With thanks to our friends at Cable 14.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Waterfront Trust?
With thanks to our friends at Cable 14.
24 comments:
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The classic "gottcha moment" which started off with: "Do you have an accounting background?" at the Sept 6th GIC meeting will be marked as a lowest point in Clr. Brad Clark's career -- were instead of respecting the request for an inquiry into the HWT, he went on to publicly thrash the citizen who dared to do the job that Councillors have been elected to do - which is to look after the public interest.
ReplyDeleteBelow is an example of what has surfaced today, and which pretty well has taken a huge chunk of Clr. Brad Clark's political credibility.
Now, it is entirely up to Clr. Brad Clark to publicly apologize to the people of Hamilton for the great disservice he did to the cause of protecting the public interest - by his very dubious line of questioning at Sept 6th GIC meeting.
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Watch this video of the Nov 14, 2011 GIC,
PUBLIC HEARINGS/DELEGATIONS No: 6.1 & 6.2 from hrs 1:26:51 to 1:27:32
at:
http://hamilton.siretechnologies.com/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=164&doctype=AGENDA
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Clr. Brad Clark: "Thank you Deputy Mayor, I couldn't find the financials of this organization anywhere..."
He then goes on to put the same senior staff on a spot, surprisingly for --NOT HAVING RECEIVED THE FINANCIALS-- and goes on to refer to the GIC as being the Board of Directors of the City of Hamilton -- and forcefully asks the same senior staff: "IS THIS AN APPROPRIATE WAY TO DO BUSINESS?"
He does not stop there, but goes on to grandstand by seeking further enlightenment... a classic example of twisting the fork, having found a soft spot to dig into the staff's back!!
Listening to the senior staff's voice is the effect Clr. Brad Clark was seeking publicly - and he was not disappointed.
The effect being projected here is -- here is a very concerned councillor being not just seen, but actually doing his job in protecting the public interest... So sweet, indeed!!
The only twisted reality is that this whole drama by Clr. Clark had to do with a private organization that was seeking to do public good via a paltry $150,000 --not in grants or loans, but by way of a letter of credit-- from the city, for a goal that is in sync with the city's environmental sustainability goals.
So, this motion is tabled until the FINANCIALS is received... as moved by Clr. Brad Clark and seconded by none other than Clr. Judy Partridge herself!!
Could this grandstanding by Clr. Brad Clark have been avoided -- especially knowing very well that by 2009 he has for over EIGHT YEARS not tabled a single motions for the oversight of the MILLIONS OF DOLLARS of taxpayers money that freely flowed from the city coffers to the Hamilton Waterfront Trust?
The Chair's concern for covering "our butts", and Clr. Jackson's god-fearing need for insurance coverage and semi-annual reporting -- were most touching moments here!!
However, most Councillors seem to have developed amnesia with such concerns when it came to the HWT.
The tragedy is that Councillors like Clark and Jackson who are seen in their full form above, have already made an indelible impression on rookie Councillor's like Judy Partridge and Jason Farr.
Clr. Brad Clark: You need to listen to your SPEECH at 1:45:22 above -- it very much sums up Mr. Santucci's request for transparency on Sept 6, 2012.
Part 1 of 2
Are you kidding me!? Babcock actually says that Lieberman is the guy who is holding council's feet to the fire! By the way there doesn't seem to be one mention about the great work of the Hamiltonian in pursuing the story that the Bay Observer started. Did I miss it in the program?
ReplyDeleteBabcock did mention TH, but was interrupted.
DeleteThe treatment that we received at the GIC by the councillors who spoke and asked questions and those who sat by and let it happen is recorded for all to see and hear. However the questions still remain unanswered, posing the question why and what else don't we know?
ReplyDeleteI agree with Loren's opinion that there must be something to this. TH, The Bay Observer, CHML and even the Hamilton Civics League has the HWT on their radar.
ReplyDeleteBetter late than never, I guess.
DeleteJust went to the Hamilton Civic League website. Didn't find anything on the Waterfront Trust. Have they published some position? Can you tell me where to find it?
Delete(in continuation to above post marked 1 of 2)...
ReplyDeletePart 2 of 2
Clr. Brad Clark, now compare this with the HWT Presentation starting from 02:02:30 onwards. And try reconciling the following utterances of your fellow councillor:
At 03:04:42 Clr. Chad Collins in his own words states the following:
"CAPITAL FUND WAS USED TO SUPPORT AT THAT TIME THE.. OPERATING... OR BUSINESS VENTURES".*
and thereafter goes on at 03:04:55 to say this:
"WE HAVE BEEN ANNUALLY GIVING THE CITY THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS WHICH CLEARLY SHOW A) THE INVESTMENTS AND B) THE DECLINING CASH VALUE OF THE TRUST..."
He then goes on to baby-talk the HWT chair towards the NEW VISION... leading towards "unencumbered money"!!
Clr. Clark you come on at 03:07:30 to clean up any lingering mis-perception about the non-reporting by brilliantly soft selling HWT. This stands in striking contrast to your "tough-guy doing public duty act" that you seemed to have performed on the Car-Share program!
All thru your questions and comments, you very simply FAILED to object to Clr. Chad Collins' most clear public contradiction above, on the annual submission of HWT financial reports.
The ensuing drama at this GIC meeting by Clr. Sam Merulla and others was predictable, as was the direction it strongly set for the ensuing Sept 6, 2012 meeting.
In closing, I feel Loren Lieberman's observation on why the Sept 6, 2012 GIC meeting went the way it did, are off base... the reasons for it going the way it did were written all over the Nov 14, 2011 GIC meeting.
Mahesh P. Butani
PS: pls read "Line of Credit" in place of "Letter of Credit in Part 1 of 2 of this post above.
* The HWT board resolution at: www.hamilton.ca/NR/rdonlyres/ED8AF4B1-BCDA-44F2-853C-61FF3ECB5EE0/0/Sep23Item52waterfronttrustresolution.pdf --- clearly states this: "The City of Hamilton does not contribute any portion of the municipal tax levy towards the HWT operating budget and as a result, the City of Hamilton has no influence, control, or jurisdiction over HWT"
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The HWT financials were not submitted for 5 years!
DeleteWhy does not the same line of questioning apply to HWT? That's the key question.
Delete"He then goes on to baby-talk the HWT chair towards the NEW VISION... leading towards "unencumbered money"!!
ReplyDeleteThey could sell their assets and have unencumbered money. What are they talking about? Assets that have lost money four straight years totalling close to $2,000,000.00. They already have received millions in unencumbered money.
I agree that Gary Santucci was treated with contempt. I think it had more to do with the HWT issues than his history with the city. I agree that the members of GIC who attacked him should be ashamed and embarrassed. But I also blame those members of GIC who sat there and did not come to Mr. Santucci's defense. they are just as much to blame.
ReplyDeleteI love the tagline- Can new scrutiny increase transparency? Not when the principals refuse to answer questions!
ReplyDeleteAs I heard on CNN today. Pay attention to social media or it'll kill ya.
ReplyDeleteWhat's CNN? ;)
DeleteCNN the news station. Basically, they were talking about the impact of social media on politics and that people turn to social media more and more and that politicians cannot ignore the impacts.
ReplyDeleteIt was a joke, hence the winky face. A commentary that CNN is so 90's in a world of social media like that seen with Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, etc.
Delete
ReplyDeleteI predict Council will stir up and flog the casino issue, hoping this will distract Hamiltonians and evade from having to answer the specifics surrounding the handling of the WHT.
Wrong,it's the stadium issue!
DeleteCouncil treated Gary with such disrespect and made his delegation about the WFT a personal attack against Gary.
ReplyDeleteI urge The Hamiltonian to keep this issue alive. Pandora's box has been found thanks to The Bay Observer and The Hamiltonian, now let's break it open!
Ron
Well, it is not just the Casino issue that is being used to stir up and create the fog around the HWT -- but now Clr. Ferguson has very unwisely attempted to open up the totally dead West Harbour stadium issue which the Spec has sadly given top billing to provide the cover:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thespec.com/news/local/article/810999--pan-am-stadium-councillor-says-city-got-it-wrong
Such are the ways of the career councillors.
Clr Ferguson laments the lack of transparency with this:
“I’m frustrated. I don’t know what to do. I feel helpless. I think it’s wrong, but I feel helpless. So I’ve decided to open up,”
Well, Mr. Ferguson: Just how do you think the people of Hamilton are feeling now, with your open support for those who are trying to hid the truths around the HWT?
You sarcastically mentioned to Mr. Santucci that the "ship had sailed" on the very disturbing HWT questions.
Well, very clearly in the case of the West Harbour stadium issue the ship had indeed sailed last year!! so why all the melodrama now?
My question to you is:
Were you yourself fully transparent with the grossly inflated costs of the City Hall renovation?
and
Will you be willing to support the citizens questioning of HWT (in light of your your plight with the IW stadium location), and publicly demand the opening up of the books, invoices, board minutes and resolutions of the HWT?
If not, I suggest you join a local theater group as a way of releasing your melodrama around your need for transparency.
Your highly selective posturing for transparency on the stadium issue is a sad joke on the residents of Hamilton - and it will not create the media fog you desire.
Do the right thing by stepping up and demanding from your Councillor colleagues a FULL DISCLOSURE of all HWT operation & management documents NOW.
The ship on the Waterfront Stadium issue has already sailed!
Mahesh P. Butani
The West Harbour story is dead indeed. I am glad TH has not taken the bait.
DeleteA hilarious Dear Leadership Moment by Retd. Mayor Larry DiIanni:
ReplyDeleteWatch this video:
http://youtu.be/znEkuBkT6wY?t=19m16s
at: 19:16 to 19:28
Hamilton Talks, Sept 27, 2012
One of the issues HWT has been questioned on is the lack of "Insurance coverage", and how the city tax payers ended up funding a claim made against the HWT.
If the retd. mayor is so utterly clueless about carrying insurance on construction projects, is it any wonder that the HWT staff/board were equally clueless about the need for having insurance?
And to think we put the burden of mayoral oversight of HWT's $15Million expenditure on to him - how dare we!!
Mahesh P. Butani
By 2011 "Chris Firth-Eagland [who had] served 10 years on the Hamilton Conservation Authority’s board of directors, including the past seven as chair, said he’s opted not to seek reappointment by city council [that] term to give others a chance to step forward."
ReplyDeleteIn January of 2011, Chris Firth-Eagland, then chair of the Hamilton Conservation Authority said this about his future plans, while stepping down as chair:
"...apart from more travel and relaxation, he plans to remain involved with the Hamilton Waterfront Trust as a design and construction contractor."
Wednesday, January, 05, 2011
Conservation authority chair stepping aside for ‘new perspectives’:
Hamilton Community News.com
http://www.hamiltonnews.com/news/conservation-authority-chair-stepping-aside-for-%E2%80%98new-perspectives%E2%80%99/
Now isn't that so sweet? A perfect retirement indeed!
Seriously, how often does one get such a remarkable opportunity to:
"REMAIN INVOLVED" AS A DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTOR WITH THE HAMILTON WATERFRONT TRUST.
I guess since the HWT is on record as having stated that it follows the City Procurement Policy - it would imply that the City of Hamilton also provides such "comforting opportunities" to its many design and construction contractors in various departments.
Mr. Chris Firth-Eagland, maybe it is about time that you enlighten all Hamiltonians about your direct/indirect involvement with the HWT prior to your stepping down from the Chair at the HCA.
Mahesh P. Butani