More On The City Meeting In Tecumseh

Why am I bothering and making such a fuss over such insignificant matters you may be thinking?

Two reasons:
1) I do not want City business "sprung" on us such as confirming any "secret" resolutions that Councillors have already passed that no one knows about. I frankly do not trust them! If they want a resolution passed, tell us first and let us appear as delegations to give our point of view

2) I want to demonstrate how our Mayor and Council have lost whatever direction they had on the border. They have no idea what they are doing frankly since they cannot even set up a meeting properly. How can we trust them to lead us now?

We better build that new arena downtown after all and turn it into a multi-use facility. No room in the City anywhere for a meeting. Wow, this City is jammed with events going on. The hotels must be full, the restaurants packed!

Can you believe this silliness in the Star today:

• "City council scheduled a special meeting on the border traffic debate outside city limits because there were no other available venues large enough that day, says a spokeswoman for Mayor Eddie Francis."
  
  

Really...I did not see any events scheduled on the 23rd at the City-owned Cleary or at the Capitol theatre. What about the Armouries (it could be used for the super private NFL Canada Super Bowl VIPs so why not Windsorites) or a high school gym or at the University. A reader suggested the Tilston Armouries too. He said that there’s plenty of room for a large crowd; public transportation to the site. In any event, I will let Ms Coleman worry about the logistics.

Here is another letter to the Mayor and Council I just faxed.

To: Mayor Eddie Francis and City Councillors

RE: Council Communication
Notice of Public Meeting of Windsor City Council
Response to the Detroit River International Crossing
Partnership (DRICP) Environmental Process - Border
Ciociaro Club (Salon A & B), 3745 North Talbot Road

Further to my letter dated March 18, 2006, I note Agenda #9 on the Council Agenda for today’s meeting.

I would appreciate if you can explain to me how it is possible to “waive” the Procedure By-law given the mandatory requirements of the Municipal Act.

The Municipal Act provides that:
236.(1) The council of a municipality shall hold its meetings… within the municipality or an adjacent municipality at a place set out in the municipality’s procedure by-law; however, in the case of an emergency, it may hold its meetings and keep its public offices at any convenient location within or outside the municipality.

If the provisions are “waived,” then how does the City have a Procedure By-law that meets the requirements of the Act?

Would you please also point out to me the provisions of the Procedure By-law that allow a “public” meeting to be set up and to allow it to take place outside of Windsor. Our by-law does not deal with “public” meetings at all.

I trust that I shall receive a written reply by 4 PM today. I specifically reserve the right to appear as a delegation tonight to speak to this matter if I do not receive a satisfactory response.