By Pepper Parr
December 12th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
If Mayor Med Ward had been in Council Chamber she would have been wearing the Chain of Office.
The technical problem Council had this morning may be because most of the members of Council were not actually in the Council Chamber.
Mayor Meed Ward, who does not appear to be in the Council Chamber, said the problem with the late start was because the members of Council were not able to talk to each other.
Based on what we can see Councillor’s Galbraith, Kearns, Nisan, Stolte, Sharman and Bentivegna are not in the Chamber. Nor is the Mayor. In the photograph taken at the start of the Council meeting, she is not wearing the Chain of Office.
The glaring question is: Why aren’t these people not at their desks?
Councillors Stolte and Kearns appear to be in the same room.
Not sure where the City Manager is.
Was there a problem with using Council Chamber – and if there was – let the public know.
There was a delegation that appeared to be in the Council Chamber – we have reached out to them – maybe they know what’s going on.
If our councillors could show up in person to their renovated chambers inside the renovated city hall, they could hear each other and have the meeting. This is ridiculous. Are they aware the rest of the world is back at the office?
Oh I think they’re aware Lynn, but like their Committee of Adjustment colleagues, they just can’t be bothered to show up in person, and as Councillors they even get free parking!
No, the “less personal contact with citizens, the better” policy (though not actually enacted) is in full force at City Hall. The non-functioning video-conferencing is just a lucky bonus for them.