By Pepper Parr
April 13th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
It is disturbing when the City Manager feels he has to send out a message to the public asking people to be kind and considerate when dealing with people – adding a focus on the city staff he manages.
“We’re all in this pandemic together – Please be kind.
A very poor quality screen shot of City Manager Tim Commisso taking part in a virtual Council meeting. He must be working out of a very uncomfortable location.
“We get it. We’re in another Provincial State of Emergency that includes a Stay-at-Home Order, with additional restrictions to help control the spread of COVID-19. People are tired of having to stay home, wear masks, wash their hands a lot and anxious about vaccines.
“This is why it is more important than ever to be patient and be kind to your neighbours, fellow residents and workers that serve you in our community.
“From the beginning of the pandemic, the health and well-being of our community and staff has been and continues to be the City of Burlington’s top priority.
“The City continues to coordinate efforts to protect the public and staff from the spread of COVID-19, while maintaining essential City services.
“We ask that you be considerate and kind to City staff doing their jobs. Frontline City personnel have been working tirelessly to serve the public, despite the risk, throughout this pandemic and City staff continue to work remotely whenever possible to ensure seamless delivery of programs and services.
“Under the City’s Zero Tolerance Policy and as part of the City’s social media commenting guidelines, unacceptable, abusive behavior will not be tolerated. Words hurt: Using abusive language can have a direct and harmful impact on the people who are doing their best to help you.
“As residents continue to rediscover many of their favourite spaces and activities in the city, City services may look different as we work to stop the spread of COVID-19. The City’s commitment to providing the community with essential services remains a priority.
“We are all in this together. We’re here to help you so let us do our jobs by being respectful and following the rules and bylaws that are in place to protect us all.”
“We are all in this together” – apparently some don’t appear able to get that message.
We’re all in this together???Easy for our politicians to say from their ivory towers.
TELLING THE TRUTH IS NOT BEING UNKIND. “We are all in this together. We’re here to help you so let us do our jobs by being respectful and following the rules and bylaws that are in place to protect us all.” The Marsdens find Mr. Commisso’s comment is hypocritical to say the least. Almost 80 appeals were registered against three Burlington LPAT files (PL200150, PL200151 and PL210040) because appellants fully understand we must follow the city’s rules and bylaws or we pay the price for the offence.
Burlington’s Procedural By-law for more than a decade has stated “Special Meeting“ means a meeting that is not set through the annual calendar.” The City can set as many regular council meetings as it needs through the annual calendar, but not special meetings of Council. Burlington were fully apprised in advance of the January 30, 2020 special meeting that they were acting outside By-laws they had re-established just a few days before the January 30, 2020 meeting. The Notice of Decision associated with PL200150 and PL200151 resulted from a Special Meeting of Council on January 30, 2020 that was set through the annual calendar.
PL210040 – 48 registered appeals resulted from a Notice of Decision dated November 30, 2020 posted by the Halton Chief Planning Official Curt Benson who has caimed since December 4, 2018 that he has been delegated the authority to make Halton`s decisions on Burlington’s New Official Plan By-law 24-2018.. He also claimed no LPAT non-decision after 210 days appeals were allowed following Halton non-decision, based on his having this delegated authority. Burlington never asked for evidence that supported such a Region delegation of authority and Benson never provided it.
Fast forward to a 2021 Marsden legislation and by-law compliance audit review of the Halton Delegation By-law 06-16 and you have evidence of three of three Burlington decisions under appeal at LPAT without statutory authority because of ignored by-laws that elected members of Burlington Council voted to put in place. Like Burlington and Halton LPAT is not that good at understanding a by-law signed by Mayior Meedward or Regional Chair Gary Carr, is a by-law regardless of its content and there must be compliance. The Marsdens hope all three get a clear understanding of Burlington`s Procedure By-law and Halton`s Delegation By-law 06-16 before too many more LPAT decisions are made without any statutory authority for such. The more decisons made the bigger the taxpayer legal bill is going to be! We are willing to let you do your job Mr. Commisso, are you willing to demand Burington and Halton follow their own by-laws?.
We are not all in this together – I think that’s pretty clear. I’m really quite tired of that phrase. In fact, many of the ones who need the most support are not getting any at all, while others get ahead of them in the vaccine line, or shuffle off to Florida, or demand their “essential” workers show up for work, unvaccinated, for low pay, without sick days, etc. etc.
unfortunately, the concept of being kind to others (also known as the Golden Rule) is not popular with a small but growing number of our fellow citizens. Too many believe life is a zero sum game – if someone else gets something, they must be losing.