Some of Our Municipal Politicians Apparently Still Don’t Get The Message that People are Fed Up with the Ugly Conduct of the Past Four Years
A Brief One from Niagara At Large publisher and reporter Doug Draper
Posted February 15th, 2019 on Niagara At Large
As word spreads of a plan hatched inside the bowels of the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA) to slime Niagara Falls Regional Councillor Barbara Greenwood and Grimsby Mayor Jeff Jordon (both recently appointed to serve as interim members of the NPCA’s bard) with a censure motion for speaking their minds about the continued presence of “acting CAO” David Barrick at the agency, it has been heartening to watch how many Niagara residents have taken to social media and other venues to express support for Greenwood and Jordan and their anger over the disgusting crap this agency is still trying to pull.
Some residents also taken the time to contact their elected representatives at the Niagara regional government level to let them know that they want to see behaviour aimed smearing those who have the courage to speak out or tell it like it is on issues of concern to the public stopped.
Residents are also taking the opportunity to express their support for Greenwood, Jordan, and for Brian Heit, a St. Catharines Regional Councillor who has also recently been appointed by the Region’s council to serve as an interim member of the NPCA board, and who, in his case, has been the target of smears circulated to other board members and municipal representatives and media outlets in Niagara by parties using bogus names and Gmail addresses.
A veteran regional councillor, Heit has been among a growing number of municipal politicians in Niagara demanding answers to public concerns over the way the NPCA has been spending millions of our tax dollars.
An example of the kind of public support that is out there for those being targeted for speaking out is the following poster, sent to members of Niagara Regional Council and to others from a Niagara Falls resident and community activist Linda Manson.
The poster also makes a reference to Ontario Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk who last September released a scathing report on the Conservation Authority’s operations that the new NPCA board has yet to show it is taking seriously, and to Bill Hodgson, a former NPCA board member and Lincoln regional councillor who was smeared with a censure motion by the old board two years ago, in the wake of his efforts to have an independent audit done on the agency’s operations.
Here is the poster –
To read a news commentary posted this February 13th in Niagara At Large about plans afoote to censure Niagara Falls Regional Councillor Barbara Greenwood and Grimsby Mayor Jeff Jordan for daring to say that the NPCA’s so-called “acting CAO” David Barrick should be out of the picture as work continues to put the Conservation Authority back on the right track, click on – https://niagaraatlarge.com/2019/02/14/dont-let-our-niagara-regional-councillors-slime-three-of-their-best/ .
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Wondering about WHEN the INTERIM Chair of the NPCA might call for a censure vote against the THREE members of the Board who had the backbone to call for action? I bet you “thought” it would be found on a page for “Board Meetings” or “Agendas” well …no .. it was cleverly hidden on this link https://npca.ca/events “EVENTS!” Yes – along with notices on Weddings, Corporate Events, Calendar showing “Pond Openings’ and Conservations Awards. Exactly where one would “expect” to find a “Notice of Meeting” the public should know about. I guess some highly trained expert in “communications” found the very best place to post it where o one would think to look. To ALL who are following this and who believe Cllrs Greenwood, Heit and Jordan deserve OUR support – if you are able – please attend . We’re not “activists” any more – collectively we are “advocates” for freedom of speech and upholding the “rights” of individuals, especially those ELECTED to do so, to require transparency and accountability and NO muzzling
FULL AUTHORITY MEETING
WHEN: February 20, 2019
WHERE: Ball’s Falls Centre for Conservation – Glen Elgin
COST: N/A To commence at 9:30am
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As a person who regularly emails board members and Councillors it is heartening to read that so many others are doing the same. It is less heartening when I write to the complacent ones with what should be common practice and get back. good question I will bring it up. Or I see no reason that isn’t done. After more than a week it hasn’t been don though. The Request for Procurement in regards to hiring an executive search firm ended I am asking that the contents of that be public. Not who it was sent to or personal or corporate details just what it says. But that it is unlikely. I hope I am wrong
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Like many others who have followed the NPCA for years, I have written not only to my councillors, but adjuncts to the NPCA about issues, including a letter to the St Catharines Standard a couple of years ago, when the NPCA wanted to be handed the keys to the Morningstar Mill by some elected officials.
I had three friends edit that letter, but not sign their names to it. What I am saying is simply there are more people out there with deep concerns who are hesitant to attend mtgs or write letters. I’ve hear from the Dube’s office re D’angelo (Camen or Carmelo now? the name changes in the press) and suspect others have quietly heard from the Ombudsman’s office as well. We are all doing what we can.
Trying to find any balance in this mess is overwhelming taxpayers, who are funding all of the law suits and counter-suits, and down time with full pay for the whole gang.
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Ever since the news broke on the tainted hiring of the CAO in the region I too have noticed as Gail Benjafield has stated in her above comment that the media sometimes refers to Mr. D’Angelo as Carmen and other times as Carmelo.I believe the taxpayers in Niagara who have followed Mr. D’Angelos past history with the NPCA and the Region would prefer they used KARMA……….What goes around comes around.
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