Mr. Mayor: as Head of Council, can you offer any explanation as to why most councillors seem to have opted not to provide their thoughts and insights into the question we posed to The Virtual Panel and to them (which we recognize that you answered) on The Best Place to Raise a child. What advice might you have for the councillors who have not engaged?
Members of Council are free to choose whether they want to participate in such exercises and are not required to provide justification. We are all I believe trying to make good decisions that support this goal however we may feel about the efficacy of or even the need for such a slogan.
Bob Bratina, Mayor.
Comments?
Congratulations for Mayor Bratina for 'playing nice'.
ReplyDeleteAnd 'playing it safe', too.
The stuff of a well-mannered mayor.
Well done.
(I'd pay to hear Councillor Merulla's response...but only if it had the gruff candour that his facebook posts and Twitter tweets have...)
I think Bratina is showing great leadership or poor leadership, depending on what he intended to get across. The way I read this is, councilors don't have to engage in this "excersize?" on the central goal of our city's existence and I, as their leader, don't feel that I need to encourage them to do so. It's up to them.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the vision, the mayor says, is a slogan that may or may not have efficacy.
So, if Bratina is trying to say, let's just admit that this whole vision thing is a slogan it's a fraud, and that it has little meaning, then the leadership is to get rid of it altogether so that we are not pretending.
If he really thinks there is little obligation for his councillors to engage in this dialogue, and he is happy to let the vision sit as a "slogan", then this is a leadership failure.
I am better understanding why this city is not moving in a concerted manner. Our disjointed efforts, mis-aligned with the vision of being the best place to raise a child etc., will continue and we will continue to be a smorgasborg of what individual councillors feel they should be doing- which is another topic all of its own.
I am dissapointed.
Sorce
As always, the Mayor says nothing.
ReplyDelete"Members of Council are free to choose whether they want to participate in such exercises and are not required to provide justification."
ReplyDeleteActually, this begs a whole discussion unto itself.
Yes, councillors may choose whether or not they want to participate in such 'exercises'. My first question would be 'What are the limits of this 'freedom of choice'?'
As for them not being required to provide justification... Ahem. Again, to what limits?
Maybe I've just had too big a bowl of Cranky Flakes this morning, but doesn't this speak to the core issue of the dynamic between councillors and their employers? Us?
You know, accountability...?
My Stoney Creek. I am on the fence in terms of whether we need term limits as a fix, or better citizen engagement. I have to tell you that your messages and those of Mr. Sorce and Mr. Butani, really made me think about what is best, and I started leaning toward better citizen engagement- barely. But now when I see this refusal to engage, I am wondering if we need term limits. Maybe what we need is to really use social media to keep insisting on good conversations with our leaders.
DeleteThe question that was posed here was VERY fair. I was really expecting to hear from most if not all of the councillors. So what do we do now if they won't engage on the most important issue that our city should look at?
Teresa and The Hamiltonian. I hope you cotinue to ask these questions and provide these opportunities. I also hope that your friends at the spec help you along the way. We need better engagement and this is a great way to do it. Not everyone can leave work to attend council meetings. I give kudos to the Mayor for at least respecting The Hamiltonian.
I am worried though about what kind of leadership we have if they simply don't think we need to have these conversations.
Severn
Now, back to the patio to enjoy this beautiful day!
Severn; I just wrote an op-ed that addresses your concerns. Hopefully over the next few days, I'll have confirmation as to where it'll be published.
DeleteIn the meantime, regarding engagement, I'm going to go back to some sage words offered me years ago: 'You don't ask, you don't get.'
I will look forward to reading it. The silence from most of council is definitely making them look bad.
DeleteSevern
"....even the need for such a slogan."
ReplyDeleteOh dear. We really are in a mess aren't we? Vision is now just a slogan that we might or might not need?
The reason too many of our Councillors trot out incremental accomplishments and serve them up as proof of significant civic momentum is because they not only don't have a strategic touchstone to use to assess the true level of progress, but neither do they even see the need for such a touchstone. Bring on the summer BBQ's, babies, and banquets. Just the kind of strategic actions we expect of our leaders. Oh, and about that pothole you want filled in front of your house.....
Mr. Crawford. I agree with you entirely. I was hoping that people have been wrong and that our council could step up and talk strategically. I am let down.
DeleteSevern
IMHO, the Councillors are stepping up...The problem is they are often led a stray by the City "Experts" (aka hired Staff) They pat them on the head and say that they know what is best...
DeleteOur Councillors work closely and rely on our Experts~ Who would have known that they are not really concerned about our City? Paid Staff is worried about their jobs...at a loss to us!
I am sure that this will bring down my head quickly but it is the long weekend and I liked Severn's comment about "back to the bbq" and of course, that includes a cup of cheer or two :)
Ok, I will bite. Who came up with the "slogan" "Best place to raise a child in Canada"?
ReplyDeleteMy submission was tardy, yet sent in...However, I certainly respect the Councillors who may be away or have not had the time to respond. THIS IS ONE HELL OF AN IMPORTANT TOPIC!!!
Mayor Bratina has already been censored by his Collegues...Does anyone seriously think that he can now explain what his fellow ~Elected Officials~ say or do?
At least he RESPONDED to the original question...from HIS PERSPECTIVE!
He cannot respond nor reply for the Councillors that have not...
Just my two cents towards my $38,000.00 IN TAXRS that I pay :)
And coming from a Mom who is blessed with 4 children:)
HAVE AN AMAZING LONG WEEK END EVERYONE!
The Mayor's hands are tied. He is doing the best he can.
DeleteDanya, here's your answer:
Delete'City Council sets new vision statement
And from the Social Services end, this:
'The Playbook'
I have not been writing much because I don't have to. When you have the majority of council failing to lead, it speaks volumes on why we need term limits. There are two main reasons why the majority of councillors have not engaged. 1. Some may not be able to think strategically and are more used to the aspects of the job that are better handled by staff. 2. They are already eyeing re-election and don't want to jepardize their chances.
ReplyDeleteCan you imagine if term limits made the job a public service rather than a career? Can you imagine if you had to make the best decisions you possibly can on behalf of the city, without jockeying for re-election?
Term Limits Now
crucible - a severe test
ReplyDeleteYes it is!
As I have said in the past, term limits is not my first pick and I would rather see discussions like these become more and more commonplace. Doing it online is efficient and allows messages to get out to the masses immediately. So this is a very powerful tool for people to engage and , coining a term from my friend My SC, for the "employer" to discuss issues with those we elected.
ReplyDeleteHowever, a topic that is central to what we are, has been cast aside by over 80% of council. The Mayor (who I am coming to respect, for having to deal with this council), is powerless to force the issue, or, at least has chosen not to.
They key question is what to do next:
Here is what i suggest:
1. Teresa et el. Keep forging relationships with The Spec , CBC and others- you have become a truth speaking voice in Hamilton and a taste maker. Further, you have a knack for getting at the real conversations we need to have- like this one.
2. I am going to make it a point to be more cordial with my comments. I am far from backing down at all, but just being more cordial. Although I agree and disagree with fellow citizens (they are no "bloggers" but real people), one thing we share and that I respect, is our interest in Hamilton. I'd rather be in their company , than in the company of the disengaged who vote based on name recognition.
3. Combine # 1 and 2 above and form a very powerful alliance of critical mass that cannot be ignored. ie- expand the virtual panel in a broader way (more about that later).
Sorce
I think the Mayor eventually answered the question. Councillors haven't responded because they are evaluating the efficacy of the slogan..The Best Place to Raise A Child".
ReplyDeleteA good slogan in my view captures a universal nod of approval-unequivacally. This slogan in my opinion bares no efficacy.
Back to the drawing board!
No use going back to the drawing board if this council does not understand why a vision statement is much more than a slogan. I find their lack of engagement pathetic.
ReplyDeleteNorth ender
I am still miffed by this whole thing. What about all the economic conventions held in the city, all the work that agencies and others have done- reports, studies etc., trying to do their part in making Hamilton the best place to raise a child. Are their efforts meaningless? If we think this is a "slogan" and not worthy of councillor input, we should really put a stop to the whole thing so that we don't waste the time of everyone who is trying.
ReplyDeleteSevern
No Severn, these efforts are not meaningless. I by no means intended to minimize the extraordinary ideas brought forth by our Virtual Reality Panel and other bloggers.
ReplyDeleteI know people are thinking it and don t want to admit it, Hamilton is not, at this time the best place to raise a child. However, implementation of these ideas, goals and objectives will eventually get us there.
The Mayor gave us an example of The Best Place to Raise A Child. Unfortunately, it did not imbibe any Canadian communities as an example. I found this disturbing.
Our product is steel our strength is people was a great slogan in its time. Our strength is still the people of Hamilton, and raising a child in a loving,healthy,educated and economically viable home is where the Best Place To Raise A Child takes place.
Not by the state!