CITIZENS HAVE POWER TO CHANGE DIRECTION- BUT WILL THEY USE IT?
ALL-CANDIDATES MEETING WAS THE DAY GRAVENHURST SURRENDERED DEMOCRACY - VOLUNTARILY
IT'S JUST MY OPINION, AS AN AVID GARDNER, BUT WHAT A GREAT DAY IT IS, NOW THAT THE RAINS HAVE COME. OUR LAWN WAS GETTING BROWN, AND THE SHRUBS WE JUST PLANTED LOOKED TERRIBLE. WE DON'T USE DISTRICT WATER RESOURCES FOR OUR LAWN OR GARDENS, UNLESS IT IS BATH WATER. WE USE BATH WATER IN OUR TOILET AS WELL, AND I'M PLEASED TO SAY IT HAS KNOCKED QUITE A CHUNK OFF OUR BILLS. I HATE THE IDEA OF WASTING OUR PRECIOUS RESOURCES.
WE ENJOYED A MORNING SHOPPING-VENTURE TO THE ANNUAL ANGLICAN CHURCH FUNDRAISING SALE, AND I GOT TWO INTERESTING BOOKS, AND THE BOYS, ANDREW AND ROBERT FOUND SOME NEAT OLD SUITCASES. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THEY USE VARIETIES OF THE OLDER CASES AS DRUMS, FOR SOME OF THEIR STUDIO RECORDING. ANDREW GOT A NICE CANADIAN MADE "LUMBERJACK" COAT, IN PREPARATION FOR THE AUTUMN SEASON CHILL, AND ROB FOUND THE SAUSAGE-ON-A-BUN TENT, OUTSIDE THE CHURCH, MORE TO HIS LIKING. I HAD A NICE CHAT WITH A FEW FOLKS I'VE BEEN MEETING AT THESE SALES FOR ABOUT TWENTY YEARS. I WAS SORRY TO FIND OUT FROM THEM, THAT ONE OF OUR FAMILY FRIENDS WAS IN HOSPITAL, AFTER A MEDICAL SCARE THURSDAY EVENING. JUST WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ALL IS GOOD IN THE UNIVERSE, YOU GET THIS KIND OF UNFORTUNATE NEWS. WE ALL WISH FOR A SPEEDY RECOVERY.
IT WAS AN INCREDIBLY BUSY MORNING IN OUR LITTLE TOWN, WITH RESTAURANTS BENEFITTING FROM THE WEEKEND RUSH TO THE COTTAGE, AND THE INCLEMENT WEATHER I SUPPOSE. SEEKING REFUGE AND HAVING A SANDWICH, SEEM AN APPROPRIATE DIVERSION FROM THE MORNING'S TOIL. I CAN'T MAKE STATISTICAL COMPARISONS, BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE DATA, BUT JUST FROM PLAIN OLD OBSERVATION AND RECOLLECTION, THE TOWN HAS LOOKED BUSIER SINCE THE MAY 24TH WEEKEND, THAN I REMEMBER FROM THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. THERE ARE A LOT OF PARCELS FLYING OUT OF OUR STORES, SO I HOPE LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS ARE SEEING SOME PROFIT, EARLY IN THE SEASON. IT IS UPLIFTING TO SEE SOME GENUINE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OUT THERE. AND I HOPE OUR VISITORS LIKE THE LOOK OF OUR NEWLY RESTORED MAINSTREET CORRIDOR, AND THE RECENT PLANTING THE TOWN HAS DONE ON MUSKOKA ROAD. DESPITE A FEW NASTY BARBS, BY SOME CRITICS OF EVERYTHING, I THINK THERE'S A LOT TO BE UPBEAT ABOUT, THIS SPRING AND SUMMER SEASON. BUSINESS NETWORKING SEEMS TO BE PAYING OFF. JUST AN OBSERVATION. MAYBE I'M DELUDED, OR LOOKING THROUGH THESE ROSE COLORED GLASSES, BUT WE ARE DEFINITELY GETTING SUBSTANTIAL TRAFFIC UPTOWN, AT LEAST, AND TODAY, IT GOT BUSY, VERY EARLY IN THE DAY. YESTERDAY WAS A RECORD-BREAKER FOR THE BOYS, IN THEIR MUSIC SHOP (OPPOSITE THE OPERA HOUSE), AND THE MONTH OF MAY WAS THE BEST ONE IN SIX YEARS OF MAIN-STREETING. SO YOU KNOW I'M NOT JUST BLOWING SMOKE HERE, ANDREW AND ROBERT NEED MORE GUITARS, AS THEIR STOCK IS GETTING LOW; AND MORE VINTAGE VINYL. FOR LARGER INSTRUMENT COLLECTIONS THEY WILL SELL ON CONSIGNMENT. WE'RE PREPARING TO OPEN TWO MORE ROOMS IN THE OLD MOVIE THEATRE BUILDING, BY THE FIRST OF JULY. IF YOU'VE GOT A GUITAR…EVEN A "BEATER" FOR CAMPFIRE SINGSONGS, BRING IT IN FOR EITHER SALE, CONSIGNMENT OR REPAIR.
THE BARGE WORK BEGINS NEXT WEEK
I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF DETAILS AT THIS POINT, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE WOODWORK ON THE BARGE, IN ROTARY GULL LAKE PARK, WILL COMMENCE SOME TIME EARLY NEXT WEEK. WHILE IT LOOKS PRETTY ROUGH OUT THERE, WITH A HUNDRED OR MORE HOLES IN THE PLANKING, WHERE ADDITIONAL BRACING WAS ADDED TO THE IRON-WORK OF THE PLATFORM, THE PIERS HAVE ALL BEEN REINFORCED SUCCESSFULLY. AND THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY SWAY NOW WHEN THE GROUPS START ROCKING. THERE'S A LOT OF WORK YET TO DO, ON THE STAGE'S SURFACE, BUT APPARENTLY EVERYTHING IS ON SCHEDULE. WE CAN THANK THE COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF GRAVENHURST FOR PUSHING-AHEAD THIS PROJECT, EVEN DURING THIS TIME OF AUSTERITY AND BUDGET CUT-BACKS. I THINK IT WILL PROVE TO BE AN EXCELLENT INVESTMENT FOR QUITE A FEW MORE YEARS.
A BRIEF EXPLANATION, AND FINAL SUMMATION
SUZANNE SAID TO ME LAST EVENING, AFTER I'D LABORED ON ANOTHER BLOG ABOUT THE MOST RECENT COUNCIL NEWS, REGARDING THE TERRENCE HAIGHT BEQUEATH, "WHY DON'T YOU JUST DECLARE THAT YOU WILL BE RUNNING FOR COUNCIL, IN THE NEXT MUNICIPAL ELECTION." I LOOKED AT HER WITH CHIN ON CHEST. "YOU TOLD ME I COULDN'T RUN FOR COUNCIL…..AND STAY MARRIED," I RESPONDED, WHEN I REGAINED MY COMPOSURE. SHE REPLIED WITHOUT THE BLINK OF AN EYE, OR ANY LOST CONCENTRATION ON HER KNITTING, THAT "IF YOU FEEL SO STRONGLY ABOUT COUNCIL, AND WHAT YOU THINK THEY'RE DOING WRONG, YOU CAN DO MORE AS A MEMBER OF COUNCIL, THAN YOU WILL EVER BE ABLE TO DO AS A BLOGGER…..OR LETTER WRITER TO THE LOCAL PRESS." HAD MY REAL WIFE BEEN ABDUCTED BY ALIENS, AND A CLONE SET IN HER CHAIR, HER KNITTING NEEDLES CLASPED IN HAND, AND WATCHING TELEVISION WHILE MAKING ANOTHER LITTLE HAT? WHO WAS THIS PERSON? I HAVE LONG BEEN FORBIDDEN TO RUN FOR ANY KIND OF OFFICE. SHE LET ME RUN FOR TWO ELECTIONS IN BRACEBRIDGE, BUT VOTERS THERE DIDN'T APPRECIATE MY BOMBASTIC APPROACH EITHER.
FRANKLY, I WAS STUNNED, AND I THOUGHT ABOUT IT FOR THIRTY SECONDS OR SO, BEFORE I KNEW IT HAD TO BE A TRICK. SHE'S ALWAYS PULLING SUBTLE PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE ON ME, LIKE REVERSE STRATEGY. SHE KNOWS I'D GET ELECTED, SIT FOR ONE COUNCIL MEETING, (IF ELECTED), IMPLODE, AND REQUIRE NOTHING MORE THAN A BROOM AND A SMALL BAGGIE, TO SUM UP MY POLITICAL CAREER. I'M FAR TOO REACTIONARY TO MAKE A DECENT COUNCILLOR, OR MAYOR, AT LEAST IN THIS COUNTRY. IF I WAS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL IN A NATION THAT PERMITTED DONNYBROOKS, COUNCIL ON COUNCIL WRESTLING ACROSS THE TABLE, I'D FIT RIGHT IN. IT'S A CARRY OVER FROM MY HOCKEY DAYS, WHERE I MAY HAVE DROPPED MY GLOVES A FEW TIMES. I HAVE A "SHANE" VIEW OF THE WORLD, AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW PROFOUNDLY ALAN LADD INFLUENCED ME IN THAT MOVIE. I HAVE AN UNMOVABLE STAUNCHNESS ABOUT WHAT I PERCEIVE TO BE GOOD AND BAD, THAT AT TIMES, BECOMES TOO MUCH TO HOLD IN. SO I BLOG. WHEN FOR EXAMPLE, YOU SEE THE LETTERS IN UPPER CASE PRINT, I'M HAVING A "SHANE" MOMENT. UNLESS ROUGH-HOUSING BECOMES PART OF THE COUNCIL PROTOCOL SOMETIME SOON, I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE WISE FOR ME TO GET INVOLVED, RUNNING AS A CANDIDATE. WHEN I WORKED FOR HUGH CLAIRMONT AND HIS SON MARK, AT MUSKOKA TODAY, I WROTE ABOUT THIS IN MY REGULAR COLUMN, "HOMETOWN ADVANTAGE." IT WAS CAPTIONED, "DON'T EVER LET ME RUN FOR ELECTED OFFICE……BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE CRAZY."
THE PIECE BELOW, WAS WRITTEN A FEW HOURS AGO NOW, WHEN I WAS FEELING A TAD ANGRY. I TRY TO AVOID THIS, BUT SOME TIMES, IT JUST ISN'T POSSIBLE TO BYPASS WITHOUT SEVERING MY OWN HEAD FROM THESE BROAD, STRESSED SHOULDERS.
MANY TIMES I AM JUSTIFIED, AND IF, AS I'VE NOTED BEFORE, I SEEM A LITTLE HARSH WITH MY CRITICISM, WELL, THEN I AM SORRY THEY (ELECTED OFFICIALS, IN THIS CASE) FEEL THIS WAY. I DON'T WISH TO HURT ANYONE'S FEELINGS, AND I HAVE NO ENEMIES. I'M QUICK TO OFFER MY HAND IN FRIENDSHIP, AND I'VE TRIED TO RECONCILE MANY FOLKS IN THIS COMMUNITY, WHO HAVE BEEN AT ODDS WITH OTHERS, AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, SOME RESOLUTION HAS BEEN ACHIEVED. THERE ARE A FEW I'M STILL WORKING ON, THAT ONE DAY, I HOPE TO ALSO RESOLVE. I'M NOT A PAID NEGOTIATOR. JUST SOMEONE WHO KNOWS WHEN IT'S TIME TO MOVE ON, FOR THE BETTER OF ALL OUR COMMUNITY ASPIRATIONS.
I AM GENUINELY WORRIED ABOUT OUR TOWN. I SOMETIMES FEEL, THAT THE DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE CITIZENS AND THE TOWN COUNCIL IS UNNECESSARILY STRAINED BY MISUNDERSTANDING AND POOR COMMUNICATION. I WISH IT WAS AS SIMPLE AS THIS, REGARDING THE TERRENCE HAIGHT BEQUEATH, BECAUSE I FIND MYSELF AT REAL ODDS WITH THIS COUNCIL INITIATIVE. THE FOLLOWING IS THE SUMMATION OF A RECENT LETTER I WROTE TO THE LOCAL MEDIA, AND WITHOUT APOLOGY, THIS ONE HAS A LITTLE STING ATTACHED…..MORE FOR THE ORGANIZERS OF THE LAST ALL-CANDIDATES MEETING, THAN FOR THE COUNCILLORS THEMSELVES. THE PROBLEMS FOR THIS COUNCIL, IN MY OWN OPINION, BEGAN UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES I'LL EXPLAIN BELOW. I DO THINK THAT COUNCIL HOPEFULS SHOULD HAVE OBJECTED TO THE RULES OF CONDUCT THAT NIGHT, AND SIDED WITH CONSTITUENTS WHO FELT UNFAIRLY RESTRICTED, AT NOT BEING ABLE TO FREELY QUESTION CANDIDATES. THIS ISN'T JUST A SORE POINT FOR ME. IT WAS WIDELY DISCUSSED THAT NIGHT, AND FOR MANY NIGHTS FOLLOWING. IF TOWN WATCHERS WONDER ABOUT THE DECREASING INTEREST IN VOTING THESE DAYS, IT HAS TO DO WITH EVENTS LIKE THIS ONE. IF I DON'T KEEP NATTERING ABOUT THIS NOW, IN SEVERAL YEARS WE WILL BE FACED WITH THE SAME CONTROL-MECHANISM, AS WE SAW THEN, MAKING ITS RETURN ENGAGEMENT TO WHAT MUST BE AN "ELECTION DEBATE!" NOTHING LESS. I WILL FIGHT THIS VIGOROUSLY IN THE FUTURE.
I WILL NOT BE MAKING ANY OTHER PRESENTATION ON THIS BLOG, ABOUT THE TERRENCE HAIGHT BEQUEATH, UNTIL COUNCIL HAS MADE ITS DECISION. IT'S NOT SENSIBLE TO KEEP HARPING ON THIS, AND I'M SURE MY READERS ARE GETTING A LITTLE TIRED OF THE SAME OLD, SAME OLD. I'VE INCLUDED THIS FINAL EDITORIAL CLIP, BECAUSE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PUBLISHED THIS WEEK, BUT IT MISSED THE CUT FOR SOME REASON. BUT IT IS RELEVANT TO THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE, I FIND THE CORE ARGUMENT OF THE CURRENT DEBATE. WHILE I'M CERTAINLY NOT TRYING TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD, ONE BLOG-READER AT A TIME, I AM DESPERATELY TRYING TO CONVINCE COUNCIL TO CHANGE ITS COLLECTIVE MIND, ON THIS ISSUE, AND VOTE UNANIMOUSLY TO DEFER THE MATTER, OR REJECT IT ENTIRELY. SO IT IS WORTH ONE LAST PITCH, AS BITCHY AS IT MIGHT READ. IT IS DONE WITH RESPONSIBLE INTENT. I'VE GROWN UP WITH THIS DEMOCRACY THING, RINGING IN MY EAR, AND NOW I NEED TO SEE HOW IT WORKS IN A REAL STRESS TEST.
I WROTE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR, MORE THAN A WEEK AGO, REGARDING THE USE OF THE TERRENCE HAIGHT BEQUEATH. I AM JUST ONE OF THE LOCAL CITIZENRY OBJECTING TO THE MILLION DOLLAR MEMORIAL BEQUEATH, BEING USED TO PAY DOWN THE MUNICIPAL DEBT-LOAD. THE COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE FOR HANDLING THIS ISSUE, HAS VOTED IN FAVOR OF THIS PLAN, AND IT WILL APPARENTLY, COME BEFORE FULL COUNCIL THIS COMING TUESDAY, AT GRAVENHURST TOWN HALL.
MY LETTER WASN'T PUBLISHED, IN TIME FOR THE MEETING, FOR WHATEVER REASON, AND IF IT IS PUBLISHED FOLLOWING THE DECISION BY COUNCIL, IT KIND OF MISSES THE CRITICAL ISSUE OF TIMING. MAYBE IT WAS TOO AGGRESSIVE AND SNARLY? MAYBE IT WASN'T SNARLY ENOUGH. TOO LONG? TOO SHORT? POINT IS, IT DIDN'T MAKE IT TO PRINT IN THE TIMELY FASHION I HAD HOPED. WITH OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS, THEY WERE WRITTEN AS AN AMALGAMATED EFFORT, TO AT LEAST, DEFER, DELAY OR DISMISS THIS DEFICIT-REDUCING STRATEGY. WE THINK IT'S INAPPROPRIATE. WE'RE SORRY IT DIDN'T WARRANT MORE PRESS, AND THIS UNFORTUNATELY, IS A PROBLEM IN OUR COMMUNITY. SOFT FRONT-PAGE NEWS IS DENYING READERS WHAT THEY NEED FROM A NEWSPAPER. IT'S WHAT WE EXPECT? OTHER THAN THIS, ME THINKS IT'S JUST A FEATURE PUBLICATION, DRESSED UP AS A NEWSPAPER.
I WON'T REPEAT THE LETTER AS WRITTEN, BUT I'LL LET YOU KNOW WHAT MY POINT IS, WITH A LOT FEWER WORDS.
THE RECENT VOTE BY A TOWN OF GRAVENHURST COMMITTEE, HANDLING THE BEQUEATH ISSUE, HAS MADE A MISTAKE IN JUDGEMENT, BY DENYING FULL PUBLIC CONSULTATION. BUT THE PREAMBLE TO THIS, IN MY OPINION, BEGAN WELL BEFORE THE PRESENT COUNCIL WAS ELECTED. WHEN AN ALL-CANDIDATES MEETING, AT THE OPERA HOUSE, PRIOR TO THE LAST MUNICIPAL ELECTION, REFUSED TO ENTERTAIN QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR, DEMOCRACY WAS SURRENDERED. THE CONSTITUENTS OF THIS MUNICIPALITY (THERE WAS A RARE FULL HOUSE IN THE THEATRE) WERE INVITED TO SEND IN THEIR QUESTIONS FOR SCRUTINY AND SELECTION. ONLY SO MANY WERE DEEMED APPROPRIATE. ORGANIZERS, TO BE FAIR, DID TELL US ABOUT THE "QUESTION CULL" BEFORE HAND, SO THAT WASN'T A SURPRISE. I DON'T KNOW IF QUESTIONS WERE CENSORED OR TOSSED OUT, IF THEY WERE THOUGHT TO BE TOO AGGRESSIVE. AT LEAST, I DON'T BELIEVE ALL THE QUESTIONS THEY RECEIVED, MADE THE CUT. I'M ONLY SURMISING ABOUT THIS. JUST THE FACT THEY WERE VETTED FOR CONTENT, BOTHERS THE HELL OUT OF ME. THE FACT THERE WERE NO OPEN MICROPHONES IN THE HOUSE, NOW THAT WAS ANGER-RAISING IF NOTHING ELSE.
WHEN OUR COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES GO ON AND ON ABOUT TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND ALL THE GOOD PROTOCOLS THEY'RE CREATING, WITHIN TOWN ADMINISTRATION, YOU'D ALMOST THINK WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY AND FINALLY IMPRINTED OUR DESIRES, ON THE SOULS OF ELECTED OFFICIALS. THEN IN THE MIDST OF THEIR PROPAGANDA, ABOUT HOW OPEN THEY ARE, AS A GOVERNMENT, THEY DECIDE, AS A COMMITTEE, THAT THE PUBLIC CONSULTATION PART OF THE HAIGHT BEQUEATH, SIMPLY STATED, IS IRRELEVANT. WITHOUT A MENTION IN THE PRESS, THAT IT WAS EVEN COMING UP FOR THIS IMPORTANT DEBATE, THE COMMITTEE HAD OPTED FOR THE LESS THAN TRANSPARENT, LESS THAN DEMOCRATIC APPROACH…..OR DEMOCRACY THAT SUITED THEM, AT THAT MOMENT. FORTUNATELY A MEMBER OF THE GREATER GRAVENHURST RATEPAYER'S ASSOCIATION CAUGHT IT ON THE AGENDA, AND MADE MEMBERS AWARE WHAT HAD BEEN INITIATED BY THE COMMITTEE, RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BEQUEATH. IF SHE HADN'T SPOTTED THIS, THE NEXT NEWS WOULD HAVE UNDOUBTEDLY BEEN A TINY NEWS BRIEF, HEARD OR READ IN THE LOCAL MEDIA. DAMN, TALK ABOUT CLOSING THE BARN DOOR AFTER THE HORSES ARE LONG GONE.
WHY SHOULDN'T COUNCILLORS FEEL THIS WAS A WISE MOVE? THE PUBLIC DIDN'T HAVE ANY RIGHT TO QUESTION THEM, OPENLY, AT THE ALL CANDIDATES-MEETING, BECAUSE IT WAS TIGHTLY CONTROLLED, AS IF IN ANOTHER COUNTRY…..THAT DOESN'T SUBSCRIBE TO THE FULL MEASURE OF DEMOCRACY, AS WE CANADIANS KNOW IT. WHAT DID THEY LEARN FROM THAT MEETING? WELL, THEY CERTAINLY HAVE LEARNED THE PUBLIC CAN BE A BLOODY NUISANCE. IT WAS A CLEAR BETRAYAL OF DEMOCRACY, ON THAT NIGHT, AND THERE WERE A LOT OF VOTERS ANGRY ABOUT HAVING THEIR RIGHTS DENIED. IT WASN'T ABOUT TIME FRAME. THE ALL-CANDIDATES MEETINGS COULD HAVE BEEN DIVIDED OVER THREE NIGHTS. ONE NIGHT FOR THE MAYORAL CANDIDATES, ONE FOR DISTRICT COUNCILLORS, AND A THIRD FOR WARD REPRESENTATIVES. IT'S NOT LIKE THE OPERA HOUSE WAS BOOKED FOR ANY OTHER KIND OF ENTERTAINMENT. THE FORMAT WAS AWKWARD AND THE QUESTIONS FOR SOME COUNCILLORS, DIDN'T FIT THEIR WARD RESPONSIBILITIES ANYWAY. BUT IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO THE FACT, THE NEAT AND TIDY, OVERLY ORGANIZED MEETING, HAD AN AGENDA OF STATUS QUO. LET'S NOT UPSET THE CANDIDATES. GOD FORBID SOMEONE SHOULD ASK A QUESTION REQUIRING A LITTLE SOUL SEARCHING, OR TAPPING INTO EXPERIENCE AND INTELLECTUAL CAPACITY TO PROCESS. WHY WERE ORGANIZERS SO PROTECTIVE OF THE CANDIDATES? WHAT DID THIS RESTRICTION OF DEMOCRACY DO FOR OUR PRESENT COUNCIL? IT DID ONE THING FOR SURE. IT LET THEM OFF THE HOOK THEN, AND IT'S LETTING THEM OFF THE HOOK ONCE MORE. ACCOUNTABILITY? COME ON. THIS SHOULD HAVE PLAYED OUT WITH RIGOROUS QUESTIONING FROM CONSTITUENTS AT THE ALL CANDIDATES MEETING. MAYBE INTENSE SCRUTINY WOULD HAVE FORCED COUNCIL-HOPEFULS TO FESS-UP TO THEIR AGENDAS, POLICIES AND VIEWPOINTS……WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN SOMETHING MORE THAN THE "NOTHING-SIGNIFICANT" WE RECEIVED AS AN AUDIENCE.
I'VE WRITTEN ABOUT THIS BEFORE, AND I'M SORRY TO REPEAT IT ONCE MORE. WHAT QUALIFICATIONS WOULD YOU REQUIRE TO BECOME THE HEAD OF A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR CORPORATION? HOW MANY INTERVIEWS, AND WHAT FORMAT WOULD THEY TAKE, IN ORDER TO SELECT THE RIGHT CANDIDATE FOR THE JOB? WOULD THE PROCESS TAKE MINUTES OR MONTHS? OBVIOUSLY THE SITUATION VARIES, DEPENDING ON THE STRENGTHS AND REPUTATION OF THE CANDIDATES. GENERALLY, IT WOULD TAKE A WHILE TO GET THE KIND OF INDIVIDUAL WHO FITS INTO THE COMPANY PLAN, AND VISION OF FUTURE GROWTH. WE EMPLOYED OUR PRESENT TOWN COUNCIL, IN PART, FROM THE GENTLE CARESS OF PRE-ELECTION PRESS AND MEETINGS. WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN AN ELECTION BASED ON COMPETENCE AND ADVOCACY, FOR CONSTITUENTS, BECAME AN OUTRIGHT POPULARITY CONTEST. THE PUBLIC MEETING, WITH A FULL HOUSE, AND OPEN MICROPHONES IN THE AUDIENCE, WOULD HAVE INSPIRED THE KINDS OF ELECTION EVENTS THAT ACTUALLY MEAN SOMETHING……A FULFILLMENT OF THE HISTORICAL, TRADITIONAL EXERCISE OF DEMOCRATIC PRIVILEGE. WE WERE DENIED THIS, AND I HAVE MADE MY PROTESTS KNOWN EVER SINCE. SO WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED?
COUNCIL HOPEFULS, SHOULD HAVE REFUSED TO PARTICIPATE AS A GROUP. IF THEY REALLY FELT STRONGLY ABOUT THE DEMOCRACY THEY WERE PREPARING TO SERVE, WHY DIDN'T THEY SEE HOW IT WAS BEING STRANGLED BY THE IMPOSITION OF RIDICULOUS OVER-ADMINISTRATION? WE WILL NEVER KNOW WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED THAT NIGHT, IF THE INTERESTED PUBLIC IN ATTENDANCE, HAD BEEN AFFORDED THE RIGHT TO QUESTION THOSE RUNNING FOR ELECTION. SO LET'S FAST FORWARD TO THIS COMING WEEK, WHEN COUNCIL MAY PUT THE HAIGHT BEQUEATH ISSUE TO A VOTE. THE PRESS HAS OFFERED VERY MEAGRE COVERAGE OF THIS SITUATION, DESPITE THE FACT THERE HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLE UNREST AMONGST THOSE AWARE OF THE DEBT REDUCTION PLAN. IT WILL GET SOME PRESS IN THE FUTURE UNDOUBTEDLY. THE NEWS HOWEVER, AND I HATE TO BE THE ONE WHO BREAKS THIS TO THEM, IS THIS……. THE MULTIPLE ISSUES BEING RAISED BEFORE THE VOTE, AS A CHALLENGE TO DUMPING THE MILLION DOLLAR BEQUEATH ONTO THE TOWN DEBT; INSTEAD OF BEING USED BY THE COMMUNITY AS AN INTEREST-RAISING ENDOWMENT FUND. AS A FORMER NEWS-GUY, I'M SORRY, BUT THIS LACK OF COVERAGE IS HARD TO UNDERSTAND. GRAVENHURST CITIZENS NEED TO KEEP UP ON THESE TOWN FOLLIES, AND THE MEDIA DOESN'T SEEM PARTICULARLY INTERESTED.
THIS IS IMPORTANT IN SO MANY WAYS - BEYOND THE BEQUEATH
In my humble but boisterous opinion, the Town of Gravenhurst will do irreparable damage to its reputation, if they pursue their plan to use the inheritance, given to the community, to dump on the debt-load they have in substantial part, added to since the last municipal election. I am worried they don't understand how this looks to those of us, who are active and informed government watchers. What they see as "good for the community," is about as narrow-focused as you can get, especially when you realize that it was seen as time-consuming and irrelevant, to seek the opinions of interested residents of Gravenhurst. Not just ratepayers. The fact however, that they got into office in the first place, without ever once being grilled by the electorate as a group, means they've missed that fundamental reality of democratic election. Yes, indeed, I have a great concern about those who interpret what democracy represents, because these are the same folks who, with eyes wide-open, participated in an all-candidate's meeting, that was so encumbered with protocol, that democracy was replaced by dictatorial privilege. The privilege, for organizers, is that we, the voters of Gravenhurst, allowed the format to be restricted to suit an agenda. I would have loved to see just one council-hopeful stand up on that stage and say, "Bloody Hell, I'm not going to part of this event……because……" What a wild coup that would have been. What excitement. Back to that old-time political day when a debate was a good thing. Ruffled feathers is what the voters wanted to see. To read about. To watch unfolding on the evening news. We had the constrained, polite event, which folks, believe me, has led to this continuing dismissal of democratic privilege. It's wrong in so many ways. But I want councillors to recognize this, because it's important to them, as much as to us. The convoluted view of all things democratic, in this country today, is troubling to many constituents, and it will lead to something soon. Who knows.
I will make this final plea to those Gravenhurst councillors who may occasionally visit this blogsite. Please re-consider the committee decision, to use the Haight bequeath, to pay down the town debt. Change your vote. It is allowable, and justified under the circumstances. Council can turn this around, and prove that they are genuinely concerned about accountability, and are willing to work with the public, dissenters included, to make everything work better, and more progressively. If they choose to ignore public input, and what I feel is common sense, they should expect a long period of mistrust by the public, on many other issues, they may also feel don't belong in the public domain for scrutiny. It is, in this case, most definitely a slippery slope. Something tells me, it is a salvageable issue, that could be resolved, in the best interests of everyone involved.
If you yourself wish to attend the meeting, you should contact the municipal office, to get the times of the open council meeting. A public show of solidarity on this issue, would definitely send a message. As a final notation to today's blog, I want to point out, that all of us who are objecting to the committee's recent decision, are also advocates of paying down the debt. We're not irresponsible about the issue, just the fact, that this kind bequeath, by Mr. Haight, should be used differently, for benevolent purposes…….as it was with benevolent intent, that we received it in the first place. We know there are many other ways, in the normal course of running this municipality, to steadily pay down the debt. The million dollar gift is not just for ratepayers to decide. If you live in Gravenhurst, you have a right to make comment, about how this money is used. And whether there are 10,000 different responses or not, the inconvenience to some, is precious democracy to others. A committee of citizens should be formed to work with council on this decision.
The citizens of Gravenhurst need to make a fuss. Many of us allowed our rights to be restricted during the all-candidates meeting. We can make up for it now, by letting those councillors who did win the election, know that it was a one night surrender……not a forever thing.
Thank you so much for reading this blog. Please visit again soon. I appreciate the time we spend together.
I will be back to some antique and collectible writing soon. I just purchased a wonderful old cupboard with glass doors, and very thin shelves, apparently from a former Gravenhurst hotel…..but this was unnamed. We bought it from an antique shop in Orillia, and it will be used as a display piece, when our boys expand their main street music and collectible shop on July Ist. Hope you will come and visit.
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