Councillor Control: The new mute button

You really can’t believe everything you read in the paper.

I admit I find myself in unfamiliar territory, but I must come to the defence of Councillor Jones and demand that City of Windsor CAO, John Skorobohacz , issue an apology during a public session of council.

Below, the Chatham Daily News reported that city CAO, John Skorobohacz wrote a letter to the Mayor of Chatham-Kent apologising for Councillor Jones’ statements during June 29th, 2009 city council meeting:

Windsor Coun. Ron Jones erroneously stated during a June 29 council meeting that Windsor had contracted out Ontario Work applications to Chatham-Kent for preparation and processing in its Ontario Works office since they are non-union.

The comments were made by Jones in connection with the current CUPE work stoppage that has affected many services in Windsor.

“Unfortunately, the councillor did not seek clarification from the administration prior to the council meeting wherein we would have had the opportunity to set the record straight and avoid placing the spotlight on your community during this CUPE strike,” Skorobohacz wrote.

However, according to video footage of Monday’s council meeting, it is apparent that no such statement was made.

In fact, Councillor Jones asked whether or not it was “fact” that Ontario Works applications were being contracted out to Chatham-Kent for processing, as both the video clip and transcript outline below:

Councillor Jones:

Thank you your acting Worship.

And I guess through you to administration…Is it a fact that Ontario Works applications for Windsor are now being contracted out to the City of Chatham for preparation and processing in their Ontario Works office since they are non-union?

Acting Worship Dilkens:

Ms. Worsh?

Ms Worsh:

Yes through you your acting Worship to Councillor Jones.

(Shame! Shame! Shame!)

Acting Worship Dilkens:

Members of the audience, please allow the question to be answered.

Ms. Worsh:

There are currently no Ontario Works applications being done by CUPE members in any other municipality. There are other municipalities that have come forward with some management staff to assist us with the heavy demand in the Ontario Works area.

And in particular, I might add, Chatham, the City of Chatham, has no staff, either management or front-line CUPE workers assisting us with the heavy workload with Ontario Works applications.

So why would the CAO find it necessary to apologise to the City of Chatham-Kent? 

A letter to the City of Chatham would be warranted had Councillor Jones posed his question as fact – as he sometimes does – but he did not do so in this case.

So who authorized the CAO to write such a letter to Chatham’s Mayor? 

And who sent it out to the Chatham Daily News?   

We’ve witnessed a number of times city council directing administration to write a letter to DRIC officials, but I don’t recall – at least in a public meeting of council – councillors directing Mr. Skorobohacz to do so in response to councillor Jones’ question.

Is that not what we expect our City Councillors to do – ask questions in the public forum to clarify or bring to light information?

Frankly, the only one shining the spotlight on the City of Chatham-Kent is the City of Windsor’s CAO, John Skorobohacz.

Or is this the emergence of a new “mute button” for councillors; designed to silence council questions?

Video Segment