By Pepper Parr
November 17th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The buzz on the 7th floor of city hall is fierce. Word has it that many of the members of council (they all have offices on the 7th floor) are less than happy with Ward 2 Councillor Meed Ward taking to the air waves with her concerns about council’s 5-2 approving the 421 Brant 23 storey tower.
Meed Ward was on the air on Wednesday, the Mayor was on the air this morning.
Meed Ward with the Mayor.
Those two are clearly in full election mode.
The stakes are high.
Meed Ward will run for Mayor – if she loses she will leave public office. She did well as a broadcaster and newspaper columnist and might return to that sphere. She has always been attracted to the television camera lights.
The Mayor has served two terms and will want to leave the public sector having achieved something.
The city now has a Strategic Plan that the Mayor will take credit for – deservedly. He will take credit for the Grow Bold initiative that the city is working on.
If the re-development of the Waterfront Hotel site is anywhere near what the Plan B citizens group wants the Mayor will want to take credit for that – he can then leave office and be seen as a very successful Mayor.
Two people with a lot at risk.
Mike Wallace in his campaign office the night of the last federal election when he lost his seat as a Member of Parliament.
Mike Wallace is also out there wanting to return to public office (note that we say public office and not public service) and hoping to snatch the chain of office and return to city council.
His worship opined during his time on radio that the talk of people taking the city council decision to the OMB was much more than filing an objection. These things cost money and require access to people who can speak with some authority on the merits of the decision city council made.
It is going to be interesting to watch – and even more interesting to see what the citizens of Burlington do when it comes time to mark their ballots in October of 2018 – less than a year away.
I though Rick Goldring recently stated he was running for re-election as Mayor? Why would Marianne run against him. He is her only ally.
The answer is in your question. Goldring is campaigning for mayor. His vote against the 23 storey building is a safe, empty gesture, in anticipation of next year’s election.
At bottom, he’s facilitated the planning departments Grow Bold agenda leading up to Monday’s fateful vote. He’s been an evangelist for intensification without ever seeking to build community consensus on our aspirations for the city. He’s happy to let the city manager and the planning department set the city’s direction.
He supported the planning department’s Tall Building guidelines, even though the public had not been consulted while the developers were given an advance preview. They now use that as the planning justification for the 23 storey building on Brant, as they did for Adi’s Alton proposal.
He brought in in high-priced Vancouverism consultant Brent Toderian to his Inspire Series to preach the gospel of high-rise towers on a podium.
He tunes out residents, dismissing them as not wanting change or wanting to “bubble wrap” the city.
He ignored public pleas to not sell of the waterfront property at Market Street; which the buyers got for a steal.
Goldring is not an ally of the residents who care about the downtown or the waterfront. He’s only allied with his own political ambitions, content to cut ribbons and put up his hand at council meetings.
William,
Agree that the Goldring vote on 421 Brant was an empty, safe gesture as he already knew the overall outcome. Lucky for him not to have to make a real choice.
Running for Mayor means he doesn’t want to create a wedge difference with Meed Ward that can become an election issue.
And if you were there at the meeting, or choose to view the meeting video, you will see that he delivered his vote with no passion or vision or argument whatsoever (except saying 23 is too high).
He is after all, as you say, by lived experience, the lead cheerleader for what is being done in the name of intensification and Grow Bold. He is doing what he is doing, and citizens be damned. He knows best, so who needs consensus?
And then, of all things, he pressed the wrong YES button in his vote, which one could think betrayed his real unconscious leanings – putting his hand up as you say.
He actually said he was so used to pressing YES, his habit is not to press NO. Something to think about.
And the list of his votes and policies is part of the proper accounting that should be done in the run-up to the election.
If Meed Ward does challenge him, there is already, and will be, a clear difference and choice that we can see.
There is an old saying, “By their fruit, shall you know them”.
And another from politics, “don’t listen to what I say, just watch what I do”.
You have already given here just a few examples for getting to know him.
I already see a clear distinction between him and Meed Ward.
There will be a day of reckoning, one way or the other.
I heard Goldring had initially voted yes, and I drew the same conclusion – that it revealed an inner conflict. On Monday, he calculated that a tepid no vote better served his primary interest of getting re-elected.
He’s conflicted because hates to be offside with staff and he hates being on a losing vote. That’s why he’ll never be an effective mayor – he’s unwilling to take risks of any sort – never mind standing up for the community.