November 29, 2013
By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. Every Council member does everything they can to meet with their constituents. They take telephone calls, the use email and every other communications tool they can find. While I’ve yet to see a member of this Council walk around wearing a sandwich board – you never know.
Smart politicians create a brand for themselves – Lancaster, who has always had a smart sense of style, appears to have gone for the “red bag look”. Might work.
Members of Council hold meetings in their wards and they go to events. The Mayor has gone to more than 300 events so far this year. Meed Ward holds what amounts classroom sessions in Ward 2 while Jack Dennison holds meeting at the sports club her operates n a room with a fireplace and bowls of popcorn set out.
Last weekend the Alton Campus opened and we wondered when the Ward 6 council member would hold a meeting in the spanking new campus. It didn’t take long – Blair Lancaster invited her constituents to meet with her in one of the community rooms.
There she was, patiently waiting for someone, anyone from the community to show. After waiting for an hour a constituent did show up. We left at that point.
Started as a model and kept the ability to talk to the camera.
Lancaster explains that in Alton people are busy, they are commuters and they have families to feed – and she added, she did meet a lot of people at the Campus Open House.
Lancaster finds that she gets an audience when there is an issue an on at least one occasion she has had people lined up outside a meeting room waiting to get in.
Each council member has their own style, approach and relationship with their Council member. John Taylor gets a good turn out from what is to a large degree a rural community. His meetings are almost like a crokinole game being held in a church hall. They know him, they like him, they respect him and they trust him.
Former model charms reporter into showing her latest fashion statement.
Lancaster is still working out her relationship with her ward – with Alton being as new as it is it will take some time for them to get to know her and her to get to know them.
With an election less than a year away – Lancaster does have her work cut out for her in Alton. She has a Carol Singing event planned for the middle of December – the 16th – but wait for confirmation on the date and time. Hot chocolate and cider are on the menu.
Background:
John Taylor’s type of ward meting:
I generally find the comment section on Municipal issues extremely informative, enlightening and productive. What the heck happened?
Editor’s note: It was a slow news day. I went to the meeting and there was no one there. The bags were attractive.
Replying to editor: I wasn’t referring to your story, but rather some of the comments I see here.
Tyler, what I will say for the 3rd time is that I haven’t found many of these particular comments to be informative, enlightening or productive, yours included. Name calling, or “labeling” only debases the comment in my opinion.
Mr. Parr went to report on a meeting and nobody was there. Perhaps if interested parties such as yourself had attended, made a point, aired your laundry, held Ms. Lancaster’s feet to the fire or whatever, Mr. Parr would have had something more to write about. You could have made the news and presented whatever point it is that you wished to make. I don’t recall having presented any opinion on Ms. Lancaster – FYI.
Yes Ethel, Lancaster has or is about to close her beauty salon.
If she managed it like she’s been managing her position as Ward Councillor, I’m shocked that it stayed in business for more than 4 years.
May the good Lord (and all her constituents) see that she doesn’t stay at the Hall for another 4!
Amen sister!
We should be supporting the health of our businesses especially in the downtown area, not hoping for their closure.
If you want to be a politician you need to take all the hits from the critics, at least on a professional level. To take shots at Lancaster like putting bags over her head and constantly calling her stupid is kind of not nice. Lancaster is probably doing the best she can, but, maybe she should not be in politics at all; she may actually be a very nice and caring individual who just doesn’t get it. No harm in that.
Editor’s note:
You flatter me. That was not Md Lancaster with the bag over the head – that was the publisher of the Gazette. Ms Lancaster does not wear bags – she restricted herself to Tiara’s at an early age.
OH MY GOSH the tiara line has been ridden so much over the past F O R T Y years that the bicycle must be in a million pieces by now. Get a new shtick.
Oh, you are right, I should have recognized that she does not wear glasses. Otherwise, there’s very little difference in looks.
Funny how months before the election,Ward 6 councillor has a drop in session ,probably the first one too boot. I did see ad in Burlington paper two weeks before the date ,however no ad in the Weds, paper before the event ,which seems like a strange way of promoting an event Secondly i do not live in Alton ,but in ward 6 and am tired of this Councillor only speaking on Alton issues . Just because area is new doesn’t warrant all councilor’s attention . Thanks to the commentator who also mentioned buzz of her running against MP Eve Adams in a federal election . I will keep this in mind come Municipal election day as i do not want someone i had voted in as Councillor to jump ship
Roger, I mostly agree. But closed her business? You must be joking. She cares more about that than her taxpayer funded job!
you know Lancaster – she can do more than one thing at a time…as long as it doesn’t need a lot of thought – lol
Editor’s note:
Can we try to upgrade the language and the tone. Opinions are valid but let us not trample on others.
concerned: do you mean do more that one thing atr a time – like how a monkey can pat its head and rub its belly at the same time?
Blair has been a no-show and fallen asleep or vacant for most of the term – please see airport and student access to Hayden High School. She closed her business to do what. As a voter in her ward – I made the mistake the 1st time for voting her – I and many others that I know will not make the mistake the 2nd time.
can’t do both but – Lancaster thinks she can sing and dance – lol. Think bag over her head would look good because Lancaster doesn’t say much that sounds intelligent. If you haven’t watched her in council meetings – you should – what a joke! NO – people weren’t too busy – they just have no time for Lancaster! Maybe she’s good in the Spa business.
Appropos she chose red for her bags…we see red everytime she opens her mouth.
yes – she should put the bag over her head!
Ummm … how can she run for council if she wants to be MP and plans to run against Eve Adams? Cant do both!
How embarrassing for her to have a meeting and no one show. Truth of the matter is she is unliked in the area, but nice attempt by her to say people didnt show cuz they are busy. Does she think we’re all stupid? We will show her next year. Shes outta here. Barely won last time, will get trounced this time. Many a politically-savvy operator are lining up against her!