If you have Cogeco Cable TV, you MUST watch the re-reun of last night's Council meeting. You MUST record it as well to show your friends and colleagues and for those who do not subscribe to cable. In particular, you need to watch the Agenda item dealing with the heritage designation for Sandwich and the matter involving the Junction.
I have to tell you that if our Municipal Act legislation had a right of recall in it, I could send out a petition and have thousands of signatures on it within days. Frankly, a few members of Administration should be looking for a new job as well.
What happened last night can only be described as a disgrace. We are not being governed but are being "treated" to Politics, Gong Show style.
I have to give credit to Councillor Gignac. I am not a fan of hers and usually am very critical of her. On the Junction issue, she was the one who raised all of the good points that were right on the mark that should have allowed the Junction to be categorized as a legal non-conforming use. She also refused to be bullied by the Mayor and slammed Administration for their incompetence. If she keeps this up, who knows she may run for Mayor in three years! (Could someone please tell her to stop chewing gum or whatever it is after she speaks!)
I am not going to go into a long discussion of last night. I am not going to waste my time writing about such foolishness. Nor should you have to read about it. You have to see it for yourself to believe it. Honestly, it is indescribable. No one should wonder after last night's peformance why this Council is a laughing stock and cannot get anything done!
I was very interested to watch Eddie's relationship with Council. There was absolute contempt for them in my opinion. If they did not toe his line, he shut them down as he did with the heritage matter. Eddie was clearly upset that the heritage district was reduced so much in size by the consultant's Report. He had to lecture Councillors several times since they were so dumb that they could not understand that the Interim by-law matter was separate and distinct and that it had been discussed a few weeks earlier.
What was really going on was that he needed desperately to keep control over the entire Sandwich area and not just the heritage area. He just cut off anyone who suggested that the interim by-law area be reduced as well. The heritage plan was NOT following the process he wanted. It gave the Ambassador Bridge people a possible out to build their Enhancement Project. What was the matter with Councillors!
And then the piece de resistance. Coming out of the Mayor's Chair and speaking as a Council member from the floor on the Junction matter, there was Eddie. He told Council that they might be acting illegally if they followed an option that Administration said was an option they could adopt! Not only that, he would insist that Administration be indemnified in case they were sued for acting improperly although they offered the suggestion in the first place as being a proper one. He absolutely berated them
HUH.....most of the Senior Administrators who signed off on the report seemed to be OK with it. It might have allowed the Junction to avoid a possible bankrtuptcy. Oh well, Brian Masse and some Junction neighbours will be pleased.
You know what would be hilarious...The Wellington was denied also last night the right to have a strip club. Perhaps the owners should talk to the Junction as a possible venue for their business.
One final point. Councillor Postma's incisors were gnawing on the Bridge Co. as well last night. She must have felt cornered again and was in a biting mood I guess.
The Bridge Co.'s expert was quite supportive of the heritage report and even suggested additons to it. BUT he made the mistake of saying that garbage in the area should be cleaned up as well. That got Councillor Postma going. She made a big point in saying that the heritage designation was NOT directed against the Bridge Co. Then she said in her last remark, with the look that only Councillor Postma can give, that she would send the By-law officers out to check "his client's properties" to ensure that the property met property standards eg no garbage.
I have to tell you that if our Municipal Act legislation had a right of recall in it, I could send out a petition and have thousands of signatures on it within days. Frankly, a few members of Administration should be looking for a new job as well.
What happened last night can only be described as a disgrace. We are not being governed but are being "treated" to Politics, Gong Show style.
I have to give credit to Councillor Gignac. I am not a fan of hers and usually am very critical of her. On the Junction issue, she was the one who raised all of the good points that were right on the mark that should have allowed the Junction to be categorized as a legal non-conforming use. She also refused to be bullied by the Mayor and slammed Administration for their incompetence. If she keeps this up, who knows she may run for Mayor in three years! (Could someone please tell her to stop chewing gum or whatever it is after she speaks!)
I am not going to go into a long discussion of last night. I am not going to waste my time writing about such foolishness. Nor should you have to read about it. You have to see it for yourself to believe it. Honestly, it is indescribable. No one should wonder after last night's peformance why this Council is a laughing stock and cannot get anything done!
I was very interested to watch Eddie's relationship with Council. There was absolute contempt for them in my opinion. If they did not toe his line, he shut them down as he did with the heritage matter. Eddie was clearly upset that the heritage district was reduced so much in size by the consultant's Report. He had to lecture Councillors several times since they were so dumb that they could not understand that the Interim by-law matter was separate and distinct and that it had been discussed a few weeks earlier.
What was really going on was that he needed desperately to keep control over the entire Sandwich area and not just the heritage area. He just cut off anyone who suggested that the interim by-law area be reduced as well. The heritage plan was NOT following the process he wanted. It gave the Ambassador Bridge people a possible out to build their Enhancement Project. What was the matter with Councillors!
And then the piece de resistance. Coming out of the Mayor's Chair and speaking as a Council member from the floor on the Junction matter, there was Eddie. He told Council that they might be acting illegally if they followed an option that Administration said was an option they could adopt! Not only that, he would insist that Administration be indemnified in case they were sued for acting improperly although they offered the suggestion in the first place as being a proper one. He absolutely berated them
HUH.....most of the Senior Administrators who signed off on the report seemed to be OK with it. It might have allowed the Junction to avoid a possible bankrtuptcy. Oh well, Brian Masse and some Junction neighbours will be pleased.
You know what would be hilarious...The Wellington was denied also last night the right to have a strip club. Perhaps the owners should talk to the Junction as a possible venue for their business.
One final point. Councillor Postma's incisors were gnawing on the Bridge Co. as well last night. She must have felt cornered again and was in a biting mood I guess.
The Bridge Co.'s expert was quite supportive of the heritage report and even suggested additons to it. BUT he made the mistake of saying that garbage in the area should be cleaned up as well. That got Councillor Postma going. She made a big point in saying that the heritage designation was NOT directed against the Bridge Co. Then she said in her last remark, with the look that only Councillor Postma can give, that she would send the By-law officers out to check "his client's properties" to ensure that the property met property standards eg no garbage.
How Councillors can allow themselves to be treated with such disrespect and contempt, I will never understand. How they can allow themselves to be made to look like such fools I cannot understand. They ought to be furious.
I can hardly wait for the next meeting. NOT!
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