Thoughts and Opinions On Today's Important Issues

Monday, April 07, 2008

Strategic Planning Session Agenda

Here are the agenda items for the Strategic Planning session as of the time of posting as set out on the City website. According to usually reliable sources, this is the same agenda that Councillors have received so far.


Now that's Windsor-style planning under this Mayor!

That's right: nada, nothing zilch!

Of course, now that this has been revealed, to prove me wrong, expect some items to be sent out in a revised agenda. Who said that Eddie did not want to hear from Councillors in a public session! Let them blather on as much as they want publicly. Windsor Democracy in action.

This type of planning has a name that I am going to coin right now: "stealth planning." It IS very strategic.

Naturally, I would expect that the Mayor has an agenda in his head which he will spring on the Councillors, one of the big items being, if the A-Channel News claim is correct:

  • " Eddie Francis say's he'll be lobbying city councillors to endorse his plan to direct $30 million into an economic investment fund."

Then he will demand their support.

I am told by a friend of mine that spoke with the Mayor on Friday that Eddie has committed that:

  • "there won't be a vote on Monday regarding the transfer of $30 Million to the Windsor & Essex County Developement Commission."

Be advised, it's not real money so don't be too upset but just a "commitment" so that he can shop it around to try to get others to put up funds too. All it means is that Windsor's NEXT Mayor and Council will be stuck finding the cash while Eddie gets 3 years of glory. No new jobs created either. But it's the thought that counts.

Why let anyone know what he's thinking on agenda items so they can be prepared to argue against him if they have concerns. It's like introducing a Motion when Councillor Halberstadt had his WUC Motion already on the floor. Makes me wonder if he dropped a couple of hundred pages of documents on Councillors right before the Tunnel meeting and then demanding that they sign off on $111 million deal right away.

Of course with a starting time at 4PM, who will be there other than naysayers, whiners and Gord's "usual minority of bellyaching malcontents" who do not have to work for a living! No point starting it at 6PM like a usual Council meeting since people might actually be able to attend.