By Pepper Parr
June 20th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns has published a newsletter for her constituents. The content is good; Kearns is thorough and she has an understanding of the issues that surpasses that of most of the other Councillors.
She takes on the Mayor when she thinks a little tug on her chain is needed.
She manages Standing Committee meetings better than any other member of Council.
The opening paragraph of the most recent newsletter goes:
“I have enjoyed seeing so many out and about at our local parks and visiting small local businesses. I hope to see you out there too! I continue to be so proud of the many ways our community has shown its commitment to caring for each other. My office continues to support all requests and is here to serve you, please reach out.”
Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns
The concern for us at the moment is we didn’t see Councillor Kearns at any of the Standing Committee meetings this week. All the public got was that Kearns had sent her regrets – which is political speak for “I am going to be absent”.
Councillor Nisan was away for at least one meeting – he was at a conference.
With two Councillors away the important business that gets dealt with at Standing Committees suffers from input from Councillors that are not at the table.
Kearns has children that often need attention – which her constituents understand.
What isn’t know is – why is Kearns absent? Does the public have a right to know ?
Is the problem a physical one – Kearns was thought to be dealing with long covid or is it psychological – she does have difficulty standing up for a position she has taken on occasion.
Civic Square needs an upgrade – and Council needs what Kearns can bring to the table in terms of how it can best get done. What Staff brought to the table earlier this week is not good enough.
The plans for a significant upgrade to Civic Square needed input from Kearns – Staff was bungling the presentation – there were too many unanswered questions.
Her involvement in the discussion on changes to ward boundaries is critical – it is her ward that has the most residents – the solution to the problem is complex and far more difficult than most people realize.
Kearns is the smartest member on this Council – her contribution is significant. It would help if the public knew a bit more. How much more – it is a little sticky when the personal lives of public people is the issue.
Public people need to learn to trust the people that put them in office.
We wish Kearns God speed in dealing with whatever it is that ails her. The residents of ward 2 need her sharp mind.
When Marianne Meed Ward was involved in an auto collision and learned she had suffered a concussion she skipped Standing Committee meetings but was always at Council meetings where the vote counted.
This article feels like a form of online bullying. Character defamation?
Editor’s note:When did it become inappropriate to ask where the council member is ?
Her job is a cluster%^! Too big for ANY 1 person. What she NEEDS is help!!! To assign that scope of work to 1 person when 3 people and a pack of mules are required is just plane cruel. Who wrote this article? And what’s going on at City Hall? Sounds like a sweat shop designed to unravel its best and brightest employees.
Editor’s note: First council members are not employees; they chose to run for public office and are well paid for the work they do.
THEY accepted the role of Deputy Mayor.
@Lynn Crosby
Please do Ward 3 a favour and take him
Oh no, we don’t want him!! I suppose you folks in ward 3 can’t really tell the difference with him gone, which says a lot. But he does now live in whistle distance from the mayor so I guess that’s handy?
Perhaps she’s on vacation. Lisa is also the only council member who responds to emails with concerns, in my experience.
I’d like to know if the boundary change issue and the need for more councillors – which is badly needed, I’d say we need double – is why Rory moved to ward 2.
It would be in character for him to have decided before the last election that he’s already working on the next election. Sorry ward 3, it’s not you, it’s him. We shall see … I know I’d never vote for him.