By Pepper Parr
November 28th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
They did win – we have to give them that.
What we got out of the election exercise is a council where two members, Nisan and Galbraith, took a complaint against a third member, Stolte, to the Integrity Commissioner.
The Commissioner found against Stolte and docked her five days pay.
Then, Kearns “inadvertently”, spoke at a BDBA meeting about what has been budgeted for outside counsel to defend the city’s position on the redevelopment of the Waterfront Hotel site.
Kierans was taking part in a Burlington Downtown Business Association meeting as the council liaison person.
Also taking part were two men who were candidates running against Kearns for the ward 2 council seat.
The Gazette has not been able to get a copy of the BDBA agenda and thus we do not know why the subject of the hotel redevelopment plans were discussed.
We do know that Kearns did say the city was budgeting $500,000 for legal expenses. One of the participants in the ZOOM call asked a question about the funds. Kearns panicked realizing that there were other people on the call during which she blabbed about how much the city has budgeted for outside counsel ($500,000.)
Knowing she was offside she ran to the city manager to explain the crime she had committed (speaking publicly about matters discussed in closed sessions of council is a Code of Conduct crime.)
She then apparently got herself in front of the Integrity Commissioner to tell her side of the story.
Then, days before the votes are cast for the 2022 municipal election it comes to light that Galbraith (one of the two that fingered Stolte) is himself before the Integrity Commissioner,
Four of the seven members of council have spent some of their time either registering complaints about other members of council or dealing with complaints about their own behavior.
This is what 27% of the population elected on October 24th ?
The story gets better. This is as good as that Energizer bunny – it just doesn’t stop giving.
In the Friday edition of the Hamilton Spectator there was an opinion piece written by Mayor Meed Ward, Councillors Galbraith, Nisan and Sharman taking offence to a column written by Spectator columnist and former city councillor Joan Little.
Quite why Councillor Galbraith having his signature on a letter that relates directly to his issues with the Integrity Commissioner is seen as appropriate is hard to understand. What is very clear is that the Mayor and three Councillors are going to do everything they can to ensure that he remains a city councillor.
It was always my understanding that Councillors were in place to look after the interests of the public and not the interests of each other
Galbraith is a non factor on Council. He has put forward no motions. He complains when Council debates issues too long. He defers to the Mayor every time. Kelvin Galbraith has a full time job. That is his fitness center and developer buddies, not the interests of Ward 1 constituents. Duh. And Ward 1 is ok with Galbraith recusing himself from massive developments in his Ward for which his interests collide? Wow. Sleep thru Council and win. Wow.
“Editor’s note: I would love to know how you would have voted for all four had you decided you did like them.
My understanding was that you voted in your ward and were asked to vote just the one.”
Response to Editor:
I did not say all of these 4 councillors, I said “any” of these 4 councillors. Also, no where did I say that I did not like them. Picking apart or putting words in people’s mouths, statements, or opinions is called twisting the meaning.
That is why I did not vote for any of these 4 councillors. Yet, others still voted them in. They must not have read about their previous indiscretions or in-fighting.
Editor’s note: I would love to know how you would have voted for all four had you decided you did like them.
My understanding was that you voted in your ward and were asked to vote just the one.
Since the beginning of time
For those of us who no longer subscribe to The Spec. Please prvovide the link to said article.
Wow
Thank you for keeping us up to date!