked Beneteau personally. And yet again on a radio talk show the following morning.
  
  Wilson filed a complaint with the Windsor Media Council, a local media watchdog, against the newspaper and Beneteau. In it, she denied the relationship and charged that she had been wronged by the newspaper.
  
  The complaint was withdrawn by Wilson when confronted with overwhelming evidence, including sworn statements by witnesses, that she had, in fact, been engaged in a relationship with Burr.
  
  Despite the mayor's continued denials that there was anything between them, on Oct. 29, 1988, after announcing he would not run for re-election, Burr and Wilson tied the knot.
  
  On a radio program just prior to his departure from city hall Burr attempted to explain his sudden attraction to Wilson by saying The Star's persecution, like Romeo and Juliet, had brought them together.
  
  Star reporter Rob Ferguson monitored the program, and his curiosity was piqued when Burr suggested the newspaper hired private detectives to shadow Wilson and him. Ferguson contacted the mayor and he immediately backtracked on the allegation, calling it an "off-the-cuff remark."
  
  Ferguson wrote a brief story, but it never saw print. Management decided that enough had been said, let the mayor ride off into the sunset with his final slap at The Star. The scandal is dead and buried, and Burr was last seen looking for a job."

Letters To The BLOGmeister

I now have to have a Letters to the Blogmeister additon to the BLOGsite it appears. (Do you like my Superior Park mailbox?). I received some thoughtful responses to my Blogs on the arena that I thought I would post.

In addition I received several letters about the Riverside widening for bicycles that is being portrayed as an US against THEM campaign that I find interesting. It will get hot and heavy when it comes to Council later in the year. (Plus an exchange about an absurd idea about bikes on the new bridge)

What you will find in common is a populace becoming more and more disenchanted with our Leadership of this City. Whether that will be reflected in the municipal election results with incumbents being turfed remains to be seen.

• You hit the proverbial nail on the head Ed. Coming soon takes on a new meaning with this council and mayor. What I still can't swallow is the fact that the Glengarry projects will need upwards of $20 million in renovations in the coming years so why wouldn't the city have built the arena on that site and instead chose to place it a 5 minute drive away from the Ice Track?
  
  The city could have moved the low income families and place them throughout the city (studies have shown that placing low income families in areas that are not depressed helps to get them out of the cycle of poverty)instead of "ghetto-izing" them, demolish the projects and build the arena there. It would have been close enough to downtown to attract people to the area. Close enough to the casino. Close enough to give a depressed area new life. The best incentive of all would have given low income families hope instead of keeping them in a crime and drug infested area with no hope for the future as it stands.
  
  With this scenario complete, the city would have saved the $20 million plus it is going to have to use to fix the current problem of the Glengarry area. The city would then be able to work on the "urban village" on the west side to attract the people that are needed to make a vibrant downtown.
  
  But then again...should have, could have, would have is about as good as "coming soon". Just pie-in-the-sky wishing from a taxpayer in a declining city (shades of Detroit anyone??).
  
  Thanks for your time and I do enjoy your blog.
  
  
  
• Well I guess there are 3 of us who are skeptical of this great arena deal , yourself , David Cassivi and myself. I was not going to vote for Cassivi but because he stepped up for his Ward against the rest of his Council and his honour The Great Eddie Francis Mr. Cassivi will get my vote. They say this Arena won't cost the taxpayer nothing but watch when they have to acquire the necessary property and cost over-runs that most certainly will come to reality before the Arena is completed, I am worried that the word free will be tossed out the window.In my opinion the City Council had the proverbial gun pointed at their heads to get an Arena Project started because of Tecumseh's 'get er done' attitude and their progressive way of conducting their business.It's funny how our Council has filed and noted, referred and deferred some much better proposals but when Tecumseh jumps into the mix all of a sudden we have a supposedly blockbuster deal that makes Francis and his cohorts look like wise financial wizzards. In closing Ed I strongly agree with your position on an investigation of this whole stinking mess.
  
  Sorry about the long ranting but this has me very ticked off.

• Can we have a contest of where the arena is really going. I bet you I will win when I say at the Grace Hospital Site and that Borealis is going to build it.





• Recommendation B, section V:
  
  “That administration be directed to negotiate an agreement with PCR Contractors Inc. for the construction of the east end recreation complex for an amount not to exceed $47, 920,000.00 in form satisfactory to the City Solicitor…”
  
  PCR proposal reads on page 4:
  
  “Total lump sum price for the above listed: $47,920,000.00 + GST”
  
  
  Total cost including GST is $50,800,000.00. This exceeds the $47,920,000 million. Administration is not authorized to negotiate this deal since the GST increases the price beyond what they are authorized to negotiate.
  
  This quote is valid until October 31, 2006.
  
  Therefore, since Administration asked for 30 days to prepare a report “preferably within 30 days”, the report should be made available to council by November 4, which exceeds the fixed price guarantee date, after which, there would be no price guarantee according the PCR proposal.





• As a long time off and on reader of your blog, I have enjoyed your recent entries. Much like you, I too am feeling the frustration of a dying economy and a city council & mayor with no vision or leadership. I'm really wondering how much of a future there is in these parts...Keep up the good work.





• [email 1] ..did the University ever get that stadium payment situation resolved with the City of Windsor...........the one going back to Mike Hurst? if not, how is it that there is $$$ for a new arena complex? Isn't the University Stadium in Councillor Postma's riding? [email 2] so we're building an arena complex, Eddie was a wizard and save ka-billions from MFP but they cannot pay money ...promised to an institution that is key to the city.............hmmm. great. (sarcasm intended)





• It frightens me at the thought of the amount of property taxes we will be paying the City of Windsor within the next 3 years.
  
  How can we afford all the spending? Everyone seems to have their own personal agenda and no one in this city seems to be able to get it together. We are losing jobs, taxes are rising and the city is spending more than they have, like an arena that 10%(?) of the city wants. I spoke to city tax and revenue spokesperson who told me that a study reported the need for another arena (we already have 7 plus 10 community centres) to help bring the community together. Are you kidding me? I asked for a copy of the study so I could see for myself, only to realize after asking her 3 times, she was unable to answer the question as to where this report is or where I, a tax payer, could get a copy. Do you know of such a report? Do you really think we need or can afford such a luxury at this time when the economic future is at risk? What the hell is wrong with this city?

• Dear neighbours-
  
  You have very little time left to protect your property investment.
  
  You would be well advised to read the following and
  
  Contact the Mayor and Council person you are thinking of voting for and ask them if they are ‘for’ or against widening riverside drive. Your most expensive investment. If they are ‘for’ widening do not vote for them.
  
  In addition, spend the time today to email and/ or call your current Council person and advise them you do not want your street widened.
  
  We have gone to all the meetings held by the city to change Riverside Drive.
  
  The consultant has made the following recommendations, so we are told!
  
  Widen Riverside Drive to accommodate ‘bicycle’ paths!
  (s h u d d e r !!!!)
  
  What will it take to do this….at a minimum
  *sewers will have to be dug up.
  *telephone poles will have to be moved back onto your property.
  *fire hydrants will have to be moved back onto your property.
  *your costly landscaping will be chopped off
  *the road will be right alongside your house or garage.
  *your driveway will be dug up
  *your ornaments and fences may have to go.
  *will some of your property have to be expropriated??
  *will your ‘curb’ appeal be affected?
  
  Satisfy yourself about what i am saying go on line and look at the plans for your property
  
  Riverside drive vista improvement project
  Http://www.citywindsor.ca/001494.asp
  On the maps the ..
  Black dash is what you own, your existing property.
  A blue line is existing edge of pavement.
  A solid red line is new edge of pavement
  
  Tell me, how many bicyclists do you see during the ‘good weather’ enjoying your investment? Maybe as many as 5/day???. However, once they do this at a minimum cost to you of $16 million dollars, your investment has every possibility of being devalued. And, do you see any happy cyclists enjoying the scenery you provided during the bad winter months? No you don’t. But you will see cars with much closer access to your property on those icy winter nights. Isn’t your property insurance already high enough?
  
  Even if it were true, that the road was going to be widened for bicycle paths, do you want more bicycles going down this road to impede access to your property??? To create more driver frustration??
  
  What is wrong with the trails that were developed for them, what is wrong with the sidewalks? Bicycles can stop much more easily for the few individuals on the sidewalks than the cars and busses can.
  
  Are you going to let a handful of cyclists, that didn’t pay for your properties, and some elected non invested, current public officials determine your outcome?
  
  I urge you to make your rejection known, of the plan to widen Riverside Drive, on the pretension of using it to ‘calm’ traffic, at your continual expense...
  
  Several years ago the city wanted to widen riverside drive to a 4lane thoroughfare. It did not pass. But, you can be sure that it isn’t a dead issue.
  
  If the city were truly intent upon ‘calming’ traffic on this road they would implement the residents recommendations to put in stop signs and or stoplights. Everyone knows it is faster to use the drive because there are fewer stops. There won’t be any bikes to impede traffic during the midnight hours, even in the good weather.
  
  If the city was truly intent on making this roadway a river heritage parkway as the signs imply, there would be no changes to this roadway whatsoever. All heritage properties are left in their original state. Merely maintained as is. All we ever truly need is some decent paving, curbs where required and the elimination of drop down sewers.
  
  
• Speaking of wasting money that could be better spent on other city projects...Council has received the Riverside Drive Vista Improvement Report and presumably will be mulling it over for the next 30 days. Councillor Zuk has publicly framed the discussion as one between those who want bike lanes and those who don't.
  
  Nothing could be further from the truth.
  
  Yes, there is a group of concerned Riverside residents who have met to discuss the report, but their questions are wide ranging and include the $16 million cost of these recommendations. That cost represents the tip of the iceberg. It is only the price of Phase One surface improvements and does not include things like moving or burying hydro poles which are to come in the next phase.
  
  Many Riverside residents are wondering why we can't just have our road and driveway approaches fixed instead of being subjected to a road widening so that bike lanes can be added to the road to serve the interests of a very small, and in many ways elite, group of cyclists who have their own Comittee of Council at city hall. The most irksome thing about this proposal is that there is no demand for these lanes...seeing a cyclist on Riverside Drive is a rare thing. Walkers easily outnumber cyclists ten to one, and yet council doesn't seem to waste any time worrying about the poor air quality caused by the passage of 25,000 cars a day that all walkers and joggers are subjected to on Riverside Drive.
  
  The Cycling Committee has argued that if we build lanes, cyclists will come ( the same rational that was used to justify the Canderel Building). Experience proves otherwise. There are bike lanes through to Drouillard Road and you are more likely to see cyclists riding on the sidewalk than in the bike lanes.
  
  Councillor Zuk and others still regard bike lanes as the Holy Grail of cycling, apparently not realizing that since the BUMP study was done ten years ago, different options have been proven to work better at encouraging cycling in cities. Ending subsidized parking for city hall employees and Councillors would do more to encourage cyclists than incurring the expense of bike lanes on city streets. I'm willing to bet that Windsorites would rather see this money spent on an arena or some other more pressing need.





• It is so disconcerting to see a discretionary item being pushed onto us. Most of the Residents along the Drive are vehemently opposed to this nonsense. Basically all it does, if it isn’t a hidden agenda to make 4 lanes out of this road, is to pander to a handful of pseudo Lance Armstrong who will have gotten themselves a straight racing strip from one end of Windsor to the other with no impediments.
  
  Boggles my mind how the residents here can be dismissed so casually. My goodness, think of in any other neighbourhood the residents ‘rights’ (if you will) are upheld such as when homes are near somewhere like a hospital or Arena or other such, the City will even put a sign up in the neighbourhood forbidding anyone but the residents to park on the street. Not us. We can be disregarded.

===============================================================

And the final note, an exchange of emails re bicycles on the new Bridge:

• "The bike advisory committee passed a resolution last night recommending dedicated bike lanes on a new bridge....David Wake has told me that DRIC will consider it."

• "I don’t think this goes far enough – I think multiple bike lanes will be required to accommodate NEXUS cleared bikes, non-NEXUS cleared bikes, FAST bike (i.e., bicycle messengers & couriers carrying documents for delivery), bike that stopped at the duty free store, etc. In addition, there will need to be highly specialized primary & secondary customs inspection facilities for the bikes and their potential for immigration infiltration via illegal biking operatives…" [There was more but you get the drift]
  
  

More Of The Same

Still waiting for a response from the City

The Windsor Star Should Be Ashamed (Part I)

In my opinion, the Windsor Star, its owners and management owe an apology to the people of Windsor and more particularly to their subscribers.

The Windsor Star knows that the Chief of Staff of Eddie Francis and the Windsor Star's Editorial/Op-ed Editor/Editorial Page Editor are husband and wife but have not reported it. This revelation should be no real shock to readers of this BLOG as I have posted about it previously. But do most other Windsorites know this and what would their reaction be?

Would they be concerned, once they know this information, about the possibility that the Star's coverage of City politics, and more specifically about the Mayor, is not what citizens of Windsor should have expected? Would they be concerned that members of the Star's Editorial Board are giving preferential treatment to the Mayor that may be reflected in Editorials. Would they be concerned that opponents of the Mayor, real or potential, are not given fair treatment in other ways such as access to Guest Columns or to the Letters to the Editor page or failure to report a story or have it edited in a proper fashion?

The issue is NOT John and Norma but the Windsor Star and its hypocrisy.

I have had exchanges of email with John Coleman over the years on a number of issues and as a member of STOPDRTP appeared in front of the Star's Editorial Board. Many of my Letters to the Editor have been published, but not all of them as should be expected.

I do not recall ever meeting Norma Coleman and I think I know who she is since she has been pointed out to me but I do know a bit about her background and her political connections which should make her of value to Windsor and to the Mayor.

If the Star had reported the situation, then one could not complain. But the Star did not. My assumption has always been that the Star and the Mayor are obviously aware of this situation and have taken the appropriate steps to guard against any problem. I have no idea though what they did and neither of them have ever told us. David Wonham raised this issue at his press conference right after he filed his nomination papers. Here is what I said about it:

• "Let me give an example of what some politicos might consider “courage” in Windsor. Dr. Wonham dealt with the Windsor Star right upfront in a very fair and quiet manner. Frankly, to me it showed that he was not a man who was afraid of dealing straight on with an issue that has been an undercurrent for months with many people proposing to run for office. I believe it was the second point of his initial remarks. He pointed out what BLOG readers know that Eddie’s Chief of Staff, Norma Coleman, is married to John Coleman, Editorial Page Editor of the Star. He said that he knew John and that John was a man of integrity and that he knew he would get fair coverage in the Star. That was it, no fuss or muss, issue solved."

So why am I again raising this issue now? Imagine how I gagged at breakfast last Saturday morning when the Star ran the story: "Politicians' roles in media decried."

Why would the Star run a story that talked about politicians and the media and continue not to report about about John and Norma. The Star had the chance to talk about its situation as it discussed that of others but it chose not to do so:

• "When Nelson Santos became mayor of Kingsville in 2003, his day job as managing editor for the Kingsville Reporter was significantly changed to avoid a conflict of interest between his roles as an elected official and government watchdog.
  
  His editorial column in the weekly community newspaper was cancelled.
  
  He was no longer allowed to edit political articles.
  
  And he no longer assigned stories having to do with municipal government...
  
  In LaSalle, where LaSalle Post publisher Gary Baxter is a councillor running for mayor, eyebrows have been raised over recent editorial content in the weekly newspaper that featured coverage endorsing Baxter for mayor...
  
  Baxter said he has nothing to do with the layout or content of the paper."

Did you see anywhere in that story what actions the Star took respecting John and his role? Did you see anywhere in that story what actions Eddie took respecting Norma and her role? The Star could talk about others but not about itself.

Obviously, the stories the Star reported upon and the John/Norma situation are not the same but I wonder what the Star's quoted expert would say. He talked about, in the Star story, "this attempt to keep the two positions separate is not enough to eliminate what one media ethics professor called "an inherent conflict" of working both in the media and the government." A rival newspaper editor said "[Residents] expect a paper -- even a community paper -- to be fair and balanced and impartial."

In the circumstances, the Star needs to explain why it has kept this information from its readers. There must have been a deliberate thought process involved which Marty Beneteau, the Star's Editor is now obliged to reveal to its customers and to the citizens of Windsor. This is NOT the first time that Beneteau has been in a situation such as this as I shall post another time. He revealed all before. He must this time again.

There is nothing directly on point since clearly this is a unique situation. Here though is information from the Ontario Press Council site that deals with matters such as this:

The Ontario Press Council has never adopted a formal code of practice, preferring to rely on the precedents of past adjudication decisions, although it has published policy statements on such matters as letters to the editor and opinion….Following is the ethics code of the U.S.-based National Conference of Editorial Writers, reprinted from the Minnesota News Council publication, Newsworthy.

Editorial writers owe it to their integrity and that of their profession to observe the following injunctions:

3) The editorial writer should be constantly alert to conflicts of interest, real or apparent, including those that may arise from financial holdings, secondary employment, holding public office or involvement in political, civic or other organizations… The writer, further to enhance editorial page credibility, also should encourage the institution he or she represents to avoid conflicts of interest, real or apparent.

SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALIST'S ETHICS CODE

Journalists should:
Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived.
Remain free of associations and activities that may compromise integrity or damage credibility.
Disclose unavoidable conflicts.
Be vigilant and courageous about holding those with power accountable.

AP GUIDELINES

RESPONSIBILITY: The good newspaper is fair, accurate, honest, responsible, independent and decent. Truth is its guiding principle. It avoids practices that would conflict with the ability to report and present news in a fair, accurate and unbiased manner.

INTEGRITY: The newspaper should strive for impartial treatment of issues and dispassionate handling of controversial subjects. It should provide a forum for the exchange of comment and criticism, especially when such comment is opposed to its editorial positions..

The newspaper should report the news without regard for its own interests, mindful of the need to disclose potential conflicts. It should not give favored news treatment to advertisers or special-interest groups. It should report matters regarding itself or its personnel with the same vigor and candor as it would other institutions or individuals.

Concern for community, business or personal interests should not cause the newspaper to distort or misrepresent the facts.

INDEPENDENCE: The newspaper and its staff should be free of obligations to news sources and newsmakers. Even the appearance of obligation or conflict of interest should be avoided.

CANADIAN NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION
Statement of Principles

INDEPENDENCE

The newspaper's primary obligation is fidelity to the public good… Conflicts of interest, real or apparent, should be declares. The newspaper should guard its independence from government, commercial and other interests seeking to subvert content for their own purposes.

Still Waiting

I hope to hear something soon on my MFOIA application but I have no idea what and from whom. I think the City owes me an answer to my fee waiver letter.

Another Contest

Here is a Press Release put on the City of Windsor website today. I hope it was in response to my BLOG this morning even though I am told that no one at City Hall reads my BLOGs.

The contest, although the answer should be easy for you by now is: What's missing here?

Remo Mancini to Chair Development Commission Board of Directors

(Windsor, ON - Tuesday, October 24, 2006) At its meeting held on Monday, October 23, 2006, the new Board of Directors of the Windsor-Essex County Development Commission (WECDC) elected Remo Mancini, ICD.D as its new Chairman. In addition, the Board elected Dr. Albert Schumacher as Vice-Chair, Dr. Lucy Ellen Kanary as Secretary and Robert Feldmann as Treasurer.

Following his election, Mr. Mancini detailed some of the activities that he sees as critical to the Board’s success.

“First, one of our primary goals is to as quickly as possible select a dynamic, energetic and knowledgeable Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to lead the Commission’s activities. This important task is being managed by a Board committee and is moving forward.”

Mr. Mancini stressed that “the Commission must intensify its advocacy for Windsor and Essex County. Our region is strategically located for trade and commerce within North America. We have a great deal to offer the world: a well-trained and skilled workforce, a highly developed post-secondary educational infrastructure, and a successful and diverse agricultural industry.”

“The Board has already exchanged views with important community organizations and is looking forward to continuing this dialogue. Our goal is to fully engage the community and marshal all of our resources to increase economic development in our region.”

The Commission’s new eleven member Board was formed in July, 2006 following a search for members by a Transitional Board that had presided over the Development Commission’s activities since 2004. The Transitional Board placed high consideration on applicants with broad-based knowledge of business development and the community.

The resulting Board includes the Chief Administrative Officers of the City of Windsor and the County of Essex, representing the funders of the Commission, and nine other members selected from applicants representing a range of economic sectors and considerable business development experience.

The Board’s mandate is to direct and support the Commission in its continuing efforts to retain, diversify and expand existing business as well as the attraction and creation of new business.


Biographies of the New Executive

Mr. Remo Mancini is a private sector public policy and corporate governance advisor/ consultant. Mr. Mancini is a former Ontario cabinet minister and long-time senior corporate executive. He has extensive experience in strategic planning, issues management, corporate development and in managing teams of experts including consultants, lawyers, engineers and other professionals. He is an active member of the US-based National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) and the Canadian-based Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD). Mr. Mancini is a graduate of the Corporate Governance College, “Directors Education Program,” at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto. The program is a joint initiative by Rotman and the Institute of Corporate Directors. Mr. Mancini also serves on the Board of Advisors of Watts Energy, a Michigan based energy company focused on renewable wind energy.

Dr. Albert Schumacher is a practicing family physician and a former President of the Canadian Medical Association, 2004-2005, where he played a senior advocate role on key issues such as the shortage of doctors and long waiting times for patients. He is also a former Chair of the Ontario Medical Association Board and served as President, 2000-2001. He was recently elected as a director of the Canadian Patient Safety Institute in Edmonton. He remains active on the issue of medical education and is the founding chair of the Ontario Medical Student Bursary Fund.

Dr. Lucy Ellen Kanary, P.Eng. Dr. Kanary’s career has spanned the entire spectrum of innovation; from the product development stage through to helping others to bring the results of their research and development to market. She has 18 years experience working directly with business, government and the educational communities to lead the evolution of a high performance business incubation environment for accelerating the growth of high technology companies. Ms. Kanary has also served on a number of Federal-Provincial Taskforces struck to develop an innovation strategy for the Province of Nova Scotia and evaluating Nova Scotia’s economic performance within North America.

Mr. Robert Feldmann is currently responsible for the regional Economic Development initiatives of Union Gas Limited. He has several years of direct and related experience in municipal economic development and was most recently involved in the Ontario Chamber of Commerce’s Human Capital Policy for its 2006 Ontario Economic Summit. He has also served as Board Governor, Treasurer and Vice Chair of St. Clair College (2000-2005).

…


The Windsor-Essex County Development Commission (WECDC) was established in 1958 as the Greater Windsor Industrial Commission and was given its current name in 1974 to reflect an expanded regional mandate. In 2006, the elected councils of the City of Windsor and the County of Essex agreed to a per capita formula to fund the Commission’s activities and confirmed its key role in building the region’s economy. The primary objective of the Commission is to market the region as an attractive location for business investment and to retain local businesses while assisting them in diversification and expansion of their operations.

-30-

For further information, contact:

Remo Mancini, ICD.D
President
Sandstone Strategies
420 Devonshire Rd., Suite #5
Windsor, ON., Canada, N8Y 4T6
Phone: 519 253 4030
Fax: 519 253 4828
Cell: 519 980 7047
Email: rjmancini@sandstonestrategies.com

De-bridging Mancini

Can the E-machine be any more arrogant or was it another miscue, like the arena going to Tecumseh? There is the potential for Eddie to lose thousands of West end votes because of the new problem that has arisen as he has already with the arena fiasco across the City. In fact, mayoral candidate David Wonham may just have to sit back and relax and tell his campaign manager not to bother as mistake after mistake is made. Is the Eminence Grise so confident of victory that he went on vacation instead of minding the re-election store?

How could the E-machine let it happen before the election unless they just do not care what people think any more? Or was it another slip-up that will come back to haunt Eddie over the next several weeks! They must believe that they are all-powerful and invincible. Are they also challenging certain politicians and daring the West enders to vote against Eddie so he can kill their Olde Sandwich Towne Community Planning Study in retaliation? (It’s on the agenda for October 30. Nice timing eh)

It was on CKLW’s website: “Former Ambassador Bridge President, [amazing, he got promoted after he left their employ] Remo Mancini, has been appointed Chair of the Windsor-Essex County Development Commission. Mancini says, while the auto industry is important to the region, economic diversification is key to a healthy future. Among the top priorities of the Board is to find a new C.E.O.”

I went to the City’s website and could not find a press release about it. In fact, I cannot find the press release about the Board of the Commission being set up any more there either. Seems strange not to find anything announcing Remo's appointment. But isn't that the same thing that happened with Norma Coleman's appointment as Eddie's Chief of Staff. Openness and transparency or something no one should know about!

For the West End activists, politicians and conspiracy theorists, they must be in heaven now, saying to each other “I told you so.” The buzz has been out there for a long time that Eddie and the Ambassador Bridge people have been working together so that the Bridge Co. will get what it wants on the border. What could be better proof than this they will be saying. Remo Mancini, the former head guy for the Bridge Co. now working with Eddie for the economic development of Windsor and the County or of…you know who. All of the pieces now fit in together so well they will think.

I can just picture in my mind the thundering hordes of West End Truck Watchers, Tunnellers and Politicos running around the hoped for heritage-designated Olde Sandwich Towne exhorting their friends and neighbours to vote A.B.E. on the 13th of November, Anybody But Eddie!

If that is what the thought process is, then they are wrong. Eddie and the Bridge Co., it would appear, have been at loggerheads for quite some time. Mancini's appointment means something much different.

The obvious manifestation of the animosity was the Schwartz Report, which was a masterful political document not an engineering report in the end. It was cleverly drafted by someone who knew the ins and outs of the border file. It was never designed as a City solution or even a "starting point" but as a diversion for the real Plan. It was designed to focus attention away from what was really intended. Almost everyone in town got what they wanted out of it other than the Bridge Co. when you look at the various proposals Schwartz put forward. The twinned bridge proposal was slammed by Schwartz and the City. So much for helping the Bridge Co.

We learned, in an August 25, 2005 story from the Star, that David Estrin’s border "work plan and budget" showed how he planned:

• “to fight off proposals by the Ambassador Bridge….He told council his hiring of a transportation planner and govern- ment/media relations expert were vital to help council achieve its objectives.
  
  The transportation expert would come up with a traffic bypass plan, he told them, while the media expert was needed to ensure council's position was well presented locally, provincially and federally…
  
  Estrin soon after hired New York traffic expert Sam Schwartz to come up with a bypass plan…
  
  The total to fight DRTP, Ambassador Bridge and the railway lands use bylaw was $1.87 million plus GST, he told council -- bringing the overall proposed sum to $2.2 million.
  
  Coun. Ron Jones, among those who supported hiring Estrin two years ago, said there was no other choice for council at the time given the threats of the nine-point plan, the Ambassador Bridge's proposed ring road through the west end and DRTP's planned truck route through the heart of the city.”

That is hardly what a "friend" does.

We learned something from Councillor Halberstadt’s Blog the other day, although exactly what is not clear. What “response” to what “enemies:

• “Meanwhile, I am still waiting for a public report, which I orginally requested, on an in camera meeting Council had with border lawyer David Estrin last month.
  Council was given a legal opinion by City Solicitor George Wilkki that this matter should remain largely confidential under solicitor-client privilege, since it could compromise the city in its ongoing border disputes with third parties…
  
  Council has authorized a sizeable amount of money to be spent on legal fees in this latest response to the enemies.”

Who can forget Eddie butting in to the Detroit mayoral race to try to prevent the Bridge Co. entering into an agreement with Detroit over the Tunnel and his sales pitch at the Joint Councils Meeting. That's not what a "friend" does is it?

What is it all about?

One can almost see Eddie’s hand behind certain actions that have taken place, given how he normally works and strategizes long-term. Here is a timeline with Star stories to help you see what is going on:


09-27-2004 Mancini resigns bridge post

• Former Ontario cabinet minister Remo Mancini -- the most prominent figure associated with the Ambassador Bridge over the past decade -- has handed in his resignation.
  
  Mancini, 53, said his departure from the bridge after serving over 10 years as vice-president has been in the works for a couple of months. His last day on the job will be Thursday.
  
  "We are doing this in an amicable and orderly fashion," said Mancini of his resignation. "For me, its been a great 10 years with the Ambassador Bridge. I'm looking forward to new challenges. I want to pursue other opportunities."
  
  Mancini said he has rented office space in Walkerville and plans to explore his options, hoping to land something new in an executive or management capacity.
  

05-17-2006 Former bridge executive joins energy company

• The former Ontario cabinet minister and long-time area MPP has joined the Watts Energy Board of Advisors, a company which will focus on renewable wind energy with hopes to initiate projects throughout North America.
• 
  Mancini's 21 years in public service and 10 years with the bridge company were cited in his addition to the company's board by Douglas Dudley, manager and president of Watts Energy.
  
  "This experience in business and government is a nice combination
  
  

07-05-2006 ICD promotes corporate governance

• A nice guest column in the Star and a photo if I recall correctly on Corporate governance education in Canada
  
  Remo Mancini was described as a former Ontario cabinet minister, senior corporate executive and a graduate of the ICD/Rotman program. He sits on both private sector and not-for-profit boards. Can you see what he was not described as!

07-29-2006 Development commission selects board

Interestingly, the Star described Mancini as “Remo Mancini, former Ontario cabinet minister and former senior corporate executive with the Ambassador Bridge” Here is what the City said about him. What is missing:

“Mr. Remo Mancini, Private sector public policy formulation and corporate governance consultant
· Former Ontario Provincial Cabinet Minister and Senior Corporate Executive
· Experience in strategic planning, issues management, corporate development and managing teams of experts including consultants, lawyers, engineers and other professionals
· Active member of United States based National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD); Canadian based Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) and graduate of the ICD Corporate Governance College Directors Education Program at the Rotman School of Business at the University of Toronto”

08-25-2006 Local economy: The new regional board

Star Editorial that mentioned Remo and this time put in his position: Remo Mancini, former Ontario cabinet minister and former senior corporate executive with the Ambassador Bridge

September, 2006 Windsor-Essex County Development Commission newsetter

Remo was described as a Public Policy Consultant. What was missing

10-02-2006 Bringing the world to our door

Another photo and guest column for Remo Mancini on about local regional economic development.

He was described this way: Remo Mancini ICD.D is a former Ontario Cabinet Minister and senior corporate executive. He sits on both private sector and not- for-profit boards. Guess what is missing again.

10-25-2006 CKLW story:

• Former Ambassador Bridge President, Remo Mancini, has been appointed Chair of the Windsor-Essex County Development Commission.

Don’t you get it…. Remo Mancini is being de-bridged. He is being born again, re-invented. Oh there are the odd slip-ups but as time goes on no one will remember that he used to work for the Bridge Co. It has taken some time but his schooling, 2 Guest Columns and appointment as Chairman of the Board will not hurt him, will build up his credentials as a Director and will help make him a leader in Corporate Governance.

Governance for what you might wonder? Where is this all heading you might ask? Why would Eddie take the chance in promoting Mancini? It was either Chair of the Board of the Commission or Chair of the Board of, say, Roseland Golf and Curling Club once Tom Wilson goes. There must be a reason. And there is in my opinion. I would guess that if you read the Schwartz Report, you will see that the answer is all there laid out in front of you. It's just my guess. Who knows what is really happening until we are allowed to do so.

Of course, no one in the West end will believe what I have written. They know the truth. Oh well, the consequence is Eddie getting fewer votes there and Wonham picking up a lot more than expected. Hmmmmm that's not such a bad result is it?

Isn’t the world bizarre? Mike Hurst went from Mayor of Windsor to DRTP. Remo Mancini went from the Bridge Co. to the Windsor-Essex County Development Commission. Go figure.

UPDATE:

10-26-2006 Mancini to chair economic authority

• Remo Mancini, the former provincial cabinet minister and Ambassador Bridge executive, has been elected chairman of the board of the new Windsor-Essex County Development Commission.

I guess Chris Vander Doelen didn't get the memo

Who Are Our Enemies?

Be warned; we are at risk. THEY are among us but we do not know who THEY are. Eleven people and some hangers-on are in the "in" crowd and are apparently safe but not the rest of us! We may be in mortal danger

Councillor Halberstadt's latest BLOG scares me. But is Councillor Halberstadt serious or is he pulling our collective leg? While he deserves full marks for having a "sunshine bylaw" resolution passed by Council, he did not ensure that Administration did what they were told to do ie report quaterly. But then, after listening to the Superior Park fiasco, when does Administration listen to Councillors anyway. What a disgrace for the people who are supposedly in charge of this City and the residents who suffered from what the Councillor said were flaws in the process.

Of course when Adminstration wants to pretend that the public is advised, matters are put in the Communications package which most people do not read or perhaps do not even know about.

Here is how Alan describes what was presented:

• "The report was not based on quarterly data, as directed, [who cares what Council wants, Administraion rules!] but summarized the period January to September 28, 2006. Twenty-nine (29) in camera meeting have taken place in that time with 137 items being considered during a total of 47 hours and 48 minutes. By comparison, thirty-four (34) open meetings were held with 430 items being considered during a total of 91 minutes and 25 minutes.
  
  In other words, almost twice as much Council business is being conducted in open session as behind closed doors. Depending on your perspective, that reflects an open and transparent Council, or one that spends too much time behind closed doors."
  
  

Now Alan, get real. How many hours of public time were taken up by debates on feral cats and skunks and other such important matters in public while the boring things like the border, the Cleary and arena were being massaged in camera. Gee, I wish I knew how the City was giving away money on the Canderel and Arena deals but they are in camera. The issue is not the number of hours but the quality of what is being discussed that is important.

Then Alan made this remark: "I am still waiting for a public report, which I orginally requested, on an in camera meeting Council had with border lawyer David Estrin last month...Council has authorized a sizeable amount of money to be spent on legal fees in this latest response to the enemies."

Gee.... don't tell us what it is about. We are only paying the bills after all, a sizable amount too it seems. I wonder who our "enemies" are. Don't you think someone should tell us in case we meet them on the street. We will need to know to be prepared but right now we are at their mercy. They know us but we do not know them. Clearly this must be a huge matter or else it would not be in camera and protected by solicitor-client privilege.

Hey I was thinking, this kind of makes of mockery of everything Alan just said about "Council business is being conducted in open session." Alan is waiting for "a public report...which I orginally requested...last month." Then "Mayor Francis has asked the legal department to put together a report for the public agenda" Alan asks if "this report finds its way onto the public agenda before the Nov. 13th election." If it is damaging it won't, if it is helpful, it may be.

I got it! Alan has demonstrated conclusively to me that our real enemy may be our own leaders.

No MFOIA Fee Waiver News Yet

It's only whether I have to pay out, as a taxpayer, $100,000 plus to see documents of the City

How New Windsor Jobs Were Won

Some quick reactions.

Good to know that Dwight is acting and has forwarded my response for an OMB inquiry on the East end arena to the Minister of Municipal Affairs. (see email below) As for my MPP Sandra, I have had 2 conversations with her office and was advised that she too has forwarded my materials to Toronto. Small steps true, but I have also been advised by another inside source that the Ministry is taking my Report very seriously and is reviewing it in detail!

Speaking of Sandra, did you notice the attempt at making up in Gord's column:

• "Considering the bludgeoning Pupatello has taken recently from critics, including yours truly, it will be one sweet "gotcha" moment for her when the formal announcement is made."

Amongst the gushing of praise for Eddie and his brilliance for getting thousands and thousands and thousands (it's Wednesday so hasn't the number of jobs increased dramatically overnight again?) of new jobs for Joe Mikhail's building was this key line:

"When the deal was not there he kept them at the table and brought in Sandra."

Eddie, it seems could not get the deal done so he had to bring in the clean-up hitter to hit the grand-slam home run! Gee, do you think that having a Minister of the Crown there had an influence on the outcome? Do you really think that Sandra played a secondary role "with help from Economic Development Minister Sandra Pupatello."

What won it was simple:

• "The agreement, which includes provincial funding for training initiatives...What matters right now is the training fund the Windsor West MPP is tapping into..."

Eddie's Eminence Grise, given his/her connections in Toronto, must have been dying every time that another Henderson slam was picked up by the NDP for House questioning. He/she recognized, as unfortunately our snubbing Mayor does not, that a municipal government needs Senior Level friends in high places. Just look again at the remarks I posted from the Mayor of London to see how a successful City works with their MPPs.

Windsor is fortunate that Sandra had the sense to overlook the ridiculous campaign to smear her and Dwight and look out for the best interests of Windsor. Obviously she needs the jobs for her Ward too but can you imagine if she declined to help and the story leaked out that Eddie lost the thousands of jobs to Mexico! She could have made political capital out of Eddie's failure and cost Eddie his job right before the election. She refused to be petulant and play childish games.

That's the story about the jobs and how they were won. Eddie's brilliance---hardly!

What it shows you in the end, loud and clear, is the powerlessness of the Windsor Mayor. And why we need to be friends with the Senior Levels. If you are not scared now, wait unitl after the municipal election and see what happens

Dear Mr. Arditti:

Thank you for your letter of October 18, 2006 expressing your concerns with the new arena.

Please be assured that Mr. Duncan will write to the Honourable John Gerretsen, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing detailing your concerns you express with the city of Windsor resolution concerning the arena complex . Mr. Duncan will be pleased to forward Minister Gerretsen's response immediately upon receipt.

Once again thank you for taking the time to bring this matter to Mr. Duncan's attention.

Sincerely,
Constituency Assistant
Hon. Dwight Duncan, MPP
Windsor-St. Clair

Insider City Hall Gossip

Gee, I feel like a Hollywood Gossip Columnist with all of the stories I have been hearing over the past few days.

Apparently, according to the Star's Roseanne Danese in her very flattering comments on my Blog on her blogsite http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/features/blogs/danese.html :

• "The juiciest [BLOG] of all though – the one which is considered a must-read among city hall workers and political hangers-on – is the one that’s posted by Ed Arditti, a municipal politics muckraker and not a big fan of Brister and Mayor Eddie Francis.
  
  Most city councillors will never admit they read Arditti’s blog, but they do. Be certain of that. Privately, city hall employees have said they’ve been surprised from time to time at the accuracy of some of his inside information. He has moles. But no one seems to know who they are."

I must admit I thought the comment was not too nice since I was not sure exactly what a "muckraker" was until I read this explanation:

• "Although the term muckraking might appear to have negative connotations, muckrakers have most often sought, in the past, to serve the public interest by uncovering crime, corruption, waste, fraud and abuse in both the public and private sectors."

I liked that and think it is pretty accurate. So to keep my reputation intact, here are some interesting items circulating around and about Windsor recently:

1. Who owns this Website http://www.windsorcitycouncil.com/ Hint, it is NOT the City of Windsor! What a hoot!


2. Who was the Mayor sitting with at a table recently for dinner at a function at Willistead Manor?


3. Did the Willistead caterers serve egg salad hors d'œuvres with a slightly bleachy taste


4. Are some people worried at City Hall that if the PCR price goes $1 over the fixed $47,920,000 price as set out in the Administration recommendation (That is the amount Council approved by the way), then the whole mess starts over again and has to come back to Council since there is no authorization to go with a different price! [Since GST is an extra, are we in trouble already?]
   


5. Were Eddie's fundraising efforts falling flat? Is that why he is using his old election lawnsigns?
   


6. On which "today" is Our Future starting according to Eddie? The Today in 2003 when he was first elected or the Today in 2006 when he is seeking re-election? Read his lawnsigns and see what I mean.
   


7. Which Super Bowl dynamo is now part of Eddie's re-election team?
   


8. Public school board trustees' massive pay increase--145% here--are not unique to Windsor. But will Ward 5 voters take out the shocking increase on Percy Hatfield since his wife, Gale Simko-Hatfield, is Board Chairwoman even though "the funding for the pay increases is supposed to come from provincial coffers."
   


9. Which candidates for Council, if elected, are going to ask for a judicial inquiry re the arena after the election.
   


10. Who has been writing letters for Eddie this time around trying to raise money for Eddie as he did last time? Like Gord's 1,000 jobs source, were he and his associates "at times... a harsh critic of the current mayor?"
    


11. Is Administration going around to land owners with properties about 20 acres in size and talking a price of about $200,000 per acre for unserviced lands for the arena? Why would they be looking at such small sites if true and isn't that amount high for such land if true also? If putting together several small parcels will be a lot of work, then why doesn't Administration just go out and offer about $15 million for part of the Lear site?
    


12. Why couldn't the Superior Park agenda item be posted before noon on Friday? Now anyone who registers after that time needs Council approval to speak as a delegation if he/she thinks to look again at the Agenda!
    


13. How many Police officers were stationed outside (and inside in plain clothes) Council Chambers on Monday for the Superior Park item?
    
    


14. Which Community Citizens Group leader had an election sign placed at the family home without permission by a Mayoral candidate.
    


15. Will our new signature "Eddie Francis" City Hall Square be built on the site of the Barn to boost the development of that part of the City? Ridiculous you say....then you have not seen the plans for the Tunnel Improvement Plans, heard talk about replacing the Glengarry housing projects and figured out why consultants have been hired to look at the old City Hall. Just ask Councillor Halberstadt about "critical mass." The City Hall complex in Toronto was named after the "Mayor of all the people." Our project will be structured as a Public/Private Partnership too so we won't have to worry about such things as Purchasing By-laws, RFPs and tenders. And Windsor Construction Association members won't get the opportunity to bid on that job either. If they cannot stop the arena, well....


16. Not only was the Council vote a loss for the Superior Park residents, it was a huge loss for Councillor Brister when the majority of Council supported the postion of his Ward mate, Councillor Zuk who is not running again. If Councillor Budget cannot persuade his colleagues to vote his way on a Motherhood issue like a park, one wonders, and so should his constituents, how he will work with the next Council, assuming he is re-elected. How can he be an effective voice for his Ward?


17. When is applause at Council Chambers in violation of the Procedural by-law not applause at Council Chambers in violation of the Procuedural by-law...when it is given for an Eddie Francis election speech at Council after the arena debate (but not if given for speakers in favour of keeping Superior Park)


18. Have political candidates realized yet that writing a BLOG can be dangerous for his/her political health at election time

MFOIA Creeps On

Waiting for the mediator now!

Is Windsor's Water Safe To Drink

I told you before that at the transition meetings of Windsor mayors, the old Mayor passes on in a blood ceremony to the new mayor a secret Mayor's Manual giving the standard cliches to use when certain situations come up.

It's either that or what is happening here is due to the water from the taps being cleaned by the dangerous "lemon-Pepsi" alum. How else can one explain ex-Mayor and DRTP CEO Mike Hurst's Star story "DRTP mulls legal action."

Isn't that almost exactly like the story about Eddie a month ago: "Mayor threatens lawsuit." I bet the people from the Senior Levels were shaking in their boots when Eddie made that threat back in early September. Hmmmmm I wonder if Eddie can write as strong a letter as the one I posted a few days ago that Dan Stamper wrote.

You know what, I would like to post Eddie's letter for all to see. Since Roseann Danese said "Most city councillors will never admit they read Arditti’s blog, but they do. Be certain of that" then I am sure one of them can arrange to forward that letter to me. Trouble is my moles tell me that if such letter has been written, it has not yet been received by the Senior Levels. Must be that slow mail service again.

One could say that it was really an empty threat designed to make Eddie look rough and tough for re-election purposes. For those that are Eddie fans, I will give the excuse that Gord gave us in his latest column: "He's running an election campaign. He's running a city. And yet he made this a fulltime job.[Getting us all of those high-tech jobs]" So Eddie did not have time in his 18 hour day to write a simple threatening letter on the most important issue in the City right now (other than Eddie's re-election).

Now Mike Hurst's threat is just an idle one too, taken from the Mayor's secret playbook. [Mike must have kept a photocopy of it] DRTP does not dare sue and everyone knows it. Mike used that secret word too: "may soon be challenged legally if they fail to reconsider." As in Legal threat "Coming soon."

The DRIC people have already looked at DRTP and dismissed it no matter how it is built and no matter what Mike may claim. He can hardly make a case when he cannot show us engineering drawings, how it links up to the expressways and how DRTP (NOT taxpayers) will pay for it, never mind how it can be built given DRTP's Rail Lands By-law loss.

I dare you Mike. Come on. Take charge. Don't wimp out. Stand up for Windsor. Sue DRIC. Show them who's still boss in this City no matter who may sit at the head of the Council Chambers in City Hall.

I wonder if DRIC will call his bluff. They may even egg him on. They may dare him to sue. He won't just like Eddie won't. Neither of them can win and they both know it.

That's in the secret Mayor's Manual too.

Coming Soon---500 Jobs. No 1,000

OH MY GOODNESS! I have not even had time to use the Saturday Star for my birdcage when the number of “high-tech” jobs has jumped to 1,000 according to Gord Henderson.

I honestly am so tired of this. No wonder people become so cynical about politicians. Another "coming soon" announcement. Just like how many others before this one. Oh I cannot tell you anything, it is confidential or there are big announcements in the next few weeks, more jobs. I am sure you read the Spits story today. Big story but it’s all confidential. For a guy who told us that "I am not a politician" at his Campaign Kickoff Speech, on July 24, 2003, Eddie has learned well in three years.

How convenient this one came out just a few weeks before the election. And the praise for Eddie’s brilliance, why Gord must have forgotten that Bill Marra is not running for Mayor this time. Or is this just more of the run-up stories to Eddie’s provincial campaign as a PC candidate.

Except what is the announcement: HP or no HP, fact or rumour, high-tech diversity or some low-level jobs, confirmation or none. Joe Mikhail can tell us and he is the landlord but Sandra and Eddie cannot. In fact, my source told me over the weekend that if it were not for Joe, and with him granting concessions, we would not have had any jobs here. He is the one really responsible for this and should take the credit.

But I guess Gord’s source and my source are different. Gord’s source said he was at times “a harsh critic of the current mayor “ Hmmmmm I wonder if he was part of the "ABE" movement, one of the founders in fact, that had started at one time. Perhaps he was also part of the group that had the $150,000 supposedly raised according to Henderson to beat Eddie if another candidate for Mayor appeared. Who knows.

Gord describes the employer’s role as “business process outsourcing. It provides customer management operations for major firms in sectors that include banking, financial services, retail, information technology and communications.”

In other words, it is a call centre. It is “[not] another minimum wage call centre” but it is still a call centre. It is not the beginning of some fantastic high tech sector for Windsor that will make us a Silicon Valley competitor. Eddie should have asked Joe about how to do that since he has the Ottawa experience that he can draw upon. Joe’s been there, done that.

Of course, everyone should be happy for the "up to" 500 jobs or as the sub-headline put it "may employ 500" or is now 1,000 jobs but there are some things that bug me.

Doesn't the Eddie/Sandra co-operation on this project make a mockery of the vicious attacks on Sandra over the past few weeks? In other words, it was all a big political game. OR Is Sandra now so mad, that she will stop working with Eddie and there go our jobs in new ventures?

Gord says “By the way, I now understand why Francis kept his head down and left it up to the NDP to hammer Pupatello.” My sources tell me if you ask the big-name Liberals in town about Eddie, you will get another answer. Ask which member of the NDP fed the Party information and from where he got it. Anyway, from my experience, Eddie never does the dirty work. He is too nice a guy for that.

I sure hope that Eddie will invite the Ward 2 Councillors to be part of this big announcement, say right before the election day. They can argue revitalization of the West End too. You know, 1,000 workers and a fast food chain restaurant as their future, sort of like the downtown. So they sell Big Macs and not steaks, big deal.

Obviously Eddie has known about this for some time. I wonder what effort he made to fill the Canderel Building rather than offer rents to others at low amounts. I would have thought 500-1,000 high-paying high-tech jobs would have been the spark to revitalize Downtown Windsor in addition to the 1,000 St. Clair students, a bus terminal and a franchise restaurant. And Joe also has space for rent downtown so he would not have suffered if the location was there instead.

I guess the company who rented the building beside McDonalds is not too concerned about the twinning of the Ambassador Bridge. It makes a mockery of the complaints from West end activists and politicians though doesn't it. Perhaps we will even have sidewalk cafes along Gridlock Sam's Huron Church "Champs Elysee" where these people can sit during their coffee and meal breaks. Perhaps that is how we can make use of the overpass that kids do not use.

“What's exciting about this, said the source, is that the thousand jobs could be the proverbial tip of the iceberg. If all goes well here and certain contracts are landed, the workforce could explode.” Or as one might put it during an election campaign “Coming soon.”

Our New Signature City Hall

We are going to have more Signatures in Windsor than John Hancock had pens!

First Gridlock Sam talked to us about Signature bridges. Last night at Council, Councillor Jones talked about a Signature pedestrian mall downtown. Then we will get our new "public" Signature East End arena complex so the millionaires-owned Spitfires can have a home to play. Then you will hear, about a year from now or so, that we are going to get our new "public" signature City Hall. I mean after all, we are getting a new Casino extension built and we cannot have this old municipal building beside it can we.

Why we can afford another monument to ego can't we? We have been told that "By 2009, when major projects like the Norwich Block fiasco, the city hall welfare tower mistake and the new Huron Lodge at St. Clair College have been paid off, the city will find itself with torrents of money flowing in and no major funding obligations."

Come on, look what the new City Hall did for Toronto. Its image became "Toronto" to the world. Surely we can do the same here. Hmmmm I wonder if a local contractor has some components left over from some other project that did not work out so that they can offer us a building at a discount?

I must admit I do not understand the Rules of Council too well. On some occasions, updates go on the Public Agenda and on others they merely go on the Agenda buried in the Communications package.

Take the item "Corporate Space Needs Study and Site Condition Assessment Study for 350 City Hall Square." It was in the Communications package several weeks ago. Part of the study includes: "To review the opportunity for consolidating various off site satellite administrative operations within a centralized campus environment with a view of creating a long term spatial program that is both efficient and effective while taking advantage of available corporate synergies."

Whew, that tired me out typing this never mind trying to figure out what it means.

What will happen soon is that a Repot will be issued to propose that a consultant be hired to undertake a study which will last between 6-12 months.

I have a better idea. As Councillor Halberstadt asked and was answered at the Council meeting, a new City Hall is a possiblity (although the Mayor did say jokingly that the existing building could be use for the next 50 years)

Save the consultant's fee and tell us we are getting a new Signature City Hall after the next Council is elected. They need some edifice to dream about. I know we are being setup for one. Perhaps we rubber-stamp it now and save the fights and aggrevation later.

Now how do I know we are going to get one. Simple, we spent all of that money on a consultant's study on 400 City Hall Square to tell us how to run projects better. Now that we know how, we may as well do it. We do not want to waste those fees do we?

And can you guess where it is going to go? I'll let you know in another BLOG soon

Issue Advocacy: Send Me The $150,000

I have to be honest with you, dear reader, but people have suggested that with the volume of hits that I am getting per day now on this Blogsite, I should be selling advertising space. I could have made a fortune by now I am told. In fact, one person suggested that he would help finance an ad campaign to drive traffic here.

I have to admit that this was a tempting thought. Believe it or not it is hard work to do some of these BLOGS. It takes a lot of time to do research, the writing, and get it out so you can have something to read with your morning coffee. However, I resisted the temptation.

However, I got a great idea last week from one of Gord Henderson's columns. Frankly, it made any idea to put advertising on here look like chicken-feed. Why I know if Sam Schwartz were here, he would tell me to THINK BIG! So here goes. Here is what Gord wrote:

• "It might be urban legend. But the rumour that refuses to die is that powerful business interests were trolling a $150,000 campaign war chest under the noses of potential heavyweight challengers in a bid to unseat Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis.
  
  According to the rumour, these folks were prepared to dig deep and do serious fundraising to enable a VIP candidate, someone with a prominent name and a solid track record, to conduct a first-rate campaign, turf Francis from office and create a more receptive climate at city hall...
  
  But it wouldn't be the first time a collection of movers and shakers has agreed to bankroll a champion, even if it means reaching out and tapping into a couple of hundred likeminded individuals.
  
  This much is obvious. The big-name candidate didn't bite and the money, the juice needed to run a high-voltage campaign, remains tucked away in its owners' wallets."

Hmmmm there are a bunch of well-heeled individuals with money to burn but who probably like anonymity as well. I don't think they care if Eddie is mayor or not, contrary to what Gord says; they want a city that works. Most of these people have probably made a lot of money here and have a loyalty to the city that made them rich but are frustrated with 3 years of inactivity and the thought of 4 more.

Clearly, it is too late for someone to run since nomination day is done. But it is NOT too late to express their views about what is wrong here. This concept is known as "issue advocacy" in the US or the "the discussion of political issues and ideas." One is "supposed to discuss broad political issues rather than specific candidates."

Here's my concept. About that $150,000....send it my way and as quickly as possible. I will promise to take that money and buy up space in the media and write commentaries similar to what I am doing here and as I have done elsewhere. That will let the entire City know what's wrong in Windsor and what must be done to correct it.

I am told, and I will have to check it out first, that the finance rules under the Municipal Elections Act would not apply to me since I am not running for office. So the cheques can be more than the $750 limit a candidate can receive and I would not have to report the funds so no one would know who contributed.

Sounds like a good deal doesn't it. I get to spread my word and the head honchos get to open their wallets for a good cause. I won't keep a penny; it will all go for the dissemination of ideas. Just email me and I'll tell you where to send the cheques.

Oh and thanks for the idea Gord.