Ward 2 Councillor doesn't let a conflict get in the way of meeting with her people

By Pepper Parr

September 16eth, 2021

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns is going to hold her next ward meeting on September 22nd at the Art Gallery.
It conflicts with the COVID19 Town Hall. Attend Lisa’s event –when she is on a roll she’s the best show in town.

That is the short story.

Here is the long story.

When Councillor Kearns has the microphone – look out – or better still – duck.

On September 9th the Ward 2 Community meeting was circulated in the Burlington Downtown Newsletter for the September 22nd date.

On September 9th, the city released this

On August 12th, my office confirmed an in-person hybrid zoom meeting reservation with Art Gallery Burlington to host a Ward 2 Community Meeting, subject to health directives in place at the future date. Due to limited use and demand for bookings, it was quite difficult to reserve a September date, as observed by the Wednesday date instead of the usual Thursday.

On August 26th, my office received an “optional” (as all Council was noted as ‘optional’) internal invitation from the Mayor’s Office to attend the COVID-19 Telephone Town Hall from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. External panelists were included in this email.

On August 27th, my office released a pre-scheduled newsletter titled “Your Voice Matters” which set out a number of upcoming engagement opportunities in Ward 2 and citywide surveys and initiatives.

On September 1st, my office released the September Newsletter which included an invitation to attend the Ward 2 Community Meeting on September 22nd.

Following this newsletter release, I was advised by the Manager of Engagement and Volunteers that “September 22 is the evening of the COVID telephone town hall 6:30-7:30 which overlaps with your meeting.” On verbal discussion, with the Manager it was further encouraged that the Town Hall meetings are recorded and archived, and additionally there is a half hour window to hear the beginning of the Town Hall, then return to the recording to hear any remaining Q&A’s should any residents wish to have information from both. I also expressed the clear difference in topics and would mention that if additional information was needed by any attendees related to COVID-19 that the Town Hall would be an additional resource.

You may also note that the City Town Hall was not included in the Ward 2 newsletter as the public notice had not been released until September 9th, Cllr. Galbraith also did not include in his summer edition newsletter on September 1st.

All those words – all that scurrying back and forth. Is this the way city hall really works> Looks like a major work project to me.

 

 

Return to the Front page
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

2 comments to Ward 2 Councillor doesn’t let a conflict get in the way of meeting with her people

  • Eve St Clair

    Town halls are redundant especially when the Mayor controls and dominates the narrative . Kudos to Councillor Kearns for honouring her other committment

  • Penny Hersh

    I find this article very interesting. When Councillor Kearns was involved with ECoB ( prior to be being elected as a councillor), we had planned and advertised a meeting for the public. This meeting had been planned weeks in advance and 4 days prior to the meeting Mayor Goldring called a town hall meeting on the same day( half an hour later than the scheduled ECoB meeting), knowing full well that ECoB had a meeting in place.

    Mayor Goldring called me at home to ask that ECoB change the date of our meeting, or at the very least we could start our meeting a half our earlier and he would start his meeting a half hour later. I refused. I suggested that he cancel his meeting as ECoB’s had been planned and advertised well in advance. Needless to say this did not happen.

    What did happen is that Lisa Kearns left the ECoB meeting early and from what I have been led to believe ( I stayed at the ECoB meeting), took control of the mayor’s meeting.

    Seems that communication issues at city hall include not only the residents but the councillors as well.