Ethics and behaviour – Page 15

Peter, Parkinson and Adams

C. Northcote Parkinson, Lawrence J. Peter, and Scott Adams are for me the ‘holy trinity’ of philosophers of modern bureaucracy, within both the public service and the corporate structure. As philosophers, they are all keen observers and witty commentators on the human condition, with emphasis on the nature of organizations, leadership and management. Not always in the lofty or strategically-focused terms of, say, Sun Tzu or Machiavelli; all three are more prosaic and more cynical. And funnier – an adjective seldom used with either classical writer. These three pundits are, of course, well-known today: every CEO, corporate leader and ambitious manager worth their ……… click below for more ↓

Why? A few questions for councillors

2016-04-07 2021-04-13 Collingwood / Council / Ethics and behaviour / Planning & PoliciesOne Comment

Why? Councillor Madigan said he had written that on every page of the report about Collus, presented to council last week by lawyer Mark Rodger. After reading the report, I also have many questions why. It’s a good question. I too, wrote ‘why?” on many pages, albeit likely for rather different reasons. Why, I asked myself as I watched the meeting and listened to the comments from councillors last week, is our current council so intent on destroying its successful, accomplished utility – a superb, efficient business – while demoralizing and alienating the staff who have served this community so well for decades? Why is ……… click below for more ↓

The latest FOI emails examined

2016-04-05 2016-04-05 Collingwood / Council / Ethics and behaviour / Planning & PoliciesOne Comment

One hundred and seventy pages of email correspondence between the town’s interim CAO, John Brown, and the Collus/Powerstream CEO, Ed Houghton, from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, , 2015, were recently released to the public as the result of a Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request filed locally. I have printed and read through all 170 pages, and marked up many of them. It’s dull reading, aside, that is, from the included “Third Party Review of the Collus PowerStream Strategic Partnership,” which should be required reading for all members of council. Let’s get something straight: No one at Collus works for the town, ……… click below for more ↓

Collingwood’s broken committee system, part 2

2016-04-04 2016-04-05 Collingwood / Council / Ethics and behaviour / Planning & PoliciesOne Comment

Back in early 2015, I wrote that the experimental standing committee structure adopted by council was broken. Well, wouldn’t you know it, a year later, council finally agreed. And they replaced it with… you guessed it: another standing committee system. But it’s potentially a much more dangerous threat to our community. The former system had committees of three council members, which met away from the prying cameras that broadcast full council meetings, some of the committees skulking on the top floor of the library to further avoid public scrutiny. Because a group of three councillors was not a quorum, committees could only recommend a course of ……… click below for more ↓

Fixing the shared services agreement

2016-04-01 2016-04-01 Collingwood / Council / Ethics and behaviour / Planning & Policies / User fees and costs3 Comments

First, some history: for 15 years, Collus – now Collus/Powerstream – had a beneficial, mutually-agreed-on and successful agreement with the town to provide services back to the town at reasonable rates. These were things the town did not or could not provide itself for reasons of cost, staffing, expertise, equipment or interest. It was mutually beneficial to have Collus provide them. The list of potential services included: Reconnect & Collection, Meter Reading, Billing & Collecting, Customer Service, Information Technology Management, Data Tracking, Accounting, Engineering, Planning & Necessary Maintenance, Contracting with Developers, Customers & Others, Subcontracting Services, After Hours Response, Normal Hours Response, Emergency Preparedness, Provision of Supervisory Services, HR, Policy Development, Regulatory Assistance, Reporting and Capital Construction Activities. ……… click below for more ↓

Betraying the Public Interest

2016-03-27 2016-03-29 Collingwood / Council / Ethics and behaviour / Taxes3 Comments

At last Monday’s council meeting, Deputy Mayor Brian Saunderson maneuvered so that interim CAO John Brown was allowed to publicly speak to the question of his contract being extended before any vote was taken. Even before anyone on council had a chance to comment on whether he should be allowed to speak. This motion was the topic of my previous post. I believe this is an egregious betrayal of the public interest, but it’s worth looking at the process in more detail, especially to watch the video of the meeting. In the video, it seems clear to me that Saunderson has little or no interest in an ……… click below for more ↓

The $1.2 Million Bird-Flip

2016-03-23 2016-03-23 Collingwood / Council / Ethics and behaviour / Taxes / User fees and costs2 Comments

Only 16 months into this term and I’m already worn out from saying “I told you so.” I warned you it would get worse just a few weeks ago. And look: IT DID. But you’re not really surprised, are you? The whole thing was choreographed by the Bobblehead Block Five through months of secret meetings and emails without any public input. Secrecy, no openness, no accountability – the hallmarks of this term. And it will get worse. Much worse. I’m going to be saying “I told you so” a lot more through the train wreck of this term. Get used to ……… click below for more ↓

CAOs: Mene mene, tekel upharsin

2016-03-19 2016-03-19 Books & Reviews / Collingwood / Council / Ethics and behaviour / What I'm Reading NowOne Comment

The title, as you well know, dear reader, comes from the writing on the wall in Daniel 5, translated as, “You have been weighed in the balance and found wanting.” Those words came to me as I read David Siegel’s recent book on Canadian municipal CAOs, Leaders in the Shadows. It’s subtitled, “The Leadership Qualities of Municipal Chief Administrative Officers.” Interesting stuff for any municipal politician engaged in the recruitment of a CAO.* Siegel suggests CAOs lead from the shadows because, in part, “…a CAO whose name is in the media frequently is probably in some kind of trouble.” I also suggest ……… click below for more ↓

Undermining the Mayor, and Theft

2016-03-18 2016-03-18 Collingwood / Council / Ethics and behaviour2 Comments

There are several changes to Collingwood’s procedural bylaw proposed. They will come up for voting on Monday night. Most are dry procedural stuff that will likely improve or smooth the normally byzantine process. But one section in particular troubles me: 4.3: allowing the CAO to call special meetings of council by himself: Special Meetings of Council The Mayor and/or CAO may, at any time, summon a Special Meeting of Council on twenty-four (24) hours written notice to the Members. Upon receipt of a written petition, hard copy or digitally, from a majority of the Members, the Clerk shall summon a Special Meeting ……… click below for more ↓

Debunking the Collus Myths

2016-03-17 2016-04-13 Collingwood / Council / Ethics and behaviour / Planning & Policies6 Comments

I was recently told a member of town council is publicly making two incorrect statements that seriously need to be debunked: Collus is 100% owned by the town (not 50%), and Collingwood only received $8 million for the sale of its share. Yes, I realize that these are contradictory statements (why would someone pay you for something they never bought?), but a member of the public alleges they were told to him by a council member this week. That sort of foolishness cannot go unchallenged. So let’s correct those mistakes, shall we? Let’s get into the wayback machine to go ……… click below for more ↓

The Crow and the Pond

2016-03-14 2016-03-14 Collingwood / Ethics and behaviour / Legends & MythsLeave a comment

One day, the crafty old crow was sitting in his nest while his pack of pet doves brought him breakfast and plucked out their own chest feathers to make sure his nest was soft and warm. He happened to glance down to the forest floor and saw a large pond at which deer and other animals were drinking. The water was clear and inviting. “That’s a mighty big pond,” the old crow thought to himself. “I’d like to bathe in it. I’d like to drink from its clear waters. But not with so many other animals around. I want it all to ……… click below for more ↓

Why We Deserve a Permanent CAO

2016-03-12 2016-03-12 Collingwood / Council / Ethics and behaviour3 Comments

First, a little history. Back in the spring of 2012, Collingwood Council terminated the contract with Kim Wingrove, the CAO, according to the terms in the agreement. In her place, council appointed the CEO of Collus, Ed Houghton, as interim CAO. In addition to his other duties, Houghton took the job without any compensation. In January, 2013, council began the process of recruiting a new, permanent CAO. Houghton, an effective leader who was widely respected by staff and council, stepped down shortly afterwards. A consultant was found to begin the recruitment process. In July, 2013, on a recommendation from the town’s ……… click below for more ↓

But wait, it gets worse…

2016-03-08 2016-03-08 Collingwood / Council / Ethics and behaviourOne Comment

By now you know the worst thing that has happened during this term of council: last night, Dep. Mayor Saunderson made a notice of motion to extend the interim CAO’s contract for another year. Yes, the same interim CAO who was originally hired to fill in only until the town hired a permanent CAO. Last year. It appears several councillors have been conniving in secret AGAIN to extend the CAO’s contact, just as they did last year. Perhaps it was discussed at the secret meeting at a Thornbury restaurant, last December. No wonder the recruitment process for a new CAO was delayed. It was supposed to start ……… click below for more ↓

Time for Closure

2016-03-05 2016-03-05 Collingwood / Council / Ethics and behaviour / Municipal Politics / PoliticsOne Comment

Thirty-six months ago a small group of disgruntled, angry residents, some with burning ambition to take a seat on council themselves, allegedly complained to the OPP about decisions made by some members of the previous council. Decisions they didn’t like. They chose to act in secret, through anonymity and stealth, rather than through open, democratic and public processes. Using biased media, gossipers with their own agendas, sycophant bloggers, protests, ambitious candidates mouthing righteous platitudes, and virulent social media campaigning, they alleged corruption by local public officials. The OPP must have been mortified at having to investigate a clearly politically-motivated, baseless complaint. But the law is ……… click below for more ↓

Sloppy Reporting and Secret Agendas

2016-02-10 2016-02-10 Collingwood / Council / Ethics and behaviour / Media Issues / Planning & PoliciesOne Comment

One really doesn’t actually expect sterling journalism, good, investigative reporting or excellent editing from a community newspaper, but we do expect factual accuracy. And we expect reporters and editors to do at least the basics of their jobs. Some parallel stories in the local papers show just how inaccurate – and sloppy – local reporting and editing can be. And how this is letting council get away with its secret agendas unreported. The first story, in the Connection, is headlined, Collingwood calling on Collus Powerstream to divulge salaries of executives, employees. It opens: Salaries paid to executives and employees of ……… click below for more ↓