By Pepper Parr
March 26th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
We got the following from Ward 3 Councillor Rory Nisan who said:
“The restoration of majority rule on staff decisions will go a long way to improving democratic accountability at city hall.”
At today’s Special Council Meeting, City Council unanimously voted to request that the mayor delegate the strong mayor powers that can be delegated according to the Ontario Municipal Act. These include the hiring and firing of the city manager being delegated to council, where the power was before the imposition of strong mayor powers. Similarly, the power to hire and fire management staff at the city is requested to be delegated to the city manager.
“I brought this motion forward, along with councillors Galbraith and Stolte, because the strong mayor powers are clearly anti-democratic and a cause of dysfunction at the city.
“The mayor has said that she does not need these powers, so I am hopeful they will be delegated expeditiously in order to restore council to its high functioning status and provide a stable atmosphere at the city.
“We are a strong council making significant progress for Burlington, but the community survey showed some gaps in accountability for council. The restoration of majority rule on staff decisions will go a long way to improving democratic accountability at city hall.
“I was elected to make decisions at the council table, not to receive them. I’m accountable to the 4988 residents who voted in my ward in 2022 and everyone who resides in Ward 3.”
What Councillor could have said is: I was elected to make decisions for the residents of my ward (even though I no longer live in the ward) at the council table, not to receive them. I’m accountable to the 4988 residents who voted in my ward in 2022 (I have since moved out of the ward) and everyone who resides in Ward 3.
Nisan has never said publicly why he chose to move out of the ward and to the best of our knowledge there is nothing on the record on why he moved. Strong democrats tend to be transparent and accountable.
Perhaps a sad comment from the past, but probably still true today.
I recall a survey of Burlington residents that showed that most people knew the Mayor’s name, and many knew the name of their own Councillor, but very few had any idea who the other members of Council were, and sadly, didn’t care. Of course, there are diligent and active members of our city who are expert on these matters, but they are in a minority of our citizens.
Our citizens want efficient and prudent delivery of municipal services, and shrug at the micromanaging drivel that dominates most Council activity. Just get things done.
Goodness knows I have been very critical about the move to ward 2. But I am very glad that Councillor Nisan not only put this motion forward but at both today’s meeting and last week’s, he did an excellent job in defending it and democracy. His frustration with the mayor was obvious and shared by all. And his statement here is bang on.
That he has come to these conclusions now tells you how bad things must have gotten inside COB. The Mayor has lost her council now. That’s huge. And based on what’s been happening with the mass exodus and with comments from Councillor Kearns, it seems she’s lost the staff too.
So now she desperately wants to hold on to her strong mayor powers, they (and Sharman !?) are all she’s got. Real leaders wouldn’t need them, let alone want them.
“High functioning status”mmmmmmmmmWell!
The strong Mayoral Powers mandate is more about moving things along than some oligarch dictating what will be. I think the assumption that the mayor would use this for some sort of non democratic motions is frankly bs.
It is in itself undemocratic. And the mass exodus? Is that bs? Or is it indicative of something wrong in COB …
https://bayobserver.ca/opinion-hopefully-tuesdays-special-council-meeting-will-clear-the-air-in-burlington/