WUC Water-gate2

Mini-Gord ends his column this way today:

• "And two years ago the people at WUC had their butts handed to them on a platter for an outrageous 86 per cent water rate increase."

He forgets what was the role of Edgar (aka Eddie) in that fiasco or rather wants us to forget that.

Now that WUC has gone to the public to get their views and wants the public to have input, know the results and hear Council debate it, mini-Gord wants to prevent that from happening. He tells us what Edgar wants us to hear.

I wrote this back in WUC Water-gate1 in August, 2007:

• "Is WUC Windsor's WATER-Gate
  
  It's an old political cliché that can come back to haunt people:
  
  "It’s not the crime- it’s the cover up."
  
  Do we have an element of this in the whole mess around water levy and sewage levy rates?
  
  Oh not that kind of a crime but has the effort of the last few days been designed to hide matters from the public? I'll let you be the judge after reading this BLOG!"

Here we go again. What is the Mayor and the Messenger afraid of this time around?

Someone has to start fact-checking mini-Gord's columns.

The Star needs to do a clarification story to insert information that mini-Gord left out of his column. Perhaps if the information that I have been given is true, the Mayor did NOT tell him during their phone calls about the request of Ken Lewenza for the WUC item to be put on the Council public agenda on June 14.

Mini-Gord does need to let go already of the CUPE strike and "move-on." He is not helping his journalistic career at all.

Did you see one word in his anti-democracy, anti-Lewenza diatribe about the June 14 request by Lewenza to have the WUC meeting on the agenda? Neither did I.

Check out the Line of sight BLOG on this matter for a good explanation http://lineosight.blogspot.com/2010/06/water-water-everywhere.html

In particular, read this:

• "The Provincial deadline is approaching but nothing is happening at council regarding the WUC proposal to raise the rates for the provision of water to consumers. By July 1st WUC has to be in compliance with the Sustainable Water and Sewage Systems Act and provide to the Ontario Government a plan for cost recovery, but there is nothing on the 14 June Council Agenda.
  
  However, WUC has been ready to go with a presentation for Council, with options and recommendations for the increase, after extensive consultation with the public, for a few months. Why have they not been allowed to present to Council? Who is ensuring that WUC's report doesn't make it onto the agenda where councilors can debate it and obtain clarity on the issues? Is it politically motivated?"

In a separate Star story we learned:

• "Francis said the issue wasn’t put on the June 14 agenda of council because WUC had only approved three days earlier a plan calling for a 30 per cent increase over six years. He added next Monday’s council meeting was a non-starter because he would be in Bahrain on city business and that at least two councillors rearranged their schedules so the special meeting could proceed Thursday."

So there is the confirmation that Francis kept it off of the agenda even though Lewenza asked for it to be put ON the agenda so that the public could hear the debate.

Here is just one example of an email sent out in May. Note the City wanted the meeting date on June 28 yet now Edgar says that day is NOT satisfactory.

• "17/05/2010 12:30 PM
  To svlachodimos@city.windsor.on.ca
  
  Subject Re: City Council Agenda
  
  Hi Steve,
  
  In speaking with Ken Lewenza this morning, he advises that the 28th of June is not an option. May we please be listed for June 14th?
  
  Thanks,"

Yet mini-Gord could state only:

• "After that vote, Lewenza Jr. asked for a special meeting of city council this Thursday to ratify the rate increase, as required by law."

He also knew that Lewenza only agreed to that date because he was told that Cogeco would broadcast the meeting publicly:

• "But at the last minute, Lewenza Jr. discovered the special meeting would not be televised by Cogeco cable. He had been counting on this, apparently.
  
  Lewenza Jr. told people in an email that he was looking forward to the TV debate because he was "sick and tired of the mayor and The Windsor Star," according to one source who read it."

Why couldn't Council have scheduled a regular Council meeting today? Why does the world stand still while Edgar is overseas playing Children's Games which he has already obtained I am told?

Mini-Gord is pathetic:

• "For years some experts have argued that it's a bad idea to allow cameras of any kind into the meeting rooms where our politicians make decisions."

Sure, let's keep everything "in camera," in secret, behind closed doors so no one knows anything and there is no accountability or responsibility." Heck, who needs Councillors since Edgar does everything anyway and Chairs just about every Board, especially those that pay extra amounts of money that he does not have to share with his colleagues. Let's protect a possible corrupt Councillor as mini-Gord has done.

After all the Mayor pointed out that:

• "media outlets other than Cogeco, including The Star, would likely cover Thursday’s meeting."

Oh, only just "likely" eh? And we should be satisifed with the Star version of the truth as we can see in the mini-Gord column! Just like the non-reporting of the Ward 4 post-CUPE Ward meeting.

• "WUC left the job a little late."

Darn, learning from your past mistakes and going out to the public city-wide to explain what you are doing is so inconvenient and time-consuming. Except that WUC was ready to present on the 14th! Edgar (aka Eddie) admitted that WUC had already approved their plan. So what was the big deal?

And now mini-Gord is a lawyer too:

• "Sadly for him, procedural rules -- which have the weight of law -- mean the special meeting of council must go ahead."

Huh. Procedural rules can be waived; it's done all the time. Or the meeting can be deferred to the following Council meeting on the 28th whether Edgar is there or not. Even Edgar agrees:

• "From: mayoro
  Sent: June 21, 2010 2:19 PM
  To: Vlachodimos, Steve; mayoro; City Council
  Cc: Reidel, Helga; Critchley, Valerie; Wilkki, George
  Subject: RE: URGENT NOTICE - Council Meeting of June 24
  
  Public notice has been issued both verbally and in print and procedurally this meeting MUST be held. In the event a member of Council chooses to request a deferral that can be done at the meeting."

There is a Council scheduled meeting after all. Why did Edgar have to schedule an overseas trip for that day?

It's all part of the Star attempt to smear anyone who might be anti-Edgar. If you understand that then you know why I cancelled my Star subscription:

• "Lewenza Jr. is looking confused, vain and foolish in his attempts to manipulate the dates and coverage of this debate, thwart deadlines, and bully WUC staff.
  
  It's all more ammunition for anyone planning to run against him this fall."

Yes, we dare not have anyone on the new Council oppose Edgar's absolute rule.