Gridlock Sam Schwartz

Speaking about secrecy at City Hall, I am waiting for the Star Editors to slam the Mayor and Council now over what they passed in mid-October at their secret, in camera session.

Did anyone in the public know that our Council authorized the spending of hundreds of thousands of dollars for an attack on the Bridge Co. in Cleveland and elsewhere? Oh I am sorry, that is solicitor-client privilege. We cannot reveal our tactics since our "enemies" might be able to counter it (In this case, the Bridge Co. reps were in attendance so they knew about Estrin.)

Almost as good an excuse as a "confidentiality clause" to hide relevant information from citizens.

Such immaturity is not called for. Now you may understand, dear reader, why I could not vote to re-elect Eddie Francis for mayor and why I said a long time ago that he will never make it as a great politician notwithstanding his potential: he does not trust his own electorate with the truth.

I feel so sorry for the Councillors at City Hall. They seem to have no idea whatsoever what is going on in the border file. They are being made to look like fools in public.

Councillor Halberstadt writes a BLOG about Schwartz and now the Star picks up the story. "Schwartz is dead" Halberstadt states. Newbie Councillor-to-be Dilkens states "he never fully supported the Schwartz plan...I already thought Schwartz was dead in my mind." His Wardmate Councillor STOPDRTP made Sam's Report the basis of his campaign. Councillor Lewenza says "The Schwartz report was meant only to provide a blueprint for the city's concerns." Councillor Jones says "the truck bypass can still be salvaged...I don't feel Schwartz is dead," he said. "Some areas just need to be tweaked a bit."

Congratulations to Alan and Drew. They are the winners. They stated the obvious. The Schwartz Plan was dead in late summer 2004 after the Senior Levels rejected the Plan since it totally undercut the Bi-national process that had to be "respected." Did Eddie tell us that at the time? Nope...he carried on as if nothing happened trying to salvage his mess.

The great unveiling of the Schwartz Report to the public, the THINKING BIG...that was Eddie's effort to hide that he failed and to divert attention from his real plans which were at the Detroit Windsor Tunnel. The Schwartz Report was the City's position that Eddie tried for months to sell. Finally Councillor Valentinis had to admit that it was merely the City's "starting point," thereby signalling that the City had no idea what it wanted to do other than start scare tactics and yell quality of life and tunnels in order to be re-elected.

Sam confirmed that in the Star today:

• "Schwartz said Thursday his report remains valid. He expressed disappointment it has become bogged down by the controversy over one aspect -- the bypass.
  
  "We never said it had to be just this one route," he said. "We always said it had to be vetted by the community -- exploration of all the alternatives. But people just got bogged down on one element.
  
  "The goal was to get trucks off city streets. If it turns out there are better alternatives, then adopt those elements."

Even Sam does not get it yet. He was used. The Report got bogged down in the by-pass because Eddie wanted it to get bogged down that way. Why else would a Mayor elected to find a long-term solution for Windsor concede that decision-making to the Bi-national 2 days after Sam revealed his Report. Why else was he rallying citizens for a short-term solution? In my mind I always thought Eddie planned for Schwartz to fail!

The Schwartz Report was a political document, not an engineering statement, designed to please everyone in town other than DRTP and the Ambassador Bridge. And who would shed a tear for them. Even Eddie must have been shocked by the negative reaction. Within days, the Schwartz Report was rejected by those who truly understood the border issues. Eddie had miscalculated badly.

Enough about the distant past. Let's leap forward. I posted way back on August 31 "Is It Au Revoir to Gridlock Sam"

• "My understanding is that Sam Schwartz of Canada, Ltd. required a Certificate of Authorization to engage in the business of offering and providing professional engineering services to the public. As I have posted before, Marko Paranosic left Sam's office and joined Stantec in Kitchener. I have been advised that:
  
  "When the only engineer of a CofA chooses to leave his/her current employment, or if a member is “Lapsed/Resigned/Retired or even Deceased”; as per the Professional Engineering Act and Regulations the CofA has to be suspended, and the CofA holder is given certain amount of time to pursue finding a suitable replacement for the departing P. Eng., which is the case of Sam Schwartz of Canada ltd. as of the yesterday [August 30]."

Now unless Sam has been obtained a new Certificate, he cannot offer and provide professional engineering services to the public in Ontario which includes Windsor!

So is Sam done, right, finished, his assignment over? You would almost think so from Alan's Blog and the Star story. The Councillors should know the real situation shouldn't they. The Mayor would tell them what he was doing wouldn't he? Estrin would not hide important matters from them when he sought their concurrence to his strategy would he? The Star would report everything factually wouldn't it?

Now you did not read something important in the Star report about Cleveland. Remember I asked about a week ago:

• "Is Gridlock Sam coming back to help David Estrin? There was his name mentioned: "the airport transportation hub proposed by New York traffic guru Sam Schwartz?" Pretend he is coming back for one reason and then have him do something else."

Well I was right....There was Sam in Cleveland making a presentation to the US Coast Guard! He was part of the effort by the City to stop the Bridge Co. from moving forward. Why didn't the Star report that information?

Either the Councillors knew about it so that they were active participants in the Star story as part of a plot designed to deceive us OR they did not know about it and they were deceived and made to look like fools.

What is the truth? I wonder who at City Hall can recall the answer! If I were a Councillor, I'd like to make someone remember and quickly!

Do you think the Star will check out this story or does ending secrecy not apply to the border file if it is the Bridge Co. involved?