Why Is Council Really Freezing Sandwich

It's too obvious. It's just like the imposition of the Interim Control by-law downtown so the Casino had time so it could do its thing. The By-law that then-Councillor Marra opposed. It is the same pattern exactly!

I am so sick of being manipulated. You should be too.

If you think the scolding by the Star of secrecy at City Hall has changed anything, then you are sadly mistaken. It is even worse: manipulation of the Council agenda for political purposes is the norm now as I shall demonstrate below.

There is no "open and transparent" Government in Windsor and I doubt that there will be for the next four years. All I wonder is how 10 people can allow themselves--and Windsorites--to be used this way. Do they have no respect for themselves and their legal obligations under the Municipal Act to "represent the public and to consider the well-being and interests of the municipality?" Or do they really think that they are acting in the best interests of Windsor!

He is Teflon after all. And he tries to remain hidden as others are placed front and centre, supposedly to get the glory. He does so because he cannot tolerate being blamed or criticized, and lashes back when he is, because he never does anything wrong. He is afraid to fail but knows how to grab the praise. He is clever in how he gets others to do his work for him since they take the fall if something goes wrong.

He claimed he was not a politician yet a Senator, after seeing him perform once in front of him, called him one

Obviously I am talking about our Mayor.

I just had this feeling about the Council meeting on Monday that something was going to happen that we would only find out about in the last minute and I was right. I checked the Council agenda at noon on Friday and not much of significance was posted. There was nothing on the Capitol nor were delegations posted.

I did not check the Council agenda page until later and there in plain view now right before the weekend was all the important stuff. It was too late to speak as a delegation at Council as of right. A delegation that wanted to speak now had to get Council's permission, which is NOT automatic.

What was added:

1. Capitol Theatre report although it was dated as at January 15 and was only signed on behalf of the CAO and no one else in Administration (shades of the key report on the Arena)


2. University of Windsor Program & Service Delivery Survey (the public opinion survey that was prepared a few months before the last election at taxpayer expense to let sitting politicians know what bugged citizens. A draft was available in September, right before the election.)


3. Olde Sandwich Town Community Improvement Plan dated January 24 which was not a PLAN but a request for an interim by-law to freeze everything in Sandwich for up to 2 years (see how subject titles mislead, just like the infamous Agenda item #5)


4. Delegation List

Here's how manipulation works.

On the Capitol---Star news stories, a Henderson column to soften up Councillors (including the resentful Councillor Postma who gave a radio interview) and the public before the Report was posted to work up the locals to get everyone on side reluctantly to save the Capitol. All followed up by an approving Editorial in Saturday's paper. That should give Councillors backbone to vote "AYE Eddie!"

On Tunnelling---I already informed you how Councillor Marra is being played by introducing the "tunnel" Motion. I loved his line in his Letter to the Editor last Friday:

• "Why tunnelling is the best option. "If they are serious about the well-being of Windsorites, they (DRIC) can commit to a tunnel," stated Mayor Eddie Francis on March 29. I could not agree more with the mayor."

Way to be a team player Bill!

How generous of the Star to give him space on the Friday before his Motion. Such a remarkable co-incidence. His Letter and the one from Moe Haas that happened to be put in at the same time paints Bill as a possible pro-DRTP-type and the fall guy when Eddie has his new Plan when the Tunnel concept is shot down. Oh and I defy most people to be able to find Marra's Notice of Motion in the city website in the first place. I see that only pro-tunnel Al Teshuba is speaking on it.

I must admit that I thought there would be a cast of thousands speaking in favour of the Motion but I guess Councillors wanted to make it an early evening and wanted to get the vote done quickly. Surprisingly, but for Al, it probably would have gone on the Consent agenda!

On the Bridge Company--- But the most fun is watching how the Bridge Co. is portrayed in advance to accomplish the objective of making them the City's "enemy." It is a long process, meticulously planned, designed with a bunch of news stories in advance to make the Bridge Co. appear evil so that when Council acts, everyone will be so pleased. Just read what I have excerpted below

This time it is Councillor Jones who is the sacrificial lamb if something goes wrong.

Let me show you how it works. Here is the timeline so you will see what I mean:

Friday, October 13, 2006

• Bridge work raises fears
  Dave Battagello, Windsor Star
  West-end community leaders fear land preparation by the Ambassador Bridge is linked to the company's bid to twin its span or resurrect a controversial ring road proposal in the heart of their neighbourhood.
  
  The bridge company has been bulldozing its properties, levelling them off. Gone are several former university dorms and custom broker office buildings it purchased, plus a handful of homes.
  
  The company also continues to purchase residential properties at an alarming rate, they say.
  
  "I'm very concerned with what they are doing," said city Coun. Ron Jones. "It's incumbent upon us to be very vigilant and watch them closely...
  
  While the bridge company can bulldoze its own properties, city infrastructure such as roads, sewers and other utilities are off-limits, Jones said.
  
  "We have (city inspectors) going in there on a regular basis to ensure our concerns are met. I have talked with one inspector who said they have not touched our infrastructure and (are) staying on their property...
  
  "They are not going to give up on anything," Cuderman said.
  
  "They are buying up properties and letting them deteriorate. Unfortunately, the way some of the neighbourhood is starting to look, it seems like they are getting somewhere."

[NOTE: Councillor Jones has been on this kick about "watching" the Bridge Co. for some time now, mentioning it several times at Council. Each time he was told by Administration, as it was related in the story, that the Bridge Co. was acted absolutely legally. I am sure that must really trouble him!]

October 30, 2006

• Council Minutes
  Under CR519/2006 "the Olde Sandwich Towne Community Planning Study (attached hereto as Appendix A) BE ADOPTED as the municipality’s guide for future planning, capital budgeting and community improvement efforts in Sandwich" even though one task force member appeareed at Council and said that "she personally feels that process was not properly followed in terms of notification and receipt of a draft copy of the Planning Study, and concludes by suggesting that the Study being presented before Council is highly influenced by Administration and not a true product of the Task Force."

December 21, 2006

• West side's demise predicted;
  Dave Battagello.
  
  "...Homes are being ripped down and mountains of dirt are being shifted a stone's throw from where the family lives. Meanwhile, the bridge proceeds with construction of six new truck customs lanes -- seemingly laying the groundwork for a second span.
  
  Since their home, like every other on the block, is owned by the bridge company, "there is not much we can do about it," Jones said.
  
  "But the way they are doing things, it's as if there is no respect for our community...
  
  "Windsor is not Detroit," said Coun. Ron Jones, who represents the west end and walked the Indian Road area near the bridge Wednesday. He voiced concerns the bridge is moving beyond its approved plaza plans and is laying the groundwork for a second span.
  
  "I'm not comfortable with what they are doing. There is not a doubt in my mind where they are going with this," Jones said.
  
  City inspectors have been keeping an eye on the bridge construction work, he said. The bridge has been legally approved to tear down four homes on Indian, with demolition applications pending on several others, Jones said.
  
  The city can stop demolition only if it involves a heritage building or property designated under a demolition control bylaw."

January 8, 2007

• Councillor Jones' speech at Council [as taken from the BLOG of Chris Schnurr]
  
  "Your worship and members of council, I hope all you have received this particular document [editor’s note: reference to The Olde Sandwich Towne Community Planning Study Report], one of which councillor Postma and I are so very, very proud of the hard work that has gone on. Mr. Yanchula and his planning department. More especially Alexander and Carol Chan, Neil Robertson – they have done a marvellous job putting this document together, your Worship, talking about the history of Sandwich Towne, talking about the future of Sandwich Towne, and what we intend and hope to do out there.
  
  But I want draw attention to a wonderful and decent human being, Mrs. Hildegarde-Ash who chaired that particular committee who worked tirelessly to keep the group together and bring us to where we are now. And we’re hoping in the very near future that this will be a corporation and we can start applying for different funding. We have had word from a well known planner, world renowned, that he is prepared to put forward $100,000 to help us with our projects out there. People have stuck together out there. We have really reason to believe that this is going to be truly a wonderful piece for Windsor. The crown jewel in the Windsor area.
  
  I want to thank administration, I want to thank members of city council, for sticking together, united, and trying to bring Sandwich Towne back to the glory it once involved. We have a lot of historic nature there. We have a lot of historic buildings. We also have, your Worship, some sacred territories there, some aboriginal terrorities and I hope that this council will see that we stick together and protect all the heritage of Sandwich Towne.”

January 15, 2007

• CKLW story
  BRIDGE ORDER
  
  The province has ordered the Ambassador Bridge Company to have a licensed archeologist on site during some of its work on Indian Road. The Bridge is demolishing some homes that it owns on the road to prepare for an expanion to its operations. But the area is identified in the city's archeological master plan as being archeologically sensitive.

January 25, 2007

• Bridge plans hit heritage snag
  Expansion project may be disturbing historically sensitive, First Nation burial sites
  Dave Battagello, Windsor Star
  The local archeological society wants the city to halt expansion of the Ambassador Bridge because the company may be digging on historically sensitive lands that include First Nation burial grounds.
  
  Katherine Graham, president of the Windsor Chapter of the Ontario Archaeological Society, urged the city to issue a stop work order pending an archeological assessment of the west-end site.
  
  The land in the area was once a Huron reserve dating to 1749 and a number of human burial sites have been uncovered there over the years, including a finding in the 1960s, Graham said in a letter to the city.
  
  She added that according to the city's archaeological master plan, the lands are of "high potential for archaeological remains...
  
  Under Ontario's Heritage Act, stop work orders could be declared so archeological work could be completed, she suggested to council...
  
  Council is expected to discuss the matter during Monday's meeting, said Coun. Ron Jones.
  
  "It was brought to my attention, not only by people in the neighbourhood, but also among First Nations and archeological groups, that they have concerns," Jones said.
  
  "It's very obvious to them it was a Huron village. They have concerns about some of the dirt that's being moved in the area. Certainly, there is a need for us to look at this."

January 29, 2007

• Motions to pass an Interim Control By-law to prohibit certain uses of land and a Demolition Control by-law to prevent actions such as demolition which may stabilize the community.

I may have missed a story or two but you get the drift. That's how the manipulation is done.

Don't you just abhor the Bridge Company now! So when the Motions to freeze Sandwich and to forbid demolition are passed, you will feel so happy too. Never mind the huge adverse consequences to the people of Sandwich that they do not know about. It does not matter. It is for their own good whether they like it or not.

So now you know how manipulation takes place in Windsor. When you see a strange story in the Star, cut it out, keep watching and then soon thereafter, when you least expect it, you will see how it plays out. It's not so hard to do.

Then you will learn how not to be manipulated.