Mayor moves into Town Crier mode - spreading the word on needed information.

News 100 blueBy Staff

September 17th, 2019

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Town Crier - full height

Town Crier Dave Vollick

Mayor Meed Ward just might be thinking about becoming the Town Crier or getting a costume and sharing the job with Dave Vollick who has been doing a fine job for at least five years.

The Town Crier hollers out vital news.

Knowing whom to talk to at city hall when you have a problem is something vital for the person who needs help.

The Gazette has heard complaint after complaint about the city web site providing little in the way of needed information.

Meed Ward went into full Town Crier mode when she published a list of who does what and provided the email address to get in touch with them.

Why didn’t the city administrators do this – did they have to get prodded by the Mayor who may have given up and just done the job herself?

In a statement that came with the list the Mayor said:

“To keep serving you better, and to help get a resolution to your City-related issue as quickly and efficiently as possible, here is a list of City department emails that you can contact in addition to my office at mayor@burlington.ca.

Also included beneath each email address are some of the issues that department looks after.

Don’t expect to get an instant response should you send an email.  It would be nice if city council issued a Direction to the city manager to have a policy that every email will get a response before staff leave city hall at the end of each day.

access&privacy@burlington.ca

Freedom of Information requests. Requests can be made online at: www.burlington.ca/en/services-for-you/Freedom-of-Information-Requests.asp

animalcontrol@burlington.ca

Animal Control – dog bites, barking dogs, enforcement of dogs off leash, dog licensing, cat microchipping

Wildlife – coyotes, raccoons, etc.

building@burlington.ca

Bylaw enforcement (noise, nuisance, lot maintenance, property standards, talls grass/weeds)

Building permits – swimming pools, demolition, signs

Licensing – business, liquor and lottery

Bylaws

capitalworks@burlington.ca

Leash free dog parks

Grading and drainage issues

Stormwater management – bridges

Environmental Assessments

Driveway widenings and curb cuts

Flooding – flood assistance

Road reconstruction

Parks and Open Space Projects – park planning, new splash pads and playgrounds, construction of city buildings

Love My Playground

Community Energy Plan

Construction management issues (parking for tradespersons, haul routes for trucks, cranes, material storage, port-a-potties, noise, signage, etc.)

Environment – climate change, air quality, idling

Utility locates

city@burlington.ca

Inbox for general inquires.

claimsadministrator@burlington.ca

Claims against the city for personal or property damage.

Claims can be submitted online at: https://www.burlington.ca/en/your-city/Submit-a-Claim.asp

committees@burlington.ca

Agendas and Minutes – standing committees of council

Citizen advisory committees

contactbt@burlington.ca

Burlington Transit – Handi-Van, PRESTO, bus shelters

crossingguards@burlington.ca

Crossing guards

eventbookings@burlington.ca

Flag raisings

Festivals and events

feeassistance@burlington.ca

Fee assistance for city recreation programs

firedepartment@burlington.ca

Burlington Fire Department

Fire prevention and education, fire response times, fire routes, burn permits, requests for attendance at special events, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, emergency preparedness.

liveandplay@burlington.ca

Recreation programs

General inbox for parks & recreation matters.

parking@burlington.ca

Parking – tickets, on-street parking, parking exemptions, enforcement

planning@burlington.ca

Planning and Development – site plans, zoning clearances/enquiries, heritage properties, committee of adjustment, Official Plan. List of current development applications in each city ward.

propertytax@burlington.ca

Taxes – tax assessments, appeals, pre-authorized payments

rentals@burlington.ca

Facility and Park Rentals – city facility bookings

rpf@burlington.ca

Forestry – requests for new city trees, city tree trimming

Road and sidewalk maintenance – potholes, trip hazards

Snow Removal – from sidewalks and streets

Adopt-a-Flowerbed program

Loose Leaf Collection

Litter and Clean ups

– grass cutting and maintenance

– control of Canada Geese population

– wasp nest removal on city property

– garbage containers in parks-trails-sidewalks

– graffiti and vandalism in parks

– light maintenance at parks and city facilities

– maintenance of parks-beach-playgrounds-sports fields-trails-flower beds-creeks-traffic islands-city cemeteries
tourism@burlington.ca Tourism Burlington – visitor information, city pin requests for large groups travelling, city flag requests

traffic@burlington.ca

Traffic Signals and Street Lights

Speeding – traffic calming and road safety

Transportation – planning, traffic operations, bike racks on sidewalks, street signs

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2 comments to Mayor moves into Town Crier mode – spreading the word on needed information.

  • Jim Thomson

    It’s ridiculous that you can’t find the city managers email on the city’s website.

    What’s really needed is a staff directory like the province has:

    http://www.infogo.gov.on.ca/infogo/home.html

    Really useful for getting to the right person.

  • Penny Hersh

    Trying to manoeuvre through the City’s website is an effort in futility. Many of us simply give up in frustration and end up calling City Hall for information. Ask for development applications or agendas – often one gets something from 2016. Time to perhaps start archiving this information so it does not appear when asking for information for 2019.

    Thank you to the Mayor and her staff for doing this. I have printed off a copy and leave it where I can find it when I need to contact the city.

    Editors note: You could also just search the Gazette and retrieve the article and have all the links available to you. Just use the search engine box on the Front page.