WeACT and WEDC
The WEDC matter is getting so complicated that it makes my head spin. I just can’t believe the number of politicians who contacted me yesterday and told me that they knew nothing until they read about the resignations in the Star or in my BLOG.
I must admit that I find that very strange considering that both City and County Councils had their CAOs on the Board of the Undevelopment Commission. It would seem as well, because the facts are not clear to me at least, that they must have made the decisions on their own to resign unless the Mayor and Warden and/or their Councils allowed them to do so. I found that odd.
But if politicans did not know or only some did....what is going on!
I am so confused. I figure if I am then other people are as well. However, the most important thing for me to do right now is to offer up my suggestion as to how the Commission can carry on, at least in the interim. We do need to survive as a Region after all.
Of course, I mentioned to you before that the Star Blogger offered up the name of Alfie Morgan as the Temporary CEO of the Commission. Considering that our Mayor would have a veto, I would think, whoever becomes the Head would have to be acceptable to him. Alfie could be a good choice provided however that some of the comments that he made in a Henderson column about small business have been forgotten by the Mayor. They were pretty strong.
However, if there was a link between Alfie and our Mayor since Eddie did appoint him as his temporary CAO, some of the County people might be offended if he was made CEO even on a temporary basis. So that will not work.
Wait, I have a brilliant alternative suggestion.
As I commented before, the Commission was so fortunate to be able to hire Patrick Persichilli as the new Vice President of the Undevelopment Commission. That search seemed to be carried out very quickly and without much fuss or muss. Who would have thought that the Board would resign so soon after he was appointed.
Poor Mike Burton. He left at the wrong time I would think. He might have been CEO. If Patrick was not there, then our economic development situation would be virtually hopeless. With him around in the nick of time, then we have a chance. What good fortune and timing for us.
As I also mentioned, I did notice an omission from his background history as outlined in the Commission press release. It failed to mention as I saw on his Blogsite:
- "He is also the President of the Windsor-West Provincial Liberal riding association."
Sandra and Eddie are good friends aren't they, except for border skirmishes. Sandra was there with Eddie for the Red Bull cash announcement. So Eddie would not mind if Patrick was appointed. Why would the County object?
What a huge advantage this is for us in our time of crisis. I am certain that Patrick and Sandra can work together very closely. The reality of economic development as the Former CEO said was that the Municipality really relies upon the Province to do the work for us anyway. They have all of the resources, not us. They really direct investment towards this area and we hopefully can capitalize on it. This is especially true on the huge developments, say a new automotive plant.
What could be better for us if Sandra, the MITI Minister, sends all of this business to the President of her constituency! All those other areas of the Province can go jump in the lake. Sandra can justify all of this because of our very high unemployment rate and the threat of a major depression in this area because of the close down of the automobile industry. Perfect answer if the Opposition dares to say something at Queen’s Park.
So the first thing would be to make Patrick the acting CEO, probably indefinitely, but we don’t have to deal with that right now. Rather than paying someone to be the Vice President, it probably makes more sense is to hire a couple of economic development officers instead. After all, if Sandra is really doing all the work, then Patrick can devote his time to creating brochures and making bookings at the cheapest possible rate for trips to trade shows in Europe.
Clearly, the Commission does not have much business to do if you go back to my BLOG where I posted the priorities of the Undevelopment Commission in their resignation letter. If this is what they thought they should do for millions of dollars over the period of the next year, it does not bother me that they resigned.
That is merely one solution. I have a friend in the Economic Development business and he promised to send me some ideas from a professional’s perspective. When I get his note, I will post it here too to be of assistance.
Now to WeACT. Here is their press release. I expect that the Mayor, Warden and City and County Councils will think this is a good idea and support it strongly. The Credit Union members ought to!
- Windsor Association of Concerned Taxpayers Inc.
For Immediate Release
February 19, 2009
(Windsor) – The Windsor Association of Concerned Taxpayers (WeACT) is demanding the City of Windsor use the newly created Office of the Auditor General to investigate how residents' tax dollars were used by the Windsor Essex Development Commission.
“It is absolutely astonishing to learn that after millions of dollars were given to the Development Commission, their priorities have been so minimal: “A Memorandum with the Province of Saskatchewan,” the International Multimodal Conference, and a “long-term development strategy,” said WeACT President, Chris Schnurr.
“Developing a long-term development strategy? After untold millions of dollars, and economic uncertainty facing our region since at least 2002, they do not have a long-term strategy in place?”
Citing concerns over the inability of the Commission to retain a CEO, WeACT is also concerned that issues dealing with the expenditures of funds, especially the trips to Europe and consulting fees, may be swept under the rug now that the Board is resigning.
“As residents funding this organization, we demand the Commission open up their books for a full forensic audit," said Schnurr. "I also ask the County Council to appoint a representative since the County is a co-funder."
Incorporated in 2007, the Windsor Association of Concerned Taxpayers (WeACT) is a watchdog organization that looks out for your tax dollars and rights as a taxpayer.
We provide oversight of local government and aggressively resist unwarranted taxes and fees and ill-advised public expenditures. We challenge our municipal government to be accessible, responsive, efficient and fair.
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For more information please contact Chris Schnurr
Watch out Joint Councils. I hear that Madame Defarge has purchased some yarn and is knitting again. You do not want to fool with her!
posted by JoeBlog at 12:05 a.m.
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