Letters Pour In and A Citizen’s Council Presentation

Letters Pour In

Since City Council doesn’t want to hear from the citizens in a public forum, people are turning to the internet to voice their dissatisfaction. I’ve received dozens of letters over the last few days, and unfortunately cannot post every one of them, however, I’ve selected a few that best represent what is on people’s mind.

What people are looking for is leadership, understanding and action. In some of the letters, I’m sensing desperation. Others, frustration. And in some, complete and utter anger. Too bad the only thing Councillor Brister can offer is to volunteer for a charity.

And it is comments such as his that exemplify the current city council – with a few notable exceptions.

You know, residents understand the difficult times facing Windsor. And in fairness, not all the problems facing Windsor can be laid at the feet of this council – but the response to the problems can be. Shutting council doors and huddling in secret is not leadership. Nor is waving council procedure in the faces of voters to deny them their bloody right to speak – and for some – that is all they want – a council that will listen – and respond with sincerity followed by action with measurable results.

As English poet Thomas Gray wrote, “Ignorance is bliss,” some members of council wish to remain ignorant – in both senses of the word.

Yes – councillors can worry about building a “premier” arena or erecting a peace beacon or debate for hours over a grant to a charity, or consider banning cat and dog sales, or shutting down the Capitol Theatre – but in the real world people have to deal with the decisions these people make.

So for all the lawyers fees and consultant fees and studies designed to obstruct investment or play politics with senior levels of government; for all the speeches and addresses and grand gestures how is our city government responding to the average voter?

They smack their lips on ribs, or shop over in Detroit (because times are tough you know) and return to council chambers twice a month; they get paid $500 for 6 minute meetings and turn around and soak rate payers. They play footloose and fancy with tax dollars creating municipal corporations or building their monuments; or hire outside speakers to talk about how wonderful Windsor could be. All the while residents facing layoff or who have been laid off try and figure out how to put food on the table for their families and keep the lights on or the water running in the midst of skyrocketing water rates – and the latter, it has become obvious, for the preservation of political careers by not making decisions when they needed to be made.

Which makes comments, such as the one made by Councillor Brister about devoting time to charity all the more angering. Clearly, some of these councillors and the Mayor are out of touch with reality.

How about some humility folks? Too bad residents will have wait another 3 years to see that again.

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I am another unhappy Windsorite. What Windsorite could be happy with this council?

I have been following your coverage of the council for some time and I agree with pretty much everything you say. The WUC mess is of particular interest due to the rate increases we will see. 86%? Why not make it an even double? I mean if the WUC is in such dire financial shape what is the harm in the other 14%? Seriously, the board has stated that there was a steep learning curve for the members to acclimatize themselves with the workings of WUC.

Steep? Are you kidding me? It has been three years. I earned a Master’s degree in less time. We should have the most competent, qualified board in the country. We know this is not the case. The chair of the board didn’t even attend a single meeting in his first year on the board. How did he become chair?

In Hamilton, if a member fails to attend meetings, there is a financial penalty. How about adding that to Windsor?

The way I see it, Windsor’s councillors are using the boards as porkbarrelling. I think the fact that the doubling of remuneration for being a member of a board is all the evidence needed to support that theory. And to the coucillors that state the increase in compensation is warranted due to the increase in workload I say “you are full of crap!” 6 minute meetings! Come on, what could possibly be acheived in 6 minutes. Nothing? 16 grand a year to attend 6 minute meetings 4 times a year or in the chair’s case
attending 0 meetings.

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Without trying to sound overdramatic, I’m positive a full investigation of Enwin, WUC and Tunnel Corp would bring about the resignation of half of council and Eddie. Eddie, Lewenza, Brister, Valentinis, Jones and Postma gone for certain. Marra, Dilkens, Gignac, Hatfield and Halberstadt safe. It isn’t a poor management issue for them – it’s the fact that they’ve been b.s.ing people by lining their pockets with money for 6 minute meetings.

How many meetings did they actually attend in person? What did they actually contribute to those meetings? Where are the meeting minutes?

And Gord Henderson just keeps on going. The Energizer Bunny of Eddie Boosters.

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I thought I would let you know that Windsor has lost another business; Dialogue Management Group, a division of BBDO Detroit. This is a call centre for The Chrysler Group and did everything from Web mail to Web chat to giving product info to customers and addressing dealership inquiries. This company employed approx. 250 people.

Guess where it is going?

You betcha! INDIA!

I guess King Eddie and Queen Pupatello were asleep at the wheel when the company decided to close their doors. I guess they were too busy trying to get Sutherland to come here with their $9.00 and $10.00/hr jobs and let slip by a company that was paying $12.75 – $15.00/hr.

On top of all this, DMG is NOT giving severance because another company (Convergys) is taking over until they can move it to India. They are stating that they will give a “comparable” wage to all employees until the doors are closed (within 1 year). severance will then be given BY Convergys to the employees. This means that the severance will be a few hundred dollars at most because employment at Convergys will be less than a year (if severance is even allowed within such short employment time).

My wife and I along with many others may lose our house if she cannot find suitable employment elsewhere so I am sure foreclosures are going to increase in this city. This is just another kick to a city that doesn’t have clue what is going on in their own backyard.

How typically sad.

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The Windsor Utilities Commission has reported that the iron main water supply trunk is corroded and needs repair. What they did not acknowledge is that more than 60% of the feeder lines, the ones that connect from the main trunk to your water supply valve at the street, are pure lead, thus necessitating replacement more than three decades ago.

The toxicity of lead and its destruction of the human brain has been well documented since the 70’s. Lead has been banned in gasoline, paint and children’s toys. Fishing tackle and shotgun shells are now lead free. Lead is the prime factor in cases of Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Despite all the evidence, the residents of this community have been consuming lead en masse while the WUC purports to band aid minor nuisances like iron oxide in it’s pipes. Water quality tests done at the water treatment facility will NOT disclose excess lead content. The water must be tested at its final destination, that being the consumers residence. Tests should be conducted in the morning before the customer starts his daily consumption of water. If testing is done after the dormant water has been purged then the test is as flawed as the tests being done at the filtration plant.

WUC issues mixed messages to it’s consumers. On one hand we are told to conserve water, on the other hand we are told to waste it by running our tap first thing in the morning to purge sediment. Unknown to consumers is that included in that sediment are traces of lead not visible to the naked eye.

Why should it be the customer’s responsibility to remove contaminants in the City’s water supply when those contaminants should not have found their way into the water in the first place?

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“Do you know if there is an impeachment clause for city council? This whole water deal is getting ridiculous. I had an letter in the Star a couple weeks ago lamenting about the poor choice of priorities for council spending, but this is really getting out of hand now.”

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Access Denied – Another Delegate’s Presentation to Council

City Council may be able to squash public input, however in the blogosphere the Mayor’s use of Council Procedure does not extend. David Couvillion was a delegate at council on Monday who was also denied the opportunity to make his presentation. His presentation is below:

Thank you Council and Mayor Francis for finally allowing the citizens to speak about the water bill increases and the subsequent mis-information that has been spread about.

We, the beleagured taxpayers in the City of Windsor are looking for answers and the truth about the operations of the WUC.

It has been stated by the Mayor and by Chairperson Lewenza that mis-information has been spread by the local media and another councilor. I do have to state that the mis-information that has been given was in fact spread by BOTH Mayor Francis and Councillor Lewenza. Both stated to the Windsor Star that the Watermain Levy was used for operating costs. The next day that statement was recanted! However, we now come to find that an INTERNAL memo by WUC Finance Director Zuber this year stated just exactly that! That the watermain levy WAS used to lower operating costs.

Also, it seems that the amount of money needed to fund the watermain replacement project announced last month was supposed to be $600 million over 30 years. A month later according to the WUC and their fancy brochure; It states that they need $750 million over 30 years! Why the sudden jump of $150 million within 1 month?

As you can see this is not the fault of the local media nor another councillor. This fiasco lies squarely at the feet of those who sit directly on the Board of the WUC.

I find it astonishing, the tactics that have been played out thus far in and out of these meetings with regards to the funds of the WUC. Everything from stall tactics to the flouting of council procedures, it seems everything has been done so that we, the taxpayer do not know what is really going on at the WUC.

The mayor stated shell games and politics in the past were the reason that the WUC needs more money. Could it be said that shell games and the politics today are the reasons we are seeing such inconsistent numbers?

We have to ask why does the mayor want such a quick end to this matter? Does he and other council members not want a full and forthright audit? Will we see Mayor Francis once again step down from his chair and chastise the council like school children for asking important questions? Or is there really something else to this matter?

Councillor Lewenza has stated that there is no reason for an audit because an independent audit was already done. Well, an independent audit was also done for Enron and we all know the outcome of that scenario.

What kind of message are we sending to the business community with the way some council members and our Mayor have behaved with regards to this matter? No wonder we are having such a hard time locating companies to the city of Windsor.

The citizens of Windsor are asking this council to vote in favour of Councillor Halberstadt’s motion to bring in the Provincial Auditor General and NOT the municipal audit that will be paid, once again, by us taxpayers.

The Provincial Auditor General’s investigation will be more in depth and larger in scope whereas the Municipal Audit will be limited in scope and size. In essence, the municipal audit will only see the information that has been put in front of them.

We are also asking that all those who have a conflict of interest in this matter, such as those who sit on council and the WUC board not be allowed to further impede any investigations and remove themselves from voting on this motion.

We would ask that a Term of reference be made by council except for those who have a conflict of interest so that the proper investigation can be forthright and coming.

Therefore, I ask the remaining council members to allow democracy to flourish and vote for what the taxpayers of this city want; and that is a full investigation with Terms of Reference from the Ontario Auditor General.

Thank you.