Who’s Afraid Of The Big Bad Wolf
Thursday, November 1, 2012 @ 3:34 AM
It was quite amusing to watch Prince George mayor Shari Green and some members of city council trying to dodge and weave aroundan issue at council meeting on Monday night.
So what was the cause of all this wriggling?At the council meeting, Janet Bigelow and Chrystal Lloyd from the city’s CUPE union locals had put forward a straightforward request that should have prompted a straightforward response. They invited Mayor Green and council members to attend a community conversation event at 6pm on November 13 at the College of New Caledonia. The event is beingorganized by I Heart PG, CUPE, and other groups and its purpose is to allow members of the public an opportunity to give their views about KPMG’s final Core Review report and recommendations on improving the municipal government’s operational efficiency, diversifying revenue, and so on.
The planned format of this community conversation, which Ms. Bigelow invited everyone in the city to attend, will be relatively simple. Those residents of the city who would like to give their views on KPMG’s final report will be given a two minute slot to do so. They may agree or disagree with these recommendations – that will be up to them. A neutral moderator (such as Dr. Charles Jago or someone else) will chair the event, and the mayor and city councillors will sit in the audience with everyone else and have an opportunity to hear what the citizens of the city have to say.
In any case, that was the gist of the proposal put forward by Ms. Bigelow and Ms. Lloyd on Monday night. But they had no sooner finished their presentation when the dodging and weaving began. Councillors Wilbur, Koehler, Krause and the mayor raised the objection that because all of Council was being invited to the November 13 meeting that there might be a legal problem under the province’s Community Charter, i.e. that having the councillors and mayor all in one room might be construed to be a “quorum” and thus an actual Council meeting. Thus they reasoned, they would not be attending the meeting.
Councillor Skakun objected to this leap oflogic, pointing out that the Mayor and councillors had just met a few days before with the board of the Chamber of Commerce and that wasn’t construed as being a council meeting. Councillor Frizzell also objected, and suggested that there could be ways in which the November 13 meeting could be set up to avoid any hint of legal problems. For her part, Ms. Bigelow reminded Council members that they would simply be members of the audience and not even be answering questions, let alone conducting deliberations or business of any sort.
After having their legal argument shot down (although it was never really flying), councillors Koehler, Stolz, Krause and the mayor then mounted their second attempt to justify their not acceptingMs. Bigelow’s invitation. There had already been ample public input over the last 6 months while the Core Review was being conducted by KPMG, they said.
Ms. Bigelow repeatedly made the distinction that the proposed meeting was not to give more input to KPMG, but rather to give Council input on the final report which, to date, no one has seen, not even the mayor herself. This final report, to be submitted on November 2nd, is possibly the most important stage of the entire Core Review proceedings. Public input at this final stage is crucial – at least one would think.
Councillors Wilbur, Koehler, Stolz and Krause seemed to be incapable of grasping this distinction and persisted in arguing that KPMG had already had enough input in the previous six months. Councillor Stolz, particularly, appeared to have great difficulty understanding what Ms. Bigelow was proposing. Indeed, at one point in his long response, he became highly indignant, claiming that he found it “absolutely reprehensible” that Ms. Bigelow could suggest that council hadn’t engaged the public. Curiously, he made this claim even though, in her opening presentation, Ms. Bigelow had explicitly acknowledged and praised council’s efforts to obtain public input during the earlier parts of the Core Review process.
So why were the mayor and some of the councillors so resistant to the idea of attending the November 13th meeting? Beneath all the dodging and weaving, beneath all the bluster and obfuscation, is there deep fear and trepidation? But who might they be afraid of? Is it a big bad wolf of some kind as in the old nursery rhyme? If that is true, just who might be that “big bad wolf”? The union? Not really. After all, Council has a lot of indirect power and clout over ordinary civic employees.
Could the big bad wolf – at least from the mayor and certain councillors’ view – bethe citizens of Prince George themselves?After all, it is these citizens who, in effect, will be in charge of the November 13 meeting. Seniors, youth, non-profit organizations, community organizations, workers, businesses, and so on – anyone who wants to will be able to speak at the microphone about the Core Review recommendations.
There will be a neutral moderator, of course, but the night will belong to the citizens of Prince George. Council will not control it, and this is what appears to evoke fear and trepidation at city hall. The mayor and these councillors want complete control of all parts of the process, and without it they get upset. Does loss of control for them mean that the big bad wolf is at the door? Like what happened last spring when thousands of citizens rose up in defiance of Council and signed a successful petition against Council’s River Road dike proposal?
Indeed, during the course of Monday’s night council meeting, one councillor, echoing this unease, made it a point to emphasize that the “debate on the final report must take place within Council chambers.” The mayor herself put it even more bluntly (and revealingly), when she appeared to stamp her foot and add that “Council owns the Core Review process.” But if Council “owns” the process, where does that leave the residents of Prince George? Out in the cold?
In any case, kudos to councillors Skakun and Frizzell (and any of the absent councillors) who are planning to come to the November 13 event. It will be a nice community conversation, and everyone who wants to will get to speak and give their opinion.
For Mayor Green and the rest of the councillors who have chosen not to attend, here is a little question from that old nursery rhyme:
Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf?,
Big bad wolf, big bad wolf?
Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf?
Tra la lala.
Peter Ewart is a columnist and writer based in Prince George, British Columbia. He can be reached at: peter.ewart@shaw.ca
Comments
The only wriggling going on here is from those union members who are starting to worry about their cushy jobs.
I for one feel sorry for all the shovels. I mean, who’s going to breast feed them if they start getting rid of the (alleged) workers?
“The event is beingorganized by I Heart PG, CUPE, and other groups
I know who “CUPE” is. I do not know who “I Heart PG” is, and I certainly do not know who the “other groups” is. Can someone please enlighten me.
I am interested in attending. However the last meeting of KPMG’s was overwhelmingly dominated by City firemen and no one was able to control that single viewpoint presented. Others had little opportunity to speak, in my opinion. I understood that staff had had other opportunities to met with KPMG, as they should have had aince they would be affected by possible changes and they have legitimate and important input due to the knowledge of the work they have.
I do think that it is important that the people in his city who represetn the various groups who may be affected by changes begin to think about how they will act in the coming months.
While conversation may be the word of the month or year, I thinnk a little more than conversation wil be required to ensure that this community does not suffer needlessly from the incompetence of this and some previous Councils who have let matters develop to this degree.
“So why were the mayor and some of the councillors so resistant to the idea of attending the November 13th meeting?”
I think they just know what’s going to be said. “No job cuts, no cuts to services, find the money to pay for it.” There, I just saved everyone a bunch of time.
Could the big bad wolf â at least from the mayor and certain councillorsâ view – bethe citizens of Prince George themselves? After all, it is these citizens who, in effect, will be in charge of the November 13 meeting. Seniors, youth, non-profit organizations, community organizations, workers, businesses, and so on â anyone who wants to will be able to speak at the microphone about the Core Review recommendations.
I think the Mayor and Councillors Wilbur, Koehler, Stolz are afraid they can not blow people off like they do at all public hearings. I.E. Bottle depoit, Haldi road womanâs recovery centre,
Mayor Green does not want to hear from the public or be question on her paid vacation to China.
Could the core review suggest some areaâs Mayor and Councillors Wilbur, Koehler, Stolz are not interested in answering question to the public for the fear of accountability?
When you have a bunch of control freaks running our city doing things against the will of the citizens is normally the reason one is to cowardly to attend a community conversation event with a excuse such as we heard at the last council meeting Monday.
I hope you enjoy your last paid vacation Mayor and some council.
JohnnyBelt. Your comments have no basis in fact.
How do you know what will be said by who, before the meeting takes place???
I agree that the last few KPMG Meetings were overly represented by the Unions and the Firemen etc; however that should’nt surprise anyone, they are trying to protect their jobs.
On the other hand the City is trying to protect the way it does business, and how it controls the money, and how it moves money to support thier favourite projects, even though the average taxpayers do not support the projects. The commmunity energy system comes to mind, plus the new office buildings on 18th avenue, and the $800,000.00 reno to the PG Golf and Curling course golf course building, and second relocation of the Tennis Courts in the past few years, not to mention tearing down the Tourist Building on 16 and 97, etc; etc; etc;
This is a public meeting and my understanding is that anyone can have two minutes to express their opinions. One opinion might be to cut management, administration, and unions jobs, regardless of what they have to say.
Another might be for the City to quit borrowing money, and to put a hold on any new capital projects for a few years. Or maybe they can be compelled to have all capital projects over $3 Million dollars be approved by referendum during municipal elections.
Who knows what people might say if they have the opportunity. Your way of **saving everybody time** is really a cop out for you, because it allows you to sit at home and pass judgement without having to attend the meeting and having your comments as part of the input.
Once we see what the KPMG report contains, we will have a better understanding as to what needs to commented on.
The next few weeks should be very interesting.
I think Johnnybelt is shallow. It was not the worker that brought the union into the work place, it was greedy company owners and impossible government that wanted people to work for slave wages.
Go work in China Johnnybelt then come back and tell us how great it was. Because of union people finally got a fair wage pensionâs and a safer work place.
I think the Mayor & supporting councillors are buffoons! They have great disdain for the people of Prince George wanting to have some say in the future of our city. There is no logical reason they shouldn’t go. They are protecting something by staying away. They aren’t afraid of the meeting. I think they are protecting something they value: power, control, the illusion of the elite.
This Core review is not about cutting staff its about carving up City property and giving it to their freinds for profit. Its just another right wing think tank much like the Fraser Institute.
And yes the firemen need to worry about cuts. If they have time to chase ambulances they are over staffed and are using expensive equiment to joy ride. Firement have always enjoyed an overblown opinion of them selves. They are not the only hero’s in our society.
Cheers
This Core review is not about cutting staff its about carving up City property and giving it to their freinds for profit. Its just another right wing think tank much like the Fraser Institute.
And yes the firemen need to worry about cuts. If they have time to chase ambulances they are over staffed and are using expensive equiment to joy ride. Firement have always enjoyed an overblown opinion of them selves. They are not the only hero’s in our society.
Cheers
Let’s not kid ourselves or be naive here. The City workers are all about maintaining the status quo, no matter what the cost.
Very interesting reaction from the mayor and some council members. They must be afraid of what ideas the ‘people’ may have. Undoubtedly they will have the contents of the meeting reported to them so they can hear them at a safe distance! Ha, ha.
Its probably better that they don’t attend. They would probably start arguing with people. Much more peaceful and respectful for everyone involved.
It is lost on me just what Mayor and Council are trying to fix. There is nothing wrong with Prince George. We are not in any trouble financially, or at least were not when Dan Roger’s was Mayor. Nothing Mayor or Council has produced supports a need for such drastic actions. KMPG is contracted by cities all over this country and their reports are mirror images of one another. They all same the same thing, cut, sell, privatize, layoff, contract out ect. This is not about saving money; this is about opening up our public services to private enterprise. The Mayor and Council have been asked to entertain a public conversation on the CSR and Mayor Green, Councillors Stolz, Wilbur, Krause and Kroehler have all declined. That speaks volumes folks. If they were so sure of their direction they should not be afraid to speak with the citizens of Prince George about their concerns. Truly gutless the bunch is.
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