Gravenhurst Council Can't Play It Safe

THE PROBLEM OF NOT BEING OUTSPOKEN - THE IRRELEVANCE OF PLAYING IT SAFE

IT'S A TIME TO BE KNOWN - THE TIME TO BE HEARD

I DON'T WANT THERE TO BE ANY CONFUSION ABOUT WHETHER I SUPPORT THE PRESENT GRAVENHURST COUNCIL OR NOT. I HAVE PRETTY GOOD INFORMATION, AND CONSIDERABLE EVIDENCE, OUR COUNCIL IS SOLID AND COMMITTED. I HAVE NO REASON TO, AT THIS POINT, QUESTION THEIR COLLECTIVE DECISIONS, REGARDING THE BUDGET, THE TAX INCREASE, OR IMPROVEMENTS PLANNED TO MAKE TOWN DEPARTMENTS MORE EFFICIENT. IT DOESN'T MEAN HOWEVER, THAT AS PROFICIENT AS THEY SEEM TO BE, IMPROVEMENTS AREN'T REQUIRED. ONE AREA THAT GIVES ME CONCERN, IS THE WAY THEY SEEM TO SIDESTEP CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES…..OR DEBATE MATTERS, IN PRIVATE, OVER COFFEE INSTEAD OF AT THE TABLE, WHERE REPORTERS MIGHT GET A CRACK AT THE REAL COUNCIL BEYOND THE FACADE. I'VE KNOWN COUNCILS LIKE THIS IN THE PAST, AND BELIEVE ME, WHEN OBSCURED NEWS AND DEBATES GET FERRETED-OUT EVENTUALLY, IT MAKES VERY BIG HEADLINES. MY NOSE FOR NEWS TELLS ME THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS A PREFERENCE TO MAINTAIN CIVILITY AT MEETINGS, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE SOME SIMMERING ISSUES STEAMING BEHIND THE SCENES. YOU CAN'T HANG AROUND COFFEE SHOPS IN THIS TOWN AND NOT HEAR INSIDE SCOOPS, AND FIND-OUT ALL IS NOT AS HARMONIOUS AS IT APPEARS. WE DON'T CARE ABOUT THE DAY TO DAY OFFICE POLITICS, BUT WE DO CARE IF OUR COUNCIL IS GIVING US THE SANITIZED VERSION OF CURRENT EVENTS AT TOWN HALL.

MAYBE I'M NOT READING CAREFULLY ENOUGH, BUT EVEN OUR REPRESENTATIVES ON DISTRICT COUNCIL ARE CHURCH-MOUSE-QUIET. IT'S NOT LIKE THERE AREN'T SOME ISSUES TO RAISE HELL ABOUT, AT DISTRICT, CONSIDERING THE RE-STRUCTURING DEBATE GOING ON, AND THE HUGE DEBT WE FIND OURSELVES IN AS A REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY. ONE MIGHT ARGUE, THESE REPS ARE SHIT-DISTURBERS IN COMMITTEE MEETINGS, AND ARE RUTHLESS MANAGERS OF THE PUBLIC PURSE. I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO MAKE MUCH MORE THAN AN HONEST GUESS, HOW THESE FOLKS ARE REPRESENTING OUR TOWN AT THE DISTRICT TABLE. I READ ABOUT ISSUES RAISED BY COUNCILLORS FROM OTHER TOWNS, JUST NOT OURS. YOU KNOWN, NOW AND AGAIN, IT'S KIND OF IMPORTANT TO LET THE OTHER COUNCIL REPS KNOW WE EXIST, OTHER THAN WE'RE APPARENTLY FILLING THE EMPTY CHAIRS AROUND THE TABLE. IS EVERYTHING SO DARN GOOD OVER THERE, THAT IT JUSTIFIES BEING OF WALL FLOWER STATUS. MAYBE IT'S JUST ME, BECAUSE I'M ALWAYS MOUTHING-OFF, BUT WE NEED DISTRICT TO KNOW WE'RE CAPABLE OF REARING-UP NOW AND AGAIN, TO DEFEND OUR RIGHTS. THEY WILL REAR-UP WON'T THEY?

YESTERDAY, WHEN I OFFERED-UP A CRITIQUE OF A NEWSLETTER, THAT HAS JUST BEEN LAUNCHED, BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, HERE IN THE TOWN OF GRAVENHURST, I MENTIONED THE RELATIVE OBSCURITY OF MANY COUNCILLORS SERVING THIS TERM OF OFFICE. DURING ONE OF THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL, AND DIFFICULT YEARS OF OUR TOWN'S HISTORY……WHICH BY THE WAY DATES TO THE FINAL YEARS OF THE 1850'S, MOST OF THE CITIZENS OF THIS TOWN, PERMANENT, SEASONAL AND BUSINESS OWNERS, HAVE VERY THIN EVIDENCE THERE IS ACTUALLY A COUNCIL BEHIND MAYOR DONALDSON. WE DON'T READ TOO MUCH ABOUT THEM, AND CAN ONLY ASSUME THEY'RE A WELL BEHAVED, ALMOST "HAPPY GANG, WITH EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING ON. WHILE I MIGHT SEE SOME OF THESE COUNCILLORS AT VARIOUS EVENTS AROUND OUR COMMUNITY, AND OCCASIONALLY READ SOMETHING THEY HAVE ADDRESSED DURING COUNCIL BUSINESS, THEY CERTAINLY APPEAR TO BE PLAYING A LOW-KEY, POSSIBLY STEALTH ROLL, GETTING THINGS DONE. WHICH IS GOOD. WE DON'T NEED VERBAL DONNYBROOKS AT TOWN HALL, BUT EVERY NOW AND AGAIN, IT WOULD BE A CHANGE OF PACE, TO HAVE A STRONG DIFFERENCE OF OPINION. ABOUT SOMETHING. ANYTHING. I SEE STATUS QUO AS THE COUNCIL MOTTO. THIS DOESN'T MEAN THERE'S WIDE SPREAD CONTENT AROUND THE TABLE, BUT THEY CERTAINLY SEEM TO BE HOLDING THEMSELVES BACK FROM EMOTIONAL OUTBURSTS. THE WORD "VEHEMENT" DOESN'T REALLY APPLY TO THEIR OPPOSITION OF CERTAIN COUNCIL BUSINESS. IT'S ONLY QUARTER STRENGTH "VEHEMENT." THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST GENTLE AND QUIET COUNCILS I'VE KNOWN SINCE 1989, WHEN WE MOVED HERE. WILL ANY CITIZEN OF THIS MUNICIPALITY OFFER A REBUTTAL TO THIS ASSESSMENT? SO WHAT'S WRONG WITH BEING QUIET AND GENTLE? FOR ONE THING, THESE ARE NOT QUIET AND GENTLE TIMES, AND BEFORE THEIR COUNCIL TERM IS UP, THEY WILL ALL REALIZE WHAT THEY HAVE COME THROUGH…….LIKE BEING IN AN OUT OF CONTROL CAR GOING THROUGH GRID-LOCK, BUT NOT EVER HITTING ANYTHING. WHEN THE OCCUPANTS GET OUT, AND LOOK BACK WHERE THEY'VE BEEN, AND WHAT THEY'VE MISSED, BY NO MORE THAN A HAIR'S BREADTH, MIGHT ONE OR MORE, HAVE A RETROSPECTIVE TINKLE IN THEIR PANTS.

I'M SURE THEY ARE RESPONSIVE TO INDIVIDUAL RATEPAYER REQUESTS, IN THEIR RESPECTIVE RIDINGS; BUT EVEN AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT, IT ALMOST SEEMS OUR ELECTED MEMBERS ARE MEASURING THEIR WORDS TO SUCH A DEGREE, THERE ARE NONE SPOKEN. I'M NOT SURE IF COUNCILLORS ARE READING ABOUT THE EXTREME BOUTS OF TRANSIT AND BUDGET DEBATE, BEING SHARED BY ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES IN TORONTO. I'M NOT SURE WHAT KIND OF CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE NEEDS TO ARISE, TO GET SOME RETORTS OR VEHEMENT ARGUMENTS GOING HERE…..BUT I AM VERY MUCH AGAINST COMPLACENCY AND COMPLIANCE AT THE COUNCIL TABLE……WHICH SEEMS TO BE MOST OF THE TIME. NASTY THOUGHTS DON'T COUNT. THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR COMPLACENCY, ANYWHERE ON EARTH…..WHILE WE STILL HAVE AN EARTH.

Coming off what can only be described as a pivotal year for change in our town, with a lot of good stuff to debate, and wrestle with, there has been barely more than a whimper from town hall. About anything and everything. Even when items were being slashed from the budget, either the press didn't hear the debate, or there wasn't one to report. We don't need pacifists at the council table. We need folks who are willing to take courageous stands, occasionally pound their fists on the table, and utter provocative directives like "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this any more!" (Peter Finch, "Network." I don't want these people arguing over seating arrangements, and coffee cup assignments. I want them to make a stand for what they believe in, and wish to fight to protect, or discard. I've noted this before, but there is an unhealthy like-mindedness that makes it seem, being adversarial is just not the polite way of doing business. Some huge issues have been dealt with this year by diplomacy and protocol. Even with great sensitivity, such as during the aftermath of the main street fire. But the most disturbing aspect of the past year, is how our Council refrained from almost all comment on the police investigation, of our recreation centre controversy, the result of major-league headlines in the Toronto Star, about alleged financial irregularities regarding re-construction. I can understand, as a reporter of some tenure, why there was a quiet period during the investigation. When the police declined to lay charges, after their investigation, this past fall, the silence from Town Hall has been particularly troubling. The reluctance to re-enter the debacle, for some type of restitution, has left Gravenhurst citizens pondering why not? Where is the apology, or clarification, or anything that addresses why our town was placed in this unfortunate situation……unable to defend ourselves, other than through painstaking, and expensive investigation…..and even when the matter gives the appearance of resolution, the citizens still have poop on their shoes from months of bad publicity. Council has apparently opted to pull its head deep into the shell, and protect what's left to protect. Just forget it ever happened. This isn't right. And we're hoping our assumptions are untrue. Someone owes us money for a forensic audit, that by the way, didn't free up the grant money, that had been frozen. It was the OPP report that got things back on track.

While there may be legal activities involving the project, to this date, one year after the original articles appeared in the Toronto Star, we have never been addressed properly, or thoroughly as citizens of this town, as to the outcome; why, and how much has it all cost, to defend ourselves against these allegations? How much extra interest was paid on money that was borrowed, to make up for the frozen provincial and federal funding. Even if there is still a legal restriction on information that can be released, at present, Council needs to stop treating us as if we can't handle the truth. There is information to share, but like we find with other levels of government these days, it's more about "weathering the storm," than being ready to do what is required, and necessary, to keep constituents informed. It is selective and discretionary democracy. We are, at the very least, entitled to know what comes next. If that means council drafts a letter to the Toronto Star, geez, on behalf of the municipality, tell us if you want us to sign the petition for an apology. I think as people who have been insulted by this issue, on a large scale, it's what we deserve for the embarrassment we've endured. So the bottom line is, there's lots to debate, and rigorously challenge.

While I don't think we should transplant the volatility and aggression of city council, onto the ranks of Gravenhurst Council, it would be good to know our elected officials are still on the job. We haven't heard from them in a while. We've got contentious issues in this town, that require critical discussion, and maybe I'm missing something here, but one thing's for sure……gentle diplomacy will have it's face torn off, in the cyclonic wind of change, facing this town, in the very near future. A gentle approach to negotiation will fail to save our High School, if and when the issue rears its head. Former members of the Save Our School campaign can provide some insight on this, and how close we came to losing our school to Bracebridge. It was a pretty thin majority. This issue needs to be fiercely fought by everyone in this town, with our town council leading the charge. The last time this was an issue, Council was the reluctant cavalry, if you could even call it that, and the only reason they got involved is because they were given zero choice in the matter. I was embarrassed they had to be prodded to make a stand. They should have been adequately prepared to fight the good fight. This is what makes me very concerned today, because I feel the present council seems to prefer avoiding controversy, instead of clenching teeth, clutching, grasping and soldiering-on through the thick-of-it. If I'm wrong about all this, then council should give the press something to write a story about……with some meat on the bones……not just the crumby remains of the day. There's is nothing in the rule book, that says a councillor can't speak their mind on issues like this, and start demanding answers to some big questions about the High School's future. Lose the school, and the dominoes of this town's economic future, as a family community, will start falling in rapid succession. So there's every reason to change from gentle, diplomatic fortitude, and sharpen the talons, because there's a fight coming.

Just because we are given re-assuring advertorials, from council, that everything is okay, isn't any reason whatsoever, to drop our guard as conscientious constituents. We should remain suspicious because we didn't cause the over-run of expenses at the new rec. centre, and we certainly didn't twist the town's arm to buy the Health Unit building…..the one with the inadequate roof, that by due diligence, should have been identified. So if councillors ponder how we could ever be dissatisfied with the "good news" reports we get in newsletters, this is why….in a big nutshell.

Controversial issues seldom if ever go away, unless they are truly and absolutely resolved. We can deal with mistakes. We can't accept status quo, as a paddle for our canoe. There's a lot at stake here, and amends to be made, whether the town thinks so or not. The only exit strategy left, is to realize there isn't one. This is the "A" team, and there are no substitutions. I want to believe they have the right stuff, to stand up to both the Trillium Lakelands School Board and the Province of Ontario, to save our school. But I'd like to know now, if this preference to quiet diplomacy, is going to be enough to stave off what some townsfolks already believe as inevitable. If ever a council in this town was judged harshly, it will be over this issue, because it doesn't get much more motherhood, and "community" than the closing of a school…….high school or public….., because we've only got a few. I'm afraid emotional arguments won't work, as significant as they might be. This is legal and political stuff, and a demonstration of the will of council, to protect our future, is the only way forward.

To suggest that businesses will fail because we might, some day, lose our high school, is all the reason for councillors, to get out of town hall, and find out first hand……by talking to the stakeholders in person. This is the most thorough and logical survey, of present public opinion. The town hasn't got a clue what the present public opinion is……because they only ask once every four years, when they seek election. So there's work to do. Let's leave it at that!