Gravenhurst Council Isn't a Bad Seed

GRAVENHURST COUNCIL ISN'T A BAD SEED - JUST NOT GETTING THE BEST ADVICE

A GENERAL RELUCTANCE TO INVESTIGATE PUBLIC PERCEPTION IS THEIR FAILING

     I WANT TO IMPRINT THIS AS A "BLOGGER RECORD," SO I DON'T HAVE TO REPEAT IT IN TWO YEARS, WHEN THE NEXT MUNICIPAL ELECTION ROLLS AROUND. I DON'T BELIEVE GRAVENHURST COUNCIL HAS OPERATED, OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS (ALMOST), WITH ANY SERIOUS DISREGARD FOR MUNICIPAL REGULATIONS OR PROVINCIAL LAWS…..THAT WOULD CAUSE ME, AS A CITIZEN, TO FILE AN OFFICIAL COMPLAINT ABOUT WRONG-DOING. I DON'T FIND ANY EVIDENCE OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST, OR ANY DEVIATION FROM NORMAL PROCEEDINGS THAT WOULD MAKE ME EVEN REMOTELY SUSPICIOUS OF SCANDALOUS GOINGS ON AT TOWN HALL.

     IF I HAD TO MAKE A COMMENT ON COUNCIL'S TWO YEAR REPORT CARD, I WOULD HAVE TO SAY, THEIR BIGGEST SHORTFALL IN GOVERNANCE, IS AN UNWILLINGNESS TO INVESTIGATE THE NEGATIVE IMPACT THEIR DECISIONS CAN MAKE ON A LARGELY UNSUSPECTING, TRUSTING COMMUNITY. SUCH WAS THE CASE WITH THE COSTLY REPAIRS TO THE TOWN HALL ROOF, THAT DIDN'T GET MUCH MORE COVERAGE THAN IF A FLOWER PLANTER WAS KNOCKED OVER, AND IT HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE. THE RECREATION CENTRE OVERHAUL WAS LIKE A MARX BROTHERS' SKIT…..CHECK OUT "THE HAT GAG," AND SEE IF YOU CAN FIND ANY PARALLELS. IF IT WASN'T SO DAMN EXPENSIVE, WITH THE PLETHORA OF ERRORS, WE MIGHT HAVE CHUCKLED AT THE SUCCESSION OF OOPS AND DO-OVERS, AND THEN THERE WAS A GIANT POROUS FLAW WITH THE ROOF. NOTHING CHEAP. THE ATTITUDE THAT SUCKED WAS, "IT IS WHAT IT IS." MEANWHILE, OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, THERE ARE A LOT OF RETIRED ACCOUNTANTS, ENGINEERS, CONTRACTORS, ARCHITECTS, AND FORMER CIVIL SERVANTS WITH THE GOVERNMENT, NOT TO MENTION RETIRED POLITICIANS, WHO DIDN'T BUY ANY OF THE EXCUSES. COUNCIL AS A WHOLE, DECIDED THAT IT WASN'T REALLY IMPORTANT WHAT THE CONSTITUENTS THOUGHT, AND CONTINUED TO PROVIDE SUMMARY, AMUSING ANECDOTES EACH TIME THE PRESS GOT WIND OF ANOTHER DEBACLE. WHAT DEBACLE? OR WHICH ONE IN PARTICULAR, BECAUSE THERE WERE MORE THAN ONE, BUT SQUEAKING IN UNDER A BAKER'S DOZEN.

      I HAD SOMEONE EXPLAIN TO ME, HOW THEY TOOK AN ELDERLY LADY, TO SEE ONE OF THE MOVIE-NIGHT PRESENTATIONS, HELD AT THE REC. CENTRE, DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER, AND IT WAS LIKE A MONTY PYTHON GAG…..TRYING TO GET HER INTO THE AUDITORIUM, AND THEN OUT OF THE FACILITY, WHERE THEY'D TRAVEL UP AND DOWN THE WRONG WAY…..THAT FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, LOOKED LIKE THE RIGHT WAY. THERE HAVE BEEN LOTS OF FOLKS DISMAYED BY THE ROUTE TO THE AUDITORIUM. NOW IF THERE WAS A DO-OVER ON PLACEMENT OF THE AUDITORIUM, ME THINKS IT WOULD BE IN A DIFFERENT, MORE CONVENIENT LOCATION. AND REMEMBER, THE WISE AMONGST US, DECIDED THAT BARGE CONCERT RAIN OUTS WEREN'T IMPORTANT DESIGN AND SIZE CONSIDERATIONS WAY BACK WHEN. THE RESULT? THERE ARE NO RAIN RE-LOCATIONS OF THESE CONCERTS. THE ROOM IS TOO SMALL, IT'S ON THE SECOND FLOOR, WITH AN INADEQUATE ELEVATOR TO HANDLE AUDIO EQUIPMENT, AND IT IS TOTALLY INADEQUATE FOR A MUSICAL GROUP TO ACTUALLY SOUND GOOD. THE TOWN POSITION, AS WE KNOW IT, HAS BEEN….."EVERYTHING IS GOOD…..AND MONEY WELL SPENT." IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING A CULT WOULD PUT OUT AS A MEDIA RELEASE. THE HAIGHT BEQUEATH WAS THE SAME. "WE'LL DO WHAT WE WANT WITH THE MONEY….END OF STORY." HOW'D THIS WORK OUT FOR COUNCIL? NOT SO GOOD. THEY CAME UP WITH A GOOD DECISION, ONLY AFTER THEY WERE REMINDED THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SENSIBLE AND NOT SO MUCH.

THEY SHOULD SEEK OUT ADVICE

     When I used to cover the Council of the Township of Georgian Bay, back in the late 1970's, I can always remember, Mayor Joe Jacques, turning to me one night, the lone reporter in the press gallery, and asking my opinion on several council matters. Of course I was dumbfounded, because I didn't think protocol allowed for a guy from the local newspaper, to be commenting on a matter before council. In hindsight, geez, I think Mayor Jacques was ahead of his time. Some would say, he was behind his time, because it was something that would have been more common back a half century, when the towns and villages were much less bound-up with restrictions and protocols……and there was wiggle room to negotiate. The bottom line for most of us constituents, is that we want the common sense, responsible decisions, that we can all talk about over coffee, or a glass of wine….or while selecting magazines at the drug store, as being in our general best interests. Currently, it's quite the opposite, and there's a growing anger about what is perceived as council incompetence, blended with arrogance that……"we can govern our way through this mess." In any of the messes thus far, this hasn't been the case, and some citizens are stacking up the alleged errors in judgement, and I've got to tell you, it's looking pretty bad……point by point. But it is what people are talking about, and I'm pretty sure much could be mitigated, if council wanted to clear the air……and hold a "Q. and A." at the Opera House……where citizens would be allowed to interact, without censorship, (like was imposed during the all-candidates meeting two years ago), and be able to take their concerns public…..in a forum where answers could be judged, without having to turn a newspaper page. Gravenhurst Council has created their own burdens, by not seeking advice from some of our retired politicians, who I very much trust, to get some public relations help, on creating trust and understanding, regarding the troubling list of concerns dating back to the early weeks of their administration.

     There is still time. What is the down side of letting the public voice their opinions…..ask their questions? I get yelled at and criticized all the time, and it hasn't killed me yet. I think Gravenhurst constituents might be very encouraged, to see a council willing to be graded on their two year performance…..up close and personal. I believe it would be the kind of damage control that isn't sculpted and presented by in-house media folks, trying to dull the sharp edges. I think there would also be those in attendance, who might applaud council participants, for the work they have done, to overcome serious obstacles, and regain control of near-catastrophic circumstances, from main street fires, to police investigations. While councillors themselves might be pleased by their performances, to get this far without resignations, the truth is, the public overall, is deeply suspicious something is wrong at town hall. They're not buying the "everything's fine" scenario. So for their benefit, and to clear the air, it would be refreshing indeed, if councillors thought enough of democracy, to invite the public to a little conversational get-together…..which would be a giant olive branch at a very critical time. You just can't use the media to put out every fire. We start a few on our own, to go with the others.

     I don't dislike any of our Gravenhurst councillors, and I would never challenge their integrity or honesty, to represent our community respectfully, and with the best intent. Still, like having a deep sliver, and not digging it out at the time it becomes a wound, the heal-over effect doesn't make the sliver irrelevant. It can make it worse. Council has blown-off the public, as being somewhat of a nuisance, in their pursuit of our democratic institution……and the privileges it provides the elected few. While they may be coloring inside the lines here, it's still too close to the edge, for many of us to sit and watch another two years of "we did it our way…..even if you didn't like it." At some point folks, the constituents have to "like" what the elected body is doing. Or they get rid of them at the next election. While we have talented, intelligent members of council, they have acted as a mutual admiration society for the most part, despite the fact the anger against them has been mounting. It's not that I haven't been trying to warn them, about storm clouds on the horizon. The headlines of the past few weeks, have just fertilized the seeds of discontent, and it's true……some would like to see resignations from council. I'm not an extremist, and I would never suggest this now. Moreso I might advise, it's time to smarten up, and take a close look at the problems that have surfaced in the past two years……and if resolution could have been handled better, with more respect for constituent demands. Once again, the Haight bequeath was right up there on the list of debacles. How could council have ever thought that paying down the town debt was the right way to go on this? Talk about coffee shop outrage. Two years ago, the outrage was with a former council, and the talk was about the bright lights, who were running for the new council. A lot of bad water has gone under the proverbial bridge since then.

     In my world…..my Gravenhurst, I want the present Gravenhurst Council to carry-on. I want them to toughen-up, get out and meet their constituents, and ponder some of the helpful comments from people who want to inspire change………not impose it like a military coup. I want them to appreciate, that being elected didn't mean we planned to muzzle ourselves for their four year term…..or that we were leaving it all up to them to make our beds each night. We wanted to be participants at the all-candidates meeting and we were denied. It was an example of muzzling the constituents from asking questions that would evoke strong reactions. We got none of that…..and I've alway felt, it was the candidates who dropped the ball on this night. They should have refused to go on that stage, unless the public was able to ask uncensored questions, of the people who were vying for elected office. Democracy suffered that night, and has for the past two years, seemingly been an echo of the country we used to live in…….where freedom of speech was actually important.

     I admit to thinking that Gravenhurst Council is guilty of being naive. I won't ever suggest I don't trust their capabilities. But I just don't like their ridiculous non-committal "I'll tell you a week Friday," messaging that paints the scene, as if in a movie backdrop, "everything's all right," when clearly it isn't. I don't believe this makes them dishonest, but not as reality-committed as they should be, especially in this situation at present.

     I'm not leaving town. I want to work with these folks, to make this a better place to live. I'd rather lock arms with these people at the helm than lock horns.

     Thank you for joining today's blog. Please come back and visit with me again.