1. Some opinions to remember on the Windsor Airport in general and municipal corporate governance in particular. - Windsor Airport - Air Traffic Control. We've added two new "arms-length" corporations in the last year and may yet be adding two more. Is this the correct model for transparent, open and accountable government that most people expect today?
2. Windsor may be addicted to urban sprawl, but other municipalities are starting to realize the true costs. Some are even saying no to new development for the sake of development.
3. One of those things that most of us missed.
4. I'm interested in reader's opinions on our current Ward system for a future blog series that I'm working on. Issues to consider are the current number of wards, size of wards, number of Councillors, remuneration of Councillors and whether or not it's time for Windsor to move towards full time Councillors. Any/all comments, suggestions, links to articles, research etc. welcome. (bluebloggingsoapbox@gmail.com)
5. Just thinking - we can continue to hire outside consultants to study, review, study some more, Council can review the study, request a report and if we're lucky, take some action sometime in the next 3 years. On the other hand - maybe we can pull the finger out and simply make our current City Auditor an Auditor General and start the whole process immediately. Markham has already begun leading the Province by approving the creation of an Auditor-General. Not surprising really. They also believe in consulting with residents before raising water rates, not running damage control after the fact. Their Click With Markham is also a great use of multimedia to connect with residents. (includes .pdf's in eight different languages.)
6. Windsor related Facebook - Tartan Army returns! , Councillors Halberstadt and Dilkens have joined the Facebook generation - will others?
7. Update: In case you missed it - the latest edition of the "Cheerleader Chronicles". Little did Councillors realize when they were running last election that one of the requirements was to ask no questions. Anything less than a 10-0 vote and the dissenting opinions are "naysayers", "blind mice", (insert your own Henderson-inspired negative), ...
If the Mayor is looking for unqualified support from residents, he's doing a damn poor job of selling his own residents, let alone prospective investors. The Mayor and this Council's penchant for secrecy and fait accompli propositions is more to blame for perceived difficulties than any so-called naysayers. Windsor's weekly Council meetings have begun to look more like poorly orchestrated versions of a junior band than anything representing real open and accountable government. You'll have to forgive me if I don't pick up an instrument and join the band each week when I don't get to see the score until after the performance.
